Beautifully Versatile Casseroles

I love great casserole recipes that allow you to whip together a delicious dish for a week's worth of dinners, or create a crowd-pleaser for any sort of function.

Two Thanksgiving ago, I was celebrating the holiday at some friends' in Baton Rouge, LA. Of course, everything I ate that day was amazing. The family was one of those long-established crews with strong Italian heritage, so just imagine how those people could cook.

One dish that has stuck out in my mind and my cravings was a casserole that had asparagus and eggs - surprisingly simple and DELICIOUS.

I've been in search of a similar recipe ever since. I just stumbled across this one from Furniture City Feasts, a collection of recipes from the Junior League of High Point, N.C.

I'm not sure if anyone knows the ways of those Italian Cajun cooks who shared their Thanksgiving with me in 2005, but I sure was excited to find this recipe. Coming from another state full of great cuisine and cooks, it's certainly worth a try!

Asparagus Casserole

ingredients
1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
3 tablespoons (or more) milk
1 (15-ounce) can asparagus, drained
1 (16-ounce) can English peas, drained
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Chopped almonds or crushed cheese crackers

directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the soup and milk in a bowl and stir until the mixture is of a thick sauce consistency, adding additional milk if necessary. Add the asparagus and peas and mix well. Spoon the mixture into a baking dish. Top with the eggs and sprinkle with almonds or cheese crackers. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 6

A Little Imagination and a Margarita

The weather is messing with my head.

It will be in the 70s here in Nashville one day, and then the rather cold and dreary 40s the next.

While I shouldn't complain, knowing that in places like my home state of Oregon there are still many months of rain to come before some tolerable weather sets in, I'm still going to wish anxiously for a good tan and some tropical exposure.

While I may not like nature's lack of compliance, I do like the suggestion from the Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro, Arkansas, in their new book, Rendezvous on the Ridge.

They offer a menu called "Spring Break in the Islands," and instruct readers to "put on a Jimmy Buffet CD and pretend you are in the tropics with this Caribbean meal."

Yes, it is only 10 am on Thursday, but I think a margarita sounds splendid right about now....

MENU

- Frozen Margarita Punch

- Mango Chutney

- Shrimp and Bacon

- Spinach Cheddar Salad with Apples

- Saucy Pork Chops with Orange Slices

- Sweet Jamaican Rice

- Lemon Almond Pound Cake

Sample Recipe - Frozen Margarita Punch (Make this tonight as a sort of trial run for the weekend!)

ingredients

- 4 (12-ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

- 3 quarts H2o (water)

- 3 cups Triple Sec

- 3 cups tequila (get the good stuff - your head and stomach will thank you later)

- 2 (2-liter) bottles lemon-lime soda

directions

Combine the limeade concentrate, water, Triple Sec and tequila in a large container. Freeze for 8 hours or longer, stirring twice. Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before serving. Place in a punch bowl and break into chunks. Add the soda and stir until the mixture is slushy.

makes 2 1/2 gallons. yummy.

Another Reason to Cook at Home

Scan the NY Times' headlines today, and you'll realize two things:

1.) Eating at home might not only make it easier for you to eat healthy, but, assuming your kitchen is sans vermin, it might be better for your overall health.

2.) Be careful what you buy in grocery stores to create in your home-cooked meals: no one wants the real mad-cow disease.

That's the great thing about cookbooks though - they offer consumers a whole slew of options for how to prepare food and what to eat.

That's what we're all about: making it easier for our customers to avoid vermine-infested diners and mad-cow disease, one recipe at a time.

Two of my Favorite Things

1. Beer
2. Bread

Only a few things make life better.

The Irish had that figured out for sure.

So in the spirit of St. Patty's Day, don some green and whip up this super-easy "Quick Beer Bread" recipe from the cookbook, Angels in the Kitchen.

Quick Beer Bread

ingredients
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 (12-ounce) can beer
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

directions
Sift the flour and sugar into a bowl. Stir in the beer. Pour into a lightly greased 5x9-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and pour the melted butter over the top.

Serves 8.

Go Vegan on the Cheap

The potato became famous in seventeenth century Europe because it was recognized as a food source that could save people in times of famine.

While our economy is shaky, we’re certainly not a country on the verge of starvation. Conversely, we’re overweight. Unfortunately, many health food items are more expensive than junk food.

The good old potato, however, is a healthy staple that costs pennies, can be bought in bulk, fills you up, and delivers nutrients that every body needs.

A 5 lb. bag of potatoes costs, on average, five dollars or less. Each potato delivers potassium, iron, calcium, Vitamin C and folic acid. While the potato often gets a bad rap for being too starchy, eating them won’t make you fat, unless they’re smothered in butter and sour cream or a cheesy sauce. Like every other food, deep frying them isn’t the best health option either.

Potatoes can be easily and deliciously prepared in a healthy manner though, which will save on the grocery bill as well.

Kay Hansen, author of the cookbook, Vegan Homestyle: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living, has several recipes for preparing delicious potato dishes so you can tighten your belt and your wallet.


