Monthly Archives: April 2015

Date and Prune Quick Bread

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Date-Prune-Bread3-IMG_0644Quick breads are a good way to include fruits, nuts, and herbs in your baked goods, and are called “quick” because they use a leavening agent (baking powder or soda) instead of yeast to rise the dough. No lengthy proofing and punching involved! But you remembered that little factoid from Home Ec classes, right? This bread is loaded with dried fruits, and fills the kitchen with a wonderful, homey aroma when baking. I was reminded about this recipe by my friend and fellow blogger Addis (Ethiomama), who remembered having this at a party we hosted six months ago! It’s that good. We’d served a platter of homemade quick breads and cheeses, and this one was the show stopper. The recipe is from a Lunds and Byerly’s issue of “Real Food” (Winter 2013), and I make it just as the author Serena Bass instructs, except for switching pecans for the suggested walnuts. I also found I had to bake my bread 10-15 minutes longer in order for it to be done in the center. That time adjustment is reflected below.

The sweetness of the bread makes a nice contrast to a goat cheese or other strong, pungent cheese, if you want to pair it with something. It’s great at a brunch, or for bringing as a hostess gift. It will keep for up to two weeks in the frig (if it lasts that long), but it doesn’t freeze well. I’ve kept it out on the counter for the two or three days it takes to consume a loaf, and that’s worked well. Wrap in wax paper or parchment paper once cooled, and then use foil on top of that for a tighter seal. The recipe author says to never use foil right against the bread.

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup dates, cut in thirds (or dried, chopped dates)
1 cup prunes, cut in thirds
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, toasted (at 350° Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, then chopped)

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 9″x5″x4″ loaf pan with butter, then line bottom and sides with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place dates, prunes, raisins, and baking soda in a bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over the dried fruits. Mix together and let sit for no less than 1 hour, and up to 2 hours.

In electric mixer bowl, cream butter, add sugar, and beat 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat another 2 minutes. Slowly add flour and stir until incorporated. Add in fruit and stir slowly to combine. Stir in nuts by hand. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 70-80 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out dry. Cool in pan. Remove from pan and peel off parchment paper. Slice, and eat!

 

Springtime Table

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“Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is…”

SpringTableBirdsIf you’re looking for a touch of springtime on your table, here’s an idea for a little inspiration. If I hadn’t already eaten all the Cadbury Milk Chocolate bird eggs (I got addicted to this Easter), I’d recreate the look to get a close-up shot of some of the fun details. But alas, those delicious little morsels are long gone. The sweet mini-nests and life-like birds came from a craft store, probably Michael’s or maybe even Frank’s (remember Frank’s?)—I’ve had them a long time, but love the touch of whimsy they add to a table setting.

Three yards of buffalo check upholstery fabric in taupe from JoAnn’s make up the tablecloth (purchased during 50% off sale, of course). Neutral napkins in sand from Pier One are super versatile for any theme, but work well with the soft palette here. Candy bracelets from Walmart (in store as well as online) make inexpensive napkin rings. Pint-sized Ball ® jars are used for drinking glasses, with gray stripe straws for sipping. Burlap is hot in home decor, so you can find that pretty much anywhere. I got a couple yards from JoAnn’s, and cut a strip off for a runner, then pulled some strands off each edge to finish it up—no sewing needed!

So now that I’ve got you thinking spring, let me share the rest of the poem started above. My Dad used to recite this to me and my sisters when we were little girls:

“Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is. They fly so high, so high, so high, and they drop white-wash in my eye. But I don’t worry, I don’t cry. I’m just glad that cows don’t fly.”

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

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banana bars IMG_0632Have over-ripe bananas on hand, and you think banana bread is your only option? Think again! I stumbled upon these bars about a year ago when I was slotted to bring treats to a meeting at work. I had planned to make banana bread, but realized last minute there was only one egg in the frig, and it was too late at night to beg another off a neighbor. So I went scrounging through my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, circa 1996, hoping for divine inspiration. Inspiration did come, and my co-workers will tell you, it was divine.

OK, divine might be too strong a word. But the ratio of butter to bananas makes these bars moist and delicious, and once you try this recipe, you won’t bother with banana bread ever again. Seriously! These are also super easy to make. The batter stirs up in about 5-10 minutes, just long enough to preheat your oven. And if you’ve got the over-ripe bananas on hand, you’re in luck, because the rest of the ingredients are kitchen staples. (Note: I had to sub in slivered almonds for pecans in the bars pictured here, but I really prefer the pecans.)

My youngest son has found that these bars also work as currency at college. He’s used them to barter rides with friends. Who knew a silly little banana bar could wield so much power?

Makes 20 bars

3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Nestle semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 13″x18″ baking sheet with butter, and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter with electric mixer on high until creamed. Add the granulated sugar, and cream. Add the brown sugar and cream again. Add baking powder and salt and cream, stirring down sides of mixing bowl. Beat until all ingredients are combined, and mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then add bananas and vanilla and beat again until combined. Gradually add flour and stir on low until it is all incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer stand and stir in chocolate chips and chopped nuts by hand.

Spread mixture in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in airtight container (…or bring to work and you won’t have to worry about storing them at all).

Granola

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Granola IMG_0628Take a break from the boring box of cereal, or Dickensian gruel. You can whip up a batch of this easy, healthy, and tasty granola in less than 30 minutes. If you’re a fan of Swiss German granola—called müesli—be warned this is the American version, drizzled in melted butter and honey, and baked. A few years back my husband and I visited Switzerland, and found that the “granola” served at the Swiss continental breakfast was raw oats, with no sugar or butter involved. It may have been healthier and fat-free, but I prefer my granola with a little sweetness and crunch to it.

I got this recipe from a friend of mine who was going through treatment for cancer, and she was trying to avoid all processed foods. She pushed the boxes, bottles, and cans aside, and found recipes like this to keep her healthy while she fought the fight. I’m not saying this recipe can cure cancer, but she pulled through, and happily shared this delicious recipe with me.

Makes 8-10 bowls

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup honey
5 cups old-fashioned Quaker oats (do not use quick oats)
1/2 cup shredded or flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins (or craisins)
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. In medium saucepan, melt butter and honey. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut, pecans, and almonds. Pour butter mixture over oats and stir to coat. Put half of oat mixture on a 13″x18″ baking sheet, and the other half on another baking sheet of same size. Bake both pans in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Stir oats on pans, and rotate in oven, and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. (Careful not to burn! Coconut takes on an unpleasant acrid odor when burned.)

Scoop toasted oats back into bowl, and add both raisins and golden raisins. Stir to combine. Store in airtight container, but let cool before closing completely. Shake container to break up as granola will clump as it cools. Enjoy with milk, or greek yogurt and fruit.

Brined and Smoked Turkey

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Smoked Turkey IMG_0616A man and his meat. It’s a beautiful thing. My husband Rich loves, loves, LOVES to grill, and with the recent addition of a Big Green Egg to his fleet of fiery furnaces, he’s learning a whole new way to barbecue. This brined turkey recipe from Weber Grill’s website has received rave reviews from the guests at our table, so I think it’s safe to say it’s a keeper. (He’s followed the recipe for the brine, but not tried the gravy yet, so that portion of the recipe is not included. The instructions below are for the Green Egg process which is charcoal, not a gas Weber grill.) Marinating in the brine takes 12-18 hours, and the smoking takes about 4-7, depending on the size of your bird. If it’s gorgeous out, it’s a great excuse for a guy to sit on the deck, soaking in the sunshine and enjoying the scent of smoked meat wafting through the air. If it’s cold and snowy (like this Christmas, when Rich smoked a bird for the extended family), it’s a labor of love. If he’s willing to labor, we’re willing to love it.

turkey on grillCouple tips. Rich found that the suggested 18-24 hours of brining made the bird far too salty, so he’s cut the brining time down considerably. He’s also found a handy chart on the Big Green Egg website with turkey tips. Rich slapped some slices of bacon on the big birds about halfway through smoking them. Why? Why not! He likes bacon.

In the photo at right, the two smaller birds are pheasants. Our son Brandon brought those pre-brined to a family party, and brushed reduced maple syrup on them as they smoked. Mmmmmmmmm. They were delicious.

Serves 8-12

For Brine

2 quarts apple juice
1 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

For Turkey

1 whole turkey, 10 to 12 pounds, fresh or defrosted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooper and ChesterIn a large pot combine the brine ingredients. Stir vigorously until the salt is dissolved. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey (and cook giblets for your dogs—our dog Cooper, and our granddog Chester love this part). Rinse the turkey inside and outside with cold water.

Partially fill a cooler with ice. Open a large, sturdy plastic bag in the cooler. Place the turkey, breast side down, in the bag. Carefully pour the brine over the turkey and then add 3 quarts of cold water. The turkey should be almost completely submerged. If some of the back is exposed above the brine, that’s fine. Press the air out of the bag, seal the bag tightly, close the lid of the cooler, and set aside for 12 to 18 hours.

Smoking Turkey

If using wood chips, soak in water for at least 1 hour (no need to soak wood chunks). For charcoal grill, fill a chimney starter to the rim with charcoal and burn the coals until they are lightly covered with ash. You will want to smoke turkey with indirect heat, so place coals to side of cooking area. Carefully place a large, disposable drip pan in the center of the charcoal grate and fill it about halfway with warm water. This will help to maintain the temperature of the fire. Put the cooking grate in place, close the lid, bring the heat up to 350° Fahrenheit with all vents open. Then set vents to almost closed to reduce to low heat (200°). (If using a gas grill, follow manufacturers instructions for smoking.)

Remove the turkey from the bag and rinse it, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. Lightly coat the turkey with some of the melted butter. Season with the pepper.

Add two wood chunks or two handfuls of wood chips (drained) to the charcoal, and close the lid. When the wood begins to smoke, place the turkey in the center of the cooking grate. Position the bird so the turkey legs face the charcoal. Cook the turkey over indirect low heat, with the lid closed, for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, turn turkey breast-side up, and add more wood chips. Close the lid, and watch until the temperature is back up to 200°. Continue to cook the turkey with the lid closed, for a second hour, maintaining that 200° temperature.

At the end of the second hour, baste the turkey all over with the remaining butter. If any parts are getting too dark, wrap them tightly with aluminum foil. Continue to cook the turkey. The total cooking time will be 4-6 hours. The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 160° to 165° in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone).

Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees during this time). Carve the turkey, and serve.

Haystack Taco Dip

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Haystack Salad IMG_0608So many appetizers rely on a brick of cream cheese as base, but this taco-flavored dip is chock full of fresh ingredients like tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts—and no cream cheese! And it’s probably the best thing you’ll ever dip with a chip. It’s a great appetizer for graduation open houses or other buffets as it doesn’t need to be kept hot, or cold. In fact, that’s where I first tasted this concoction, at my friend Laurie’s open house for one of her daughters. Laurie called her recipe “Haystack Salad,” but my family has always called it “that taco dip.” Laurie’s directions were to use a can of Hormel no bean chili as the base, or refried beans in a pinch. It seems Hormel has quit producing that item—I’ve not been able to find no bean chili for several years now, and the refried beans work perfectly well instead.

One way to make this dip extra great, is to get some Penzy’s taco seasoning. It has less salt and more flavor than the stuff you get in the foil packets at the grocery store. You can order the taco seasoning through Penzy’s website, and hey, grab some cinnamon and vanilla while you’re at it! (Last time I ordered, they shipped free with a $50 order, so you might as well stock up on other spices and seasonings.)

The other thing you’ll like about this appetizer, is that it goes together in about 15 minutes (or less if you enlist the help of someone to shred cheese) and requires no baking. Have I convinced you to try this one yet?

Serves 10-12

1 – 16 ounce can of refried beans
4 tablespoons Penzy’s taco seasoning or 1 package of other taco seasoning
3 ripe avocados
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 – 4 ounce can of diced mild green chilies
1 – 4.25 ounce can of chopped ripe olives
1/2 cup chopped scallions (about 4 scallions)
1 cup shredded monty jack cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tomatoes, diced
1/3 to 1/2 container of alfalfa sprouts
Tortilla or corn chips

Combine refried beans and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Spread on the bottom of a glass 9″x13″ baking dish. In another small bowl, add avocados, sour cream, and lemon juice together and mash until combined. Spread on top of the refried bean mixture. Drain the green chiles, and sprinkle on top of the avocado layer, followed by the chopped ripe olives, then the scallions. Next sprinkle monty jack cheese, and then cheddar cheese. After dicing the tomatoes, strain them to get rid of the extra juice. Add tomatoes on top of the cheeses, and finish with the alfalfa sprouts. If not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve with tortilla or corn chips. But remember, no double-dipping!

Monster Cookies

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Monster CookiesThis makes a monstrous batch (thus the name), but it’s usually gone pretty darn quick, as they’re the favorite cookie for 3 out of 4 men in my family. Generous amounts of old-fashioned oatmeal and peanut butter in these chunky treats give granola bars some stiff competition, and make these hearty enough for breakfast, if you like cookies for breakfast. And who doesn’t?

Surprisingly, the appeal of monster cookies spans the globe. Our house guests from Norway, France, and Japan have all requested this recipe, which I’ve packed in their bags along with a set of U.S. measuring cups and spoons. (Easier than figuring out how to convert the measurements into metric…)

Monster recipeI’ve actually halved this recipe from the original to make it more manageable. I got it from a woman who had seven kids, so she needed the jumbo batch. As you can see from my tattered and stained recipe, this really has become a family fave.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

1 ¼ cups Skippy super chunky peanut butter
¾ cup shortening
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup M&M’s
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. In large mixer bowl, cream peanut butter and shortening. Add dark brown sugar, then white sugar, and cream ingredients until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and cream. Add vanilla and cream ingredients again.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, and baking soda with a spoon. With mixer on low, slowly add oatmeal mixture to peanut butter mixture until all ingredients are combined. Remove bowl from mixer, and stir in M&M’s and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon until combined.

Drop by large spoonfuls on to baking sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until edges are light brown. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Store cookies in an airtight container. Deliver to starving college student.

Black Bean Soup

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Black Bean Rice Bowl IMG_0601You’ll yield a wonderful, slow-cooked flavor when you simmer this black bean soup on the stove top. This is a Saturday soup as it needs a few hours of simmering to soften the beans, but it’s totally worth the wait. Serve this over some über-healthy brown rice and it’s a whole meal. 

It makes a hearty batch—about a gallon—so you’ll have plenty leftover for lunch at the office, or dinner some night when you’re in a rush. I usually package up a quart to give to my son Justin who lives on his own, and he’s always thrilled to get this in his “mom” bag. Another plus to this recipe? It’s a budget buster. I think I figured this costs about a buck a bowl to make. As for the origins of this recipe, I got it from my girlfriend’s mother several years ago, and it’s scribbled on the back of a hockey practice schedule. I can’t tell you any more than that!

(My husband thinks I should have captioned this photo: “Husband starves to death while wife does photo shoot of his dinner for blog.” He’s fine, people, really, he’s just fine.)

Serves 8

1 pound dry black beans
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 ham shank or meaty ham bone
1 yellow onion, chopped
¾ cup celery, chopped
½ to 1 green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
Sour cream (optional)

Cover the black beans with cold water in large Dutch oven, and soak overnight. Drain and rinse beans, then add fresh water to 1-inch above beans. Bring beans to a boil, then add vinegar and ham shank or bone. Reduce to simmer and cook for 2 hours.

Remove ham shank or bone from soup and set on plate to cool. In sauté pan on medium heat, cook onions until translucent. Add celery and green pepper, and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add tomato sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano and stir to combine. Stir vegetable mixture into cooked beans. Return heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook another hour with cover cracked open to allow steam to escape. Soup should reduce down and thicken as it cooks.

Remove as much meat as possible from the ham bone and shred. Add meat to soup and stir to combine. Serve over cooked brown rice. If desired, top with sour cream.

Fresh Italian Focaccia

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Focaccia BreadNothing beats a wedge of fresh focaccia. Dipped in flavored olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, it’s a great accompaniment to any pasta entree in lieu of a baguette. This recipe came from an issue of Family Fun magazine in the late 90’s, and was touted as easy to make, even for the novice bread baker. So those of you with yeast-anxiety (that’s you, sis!) can handle this one. Making bread is like playing with Play Doh, really, and how hard is that?

You can flavor this however you’d like. I usually make it with Italian seasoning, but any dried herb will do, like rosemary, or chives. But I’d stick with the savory ones over the more sweet spices like dill or tarragon. And you don’t have to serve it as a side to a meal – it can be the main attraction. Split the baked loaf in half lengthwise, fill with deli meats, cheese, and fresh spinach, and slather with Dijon mustard. Then replace the top and cut in wedges like a pie, and you’ve just made a killer sandwich. 

There are a few different methods used to rise dough. I put a few inches of hot water in my kitchen sink and put the bowl right in the sink, covered with a moist dish towel. My mother-in-law used to rise her dough in an oven on low heat, but I’ve never gotten the hang of that. For years we lived in a very old house with a teeny tiny kitchen, and I’d raise my dough in the bathtub for lack of counter or sink space. So you don’t need a tricked-out kitchen to make bread, people!

Makes one 12-inch loaf

2/3 warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or other dried herb of choice)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Fill large mixer bowl with hot water to warm bowl. Pour out water, and add 2/3 cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast on top of water and add honey. Let sit until yeast is dissolved and begins to foam. Add 1 cup of the flour, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning (or other herb) garlic salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil to bowl. Fit mixer with dough hook and stir ingredients on low. Add additional 3/4 cup flour and stir on low until dough clings to hook and pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into medium bowl. Set aside. Sprinkle cutting board with flour, and knead dough a few times by pulling dough from outside to inside and punching down as you do. Add a sprinkling of flour as needed, if dough gets sticky. Continue until dough is smooth and elastic. Put dough into oiled bowl, cover with a moist kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for an hour.

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Once dough has risen (roughly doubled in size), punch down and knead a couple times to reform into a ball. Sprinkle cutting board with flour and roll dough out with wooden rolling pin to about 1-inch thickness. Drizzle a 12-inch round pizza pan with olive oil, and sprinkle with a trace amount of yellow corn meal. Place flattened dough on prepared pizza pan. Cover with dish towel and move to warm place to rise. Let dough rise 30-40 minutes, or until doubled. Poke top of dough with finger to make dimples, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning (or other herbs). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until bread is light golden brown on top. Immediately remove loaf to wire rack to cool. If not serving bread within the hour, cover with dry kitchen towel to keep from drying out. To keep fresh overnight, put in plastic bag or wrap, once it is cooled to room temperature. (If you put in plastic when it’s not completely cooled, the condensation will make the bread soggy.)

Spinach and Artichoke Casserole

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IMG_0910Casseroles are great because you can get most of your food groups in one dish, and the addition of artichokes in this recipe separates it from the tater tot hotdishes (that’s Minnesotan for “casserole”) of this world. It goes together quick enough that I’ve often made it before work and thrown it in the frig when we know we need dinner on the table in a hurry. It only takes about 30 minutes to assemble, and another 25-30 to bake. If you can’t eat it all in one sitting, no problem. It’s great left over, too!

The recipe comes from the Better Homes & Garden website. If you’re a Trader Joe’s fan, you’re in luck, because their Parmesan Romano Alfredo Sauce is perfectly suited to this recipe. In fact, you can pick up all the ingredients below at Trader Joe’s. I couldn’t find the suggested orzo pasta last time I was at their store, so I bought the Harvest Grains Blend of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa, and we actually liked it even better than the plain orzo because it has more texture. My other changes to the BH&G recipe? Added minced garlic, used a can of artichokes instead of frozen, subbed regular Alfredo for the light, and used white cheddar cheese instead of reduced fat Italian blend cheese. The ingredients and process below reflect my tweaking of the original recipe.

Serves 8

2 cups dried Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend or orzo pasta
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
12 ounces turkey (or chicken) breast tenderloin, cut into bit-sized pieces
4 cups fresh spinach, julienned, or chopped
1 (14 ounce) can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 (16 ounce) jar of Alfredo pasta sauce
1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese
¼-½ cup Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Have 9″x13″ (or 2-quart square) baking dish ready to fill. Cook couscous blend or pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in large non-stick skillet set on medium-high heat, then add onion. Saute until onion is translucent. Add red pepper, and saute 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and stir until combined. Add turkey or chicken to hot skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink. Stir occasionally. Transfer meat mixture to large bowl and stir in drained pasta, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo sauce, and cheese. Stir to coat all ingredients. Spoon mixture into baking dish.

Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle with Panko. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until heated through, and Panko is lightly browned. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. (Ummmm…we never do. Just dig in!)