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“Today is the day when bold kites fly, when cumulus clouds roar across the sky.
When robins return, when children cheer, when light rain beckons spring to appear. Today is the day when grasses green, when leaves burst forth for spring to be seen.”


-Robert McCracken

 

Linda: March is a month of changing weather. Cherry trees bloom, and daffodils and tulips emerge from a winter sleep, and we think spring has arrived. Then, a cold, blustery day arrives, and a hearty casserole creates a cozy, warming dinner.

Lucy: When March arrives, I dream of being outside preparing my garden. On warm days, you will find me raking and trimming. But on rainy, windy days, I’m inside searching recipes for a hearty casserole.

Linda: I recently discovered a stuffed pepper casserole. I enjoy stuffed peppers, but sometimes I have problems making and stuffing them. This is the perfect casserole for me. I changed it up a little since I had a half pound of Italian sausage plus about the same amount of ground beef. The sausage added a mild, spicy flavor.

Lucy: It seems strange to use red onion instead of white or yellow. The red adds extra spice. It calls for precooked brown rice. I’ve used Uncle Ben’s Original Ready Rice in other casseroles. Place the bag in the microwave for 90 seconds, and it’s ready.

Linda: Another tip I learned from you is to use frozen cubes of crushed garlic. The recipe calls for six cloves of garlic, which is a lot. I discovered these cubes in the frozen vegetable section at Target. They also sell frozen cubes of chopped onion that I use in omelets and frozen cubes of ginger that are perfect for stir-frying. You just pop them into whatever you’re cooking. The other ingredient that was difficult to find was fire-roasted diced tomatoes. I searched the tomato section at my store and finally found Harvest Farms Organic.

Lucy: Shepard’s pie is a popular, easy casserole. Since it’s often considered an Irish recipe, it would be perfect to serve on March 17, along with some Irish soda bread, which can usually be found at the store this time of year. I have a basic recipe that I use, but I found one with a slight variation. I’ll call it Another Shepard’s Pie. The recipe calls for canned carrots and green beans, and I add canned corn. Fresh vegetables are also an option.

Linda: I know that shepherd’s pie calls for mashed potatoes. I buy refrigerated potatoes to save time. They also taste good. This recipe also calls for cream of mushroom soup. It might be good to add some fresh mushrooms that you saute for a few minutes to precook. 

Lucy: These two casseroles will be perfect for days when the March wind blows and the temperatures drop. Let’s remind our readers that you will be returning to the first Landrum Farmers Market this year, April 5, to sell cookies and our “Two Sisters Cook” cookbook. 

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Serves 6

 

Ingredients

2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound 90%-lean ground beef (Ground turkey, chicken or pork can be swapped in for the ground beef)

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

3 medium multicolored bell peppers, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp paprika (smoked or regular)

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

¾ tsp ground pepper

2 Tbs tomato paste

1 (14½ oz) can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained

1 8⅘-oz package cooked brown rice

½ cup unsalted beef broth

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add beef; cook, stirring often and using the back of a spoon to break it up, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens in color, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in drained tomatoes, rice and broth. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; cover with foil. Bake until the rice is tender and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and beginning to bubble, about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

 

Another Shepard’s Pie Casserole

Servings: 8

 

Ingredients

8 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (or use refrigerated mashed potatoes)

1 pound lean ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1 (15-ounce) can carrots, drained

1 (15-ounce) can green beans, drained

1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed tomato soup

¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

(The ingredients can easily be varied to use whatever soup and veggies you like)

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

If cooking and mashing your own potatoes, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. While potatoes are cooking, combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until beef is evenly browned and crumbly and onion is tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain. Stir carrots, green beans, and condensed soups into beef mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes over beef mixture and sprinkle Cheddar cheese over top. Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are light golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.