Home Fries
Ingredients
6-8 medium Russet potatoes, steamed until just tender and cooked
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. basil (optional)
paprika

Directions
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Cut potatoes into quarter and then into 1” chunks. Place potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and paprika (basil, if desired), stirring to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crispy and browned, about 20minutes. Serve immediately. They’re the perfect low-fat answer to French fries. Serves 8.

Nutritional Information: 1 serving; 193 calories; 3 grams fat; 165 mg. sodium; 36 grams carbohydrate; 4 grams fiber; 2 grams sugar; 4 grams protein.



Garlic Potatoes
Ingredients
4 large potatoes
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup warm water
1 tsp. oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tahini
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. paprika
dried parsley


Directions
Scrub potatoes and dry. Cut into ½” strips. Place in a 9”x11” baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Stir tahini smooth in the water. Add the rest of the seasonings and garlic. Pour over potatoes and turn to coat all sides. Bake at 400F degrees, uncovered, for 1 hour or until tender. (Place a stainless steel cookie sheet under the casserole to prevent burning, if needed). Stir occasionally. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Nutritional Information: 1 serving; 160 calories; 1 gram fat; 160 mg. sodium; 33 grams carbohudrate; 3 grams fiber; 2 grams sugar; 4 grams protein



Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

“A traditional Jewish favorite. My mother served them with applesauce and a dollop of sour cream. This vegan version makes a nice light evening supper dish.”
Ingredients
2 cups warm mashed potatoes
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup soy milk
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. Rumford baking powder or EnerG baking Powder

Directions
Stir together all ingredients to make a soft batter. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Create pancakes by spooning batter onto the baking sheet. Bake until brown on the bottom, for about 10 minutes. Turn and bake for about 10 minutes more. Remove to a platter and keep hot in a low oven until ready to serve. (Latkes can also be baked on a non-stick griddle.) Serve with applesauce and Tofu sour cream or plain soy yogurt. Makes 12 pancakes.

Nutritional Information: 1 pancake; 67 calories; 1 gram fat; 193 mg. sodium; 12 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 0 grams sugar; 2 grams protein




Vegan Homestyle (ISBN 978-0-9788632-0-3; $24.95) is available at major booksellers like Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. It is also available directly from www.cookbookmarketplace.com.

Tampa Bay, Florida

On a recent trip to Tampa, I had the pleasure of meeting some members of the Junior League of Tampa.

This league has a long history of producing exceptional cookbooks with FRP.

This was my first trip to Tampa - a beautiful city, indeed.

Something that sticks out in my mind is how the JL of Tampa's cookbooks, particularly Life of the Party, Savor the Seasons, and Everyday Feasts, capture and convey what it's like to be in this laid-back, exotic city.

How can a cookbook do that?

The answer to that may very well be the secret to a successful cookbook, or set of them.

Check these books out for yourself and see if you can't identify the elements that make a bestselling cookbook.

Volunteer at the IACP Convention in NOLA

http://www.nola.com/food/t-p/index.ssf?/base/living-1/1204785405304580.xml&coll=1

Members of the FRP team are set to attend the IACP Convention in New Orleans in April, 2008.

It's gonna be a great time.

If you want to get a free glance at what this convention is all about, it looks like they need volunteers!

Fitting, in my opinion, that this convention is to be held in the Crescent City.

I recall my first time in New Orleans.

I had driven to Louisiana to go to grad school in Baton Rouge a week before Katrina hit.
So I never got to see NOLA before the storm.
Instead, a native New Orleanian drove me down one sticky October Sunday, about a month after those big hurricanes had passed.

The city was barren and still badly broken, as much of it remains even today.

We rolled past National Guardsmen still holding things down on Canal and meandered into Mandina's, where it seemed like the only other remaining people in the city had gathered.
The waitresses were working really hard to serve everyone. They kept telling people they didn't have a lot, but what they did have they would gladly serve.

Thus my first truly informed impression of the people of New Orleans was that they carried an intense spirit: my second was that even though the storm had washed away a lot, it hadn't touched the city's propensity for amazing food.

Sustainable....tuna?

I've heard of sustainable housing....but the NY Time's perspective on sustainable recipes is a whole new concept: http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/how-do-you-write-a-sustainable-recipe/index.html?ref=fitnessandnutrition

March's Top-Seller

This month's top-selling book in the Cookbook Marketplace is Eating Well through Cancer by Holly Clegg and Oncologist Gerald Miletello, M.D.

Many people don't know that Clegg's father was diagnosed with larynx cancer while she was creating this book. Thus, Clegg was completely emotionally invested in creating a book that could help people remain nourished and enjoy good, home-cooked meals while enduring cancer treatment.

The book is also great for people who want to help their loved ones endure cancer treatments, as it empowers them to actually do something that will help the patient, by creating a delicious meal that can alleviate side effects like sore mouth or throat.

The following recipe is from the "Healthy Living Post-Treatment" section of Eating Well through Cancer.

Couscous Salad
Couscous only takes minutes to prepare and this wonderful combination of cranberries, snow peas, and peanuts makes this recipe a wonderful recipe.

