Now that summer vacation has arrived, I have already dove into the aforementioned summer reading list. The first volume to be tackled? As Always, Julia: the Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto.

One moment in the book thus far that I thought worthy of mention is its discussion of casseroles. When Mastering the Art of French Cooking was still in the writing stages, it was suggested to Julia that she include a few casserole recipes to please the American cook. However, it is apparent that neither Julia nor Avis has a particular fondness for one-pot dishes. Avis writes:

“There isn’t one casserole in a hundred that is fit to eat.”

As for me, I don’t really have enough experience with casseroles to determine if I like them or not. My mom rarely made them while I was growing up, and I myself have made only two casseroles in the history of The Broccoli Hut (Tempeh Hashbrown Casserole and Chickpea Pot Pie).

How do you feel about casseroles? Yay or nay? Which recipes are your favorites? Links are welcome!

Although I didn’t make any casseroles today, I did make some pretty darn tasty meals.

In the midst of organizing my refrigerator the other day, I noticed a long-neglected jar of pistachio butter. I decided to put it to good use in this morning’s breakfast.

After a self-indulgent trip to HomeGoods and TJ Maxx, I came home to prepare an ah-may-zing salad. I had never tried red corn prior to this afternoon, but I think I’ll be buying it again in the future—not only was it sweet and delicious, but it made for such a pretty lunch. (Anyone else think they look like pomegranate seeds?)

As for dinner, I set about making an Ellie recipe, Mom’s Turkey Meatloaf.

My tweaks:

-I scaled the recipe down to make just two servings (instead of eight).

-I used Harmony Valley Hamburger Mix instead of ground turkey.

-I used unsweetened almond milk instead of non-fat milk.

I think we may have a rival for my lentil loaf recipe here. This dish was shockingly meat-like, thanks to the use of the hamburger mix. I was also amazed at how well the loaf remained solid despite all the modifications I made. I might add a few herbs to the recipe next time, however.

The recipe is available online: Mom’s Turkey Meatloaf

Alright, just a few more minutes until Extreme Couponing starts!!

Filed under: Meals