Category Archives: CASSEROLE RECIPES

I believe I have told you numerous times that I am lazy. Some people don’t think of me as lazy, but I’ve just got them fooled. For example, take this fake lasagna recipe. It looks and tastes like I have been slaving away in the kitchen for hours. Anyone who has ever prepared true lasagna knows that it takes hours to prepare. There’s the meat sauce, then the cheeses, then those darling lasagna noodles. And if you are really into a truly decadent lasagna, not only is there a red sauce, there’s a béchamel sauce. Now granted, none of these sauces are difficult to assemble. But add up all the time it takes to prepare each step, and you are talking about an all afternoon project. And granted, sometimes I make an honest to goodness, over the top lasagna. But for those times when I don’t want to spend 4 hours playing in the kitchen but still want a rich, creamy and luscious casserole, I make my dear buddy Margo’s recipe. And all kidding aside, it is one of the tastiest Italian casseroles you will ever meet. The sauce and the cheeses work together to cover the egg noodles in a gooey dressing that just melts in your mouth. Serve this with a Caesar salad, a warm crusty baguette or my Soft Breadsticks, and a bottle of your favorite rich red wine, and I promise you all thoughts of lasagna noodles will evaporate as fast as cookies in an office break room! Thanks again Margo for this wonderful recipe.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage (or half ground beef and half Italian sausage)
10-12 medium mushrooms, sliced
2 clove garlic, minced
1 jar (or 2 ½ c.) marinara sauce (I use Paul Newman’s Marinara Sauce – I told you I was lazy!)
8-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 pint sour cream (2 cups)
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
8 green onions, chopped
1 lb. grated Mozzarella cheese
12-oz. (4 c. uncooked) thick egg noodles, cooked al dente (I use Country Pasta – Homemade Style Egg Pasta I buy in the 64-oz. package from Costco) OR rice pasta for a wonderful GF casserole
2 T. minced fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large fry pan. Add the sausage and sauté until very brown, breaking up the pieces as it cooks. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Pour in the marinara sauce and let gently burble for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile combine the room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, green onions, and mozzarella cheese. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Scoop about a half cup of the marinara sauce mixture into the bottom of the pan. Layer with half of the cooked noodles, half of the marinara sauce, and half of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

(As you can see from the picture, there is no fresh parsley sprinkled on top. Oh I had the parsley all chopped and happily residing in my refrigerator. But in all my last minute frantic efforts to get the meal out for yesterday’s pre JazzVox concert lunch, the parsley was forgotten. Of course the lack of a parsley garnish didn’t stop anyone from eating the casserole, but I sure felt like a dummy when I realized what I had done. Not the first time I have left off that final touch, and considering that I am only getting older and less likely to remember even the most mundane of tasks, I’m sure it won’t be the last. I could mention the salad I forgot to serve for our New Year’s Eve late night buffet, but why bother you with even more evidence that I’m not playing with my full set of Cutco knives, circa 1964, any longer!)

GREEN CHILIES AND RICE CASSEROLE

Some days it just doesn’t seem like there are enough hours to go around. I long ago realized that I was simply born on the wrong planet. No one’s fault really; just a mistake any over worked and underpaid stork could have made. But it still doesn’t negate the fact that I truly would have been happier if the original 36 hour a day plan for me (based solely on my own observations) would have been followed. And I know I am not alone. There are many of you out there for whom fate destined your misfortune too. But alas, there is absolutely nothing we can do about our situation. (I’m quite sure in the future biologists will be able to work in cooperation with the Union of Stork Deliverers to make certain this type of error never again occurs.) But for those of us already on planet earth, we must persevere and make the most of the piddling 24 hours a day we were given. Hopefully this quick and easy recipe will help.

3 c. cooked rice (1 c. raw)
16-oz. (pint) sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can (4-oz.) chopped green chilies
1 lb. Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, grated
paprika

Combine the cooked rice, sour cream, soup, and green chilies. Spoon half of the mixture in a lightly buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese. Repeat. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Just allow a little more baking time if you are starting with a cold casserole. And no, this is not a low calorie dish. But oh my goodness is it good and definitely a child pleaser. My kids used to woof this down. Great served with roast pork and a green salad.

POTATO, GRUYÈRE CHEESE, AND CARAMELIZED ONION GRATIN

There just doesn’t seem to be any food more comforting than some kind of starch lovingly paired with cheese. And potatoes and cheese are no exception. Then when you throw in some caramelized onions and heavy cream infused with garlic and fresh thyme, you have a combination only an uncivilized barbarian wouldn’t appreciate.

And since I don’t happen to associate with any of the aforementioned, my friends tend to be as crazy about comfort food as I am. And this recipe is as perfect an example of comfort food as I can imagine. (I served it at our New Year’s Eve party this year to rave reviews. So of course I had to share it with all of you!)

Speaking of parties, I also served up what I now call the “career game” at our News Year’s Eve. Everyone seemed to enjoy the new “game” very much. Since no one else at the party (except for Mr. C. of course) knew everyone else who was invited, I threw out the professions of a few of the people in the room. It was then everyone’s mission to figure out who did what for a living or passion. I had intended it to kind of get people talking to each other. As it turned out, my group of friends needed no prompting in that regard, but never-the-less, it was fun to witness them further getting to know each other by ferreting out each others chosen profession or passion. And when the group is as eclectic, intelligent and amazing as our guests were that evening, it was really fun to watch the discovery process enfold. For example, and this is just a sample of the professions or passions of the people at the party: there were among our guests someone who worked for FEMA, a retired art teacher, 2 senior managers at Boeing, the head of marketing for BECU (Boeing Employees Credit Union for those of you who aren’t locals), a ferry boat captain, a retired editor of the U of W Daily paper, 2 outstanding artists who happen to live in our vicinity, a person who was once a vaudevillian, and the person who edits the user manuals for Microsoft (think Excel, for example).

And of course, during the various interchanges, we learned about other fascinating aspects of each others’ lives, or like in my case, accomplishments over which I had no previous knowledge. (I learned that my friend Laurie had danced in the Nutcracker as a child! How cool is that?)

When I started this blog, I promised that I would share the secret to throwing a successful holiday party. And since I attended a fabulous party before Christmas that our friends John and Deanne hosted and then gave a New Years Eve party that seems to have been a success, I thought now was the time to honor my promise. So, here goes! (For those of you who already have the “throw a great party” down pat, disregard the following paragraph.) For those who want to know more, please read on.

Patti’s recipe for throwing a good party:

1 – Invite an interesting and eclectic group of people (the most important ingredient)

2 – Feed them well and often (exciting and interesting people love to eat)

3 – Provide alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic beverages (most people these days are responsible drinkers and interesting non-alcoholic beverages help them stay on track)

4 – Throw in a white elephant or bottle exchange or an ice-breaker diversion like the one I described above (breaks the monotony of eating wonderful food, drinking, and talking to friends, old or new)

5 – Relax and have fun yourself (the second most important ingredient)

That’s it! And of course, if you are as lucky as I am, invite your musical guests to come and make music together. There is just nothing more fun than a room full of live music.

So dear readers, next time you plan a soiree think about following my recipe for making the event memorable. Just don’t forget to invite me. (Maybe I should have made that rule number 6!)

2 lbs. russet potatoes
kosher salt
5 sweet onions
3 T. butter
olive oil
2 c. heavy cream
3 cloves garlic
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
8-10 oz. grated Gruyère cheese
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
milk

Scrub the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Then slice each section into 1/8-inch thick half moons. Place in a pan with just enough cold water to cover the top layer of potatoes. Add about 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring to just under a boil, reduce heat and simmer potatoes until almost tender. Do not overcook. Strain in a colander and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, thinly slice onions. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 45–60 minutes or until they turn a lovely shade of brown and are almost mushy. (That’s a technical cooking term, by the way!) You will want to stir the onions frequently during the caramelization process. If the onions start to burn or get too dry, add a little olive oil and reduce the heat. This process takes time, but is well worth the effort.

