Zucchini Casserole A Favorite Entree At Heather’s House
At Heather Leliefeld’s house, family meals can be a big secret.
Several years ago the family decided that one meal a week would be prepared by one of the children, with mom Jill Gaffney’s help. The kitchen was off-limits to everyone else. Dinner was a surprise.
It became a tradition, enjoyed by Jill and her husband, Dan Gaffney, and sisters Angela Gaffney, 9; Heidi Leliefeld, 10; Andrya Gaffney, 12, and Heather, 13.
Heather started cooking by fixing soups when she was in the third or fourth grade. She graduated to cookies and cakes, and now enjoys barbecuing meats and making fried potatoes.
“One of my favorites,” says Heather, a true teenager, “is Boboli pizza with cheese and pepperoni, olives and peppers.”
Her favorite cookbook: the “Hershey’s Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook.”
Heather, a straight-A student at Sacajawea Middle School, likes to listen to Beatles music, babysit and play sports. She’s on the basketball and volleyball teams at school, and also enjoys snow and water skiing.
Take advantage of your garden zucchini and use it in this original casserole from Heather’s maternal grandmother, Grace Stanton. It is an entree always enjoyed by the Gaffney family. Heather recommends serving it with bread and fruit.
Zucchini Casserole
From Grace Stanton, Spokane
1-2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces (3-4 cups)
1/2 onion, chopped fine
2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup regular or nonfat shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
Melt butter or margarine in Dutch oven. Saute onion in butter until tender. Add zucchini and bacon to onions; cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in spaghetti sauce and Cheddar cheese. Simmer until done, about 30-40 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings.
Kid cook alert: “Betty Crocker’s Baking With Kids” (Macmillan) is a charming cookbook that offers 65 recipes, all kid-tested (try the Rocky Road Cookies or Top-It-Your-Way Pizza).
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