Com' on, You Can Make a Casserole! (Penne Casserole, Potato Soup)

­­If there was anyone out there doing the work of God, it is Tommie Wilkins, Christina Siglin and the people of Laurel House in Norristown, PA. http://laurel-house.org/  Go to their site.  Usually, it is annoying to see all those “donate” buttons all over the interwebs, but in this case, you should click on every single one and empty your paypal.   

Here’s Laurel House’s mission. “…to provide safe haven for abused women and their children, to raise public awareness about domestic violence and to advocate for social change against domestic violence.” Sounds like something we can all get behind? 

Tommie laid out a table in the sanctuary of our church with “empty place” settings for six local women who had died from domestic abuse.  From the stories that she told, Tommie could have set up a banquet table stretching to the street. In every community, rich or poor, black, white, brown or purple there is domestic abuse.  People are suffering.  This is unacceptable.   

How can we help?  Well, there are always the previously mentioned donations.  That’ll go a long way to providing for the 28 women and their children that they house each day.  You can shop at their thrift stores, Laurel’s Loft in Lansdale and Marian's Attic in King of Prussia.  Good stuff for cheap!  You can volunteer at these shops.  Even a few hours a month is a help.  You can attend their events listed on the calendar.  How about donating your old cell phone or picking up some new clothing or hygiene­­­­ items on their wish list, something that is needed, but for which there is no budget.  Or, here’s a crazy idea, keep them in mind when you are doing your estate planning. 

Also, we have to stand up. 

If you aren’t in Montgomery County, PA, search out a local shelter and give them food.  It is necessary and appreciated.  Talk with the people running the shelter and help them get the kind of food that they need.  Secondly, deliver the food frozen and labeled with the contents and date it was made.  That helps the provider with planning for when donations are slack, normally the times after the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays and at the end of the summer. Lastly, talk to your neighbors and kids.  Listen to learn of need in your community.  Act to change the culture of violence that is America today.

…and you thought that this was a food blog?

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This dish freezes well and provides a nutritious meal for about 8 people.  Later we’ll have a discussion about making your own tomato sauce, I mean gravy, no sauce, gravy, sauce…

Penne Casserole

2# penne pasta, cooked al dente

6 cups tomato sauce

24 oz. grated mozzarella cheese

1# sliced provolone cheese

8 oz. grated parmesan cheese

5 cloves chopped garlic

1 aluminum hotel pan with lid

Preheat your oven to 375°.  Ladle enough sauce into the bottom of the hotel pan to cover it one inch deep.  Add ½ of the penne and mozzarella.  Sprinkle the garlic over the pasta, then add the remainder of the sauce.  Layer the remainder of the pasta on top of the sauce.  Spread the rest of the mozzarella evenly over the pasta, cover the mozzarella evenly with the sliced provolone then sprinkle the grated parm over the casserole.  Bake for one hour or until browned.

Allow to cool for 20 minutes, cover, label with the contents and date and freeze solidly before delivering the casserole to Laurel House.

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This is a master recipe which can be changed by using different herbs or vegetables.  You’ll get a different soup if you add a cup of celery, carrots, mushrooms or cooked Italian sausage.  Either way, it is filling, making a complete meal if it is served with crusty bread and a big salad.

Potato Soup

3 large chef’s potatoes, peeled and diced

1 spanish onion, diced

3 tbs. chopped fresh herbs, parsley, thyme, chives, tarragon

1 tbs. butter

½ gallon milk

½ galloon water

In a heavy stockpot, melt the butter over low heat, add the onions.  Sauteé the onions for 5 minutes, until transparent.  Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover the pot and sweat the potatoes until they have begun to cook through, but have not browned.

Remove the lid and add the water and milk.  Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil.  Skim any scum that rises to the top, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for one hour. 

At the end of the hour cooking time, the potatoes will have broken down and the soup will have thickened.  At this point, you can simply mix the soup with a whisk to further break up the potatoes or pass it through a food mill to give it a finer texture.  Stir in the herbs and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Package the soup in plastic one quart containers and freeze.  Those leftover soup containers that you get take-out wonton soup in are perfect.  It is easier to deliver frozen food to a shelter, less mess, and they will be able to thaw and reheat your soup whenever they need it.