This is what happened........

[Tangerine LaBamba]

I never use that Corningware 2-1/2 quart casserole that I used to fix my microwave rice, but it got me thinking -

I never fix casseroles.

They're just not a part of my repertoire, so I figured I'd come here and ask what favorites you folks might have, and maybe I can see what I'm missing.

(Is baked ziti a casserole, because I've been planning to fix this for a while, and, strangely, I've never fixed lasagna, leaving that to my non-Italian friends who are willing to work harder than I am.)

Thank you.................

[The empressof all]

1. I make a mean Chicken Enchilada casserole

You can even substitute beef or tofu or TVP for the protein

I just layer tortillas, refrieds, cooked protein, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream, and salsa. At the end I pour a can of enchilada sauce over it and bake it for a while.

It's like a Mexican Lasagna....It's one of the families favorites.

[Warpy]

2. I live alone and don't make them

unless I've got a serious enough Jones that I know I'll eat it for three days straight and freeze the rest.

They got a bad rap because they were a mainstay of cheap food in the 50s, made of canned cream soups and canned veggies and even canned fish. They were edible and filling. That's about all they were.

The best casserole, IMO, is the baked mac & cheese made with a good sauce from quality cheese(s) and baked with some buttered bread crumbs on top.

One casserole that's popular out here uses corn tortillas, cooked chicken, and green chiles, layered with mild salsa and topped with rat trap cheese.

Casseroles are generally a protein, starch to stretch it (usually pasta but occasionally rice or potato), optional veggies, and a sauce.

They're probably going to get really popular again, especially in newly poorer families with kids.

[kestrel91316]

19. I live alone and make the occasional casserole (but NO canned soups, please)

and find the leftovers are PERFECT to bring to work for lunch. We have a microwave. It's 10 ft from my desk (this place is tiny).

[elleng]

3. I guess I'd consider baked ziti a casserole;

a good one, too. Used to have it at LaPrima for lunch, from time to time.

All my cookbooks, including casserole cookbook, are 'elsewhere,' in house from which I've moved; maybe I'll get them back some day. I have no prejudices against casseroles (but can't recall any I made frequently.)

[ginnyinWI]

4. You've gotta try to make a lasagna.

It's not work--it's fun. First you cook noodles and make a tomato sauce on the stovetop. Mix cheese and eggs in a bowl. Then the fun begins. Layer pasta, sauce, cheese, then start over until it's all in. A little grated cheese on top and pop in the oven.

I won't give a recipe because everyone likes it a little different: either with meat, or all veggie, spinach, or mushrooms, even white or red sauce. And feel free to improvise. Great fun, and you'll have enough for two meals probably, unless you've invited an army to dinner.

Go to my favorite site, www.allrecipes.com and I'm sure you'll find something yummy.

[catnhatnh]

5. I'm not big on casseroles....

But by some quirk you've caught me with about a quarter of a baked ziti with three meats and a fresh (cooked this afternoon) Potatos Au gratin with baked ham...Guess who wont be cooking the rest of the week?

[Shakespeare]

6. Swiss Chicken Casserole!

A friend of mine makes this, and it's always deeeeelish.

Ingredients:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
6 slices Swiss cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of
chicken soup 1/4 cup milk
2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Arrange chicken in a greased 12 x 8 x 2 baking dish. Top with Swiss cheese slices.
3. Combine soup and milk and stir well. Spoon mixture over chicken and sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle butter or margarine over crumbs.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes. Enjoy!

[Tesha]

7. that sounds like...

something my mother used to make - the house smelled wonderful when it came out of the oven. I think she used a more mild cheese tho' - I guess you could use anything


thanks!!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

9. I think I'm starting to understand

why I never fixed a casserole.

The idea of eating a canned cream soup has always seemed to me like eating for the second time a meal you'd already ingested.

This kind of clarity can only be found here at C&B.

[Tesha]

11. but you're forgetting something...

there's sausage... you know where that comes from?

and head cheese... and tripe and oxtails...


and then there's the Hot Dish some things are just tradition.

[troubleinwinter]

20. About once a year,

I make Tuna Noodle Casserole. "The whole catasrophy" (as Zorba said)... noodles, creamed soup, canned tuna AND crumbled potato chip on top! It is so pure, so devoid of complicated flavors and all those chopped and minced and sauted things, herbs and all that. I am suddenly 8 years old and it's 1959 again. Absolute magic.

Nobody in my family will eat it of course. They just say "Eeeew! Yer NOT gonna eat that!". Good. I can have it for days, without having to share.

[Tesha]

21. precisely! oh the pure joy...

Instant transportation, one bite and whoosh - the salty, crispy, heady mess is in that green melamine bowl at grandma's house - you're sitting at that chrome-legged table swinging your legs....

How can such a cheap thrill be anything but good - in moderation of course...


I've GOT to make this for my grandkids...

[Warpy]

29. I have a few I do from time to time from health food cookbooks

One of them is noodles, mushrooms, onions, sunflower seeds and yogurt, grated cheese on top. It's actually very nice, very filling.

Another uses cottage cheese, brown rice, lentils, green chile, and again the grated cheese on top. It's also lovely.

However, if I see canned soup in a recipe, forget it. I survived the 50s, and there is no way I am going to repeat those sins.

[Arkansas Granny]

33. I've found that nearly any recipe calling for canned cream soup can be

made with a simple cream sauce instead. I sometimes saute onion, chopped mushrooms and finely chopped celery in the butter before adding the flour and milk to make a very respectable substitute for canned soup. You can use broth as your liquid instead of milk, add herbs and spices that would compliment your dish. The variations are endless and it just takes a few minutes.

[Inchworm]

36. Yup

That's one thing I do to use milk up here.

Now that you mention it, I realize I'm basically making known casserole-type dishes with cream sauce as a substitution. (In my mind I was calling the sauce Bolognese)

:hi:

[Inchworm]

23. *yoink*

stole that'n! :)

Looks great, sounds yummy.

Thanks!

:hi:

[cbayer]

8. Baked Ziti with Tomat, Mozzarella & Sausage

Now this is a close to a lasagna as you can probably get without having to actually make the layers! I have made this one several times, and it is scrumptious.


Olive oil
1 large onion, cut in small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage, removed from its casing and crumbled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry red wine
35-oz. can whole plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram or oregano (from about 6 large sprigs)
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated mild pecorino cheese
Pinch nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lb. dried ziti
1/2 lb. mozzarella, preferably fresh, cut in small cubes

Heat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a large, shallow baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large skillet, heat about 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and crumbled sausage and sauté until the sausage starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper. If the sausage gives off a lot of fat, pour off most of it, but leave a little to add flavor to the sauce. Add the red wine and let it boil until it's almost gone. Add the tomatoes with all of their juices and cook, uncovered, at a lively simmer for about 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly. Add the marjoram or oregano and taste for seasoning.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, about half of the grated pecorino, the nutmeg, and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the ziti until al dente. Drain well and toss it with the ricotta mixture until well coated. Add the sausage and sauce and mix again. Add the mozzarella and toss gently. Pour everything into the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining pecorino on top. Bake uncovered until lightly browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve right away.


From Fine Cooking 37, pp. 42-46
February 1, 2000

[Tangerine LaBamba]

10. You know what I found?

The recipe for Carmella Soprano's Baked Ziti, which almost got her and her priest friend laid. It's somewhere around here - I should check it out.

Your recipe sounds wonderful, too. I have all the fixings. I should get on it, really. The nutmeg is a trick I'd seen all my Italian aunts use, and it makes a hell of a difference.

Thank you so much...........

[cbayer]

12. OH, I would like to see that recipe. I remember that episode and wondering at the

time if her recipe was as good as this one from fine cooking.

:drool:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

15. Your wish...........

...... and all that.

