Casseroles & Photos

[Thick]

I have been on a big casserole kick lately. Casseroles are becoming anything that I heat in my dehydrator in this glass dish=) Here's a picture of a Cheesy Mexican Casserole. I hope you guys will add some, too--and I will update this thread as I make different ones.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo106/rawfoodpic/DSCN8030.jpg

This is made with
-cucumber rice (process in fp until rice sized, then salt and drain through a colander)
-corn rice (food processor)
-serrano peppers, tomatoes, taco spices (oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt)and a clove of garlic
-Morn's cheese sauce

then dehydrated for an hour or more at 105-110

[Nani]

OHH MYYY....That looks delicious!! I am soo gonna have to make this. Yes...my mouth is actually watering. :D

[contessa20]

*drools*

That looks AMAZING. I'm making that this week.

[lori ann]

one word wow!

[Barbie2]

Thick, your casserole looks so yummy!

[lil fairy z girl]

wow that looks extremly good.
thanks for posting

sal
~*~*~*

[spicyfull]

L@@ks RAWlicious...........Thanks for Sharing.

[CINDY A]

Looks good.... Thanks for sharing.

[Thick]

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo106/rawfoodpic/DSCN8041.jpg

While maybe not the prettiest picture I took of this Mushroom Tikka Masala, my new favorite meal--I wanted to show you the creamy insides as well.

It is red bell pepper, vidalia onion (a sweet summer onion) and button mushrooms (of course you could use any veg) in a masala sauce made with-

soaked cashews
red bell pepper
1 clove garlic
3 serrano peppers or cayenne
salt
garam masala powder

I originally intended to add more ingredients, but I taste as I go along and just couldn't bring myself to add anything more to this sauce--it is amazing. Just vitamix it all up, stir it into the vegetables and dehydrate for an hour or more.

[Veganforlife]

These will be nice with the cold winter months coming! Wonder how well they would freeze? I mean if I made them now and froze them?

[Thick]

These will be nice with the cold winter months coming! Wonder how well they would freeze? I mean if I made them now and froze them?

I don't know, but you can find out for us=)>--they are pretty high water content though.

[snoops]

Looks amazing!!

[snoops]

Are the veggies still crunchy after you dehydrate them or do they soften? I made your cucumber casserole and it tasted good but I was hoping for a softer texture. I only dehydrated it for about an hour. It may just be that I need to get used to crunchy! The photo of your mushroom casserole looks great. How much garam masala would you use?

[contessa20]

Oooh that looks yummy, Thick!

[Thick]

Are the veggies still crunchy after you dehydrate them or do they soften? I made your cucumber casserole and it tasted good but I was hoping for a softer texture. I only dehydrated it for about an hour. It may just be that I need to get used to crunchy! The photo of your mushroom casserole looks great. How much garam masala would you use?

They will soften, I usually make them half soft, half still crunchy, but softened. The cucumbers will also get soft--just make them more small when processing, add salt and drain, then leave them in the dehydrator like you would a crock pot--go do something else for awhile until its soft enough for you.

I am not a measurer=) But I would say start with a shake of garam masala, then blend and taste and add more if you think it can take more=)> It's the right amount when you out loud to an empty room exclaim "Ooooh my Gawd" or do a dance because you're so happy this is raw, haha.

[snoops]

LOL - too funny thick!! I will leave my casseroles in the D longer next time. With big chunks like in your last one I'm thinking all day!!

[Thick]

With big chunks like in your last one I'm thinking all day!!

Nah, the mushrooms "cook" pretty quickly-- I'm not sure what all day would do to it. I like crunchy stuff with soft stuff, like red onions and bell peppers on pizza--so this one I only "cook" for about an hour--or until I look in and see the top is darkened and baked looking.

[snoops]

thats true mushrooms will be soft and mushy:D

[appifanie]

thick!! i am reattempting raw and am on my 5th day and have been dying for indian food - am hoping the garam masala in this might help me. thanks!!

that 1st casserole looks great too! casseroles are awesome :)

[Veganforlife]

I'm making the cheesy casserole. I'll post pics and let you know how it turns out! yum-oh!

[Carly]

I'm going to try to make the cheesy rice casserole tomorrow. Let me just make sure I understand. For the rice, I put the cucumber in the fp and then put it in a colander and then salt it? How much salt would you say? Or do you salt it first, mix it up, then put it n the colander? About how long do you let it drain for? Do you have to salt and drain the corn as well?

