Catering for the Plant Manager

Okay, so the plant manager also happens to be my wife. Last night, she was very busy at work getting ready for the owner's visit. So, she wasn't going to be home until late. She called & asked me to bring the casserole I was making in to work. With a little thinking, I was able to bring dinner hot & delicious to her. My grandmom gave me these wonderful casserole dishes with lids & thermal cases for my birthday two years ago, so I got one of those out & did the casserole in that. It's one of J's favorites, a chile relleno casserole. I was given the recipe by my SoCal friend, Debi, & adapted it.

Chile Relleno Casserole

1 large can green chiles (or if, like me, you can't find them whole or in a large can, use 3 small cans of the minced kind)
7 eggs, separated
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack (or Mexican cheese blend, if you wish)
1 c. shredded Cheddar
1 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in chunks (optional...the casserole is delicious without it, too)

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold in yolks. Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray (or grease it the normal way). Cut chiles, if using the whole ones, into wide strips. Spread a layer of chiles on the bottom, then a layer of egg, a layer of Jack cheese, a layer of chicken. Repeat twice, ending with Cheddar on top. Stick in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake 25-30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

With this, I took some steamed asparagus (which I put in a Gladware-type container and drizzled with melted butter & key lime juice), baby spinach, Silver Palate raspberry dressing (which turned out to not be good...I was bummed out because, before I tasted it, it reminded me of dressing I once got at an orange grove in Florida), a little cantadew and some fabulous seeded grain bread from Heinen's. It was really nice having a good, sit-down, home-cooked meal at her plant when she had to work late. Beat the heck out of Burger King drive-thru.