Baked Pepper Pierogie Casserole

Are you looking for an easy and a crowd pleaser of a casserole?  This is the dish to fall back on. You just need a couple of packages of frozen pierogies thawed or better yet some homemade ones if available and pour your favorite marinara or pasta sauce over it.  For more flavor throw in some sausages and green or red or yellow peppers and you are good to go to your next pot luck.

I happen to have some homemade pierogies that I bought from our church. The cheese potato filling was prepared by Sharon Torick and the dough from Sharon's recipe was made by volunteers from our church who mixed the ingredients, flattened out the dough, shaped them into circles and crimped the edges. Another group boiled the pierogies, drained them and packaged them for sale as a fundraiser.  We made about two hundred dozens in two days as a group.  I actually made the circles. Here are some photos from the pierogie making party (it is always a party when women and men from our church gather!).

These homemade pierogies are good cooked in butter topped with sauteed onions but I wanted a healthier way to serve them and I came up with this recipe.  Note no butter was used and vegetables were added plus nutritious good old tomatoes.

I brought this to a pot luck and the guests gave it a thumbs up.  I might add my picky taster, my husband Bob, gave the big OK too.

Baked Pepper Pierogie Casserole

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow or red pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 pieces smoked sausage, cut into cubes (about a cup) (optional)
• 24 potato cheese pierogies (homemade or from a package)
• 1-24 oz jar marinara or pasta sauce
• cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Heat the oil in a saute pan at medium heat. Add the pepper and onion in the heated oil in the pan and saute till the vegetables are crisp.  

Spray a 13 x 9 glass pan or other casserole dish with cooking spray. Distribute the pierogies on the casserole dish.  Pour the marinara or pasta sauce over the pierogies.  Distribute the sauteed vegetables and sausage cubes (if using). Cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Chicken Breast with Vegetables in Oyster Sauce

My two sisters from Los Angeles came to visit for a couple of weeks here in Pittsburgh.  Both are excellent cooks who helped prepare dishes for my grandson Luca's baptism celebration.

One of the food they prepared was Chicken in Oyster Sauce.  It is a simple dish loaded with vegetables concocted by my sister, Bebeng or Josie.  It is an excellent addition to your buffet for any family gathering.  Easy with short list of ingredients.  You can add other vegetables like snow peas or broccoli and even mushrooms if you like.  

My two sisters, Menchie on far Left and Bebeng or Josie on far right. 

Menchie and Bebeng at the Rivers Casino

Menchie and Bebeng at the Pennsylvania Macaroni Store in the Strip District

Chicken Breast with Vegetables in Oyster Sauce

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and minced
• 3 lb chicken breast cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup oyster sauce
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 yellow and/or red peppers, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 tbsp cornstarch in 4 tbsp water

Heat oil in a large saute pan at medium heat. Saute the ginger.  Add the chicken and saute till cooked. Add the oyster sauce with stirring. Add the vegetables till cooked but still crispy. Add the cornstarch in water mixture. Continue to cook till sauce thickens.

Olive Roasted Pepper Cheese Spread and the 7 Secrets of Writing

I served this delicious, addictive cheese spread to the members of the Writers Group of Monroeville that I belong to and which is facilitated by the generous and talented Sharon Lippincott.  I would not have been writing for this blog had I not attended the Writers' Workshop she organized last summer.  Being there and listening to the three invited writers give their experience in writing short stories, essays and poetry as well as the conversations with the attendees gave me the push to proceed and just write, write and write for my blog. 

Sharon Lippincott

Recently Sharon Lippincott wrote in her blog, The Heart and Craft of Life Writing, the seven secrets of writing and as in all her postings she challenges the readers to do one task and for this one she wanted them to come up with their own seven secrets.  Here are mine.

1. It is a creative outlet.  It is the ultimate exercise in freedom.  "You own everything that happens to you" as  Anne Lamott's commented in her Facebook page.    Writing builds self-confidence and self satisfaction. You are creating something. You give voice to your thoughts and feelings     
2. It is a form of contemplation.  You see the significance of events, emotions that would have been taken for granted.  It deepens appreciation. It engenders gratitude. This is especially true when you look back, as far back as you can go.
3. It increases self-awareness and awareness of your surroundings or mindfulness.  It increases attention span and listening ability. I actually have experienced an increase in self knowledge and understanding of other people. 
4. It is educational.  I have to be accurate when I write my blog and looking up facts or verifying what I know helps me learn along the way.
5. It is very rewarding.  You really do not know the impact of what you write, though that might not be your primary purpose.  When you hear people express their gratefulness for something that you wrote which  have helped them or their loved ones, it is very heartwarming and gratifying. 
6. Writing helps chronicle events.  We do forget so it helps to write them down.  Looking back we have something to relish. So would your children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, friends.
7. One thing more, you have an audience for your storytelling or need to verbalize your opinions or feelings.  It beats talking to yourself.

Olive Roasted Pepper Cheese Spread

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend but you can use one or any combination of cheese)
• 1/2 cup chopped olives with pimento center
• 1 whole roasted fresh or bottled red or yellow pepper, chopped 
• 2 tbsps chopped onion
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• approximately 3 tbsp 2 percent milk or the amount you need to your desired consistency of the spread
• 3 tbsp Smart Balance brand spread or butter
• black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp sugar or splenda (optional)

Mix all the ingredients with a fork.  Serve with plain crackers or with cut vegetables.  Refrigerate any left overs which I doubt you will have. 

Below are photos of the members of the Monroeville Writing Group during the Wednesday meetings held twice a month at the Monroeville Library.