1 tsp. minced garlic, divided
4 tbsp. lemon juice, divided
2 ½ cups canned, fat-free chicken broth
1 ½ cups couscous
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (10-ounce) package snow peas, cooked crisp tender according to directions
5 green onions (scallions), chopped
½ cup peanuts
½ cup dried cherries
2 tbsp. olive oil
Dash of hot pepper sauce

In a pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté ½ tsp. garlic and add 1 tbsp. lemon juice and chicken broth. Bring to a full boil and add couscous, cover pot and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and add parsley. Set aside to cool. When cool, add snow peas, green onions, peanuts and cherries. For dressing, mix together remaining ½ tsp. minced garlic and 3 tbsp. lemon juice, oil and hot sauce. Toss the dressing with the couscous mixture.

Makes 8-10 servings

Nutrition Information per serving
Calories 204
Protein (g) 7
Carbohydrate (g) 30
Fat (g) 7
Calories from Fat (%) 29
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Dietary Fiber (g) 4
Cholesterol (mg) 0
Sodium (mg) 162

Diabetic Exchanges: 1.5 starch; 0.5 fruit; 1 fat

Kitchen Tip - Super Clean Mushrooms

A wise woman wound up cooking chicken soup in my kitchen one day.

Along with some delicious stew, she shared with me a simple, yet brilliant way to clean mushrooms for cooking.

• Place mushrooms in a jar with a lid (a used jelly jar works great)



• Fill with water, just covering the mushrooms and tighten the lid



• Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds



• Rinse out dirty water and repeat one or two times until your 'shrooms are sparkly

Welcome to FRP's Blog!

While FRP has been publishing cookbooks since 1961, the purpose behind this blog isn't only to dwell on our books.

It's a place for creative collaboration - a place where you can share ideas on food, cooking, life, whatever.

We hope that through this blog, you'll find information on cookbooks, cuisine, in-the-kitchen tips, good recipes, the publishing industry, the art of being a successful self-publisher, and tons of little bits of priceless wisdom that will keep you coming back for seconds and thirds.

Moreover, we hope to learn from any ideas, thoughts, insights and wisdom we're sure you're carrying around and looking to share.

So help us throw everything into the pot: we'll let it simmer and see what we get.

Recipe to Run On

I love to run.

You might say, I'm addicted.

Most runners are like this though, and I've heard a lot of runners talk about how strongly they'll feel their body craving a certain kind of food.

Lately, I've been craving carbs. It's a weird sensation (okay, not really that weird - who doesn't love bread.) It's just weird because I wish my body always communicated so clearly to me: EAT BREAD NOW. STOP EATING. EAT RED MEAT, YOU NEED PROTEIN - moreover - I wish I would listen!

Regardless, I've been craving carbs, so I found a recipe called "Good for What Aiolis You" from Toast to Tidewater, an award-winning cookbook from the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach.

I selected this particular pasta dish as I know there are many health benefits of eating garlic, including fighting breast cancer. Plus, a bunch of pasta drenched in olive oil and spicy garlic just sounded really good.

This recipe calls for 2 heads of garlic to be cooked in olive oil for about 45 minutes.

It's important to note here that 2 heads of roasted garlic cloves to 16 ounces of bowtie pasta is a heck of a lot of garlic. It's also important to note that my apartment is about the size of a closet. Vampires, bats, dogs, normal human beings with any sense of smell, and cute boys are likely to stay away from the place forever.

Now I know why this recipe has been a winner every year at the Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival.

As this recipe serves 8, it may have not been the best choice to prepare in my small living quarters anyway, as my apartment barely fits two people. Regardless, the pasta turned out delicious and I'm forever cured of evil demons and hopefully one ongoing step closer to better health.

So here's the recipe:

Good for What Aioli's You

ingredients

- 2 heads of garlic (seriously)

- 4 tablespoons olive oil, drained

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

- 1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

- 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in water for 30 minutes, or 3 ounces fresh porcini mushrooms (these mushrooms really set off the garlic and pasta...soooo good)

- 16 ounces bowtie pasta, cooked and drained

- 1/2 cup white wine (yes, please)

- 1 tablespoon butter, ice cold, cut into pieces

- 5 basil leaves, thinly sliced

directions

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- Slice off top half of garlic heads

- Place garlic heads in a small ovenproof dish and pour 2 tablespoons olive oil over tops; sprinkle garlic heads with salt and pepper

- Cover and roast garlic heads in 350 degree oven until golden, approximately 45 minutes

- Cool roasted garlic and remove peel

- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet

- Mix in onion and cover skillet; cook slowly over low heat to caramelize, stirring occasionally for approximately 30-45 minutes

- Uncover skillet and finish onions to a deep caramel color over medium heat

- While onions are cooking, prepare bowtie pasta

- Stir drained mushrooms into caramelized onions and cook for five minutes

- Add roasted garlic cloves; cook for five minutes

- Pour white wine into pan and cook, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any food particles

- Stir and boil for one minute; remove from heat

- Stir in butter

- Stir cooked bowtie pasta into hot garlic and mushroom sauce; toss to combine

- Serve garnished with slices of basil.

MAKES 8.