Fall Food Favorites

We love this time of year with its cooler temps, falling leaves, and Halloween just around the corner. It's all about comfort foods and not minding having a hot oven heating up the kitchen. This month we'll be focusing on casseroles and hot dishes that require minimal stove-top prep that you can just pop in the oven.

First up, a staple of the K2 recipe collection -- College Casserole. Got the recipe in college, easy to make and an inexpensive was to feed several people, so a real hit. (Originally called Hamburger Casserole, but after an unfortunate encounter with bad beef, adjustments were made and "College" casserole came into being.) The beauty of this dish is its versatility and endless variations which make it possible to tailor it to your particular taste

COLLEGE CASSEROLE

1 lb ground turkey
8 oz. can of corn, drained
8 oz. can of French-style green beans, drained
15 oz. can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, pureed
2 cup bag of shredded mozzarella
8 oz. can of tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

(Note: the ingredients shown below cost less than $15.)

1. Brown the ground turkey and drain.

2. Mix turkey in bowl with corn, beans, and tomatoes.

4. Add in some cheese, as much as you'd like, there's really no strict guideline for this. To add some moisture to the mix, I stir in some of the regular tomato sauce. (K2 note: unfortunately this is one of those times where a bit of food waste comes into play, I never use the whole can of sauce and what's leftover is never really enough to hold onto.)

5. Put mixture in a baking dish, top with extra shredded cheese.


6. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

It makes about six servings (depending on your serving size). Add in a loaf of your favorite artisan bread (to warm up the bread, wrap it in foil and toss it in the oven next to the casserole for about 10-15 minutes) and a nice glass of wine, and tah-dah! a simple, tasty, all-in-one dish.

VARIATIONS

Substitute ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, or Morning Star Grilled Crumblers for the ground turkey.
Use white, yellow, or shoepeg corn.
Use cut green beans, your favorite canned bean, or peas.
Use your favorite type of canned tomato. (K2 note: I prefer non-chunky tomatoes which is why I puree my toms, but you can use crushed or diced as is, it's all about personal preference.)
Substitute shredded cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese.
You can add a cup of cooked rice to the dish.