Recipes: Beef Chow Mein Hot Dish

Beef Chow Mein Hot Dish

Serves 10.

Serve immediately; if held in the oven the noodles will get gluey. From "Hot Dish Heaven."

• 1¹/₂lb. regular or lean ground beef

• 1 to 2 large onions, diced (1¹/₂to 3 c.)

• 1 (16-oz.) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas and green beans)

• 1 c. chopped celery

• 2 (10³/₄-oz.) cans condensed chicken with rice soup

• 1 (4-oz.) can mushrooms

• 2 (10³/₄-oz.) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. chow mein noodles

Directions

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories328Fat18 gSodium624 mg

Carbohydrates25 gSaturated fat5 gCalcium68 mg

Protein15 gTrans fat40 gDietary fiber4 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1½ bread/starch, 1½ medium-fat meat, 2 fat.

Serves 4 to 6.

Cedric Adams was a well-known WCCO personality years ago. Think of this as a variation on stuffed cabbage leaves. From "Hot Dish Heaven."

• 1 medium onion, chopped (1 c.)

• 2 tbsp. butter, margarine, or olive or vegetable oil

• 1 lb. lean ground beef

•¹/₈tsp. ground black pepper

• 6 c. coarsely shredded cabbage (packaged cole slaw works well), divided

• 1 (10¹/₂-oz.) can condensed tomato soup, stirred to liquefy

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart baking dish or spray with vegetable oil spray. In large skillet, stir-fry onion in butter. Add ground beef, salt and pepper, heating meat through and breaking it up with a spoon, but not browning it. Spread 3 cups cabbage in bottom of baking dish. Cover with meat mixture. Top with remaining cabbage. Over the whole business, pour the can of tomato soup.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories225Fat13 gSodium680 mg

Carbohydrates13 gSaturated fat6 gCalcium62 mg

Protein14 gTrans fat52 gDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 vegetable, 1½ medium-fat meat, 1 fat.

Serves 3 to 4.

Note: You also can make this in a round casserole by slicing the buttered bread into quarters or cubes, then making two or three layers according to the depth of your dish. The strata bakes up lighter and fluffier if you can refrigerate it for a time before baking, but it's not necessary. From "Hot Dish Heaven."

• 4 slices bread, buttered one side and cut in half, divided

• 1 to 1¹/₂c. grated or shredded cheese, divided

• 3 /4 to 1 c. chopped vegetables, fresh or frozen, optional

• 2 eggs, well beaten

• 1¹/₂c. milk (use part half-and-half for a richer dish)

•¹/₂tsp. dry mustard

Directions

Arrange 4 half slices of bread to fill bottom of buttered 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle bread with half the cheese. Top cheese with a vegetable or two (such as frozen chopped broccoli, cut green beans, cut asparagus, chopped spinach, or mixed vegetables -- or shredded carrot, finely chopped celery or a tablespoon or two of minced onion). Atop vegetables, add leftover cooked meat or a canned meat or fish. (Other protein sources: tuna, salmon, shrimp; diced sandwich meats such as honey ham; leftover roast beef, pork or chicken).

Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden and you can smell the cheese.

Variations

• Loaf-pan strata: Use whole bread slices; fit them closely into buttered 9-inch loaf pan.

• Big-batch strata: Use a 9- by 13-inch pan and double all ingredients.