Alan Hagyard’s Squash/Red Pepper/Corn Gratin

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Sauce

• 1 ½ cups whole milk (hot)
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese extra sharp
• white (3 oz.)

• 2 ½ tablespoon butter
• 2 ½ tablespoon flour
• ¼ teaspoon+ Hot pepper sauce

Melt butter, whisk in flour (about 1 min). Whisk in hot milk until just boils and is thickened and smooth (Make a white sauce!). Remove from heat; add cheese and hot pepper sauce. Whisk until cheese melts. Add salt and pepper to taste (and hot pepper sauce).

• Prepare baking dish – 77 square inches (11x7x2 glass) (butter sides and bottom)

Vegetables

• 1 lb. yellow squash, sliced – ¼ inch slices
• 1 ¼ cups onion, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 lb. zucchini, sliced – ¼ inch slices
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup min)
• Garlic clove (or two), minced
• Rosemary

Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large non stick skillet. Add half of yellow squash and half of zucchini. Sauté until crisp/tender (about 4 min). Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with rest of squash. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil; add onion, bell pepper, garlic. Sauté until pepper is tender (about 7 min). Stir in corn and rosemary. Transfer to bowl with squash, mix in cheese sauce. Transfer to prepared dish and dot with butter.

Topping

1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs (crusty French bread – make in Cuisinart). Note: use only fresh bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese extra sharp white (2 oz.)
• 1 ½ tablespoon butter

Melt butter. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese and butter until crumbs are coated

Sprinkle crumbs over gratin. Bake @ 400 until heated through and crumbs are golden (about 35 minutes)

• Very good.

(Alan brought this for Christmas Dinner, 2005 – Kate, Manuel, Bryan, Rebecca, Mum, Lib, Andrew, Gary, Alan, Chris, Eric and Charis)

(Bon Appetit, November 2005)

• Cabbage with Caraway (goes with Irish Pub meatloaf and mashed potatoes and parsnips)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 head green cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons caraway seed
• 2 teaspoons sugar (WE DON’T USE – better without)

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Season with the caraway seed, salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes, turning the cabbage occasionally, until very tender. Sprinkle with sugar and turn to combine.

• Serves 6-8
• Rachael Ray
• Karen’s Glazed Carrots (KT fav)

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine (I use butter)
• 2 tablespoon prepared mustard (I use Dijon)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups sliced (I thinly slice on the bias) carrots, cooked and drained
• 1 tablespoon snipped parsley

Melt butter in skillet. Stir in brown sugar, mustard and salt. Add cooked carrots; heat, stirring constantly, till carrots are nicely glazed, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with snipped parsley.

• Serves 4

(Better Homes and Gardens: Vegetable Cook Book)