Farmer's Casserole

3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (thawed)

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup cubed fully cooked ham

1/4 cup chopped green onions

4 eggs

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 tsp. mustard (prepared, not powder)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

Place hash browns in a glass baking dish that has been lightly coated with oil. Sprinkle with cheese, onions and ham. Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, pepper and salt and pour over all. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, uncovered, 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Yield: 6 servings

Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin Drama

Every October, when I fix Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin for my family, I think about the first time I ever made it.


About fifteen years ago, I was a member of a women's group that met once a month for dinner, crafts and conversation. I was serving on the food committee and one of our members threw out the idea of serving Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin for the month of October. My responsibility was to find women who would volunteer to cook the dish in their homes, provided I supply the recipe and the pumpkins.


Several ladies came forward to help, but one woman, in particular, stands out in my mind. Gayla. Read on and you will understand.


Gayla told me she'd be happy to help, so I delivered the pumpkin, along with the recipe, to her home and left them with her teenage daughter. Later that evening, I received a phone call from Gayla informing me that the pumpkin was "just too big" (each pumpkin was 5 lbs). So, humoring her, I said I would be happy to come by the next day and exchange pumpkins. She said she would not be home, but she would leave the (apparently humongous) pumpkin on her doorstep for me to swap with a smaller one.


The next day, the phone rang and it was Gayla on the other end, letting me know that the pumpkin was the "wrong type" and she refused to make the dish in it. (Bare in mind that the other lady volunteers had the same size and type of pumpkins and were OKAY with it.)

Time was running out. The event was that very night and clearly I was getting nowhere with Gayla. However, she was doing a terrific job of getting out of her assignment as well as making me feel like sh*t.

Exasperated, I told Gayla that I would cook her pumpkin. I mean, why not? I was already cooking one. Surely I could squeeze another pumpkin in my oven (insert eye roll here)?! Gayla didn't hang up before reminding me, one more time, that the dinner was not going to taste good using the "wrong type" of pumpkin. 


That evening, Sharon, a dear friend of mine who also served on the food committee and had lent a listening ear when I needed to vent, informed/warned me that Gayla had arrived. We were surprised she had the audacity to show up,  but surprised isn't the word I'd use to describe how we felt when Gayla was the first one in line for food! I. Kid. You. Not.

Anyway, with that memory shared, here is my Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin recipe...

1 and 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/4 c. chopped  celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tea. salt

Cook together until celery and onion are tender.

1 (5 lb) pumpkin
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 TBS. brown sugar
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups hot cooked rice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 10 inch circle in center of baking sheet. Set aside.

Prepare pumpkin by removing seeds and pulp.

Combine ground beef mixture, soy sauce, mushrooms, soups and rice in pan or large bowl. Spoon into pumpkin. Replace top of pumpkin and bake on prepared baking sheet.

Check pumpkin after 1 hour. Continue baking until pumpkin is tender when pierced with fork.

When serving, dish out pumpkin with the casserole.

Recipe will feed 6-8 people

Zucchini Stuffing Bake

For those of you who grow your own vegetable gardens, it's time to start thinking about what to do with massive amounts of zucchini. Baking this Creamy  Zucchini Casserole is a tasty option and a seasonal favorite of my family.

There are two things to remember when it comes to zucchini-

1. Pick them young and tender.
2. Pick them often. Monster sized zucchini are edible, but not nearly as palatable.



6-8 inches is a good size for zucchini




Creamy Zucchini Casserole

Saute in olive oil-
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 green onions, chopped

Add-

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

Microwave-
1 box Stove Top Chicken Flavored Stuffing according to package directions.

Place 1/2 of the stuffing into a small, lightly buttered baking dish. Add zucchini mixture, then top with the remaining stuffing.

Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy.