Good ol' new green bean casserole

Taking the standard green bean casserole + changing it a little = Thomas' favorite!  This recipe is adapted from Classy Green Bean Casserole found on www.allrecipes.com.  Here are the changes: 1. I used fresh green beans, 2. I used 1/2 cup of non fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and 3.  I used breadcrumbs instead of French onions.

I made it a heartier, one dish meal by adding chicken

Ingredients

1 pound of green beans (or 3 cans)
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Diced chicken or turkey (optional)
1 tsp (approx) garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Lots of Italian seasoning and Parsley
1 T melted butter
1/2 cup of crushed crackers or breadcrumbs

Directions
Wash and cook green beans.  In an 8x8 pan (or 2 quart dish), mix cream of mushroom soup and yogurt.  Stir in green beans, salt and pepper and seasonings until incorporated.  Make your own breadcrumbs or smash crackers, adding the melted butter.  Top casserole with (slightly) buttery bread topping.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Are you curious about my drink?
Rooibus Raspberry Soda
Basically combine 2 cups Rooibus tea, stir in a little sugar or honey (we just stocked up on some more in Germany, so we're good to go!) with 2 cups raspberry juice; however, I used grape juice and 2 cups sparkling water.  Chill.

Corn Chowder

I had an urge to make corn chowder.  It turned out great!  I love this recipe.  Here is what I did:
        Prep work

• Peel and dice 4 medium potatoes
• Wash and dice about 1 cup of celery 
• Dice about 1 cup's worth of onion (white or red)
• Add potatoes, celery and onion in medium to large pot and cover with water
  
  Cooking
• Boil (I added a bit of salt) until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes
• Drain
• Place vegetables back into pot and add the following:
• 1 can (11 oz) creamed corn
• 1 can (15 oz)  kernel corn
• About 1/4 tsp of garlic salt, Italian Seasoning and Parsley to your liking, chili powder or 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper and black pepper. 
• 1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk
  
  
  Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened to desired consistency.  If you so wish (like me), top with cheese!
  
  
  
  Adapted from "Easy Corn Chowder II"

Asparagus, pasta and cheese dish

I have made this dish a couple of times, so many that this time around I adapted it from my head, not looking at the recipe.  This is what I did:

• Wash 1 pound of asparagus.  I've recently learned how to snap them.  Hold the asparagus lightly in the middle and put pressure on it until it naturally breaks, separating the hard and tender parts of the asparagus.  After doing this to all of the individual asparagus, you may have more of the "hard" ends than the tender parts that you'll cook, but it will be worth it.  I've not had a hard-to-chew piece in my cooking since I've started this technique.

• Cook the asparagus in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes.  It doesn't take long to cook them.
• Take the aspargus out of the water without draining the water.  I use salad tongs to help me.
• Keep the asparagus in the oven while you cook the pasta.  You may put the oven on a low setting. I add a little butter on top of the asparagus, but that step can be optional.
• Add 1/2 to 1 pound (depending on how much you want to make) of your choice of pasta to the "pre-used" asparagus water.
• Cook pasta until al dente (or however you like it).  This time reserve some water for later while you drain the water.
• Combine the pasta and asparagus.  Top the pasta dish with lots of Parmesan cheese and parsley.
  

  

  Picture of the next-day leftovers
  
  

  Adapted from: Fletcher, Janet. Four Seasons Pasta: A Year of Inspired Recipe in the Italian Tradition. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2004.
  
  

  

  Another variation with green beans, made on December 30, 2010