Lima Bean Casserole

Can't believe I didn't share this recipe during the Lazarus Project. I really like the lima beans and tomatoes together - what a great combination of flavors! This is a great side dish to jazz up a regular weeknight meal.

For more recipes, check out Saturday Stirrings.



Lima Bean Casserole

1 pkg lima frozen lima beans (28 oz)
1-14.5 oz can tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Prepare beans according to package directions; drain well. In saucepan, combine tomatoes and cracker crumbs, heat for 2 minutes. Add beans, onion, pepper, and cheese; mix well. Pour mixture into a 8x8 casserole. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

Lima Bean Ragout w/ Tomato and Thyme

Our church will be challenging members to participate in the Lazarus Project for one week during Lent this year. (Basic idea is to eat as the poor do for five days, then donate the money not spent on lavish meals to help relieve hunger.)

We are not real keen on beans in this household. Other than the usual, unfortunate side effects, the sulphur in most beans will trigger migraines for me. So I did some internet digging to find some inexpensive meals that we could sustitute for the usual beans and rice fare.

We love lima beans, so this will definitely be on our menu plan for that week (March 1-6). I will be posting some more traditional beans and rice recipes in this week as well!

Lima Bean Ragout w/ Tomato and Thyme

· 4 lbs fresh lima beans, shelled, or 2 packages frozen lima beans, thawed

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, then diced

· 1/2 yellow onion, chopped

· 3 cloves garlic, minced

· 1 bay leaf

· 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1 cup vegetable stock or broth

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Bring a large saucepan 3/4 full of water to a boil. Add the lima beans and cook until just tender-crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and salt and saute until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, add the cooked lima beans and simmer, uncovered, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Are you being over-run with zucchini? Here's another idea of a yummy dish. I found this on Dawn's Daily Life.

Don't forget to check out I Throw Like a Girl for more Saturday Stirrings recipes.

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

4 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) Italian Style tomato sauce
1 medium green pepper, chopped

Place zucchini in strainer; sprinkle with salt. Let drain for 10 minutes. Squeeze out moisture. Combine zucchini with eggs, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cheddar and 1/2 mozzarella cheese. Press into a greased 9x13x2 inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato sauce; spoon over baked zucchini mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and green pepper. Bake for 20 more minutes.
Makes 6-8 servings

Veggie Patties

I haven't tried this one yet, but I hope to soon! This sounds like a good way to sneak veggies onto someone's plate, whether it be a picky toddler, veggie-despising spouse, or yourself!

And check out out other Saturday Stirrings participants at It Coulda' Been Worse.

VEGGIE PATTIES
Can be served as a side or a main dish. Make a large batch and freeze for future meals.

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 potato, grated
1 medium carrot, grated
1 sweet potato, grated
1 zucchini, grated
1/4 cup broccoli, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour (can use wheat)
Salt & pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Grate the potato, carrot, sweet potato and zucchini.

Place in a bowl with broccoli and mix well.

Squeeze out as much liquid as possible by taking a handful of the veggie mix and squeezing it over sink.

Add flour, salt & pepper and garlic powder to the squeezed vegetables. Mix well.

Set pan on medium heat and add olive oil.

With hands, make patties about the 2 to 3 inches in diameter and add to pan.

Cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side until patties are crisp and golden brown.
Serve warm.

HG's Miracle Mashies

From http://www.hungry-girl.com/


PER SERVING (1/5th of recipe, about 2/3 cup): 82 calories, 1g fat, 168mg sodium, 16g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugars, 3g protein -- POINTS® value 1*

Mixing cauliflower and potato is a GREAT way to get true mashed potato taste and texture, with a healthier, lower calorie spin. Woohoo!

Ingredients:
1 large (about 13-oz.) potato
3 cups cauliflower florets
3 tbsp. fat-free half & half
1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread
1/4 tsp. salt pepper and additional salt, to taste
Optional: 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic

Directions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, peel and cube the potato. Once water is boiling, add peeled potato cubes and cauliflower. Wait for the water to return to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes (until potatoes and cauliflower are very tender). Remove the pot from heat and strain out all of the water. Transfer contents to a large bowl, and add half & half, butter/buttery spread, salt, and (if you like) crushed garlic. Mash it all together with a potato masher, until completely blended. Season to taste with pepper and additional salt. Enjoy! MAKES 5 SERVINGS

Smashing Sweet Potatoes

4 large sweet potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 stick butter
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T orange juice
2 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1 t salt


1. Scrub sweet potatoes. Cut sweet potatoes into large cubes leaving skins intact.
2. Place on cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Roast in a 375 oven for 45 minutes or until fork tender.
4. Mash sweet potatoes in large bowl with remaining ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste.