Multi-task overload

Long time no blog! I hit the multi-tasking wall a week ago after regaling you with some stories from my Germany/Austria trip. Besides lots of work and trying to figure out how to get my Christmas shopping done, I've been fielding questions right and left about baking cookies. Our annual cookie issue ran on Dec. 3 and one recipe had a mistake so I've taken oodles of questions about that. Our apologies to everyone.

(The Peanut Butter and Jam cookies, right, have 1 1/4 cups of flour, not just 1/4. Needless to say, the soupy mess didn't make anyone happy.)

I don't know what the deal is with baking cookies this year. Seems like everyone has completely forgotten (on never learned) how to mix cookies. My favorite questions so far:

-- "I don't want to use creme de menthe in the Creme de Menthe Squares, left, what can I substitute?" (How about another recipe?)

-- "I don't get the paper but I saw the cookie section at someone else's house. Can you send me a section? (Wow. That's pretty gutsy. We are trying to make a living here.)

-- "The recipe for Santa's Special Squares calls for 24 graham crackers. Does that mean 24 of the half squares or 24 of the big ones?" (That's what I call overthinking a recipe. A graham cracker is the whole thing. If a recipe wanted you to break them in half, it would specify that.)

And more on graham crackers:

-- "The Christmas Marshmallow Bars, right, require 28 graham crackers, crushed.  In terms of a measuring cup . . . how much crumbs do I use?  I accumulate all the broken wafers to save for crushing." (This sounds like a middle school math problem, of which I was always terrible at.)

I've even had a few calls about recipes printed in 2005! Sheesh. I think the economy is driving everyone back into the kitchen, whether they have the skills or not. Really, it can be sort of frightening. Keeping working at it, people!

I'm sharing a recipe today that will go great with rotisserie chicken or any type of roast meat you might be thinking of serving for the holidays. It's called Elegant Vegetable Casserole but I think it's better called Striped Casserole.

As you read the recipe, know that you can buy butternut squash already cooked and smooshed in the freezer section and you can even sub the homemade potato-parsnip mash with store-bought mashed potatoes. (I used the frozen squash when I made it; see photo.)

This recipe is a winner . . . plus it feeds 14 people. Perfect for a holiday feast.

Elegant Vegetable Casserole
Parsnip potatoes:
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 4 medium)
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cubed
1 (8-ounce) carton reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons nonfat milk
1 teaspoon salt
Butternut squash:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 3 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Spinach souffle:
2 eggs
1 tablespoon nonfat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups shredded low-fat Swiss cheese
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1 small onion, grated

Place potatoes and parsnips in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash with sour cream, milk and salt. Set aside.

Place squash in another large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain, mash with salt and nutmeg and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and salt. Stir in the spinach, cheese, bread crumbs and onion. Place half of the parsnip potatoes at one end of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Add squash to dish, forming a stripe next to the parsnip potatoes. Repeat with spinach. Place remaining parsnip potatoes at the opposite end of the dish. (Dish will be full.)

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the middle reads 160 degrees.

Serves 14.

Source: Taste of Home’s Healthy Cooking magazine

Photos by Patty Yablonski, Times

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Comments

[Jackie in Tampa]

Regarding the misprint on the amount of flour. I'm not much of a "from scratch baker" but I think I would question 1/4 cp flour and realize for sure when I stirred it all up that something was very wrong with the recipe. Glad to see you back at the keys this morning.

[Stir Crazy]

Thanks, Jackie. We do feel terrible about that mistake. I've had so many calls about cookie baking this year. I'm not sure what's going on.

Anyway, just took a call from a woman who says one recipe burned up her mixer. "Please call me back." ... She didn't leave a number. I hope she doesn't want me to pay for the mixer!