Parsnip and Tomato Casserole

Here is the promised recipe, which I discovered, is from a British cookbook. From the same publisher as the last magically British cookbook, actually. You would think I would have noticed that everything is in metric and Celsius along with cups and Fahrenheit.

Parsnip and Tomato Casserole

from The Organic Seasonal Cookbook: Cooking for a Greener World by Liz Franklin

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. 5 oz. parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tsp thyme leaves

1 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 lb. 5 oz. tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the parsnips, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper (to taste). Cook, stirring frequently until golden or softened, about 6-8 minutes.

Spread half of the parsnips over the bottom of a small casserole dish. Pour in half the cream, then arrange the tomatoes over the parsnips. Scatter over half the oregano. Sprinkle in half the cheese. Layer on the remaining parsnips and tomatoes. Sprinkle with the rest of the oregano, cream and cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until parsnips are tender. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbling.

She says it should be 4 servings. I cut it in half, and it was 2 pretty small servings. When she says 4 servings, I think she means side dish servings. But it is pretty creamy, so it was pretty filling.

Also, my apartment mates did some baking of their own this weekend -- also belatedly for MF's birthday. It all started with me coming back last night and saying "wow, that's a BIG cookie!"

MW and DR answered, "it's for you! And there's a surprise inside!" Uhhhh . . . ok? Being the baker I am, and knowing my apartment mates, I figured it out.

It was an oreo inside of a chocolate chip cookie. Of course.

It goes very well with milk. Chocolate chip + oreo + milk = wonderful.

I was amazed at how the cream was still soft and yummy. So good. Apparently they found them here. Um, I think I have a new way to waste my time.

Then at class, LLB had a HUGE apple fritter doughnut thing. So I ate some of that. But it was good, because the sugar kept me awake on my drive home. Tomorrow is my one and only "personal day" for student teaching. A funeral was not how I was hoping to spend it. But I guess it happens this way sometimes -- at least I can be home for it.