First Page and Green Chili Cheesy Casserole

The first page is the hardest, at least according to one of my Creative Writing teachers years ago.  That being said, the first sentence of the first page is particularly dicey.

But pretty or mean, it all boils down to first steps.....and for this blog, this entry is it.

I've blogged for over a year on the subject of "Fifty Five Is The New....," and some readers are wondering why I don't continue on the same vein. No longer being fifty-five has a lot to do with it. And I felt it was time to change things up a bit.

Randi's Recipe Box

Anybody who has read "Fifty Five.." knows that I love, love, love to cook, especially when it comes to creating recipes....learning new methods.....trying new recipes from others.....even watching the cookies rise in the oven.

With this blog I will be sharing recipes and thoughts; hoping to bring a little zest to the resultant reading experience.  Please feel free to try the recipes, comment on them and the rest of the site, and share some of your own recipes and thoughts, too!  Anything from the truly simple to the wildly complex....why not?  And if I try it, I'll chronicle the effort on this blog, along with pictures.

In some calendars, today is Easter Sunday.  Now there's a food holiday that's settling down into a tradition.
Ham is the usual fare, although many families are branching out into other cultures.

Jack's family is making Paella this year and they've asked everyone to bring a side-dish.  Paella is considered  a one-dish meal, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be supportive members at the table. So I kept with the theme and came up with a sort-of souffle using cheeses, eggs, diced chillies and other ingredients that should accompany the main dish without overpowering it. I call this dish Green Chili Casserole, and hope you enjoy it.

RANDI'S GREEN CHILI CHEESY CASSEROLE
Preheat oven 350               Serves 6
Ingredients
6 eggs    1 cup milk      1 tsp  salt        1 lb  Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated      1cup (8 oz) Cottage Cheese
3 oz Cream Cheese in small cubes      4 TBS butter, melted       11/2  tsp baking powder    1.2 cup cornmeal
1 TBS chopped pepperoni (optional)   8 oz roasted, diced green chilies or one 8oz can of diced green chilies, drained
Method
Grease 9" square baking dish. Set aside.  In large bowl mix egg, milk, salt, Jack Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, pepperoni, butter, baking powder, cornmeal and green chili together until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes until the center is set. Serve hot or warm.
Note
If you want to double the recipe, use two cooking vessels rather than one large pan, this will insure even cooking.   Enjoy!