Planning Ahead

Since fall break ends today, I spent most of my time in the kitchen whipping up some goodies to take us into the work week.

I started with Cracker Barrel's hashbrown casserole, which is moist and yummy with a can of soup (I used cream of mushroom today), a carton of sour cream, half a stick of butter, and plenty of cheddar cheese on top. In addition, I added some chopped vegetarian sausage to up the protein factor and make it better for breakfast. This makes a large casserole, so we'll be able to munch on it most of the week.

Next, I used about half of my left over apple doughnuts to make a bread pudding. This was an excellent choice since the sugar and cinnamon on the cake treats only added to the sweetness of the pudding. Since the guys don't usually like bread pudding, I decided a vanilla sauce might increase its appeal. I made one from AllRecipes.com which has a good flavor, but is pretty thin. (The recipe calls for a cup of sugar, a tablespoon of cornstarch, and two cups of water brought to a boil over medium heat and cooked another minute while stirring constantly. Once removed from the heat, add a quarter cup of butter and two teaspoons of vanilla. Serve warm.) I think a thicker sauce would be prettier on the bread pudding, so next time I'll either reduce the amount of water, increase the cornstarch, or cook the syrup longer. Even though the sauce was quite thin, the guys seemed to enjoy it and the bread pudding (a first)!

Finally, I made a vegetable lasagna for dinner and for the leftovers Jeff and I can eat at lunch. I started by roasting some diced onion and Japanese eggplant (from our garden) with a drizzle of olive oil and some Italian seasoning. While that cooked, I boiled the lasagna noodles (because they were too big for my pan and when I tried breaking one, it crumbled), mixed some ricotta cheese with an egg, pulled some sliced provolone from the fridge, and found a jar of parmesan and romano pasta sauce in the pantry. All of these ingredients created three nice layers in a square baking dish, filling it to the brim. Once it set for a few minutes, the slices were gorgeous with the baked cheeses, pasta, and vegetables melding perfectly. (I do love lasagna!) I didn't start the day thinking I would make this dish, but after listening to my mom describe a spinach and white sauce lasagna she made, I just had to have something with layers of pasta.

Ultimately, I accomplished a good deal in the kitchen today, and (best of all) there is plenty to eat tomorrow, making it a little easier to go back to work.