Aunt Marlene's Broccoli Casserole

The women in my family are all incredible cooks. My Grandma Hutchinson was an expert baker. She would make homemade pies, completely from scratch, cookies, and Grandma made my favorite birthday dessert, a fluffy strawberry concoction that I still to this day have cravings for. Maybe I'll make it for a later post.

My Grandma Walters always made her recipes from memory. Her mind is like a recipe box, which tended to frustrate the rest of us when we would ask her to share her recipes, as she would say, oh it's a dash of this, a handful of that... We finally got her to share some of her recipes with us in actual measurements a couple of years ago when we put together a Walters family cookbook.

This recipe comes from the Walters Cookbook. It's a recipe from my Aunt Marlene, who like the other women in my family, is a wonderful cook. Aunt Marlene's recipes are more on the healthy side than anyone else's, which I love! She uses low fat items and you'd never know the difference. Since I grew up with a Diabetic father, we only had low fat items in our house, so Aunt Marlene's recipes are right up my alley, as I TRY to cook substituting healthier items.

This recipe is a casserole that Aunt Marlene would bring to family get togethers and pot lucks. I absolutely love it because it has healthy vegetables but is creamy and flavorful. I always took a big helping of this casserole, and you will too!! It makes a big pan, so is perfect for a family or group dinner.

A confession about the word casserole: it sort of turns me off. I am not sure if it a generational thing or because my (wonderful, beautiful, loving) mother made sooooo many casseroles for us when I was a child. "Casserole" makes me think of a 50s housewife wearing a cotton dress and apron, smiling as she pulls a casserole (comprised of who knows what) from the oven. This is a misconception that I need to get over!! Especially because casseroles are usually very delicious and easy and great for feeding large crowds or families. It's my issue, and I am working on it!! Would it be okay though, if I call this Aunt Marlene's Broccoli Goodness instead?? Just kidding.

The recipe is as follows. I made a few modifications noted underneath:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli/cauliflower mix (approximately 20 - 24 ounces)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (low fat)
• 1 can creamed of mushroom soup
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix
• 3 tablespoons of butter

Cook the veggies in the microwave until done and drain. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and gently fold in veggie mix. Pour into greased 13 X 9 inch casserole pan. Sprinkle the top with Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix. Dot the top with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly.

Note: I used fresh broccoli and cauliflower and definitely recommend that. I just put the veggies in a dish with water and cooked them in the microwave for about 6 minutes each. I also used bread crumbs instead of the stuffing mix because I didn't have stuffing mix and am not a big fan of stuffing mix anyway. I also grated fresh Parmesan cheese on the top because we happened to have some and ooooooh it was so cheesy! I am actually eating the leftovers right this very moment and my mouth and belly are very happy! Yours will be too when you give this recipe a try.

Special thanks to Aunt Marlene and the women in my life (Grandmas, Aunts, and most of all Mom). You have all inspired me to learn to cook since I was a little girl, and each of you have always shown me that cooking is love, family, and special times to be shared and enjoyed. I love you all!

Ashley