Carrot Stuffing Casserole

 When I was first married I got a home printed recipe book that had a version of this recipe.  In the original version it called for cream of celery soup and had cheese as an ingredient, but I had adapted this one to use my basic white sauce. 

2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced into about 1/4 inch slices
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, cut up
1 tsp basil
1 recipe of Simple White Sauce
1 box cornbread stuffing mix, prepared per package instructions (except I usually leave out or reduce the margarine)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Put the carrots in a steamer, and steam until they are done, but not mushy.

While they are cooking, sauté the celery and onions. Add the basic white sauce and the basil. Simmer a few minutes to blend the flavors.

Drain the carrots and put in a casserole dish.  Pour the white sauce mixture over the carrots, and top with crumbled stuffing mix.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  

Butternut Squash Couscous Skillet Meal

 This is one I developed myself.  It is like the stuffed butternut squash recipe, but with a twist.

1 butternut squash.  Peal cube and steam to al dent.
1 cup couscous prepared according to package instructions
1/c cup chopped onions
1 t garlic

2 T fresh basil, minced, or 2 t dried basil

1 zucchini
1 carrot, pealed and coarsely grated
1 cup boc choy, thinly sliced (or Napa Cabbage)

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Peal, cube, and start cooking the squash in a vegetable steamer.  Prepare Couscous and set aside. In a little oil, sauté onion and garlic together until the onion starts to wilt. Add basil, carrot, zucchini and cabbage.  Stir Fry until softened.  Add sundried tomatoes and heat through.  Stir in squash and couscous to coat and heat through.  Serve. 

To make it lower in fat, use sundried tomatoes without the oil, and add 1/4 cup vegetable broth.