I don't see myself fixing the requisite "gravy" to do the baked ziti - my sauce and meatballs are just fine, grazie - but the recipe itself looks pretty simple.



Sopranos Baked Ziti (Ziti al Forno)

Makes 8 to 12 servings

Carmela's baked ziti is a hit with Father Phil, who enjoys it with Carmela and a few too many glasses of Chianti in front of the fire (though the red pepper flakes that Father Phil likes in the pasta are missing from this recipe). The recipe includes Sunday Gravy, a staple that was a part of many a Sunday meal in the Italian home. In a traumatic flashback, Tony recalls his mother, Livia, frying meat for her gravy -- "red lead" as Tony calls it.

1 pound ziti
Salt to taste
4 to 5 cups Sunday Gravy (recipe follows) With Meatballs
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup ricotta
8 ounces mozzarella, cut into small dice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot, bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the ziti and salt to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until the ziti is al dente (tender yet firm to the bite). Drain the ziti, transfer to a large bowl and toss with about 3 cups of the Sunday Gravy and half of the Pecorino. Gently stir in the meatballs from the Sunday Gravy. Spoon half of the ziti mixture into a 3 1/2-quart baking dish (a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish works well). Spread the ricotta, mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino evenly over the top. Pour 1 cup of the remaining Sunday Gravy sauce evenly over the top. Top with the remaining ziti mixture. If the mixture looks dry, pour another cup of the Sunday Gravy over the top. Sprinkle the remaining Pecorino on top. Cover the dish with foil. (The ziti can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours at this point. Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.)
Bake the ziti for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 30 minutes longer, until the center is hot and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

-- Per serving (based on 8): 729 calories, 45 gm protein, 53 gm carbohydrates, 37 gm fat, 143 mg cholesterol, 16 gm saturated fat, 1,043 mg sodium, 3 gm dietary fiber

-- From "The Sopranos Family Cookbook" by "Artie Bucco," Michele Scicolone and Allen Rucker (Warner Books, 2002).


Carmella’s Sunday Gravy With Meatballs

Makes about 8 cups

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound meaty pork neck bones or spareribs
1 pound veal stew meat or 2 veal shoulder chops
1 pound Italian plain or fennel pork sausages
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup tomato paste
Three 28- to 35-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground beef, or a combination of beef and pork
1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for the pan

For the sauce: In a large deep pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Pat the pork dry and add it to the pot. Cook, turning occasionally, until nicely browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter.
Brown the veal in the same way and transfer it to the platter.

Place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides. Transfer them to the platter.

Drain almost all of the fat from the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Before adding them to the pot: For a smoother sauce, use a food mill to puree the tomatoes and their juices. For a chunkier sauce, use a knife or blender to chop the tomatoes.)

Return the pork, veal and sausages to the pot. Add the basil, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cover the pot partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water.

While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs.

For the meatballs: In a large bowl combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic, cheese, parsley and salt and pepper to taste and, using your hands, mix together thoroughly. Rinse your hands with cold water and lightly shape the mixture into tiny balls the size of small grapes. You should have about 12 dozen mini-meatballs. (If you wish to make meatballs to serve over pasta rather than include in Baked Ziti, shape the mixture into 2-inch balls.)

In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the meatballs and cook, turning as necessary, until browned on all sides but not cooked through. (Do not crowd the skillet; may have to cook in batches.) It may be necessary to add additional oil to keep the meatballs from sticking.

Transfer the meatballs to a plate; they will finish cooking later.
After the sauce has simmered for 2 hours, add the meatballs to the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, the meatballs are cooked through and the larger meats are tender, about 30 minutes.

To use in Baked Ziti, use a slotted spoon to remove the meats from the sauce. Use the meatballs for the Baked Ziti. Reserve the pork, veal and sausage for a second course or for another meal or dice and add to the Sunday Gravy that remains and reserve both for another meal.

-- Per serving (based on 8): 673 calories, 44 gm protein, 18 gm carbohydrates, 47 gm fat, 205 mg cholesterol, 16 gm saturated fat, 1,231 mg sodium, 3 gm dietary fiber

-- From "The Sopranos Family Cookbook" by "Artie Bucco," Michele Scicolone and Allen Rucker (Warner Books, 2002).

[cbayer]

17. Whoa! That looks like a two day project, but sounds delish!

When I was younger and lived in NYC, I had an Italian boyfriend who's family lived in Brooklyn. We used to go for Sunday dinner and bring home tons of leftovers. His mother cooked all week to make this meal and I was always impressed with both the effort and the outcome.

Thanks for the recipe!

:hi:

[kentauros]

13. Frito Pie!!1!1!!

(actually I love Frito Pie, but remember the big hullabaloo people made around here about even considering it as "food" :P)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. Oh, FRITO PIE!!!!

That's a casserole? I only ever had it in the Frito bag. And at the Woolworth counter in Santa Fe, back in the days.

Who doesn't consider Frito Pie as food? Philistines all.

But, is it a casserole?

[kentauros]

18. Growing up, or making it when I was on my own

(and not yet vegetarian, though I could likely still make it that way) it was made in a deep casserole dish. I would guess it all depeneds on what you put into it as to whether it might be called a casserole. I'm thinking mostly that the technique is pretty much the same :)

[Shakespeare]

16. FRITO PIE. It has its own divinely blessed category.

Far, far above the lowly casserole, it is. :rofl:

The snack bar in the student center at Texas A&M serves a mean (and inexpensive) Frito Pie, and it sustained me through my rigorous college days. :7

[Tesha]

22. OK spill - what is it...

and how's it made?????

[Tangerine LaBamba]

24. You asked for it (anyone remember that show?)

YOU GOT IT!

Here's a whole lot more than you probably ever wanted to know about Frito pies, but, man, what I wouldn't give for one right now!

http://tinyurl.com/bje7rk

And I would NEVER dishonor a Frito pie by referring to it as a "casserole." It is what the gods dine on when they are happy.....

[Tesha]

25. GACKKK!

I thought it was a joke! Lordie, that looks nasty,


but I do believe that fixed the right way it might just do.... no onion please

[NMDemDist2]

31. ahhh come on, it's not that bad,

chili on a bed of Fritos with cheese and onion on top

it makes great bar food

:hide:

[Tesha]

32. So "beer goggles" help you appreciate it? ;-) (NT)

[kentauros]

37. Not where I come from

In fact, here's a Canadian that seems to understand how to truly make it (not that "food on the go" pouch-bag method, but very much like a casserole.)

http://cookingwithkimberly.com/?p=320

[Inchworm]

26. skeert me!

and I ain't skeert of nuttin!

:rofl:

:thumbsup:

:hi:

[grasswire]

27. what about Lutheran church supper casserole?

You know. The one with the browned hamburger, mushroom soup, green beans and tater tots? Isn't that it? I haven't had it in a lot of years.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

28. That might be why

I wasn't raised Lutheran......................

[troubleinwinter]

30. Coq Au Vin, Beef Bourguignon

A casserole, from the French for "saucepan," is a large, deep pot or dish used both in the oven and as a serving dish. The word casserole is also used for the food cooked and served in such a dish. Casseroles originate from the ancient practice of stewing meat slowly in earthenware containers. Types of casserole include ragout, hotpot, cassoulet and carbonnade. A distinction may be made between casseroles and stews: stewing is a cooking process whereby heat is applied to the bottom of the cooking vessel (typically over a fire or on a hob), whereas casseroling is done in an oven where heat circulates all round the cooking vessel. Braising is similar to casseroling except that the pieces of meat or vegetable are larger and cooked in a smaller quantity of liquid. Casseroles tend to be thicker than soup. However the choice of name is largely a matter of custom; it is possible for the same dish to be described as soup, stew, and casserole.