Thank you so much!

[Thick]

I'm going to try to make the cheesy rice casserole tomorrow. Let me just make sure I understand. For the rice, I put the cucumber in the fp and then put it in a colander and then salt it? How much salt would you say? Or do you salt it first, mix it up, then put it n the colander? About how long do you let it drain for? Do you have to salt and drain the corn as well?

Thank you so much!

Just a little bit of salt will work. It is not even neccessary, but it helps drain the liquid and makes it taste good too. (if you dont oversalt it) The corn you can drain (no need for salt with the corn) but its not nearly as wet as the cukes. I just throw some salt in the food processor with the cukes when I'm mixing them. Go ahead and get them as small as you can without completely liquifying them--even if you do--it is still good..just drain it off. I hope you like it, carly.=)

[Veganforlife]

I did the cheezy thang! It's very good! Only I kinda tweeked it. Added 'shrooms and a red bell pepper...

[Carly]

Just a little bit of salt will work. It is not even neccessary, but it helps drain the liquid and makes it taste good too. (if you dont oversalt it) The corn you can drain (no need for salt with the corn) but its not nearly as wet as the cukes. I just throw some salt in the food processor with the cukes when I'm mixing them. Go ahead and get them as small as you can without completely liquifying them--even if you do--it is still good..just drain it off. I hope you like it, carly.=)

Thank you so much, Thick! I'm off to make it right now!

[snoops]

I did the cheezy thang! It's very good! Only I kinda tweeked it. Added 'shrooms and a red bell pepper...

How the heck did you make it look soooo cheeesy?? My "cheese" looks like blended red peppers and nuts. And just gets lumpy looking in the D. What recipe do you use?? Because that looks soooo goooood:)

[RawKnitster]

Ooooh.... Ahhhh.... YUM! :D I've got to try that!

[klomasius]

Those casseroles look wonderful Thick!

I've been eating very simply lately, mainly because of time constraints, but I'd love to make a caserole soon, when I actually get the time.

Thanks!

[Veganforlife]

How the heck did you make it look soooo cheeesy?? My "cheese" looks like blended red peppers and nuts. And just gets lumpy looking in the D. What recipe do you use?? Because that looks soooo goooood:)

I don't know. But also wanted to let you all know that I froze half of it into serving size containers and today thawed some and it's JUST as good!!!

[seRAWnity]

Thank you sooooo much for sharing this recipe... IT WAS AMAZING!!! I went a little light on the peppers, serranos were not available so I went with one yellow wax pepper and one jalapeno, I left the corn whole and added walnut taco meat to the top, left it under the dehydrator for an hour, served it with a salad, it was the perfect meal!

[Thick]

oops wrong post

[lil fairy z girl]

i made the mexican one yesterday it was really good. I didn't have the mushrooms so used carrots. Very tasty, yumm. Just what I need now the cold weather is here.

thank you,
sal
~*~*~*

[RawKnitster]

I was thinking about this thread a few minutes ago as I chopped mushrooms and cioppino onion. Turned on the computer to look it up and here is the thread, bumped up again. Somebody else is thinking casseroles, too. :)

Not sure which way I'm going with today's casserole. I started it because I've got a butternut squash that has been hanging around for too long. Was going to grate it and use for a bottom layer. However the Mushroom Tikka looks very appealing as is. Might have to go there and try making a soup with the squash. Or make two casseroles!

I'll let you you know what happens. Thanks for the ideas, Thick!

[RawKnitster]

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/RawKnitster/SquashCasserole121509.jpg

This dish merged my Butternut squash Casserole with Thick's Mushroom Tikki. It turned out great. My not-raw husband ate two big servings. No leftovers!

I dehydrated all the veggies separately until wilted and warmed, then built the casserole in layers.

The sauce is cashews, red bell pepper, dried red chili pepper flakes, almond milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and garam marsala, blended in Vita-Mix until slightly warmed.

Hubby said I went to heavy on the onion, but he still ate it up. :)

[Green_Woman]

Holy crumb....MY MOUTH IS A WATERFALL OF DROOL.... I now have a few MORE recipes to try this weekend!

Also, guys, I'm thinking of saving my Fun Money so I can buy my Sweetie an Excalibur..... he wants to go 100% RAW but he LOVES my casseroles and has no way of heating them back home (no stove) and he really prefers his food warmed.