56 - Wednesday, March 30), $988 - North Shore News Prepare al Ca ONE OF the most difficult jobs for the novice cook is get- ting everything cooked at the same time. This is especially difficult when preparing a large, traditional meal such as people expect for holidays like Easter. Just prior to serving it seems that everything has to be done at once — meat carved, gravy prepared, vegetables drained and seasoned, potatoes mashed — all done while you're tripping over three or four useless bodies in your kitchen. —- One item of equipment [ couldn't do without — in fact, I've got two of them — is a ‘thot tray’, Mine aren't the fancy ones with multi-settings — just on-off, but they're large cnough to hold a turkey or four pots. Think about these next time you are looking for a gift for someone setting up housekeeping. Another boon to the frazzled cook is a collection of vegetable casserole recipes that can be prepared early and popped in the oven when the roast comes out. If you haven't got a hot tray, a roast keeps hot very nicely for at least a half an hour if you heat the platter, cover the meat with tinfoil and insulate it with a thick copy of the North Shore News. Remember, too, that root vegetables such as carrots, turnips and beets can be kept hot for quite some time if drained, buttered and seasoned. : They don’t lose their flavor and texture as sprouts or green beans do. : ‘Mashed potatoes lose their fla- vor very quickly, but whole, new potatoes, cooked in their skins have staying power. Here are some recipes for vegetable casseroles you might like to try. ae Green Bean Bake _2 ‘packages frozen French- ". cut green beans + . Ys Ib. tiny button mushrooms ‘4 tablespoon butter SUNDAY » WEDNESDAY +» FRIDAY 1 tin water chestnuts, drained and diced 1 tin cream of mushroom soup dash of Worcestershire sauce salt and cracked pepper 1 tin French anion rings Steam the beans until crisp- tender. Drain. Saute the beaters Barbara McCreadie mushrooms in butter, tossing fre- quently, until they’re just a little bit browned. : Combine beans, mushrooms, chestnuts and soup. Season. Turn ‘into a sprayed casscrole dish and top with onion rings. If baked immediately allow 20 minutes al 325F. If it’s been refrigerated it will need 30 to 35 minutes at 350F. eee Scalloped Cauliflower 1 large cauliftower, broken un The next time you think of parking here, YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 HOOD for Easter feasting Ve cup margarine Y cup cach, chopped, celery, onions and green pepper “% cup fleur 2 cups milk 14 cups shredded cheddar cheese salt and pepper 3 large tomatoes, sHced (optional) 1 cup frozen petit peas (optional) 2 tablespoons margarine ’ cup fine, dry breadcrumbs Ye cup grated Parmesan cheese Cook the cauliflower florets in a bit of water until just tender (mi- crowave if you can). Meit the ‘4 cup margarine and saute the celery, onion and green pepper until onion is transparent but not brown. Stir in flour. Add milk and stir until thickened. Add cheddar and stir until melted. Place “4 of the cauliflower in a decp, sprayed. casserole. Top with Ys of the sauce. Repeat. Season each layer with salt and pepper. Melt the margarine and stir in crumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 400F for 25 minutes, ees Remember, cooking temperatures and times for vegetable casscroles aren't engrav- ed in stone. These two casseroles | can be baked together —- just keep an cye on the beans because they cook quicker. Modify the temperature to 350F, but. bump it up to 400F when you take the beans out. Give the cauli- flower about five minutes more. BEST BUYS: Woodwards: Ready-to-cat ham, $1.38 [b.; sirfoin tip roast, $2.78 lb.; Brussels sprouts, 49¢ Ibi; Im- perial margarine, 3-tb., $2.18; large eyes, $1.18. 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