While your potatoes are cooking and your onions are slowly taking on the color of brown sugar, pour the heavy cream into a small pan along with the peeled garlic cloves and thyme sprigs. Bring to a light simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

When ready to assemble gratin, lightly butter a shallow casserole dish. Place a single layer of potato slices in the bottom of dish, slightly overlapping. Top with 1/3^rd of the Gruyère, 1/3^rd of the onions, 1/3^rd of the herb and garlic infused cream and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Repeat with 2 more layers. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan. Now comes the hard part. Gently tip the pan. If you don’t see the heavy cream along the sides of the pan almost up to the level of the last layer of potatoes, add enough milk so that it is just visible around the edges. The last thing you want are dry potatoes. And I would strongly advise against adding additional cream instead of milk. This dish is already crazy rich. The milk just ensures that the potatoes will be creamy, not dry.

Cover with aluminum foil or the casserole lid and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake another 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are super tender and the top is a lovely light brow. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. If you want to make the dish ahead of time, cover and place in the refrigerator until about an hour before you want the dish to go in the oven.

SPINACH CASSEROLE

This is just a wonderful recipe from Ina Garten. The mixture of flavorful white sauce, spinach, and cheeses is just amazingly rich and delicious. This lovely side dish is just perfect for a holiday meal or whenever you need a little richness to offset other menu items that have been very simply prepared. Regardless of how or when you serve this delicious veggie casserole, you and yours are going to be glad you did. Try it this Christmas for a lovely change of pace from green bean casserole.

And I suppose, if you simply can’t imagine life without those canned crunchy fried onions that are such a part of the green bean casserole tradition, by all means sprinkle some on top along with the Parmesan and Gruyere. I don’t think it will matter much to the overall taste of the casserole. And if it makes you and yours happy, I say go for it! In fact, I may try adding them this year myself. After all, what’s a few hundred more calories among friends?

4 T. butter
4 c. chopped yellow onion
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 c. heavy cream
2 c. milk
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
5 (10-oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1/2 c. grated Gruyère cheese

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the cream and milk and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well; add salt and pepper. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and add the spinach to the sauce. Adjust seasoning. Transfer the mixture to a lightly buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyère. Bake for about 20-30 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot out of the oven.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

I found this recipe a couple years back on the Southern Living site. It looked so beautiful I just had to give it a try. Turns out it is not only beautiful to behold, it is absolutely divine to eat. So if you want to please all your sweet potato lovers this Thanksgiving, the ones in the marshmallow camp and the ones who believe marshmallows are only for children, give them all what they want. You will earn big points, I promise!

4 ½ lbs. ruby or garnet sweet potatoes (sometimes labeled incorrectly as yams)
¾ c. sugar (or part brown sugar)
¼ c. whole milk
½ c. (1 cube) butter, softened
2 lg. eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 c. cornflakes cereal, crushed
½ c. chopped pecans
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. butter, melted
1 ½ c. miniature marshmallows

Bake sweet potatoes in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash with an electric mixer. Add the sugar(s), milk, butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish. *Combine cornflakes, pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*If preparing casserole ahead of time, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate before adding any topping. About 90 minutes before serving, pull the casserole out of the refrigerator, leave the foil on the casserole, and bake for 30 minutes. Then follow the above instructions beginning with “Combine cornflakes….”

CHICKEN AND DUMPLING STEW

There are few foods as comforting to eat as chicken and dumplings. Every time I make this dish I am transported back to my childhood when chicken was the featured meat almost every Sunday. My grandmother was the queen of frying chicken and also of a dish she called Southern fried chicken. Her version of southern fried chicken started with chicken perfectly fried in lots of butter. Then she adding cream, covered the pan, and baked it for 30-40 minutes. And on the rare occasions when she made dumplings to go on top of the creamy sauce, I was one very happy little girl.

