Zucchini Casserole

Celebrating Jubilarians 2012

Poor Clare Mother Mary Matthew Tomsyck

25 years as a Franciscan Poor Clare Nun

St. Clare’s Monastery, Sauk Rapids

This is the second in an occasional series of recipes shared by jubilarians in the St. Cloud Diocese. A jubilee marks the special anniversary of one’s religious profession.

The enticing aroma from this zucchini casserole is one that Mother Mary Matthew Tomsyck knows well. When its familiar scent wafts throughout the Poor Clare Monastery in Sauk Rapids, without even peeking in the oven she knows one of her best-loved dishes will be served for dinner.

This recipe, from the monastery’s collection, has been popular with the sisters for as long as Mother Mary Matthew, a silver jubilarian, has been there — and likely much longer. It’s one of the many recipes she also likes to prepare. Light salads, fish dishes and chocolate desserts are some of the favorite categories in her cooking repertoire but it may be a while before she spends much time in the monastery kitchen again — her current duties as abbess keep her busy in other directions.

Each year the abbess assigns a sister to act as the main cook and another to be her assistant. Sometimes the sisters volunteer for these yearlong positions as, of course, some individuals like the task better than others. Mother Mary Matthew has been the “head cook” at least twice since she’s joined the community and truly relished the time she spent in the kitchen. CJK

Zucchini Casserole

(Poor Clare Mother Mary Matthew Tomsyck)

4 eggs

1/4 cup oil (or scant 1/2 cup milk)

1 med. zucchini, shredded (about 1 cup)

1 med. onion, grated or chopped

2 cups grated cheddar or American cheese

3/4 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)

1 tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

1 (5 oz.) can tuna, optional*

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with no-stick cooking spray.

Beat eggs with oil or milk. Add the other ingredients, stir well, and pour into prepared baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 9 servings

A note from Mother Mary Matthew: This dish can become too wet at times due to the liquid in the zucchini. The zucchini can be squeezed slightly to remove some of the extra moisture before it is added to the egg mixture.

Adding tuna is an option but it’s not essential. *If you add the oil-packed tuna, use a little less oil or milk than called for. If you use tuna canned in water, drain the liquid off before adding.

A note from Carol: Over time Mother Mary Matthew has served her community as portress, bursar, and novice mistress and, for the last four years, as abbess. A native of Muskego, Wis., and graduate of Silver Lake College in Manitowoc, Wis., she was a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc for eight years prior to transferring to the Sauk Rapids monastery where she later took her solemn vows. During three of her years in Manitowoc, Mother Mary Matthew was a second grade teacher — a vocation that she dearly loved and will always cherish.

Sue Schulzetenberg-Gully took the portrait of Mother Mary Matthew Tomsyck.

Franciscan Sister Mary Joel Bieniek was the first feature in this series with the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls’ homemade sauerkraut recipe.