Early 18th century casserole recipes consisted of rice that was pounded, pressed, and used as a filling. Casseroles are cooked in Europe and Canada and the United States, and are found in other forms in many other cultures around the world. The culinary term en casserole (also from French) means 'served in the vessel used for cooking'.

Casseroles usually consist of one or two meats or vegetables as the main ingredients. Liquid in the form of stock, alcohol (in the form of wine; for example coq au vin or beef Bourguignon), beer (for example lapin à la Gueuze, gin, or cider) or vegetable juices is added. Further liquids are released from the meat and vegetables during cooking. Binders such as pasta, potato, rice or other grains are added to thicken the sauce. It is cooked slowly and may be served as a main course or a side dish. It contains an extender, binder and protein with usually a bread crumble topping.

Meat is usually precooked or browned before placed in the casserole.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casserole

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Not your mom's casserole

Cookbook author re-invents some favorite family recipes

Karen Haram / San Antonio Express-News

There's not a single can of cream of mushroom soup in "Bake Until Bubbly," Clifford A. Wright's new casserole book, and that's just fine with Wright.

Chicken Scallopini With Fontina Cheese and Mushrooms
From "Bake Until Bubbly" by Clifford A. Wright

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 3/4 pounds total)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons freshly and finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

1/2 pound white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 pound finely diced cooked ham (about 1 cup)

1/4 pound shredded fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound with a mallet until thin scallopini and about 9 by 6 inches.

In large 12-inch skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. On a sheet of wax paper, mix together flour, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

In a bowl, beat eggs. Dredge chicken scallopini in flour mixture, tapping off excess flour, and then dip in egg. Working in batches, place chicken breast in skillet and cook until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.

Remove chicken breasts from skillet and arrange in 12-by-9-by-2-inch baking casserole. Do not overlap in pan. In the same skillet, cook mushrooms, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. One minute before mushrooms are tender, add ham. Spoon mushroom and ham mixture over scallopini. Sprinkle fontina cheese over mushrooms and bake until bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately. (If desired, casserole can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.) http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090225/LIFESTYLE05/902250305

I think it's a manner of cooking we use all the time. It's the WORD "casserole" that scares people.

[Arkansas Granny]

34. I love casseroles. Raising 4 kids, they were the backbone of my menus.

I could make them ahead of time on weekends and then pop them in the oven after work. By the time the casserole was done, I had the rest of the dinner ready to go and we could sit down to a homecooked meal. Not only were they convenient, but the possibilities were endless.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

35. Kind of a casserole. . .

Thinking about it, I don't do actual casseroles often (though I do a mean lasagne--and with no-bake pasta, it's really not a big deal). I do, however, resort to a shepherd's pie-type affair to use up leftovers in a good way. Usually, that means leftover soup, which is usually something full of chunky veggies and maybe beans. Could simply use that and cover with mashed tatties or if I'm driven to eat meat, I might brown a chicken breast and cut it into cubes to ladle over. The juicier the filling, the better because it ends up as gravy for the tatties on top. This is something that can be adapted for singles or big families, so not necessarily something that will sentence you to a week of the same dinner until you toss out the last bit in disgust. I figure this is basic comfort food like a pot pie, only without all the calories you get with a pie crust. (If you WANT the extra calories, a sheet of puff pastry over the top makes it respectable enough for company.)

My only other old standby is tamale pie, which is basically a corn meal crust (I just dump boiling water over grits and stir in some chili powder, then smoosh around the dish) filled with seasoned beans, peppers, sweet corn, tomato paste/salsa, and whatever else you fancy, and topped with cheese. We tend to be real beaners and that was one of those cheap meals that my kids would happily tank up on.

[NashVegas]

38. Cajuned Chicken in Mac & Cheese

The chicken isn't entirely blackened, or it would be totally dried out by the time the whole thing comes out of the oven.

But I'll flatten a breast a little, smother it in spices and while that's broiling, boil some fusilli or whatever's on hand, then cut up the chicken and throw it all in a dish with a few different cheeses. Very little fuss about it.