Well now that I’m older than my grandmother was when she was preparing this dish, and much more aware of calories, cholesterol, and the importance of using less protein and more veggies in dishes, I came up with this recipe. It will never replace my grandmothers’ butter and heavy cream laden sauce, nor will the chickens I cook ever be as fresh or flavorful. (My grandparents sold eggs for a living, so the chickens we ate were grain fed, free to roam in a fairly large chicken house, and killed only a couple of hours before being cooked.) But regardless, the flavor of the sauce in this recipe is both rich and savory. The addition of fresh parsley and thyme to the dumpling batter help make them savory too. Plus the addition of corn meal adds a bit of density to the dumpling batter which prevents the cooked dumplings from having that “not-quite-done” consistency.

So next time you are feeling like a little comfort food is in order, prepare this easy and fairly inexpensive dish. Your family will love it! And although you might feel that a salad or something else is necessary to serve along with the stew, resist the urge. After all, you have all the basic food groups (except chocolate of course) covered in this one pot meal. Remember we are talking comfort food here, and you deserve a little comfort too. So instead of building a salad, have a glass of wine. I promise you no one will miss the salad, but you will miss out on the whole “comfort food experience” if you make the meal complicated. Use the KISS principle. Keep It Simple Sweetie!

Stew:

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large bite-sized pieces
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. butter
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. finely diced carrots
1/2 c. finely diced celery
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 tsp. + 1 T. minced fresh parsley

Dumplings:

3/4 c. all-purpose Flour
1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. dried thyme, opt.
3/4 c. half-and-half

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place flour in a re-sealable plastic bag and add the chicken pieces. Seal the bag and turn the bag several times until the chicken is completely coated with flour. Melt the butter and olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces, remove from pan and set aside.

In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in the dried thyme, turmeric, poultry seasoning, bay leaf, and white wine. Cook until the white wine is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Add the chicken broth and cover pot; simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the gravy is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients and gently stir in the 2 teaspoons parsley, thyme, and the half-and-half. Set aside.

After the gravy has simmered for 20 minutes, add the cooked chicken, heavy cream, and remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley; stir to combine. Adjust seasoning.

Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, completely cover pan and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

There is just nothing better than a big old serving of mac and cheese with your name on it. I mean really, is there any other food that feels as good in your mouth or makes your taste buds as happy as super cheesy, extra creamy mac and cheese? I think not! So when I decided that I wanted a mac and cheese recipe that was reasonably inexpensive to prepare, contained no meat (bacon, prosciutto, etc.) and could be prepared ahead of time and not lose all its wonderful cheesy goodness, I decided to turn to the internet, my favorite recipe source. I found several recipes that looked good, but the one I liked the best was on the Taste of Home website. I made a few minor changes here and there but frankly, this is the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted. I love that it can be made ahead. I also love that it is vegetarian.

And I know, Patti cooking with Velveeta! It doesn’t happen often, but even processed cheese has its uses once in awhile. And this is one of those times when you just have to bite the bullet and put that bright yellow box of Velveeta in your cart. I usually cover it up while I do the rest of my shopping. Then when I check- out, I pretend it jumped into my cart of its own accord. Then when the clerk asks me if I want it returned to the shelves I say something like “oh no, that’s ok, I don’t want to cause any inconvenience for anyone”. I’m sure the clerk sees through my little charade, but the two times or so a year I actually buy Velveeta, I feel I simply must stick to this childish ruse.

And while I’m justifying to all of you why I use Velveeta occasionally, I should share the only other recipe I make that contains this processed ingredient. Please see my favorite recipe for Queso Dip under Appetizer Recipes.

1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
8 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly grated black pepper
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 c. low fat sour cream
4 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
2 c. (8-oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. reserved pasta water
paprika, opt.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Allow sauce to burble for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Velveeta, Parmesan, salt, pepper, mustard, and sour cream until smooth and cheese is melted. Cook pasta to al dente in boiling salted water, drain (reserving about a cup of pasta water)* and add to the sauce along with the cheddar cheese. (If the sauce seems too thick add enough of the reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.) Spoon the mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch dish. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. (The photo below is a double batch.)

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Let mac and cheese sit about 5-7 minutes before serving.

*If you are preparing the mac and cheese ahead of time, drain the pasta and run cold water over it until it is room temperature. Drain again and add to the sauce along with the cheddar cheese. Stir well. (The cheddar cheese will completely melt when it is baking.) Spoon the mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch dish. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover and refrigerate until about 2 hours before you want to serve. (Taking the dish out of the refrigerator ahead of time allows the pasta to come close to room temperature before popping it in a hot oven.) Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

CREAMY GREEN BEANS WITH MUSHROOMS

For holiday dinners a plain veggie is almost always ignored especially if the meat and other side dishes are also fairly simple. After all, it’s a holiday meal. And inherent with holiday dinners is the absolute need for something rich on your plate that you might not otherwise eat. And if that lovely mouth feel that comes from a dish containing butter and half and half happens to also include a vegetable, it’s a win-win situation! For example, this recipe would be perfect if you were planning to serve Maple Syrup Glazed Spiral Ham and Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes. Neither recipe has so high a fat content that creamy green beans would be too rich served as an accompaniment. However, if you were planning to serve Stuffed Leg of Lamb (recipe to be posted in a day or two) and Baked Red Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Sauce, a simple dish of steamed green beans would be a much better choice. Taste buds are picky and they are easily overwhelmed. They seem to be particularly happy when they have a variety of plain and rich flavors to visit and revisit at leisure. So when planning a dinner party, think about variety in both taste and texture, plain preparations versus rich, and color presentation. Color is all too often neglected when choosing what dishes to serve together. And I’m not saying that you have to obey the rules of the color wheel. But who doesn’t prefer to see a pop of bright green, red, or yellow on their otherwise mono-chromatic plate of food? Remember, parsley wasn’t invented to provide a last minute burst of fresh flavor to almost any savory dish, or because of its high vitamin content. It was invented for the sole purpose of bringing a splash of color to an otherwise dreary plate! A little story: I will never forget one of the dinners we were served when my former husband and I took our 3 youngest children to Europe for 5 weeks in 1978. One of the places we stayed in England actually served us poached white fish, boiled peeled potatoes and way over cooked plain cauliflower. And on a white plate, of course! Now, in the world of home decoration white on white is terribly sophisticated. On a plate placed before three children ages 10, 11, and 12, who were used to a very eclectic assortment of food at home, this all white presentation was not well received. In retrospect it was really quite funny to watch all three little faces turn to me at the same time with expressions that clearly read “mom, do I have to eat this”? And truly, who could expect them, or anyone for that matter to eat something so unappealing. If I remember correctly, none of us ate that dinner. Instead I think we found the nearest Indian restaurant. (We ate quite a bit of Indian food for the two weeks we travelled around England, Scotland, and Wales and were never disappointed!) So, moral of the story; have fun planning your Easter dinner. Just remember – too much of a good thing is not appealing, crunch is your friend, and white on white is stunning in the home of a “dazzling urbanite” (to quote Jim (Gene Wilder) in Blazing Saddles), but on a plate, not so much!

2 T. butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
8-oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. half and half
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. fresh green beans, cut in bite size pieces and steamed until crisp tender

Melt butter in a medium sized fry pan over medium low heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about a minute or until garlic releases its aroma. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to turn a light golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. (This dish can be prepared up to this point ahead of time and set aside. Just before ready to serve, place back over heat and follow instruction as written.) Add the half and half and Parmesan cheese. Simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Adjust seasoning. Gently stir in the green beans and parsley. Serve immediately. This green bean dish is based on a recipe from the blog entitled Closet Cooking; a great source of fun recipes, by the way.

CHEZ CARR CUISINE

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