Read The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever Online
Authors: Susie Cushner
The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (50 page)
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4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 packages (9 ounces each) fresh baby spinach leaves
1
/
4
cup all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1
/
2
teaspoon pepper
1
/
8
teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1
/
2
cup plain or seasoned fine dry breadcrumbs
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow 1
1
/
2
-quart casserole with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Put the spinach leaves into a large colander and pour boiling water over the leaves to wilt. Drain well. - In a large bowl, toss the wilted spinach leaves with the flour, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and pack into the casserole dish. Mix the eggs and milk together and pour over the spinach and cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes until set. Blend the breadcrumbs with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and sprinkle over the casserole, then continue baking until the breadcrumbs are crispy, another 5 to 10 minutes.
Anneli Johnson, a Finnish friend who gives food demonstrations at the University of Massachusetts, passed this recipe on to me. It’s an unusual combination of baked shredded beets, onions, and blue cheese.
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1 bunch raw beets (1 pound)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1
/
2
teaspoon salt
1
/
4
teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 cup light cream, or vegetable broth,
homemade
or prepared
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Peel the beets and shred them. Transfer to a 1
1
/
2
-quart shallow casserole and mix in the onion, cheese, salt, pepper, and herbs. Pour the cream or vegetable broth over all. - Bake for 1 hour, or until the beets are tender.
Broccoli and cauliflower, though rather homely vegetables, look really pretty together in this casserole. And they are so tasty, too. Tote this to a potluck and use your artistic eye to arrange the vegetables and garnish.
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6 cups combined broccoli and cauliflower florets
1
1
/
2
cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
1
/
4
to
1
/
2
teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1
/
2
cup seasoned fine dry breadcrumbs
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 2
1
/
2
-quart casserole with cooking spray. - Pour 1 inch of water into a Dutch oven or deep pot. Bring to a boil and add the broccoli and cauliflower. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until crisp-tender, and drain.
- In a large bowl, combine the cheese, sour cream, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- Fold the vegetables into the cheese mixture. Transfer to the casserole dish and spread out evenly. Mix the butter with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle evenly over the vegetables. (At this point you can cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.)
- Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are browned and the vegetables are heated through. Before serving, sprinkle with the tomatoes and chopped fresh basil.
Serve this roasted vegetable salad hot from the oven or at room temperature. It’s especially good alongside a simple roast chicken, broiled salmon, or grilled hamburger.
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6 cups broccoli florets
2 red bell peppers, cut into
1
/
4
-inch-thick slices
1 small red onion, cut into
1
/
4
-inch-thick slices
1 small sweet onion, cut into
1
/
4
-inch-thick slices
1
1
/
2
teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1
/
2
teaspoon red pepper flakes
1
/
2
teaspoon salt
1
/
2
cup grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
1
/
4
cup chopped fresh basil leaves for garnish
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the broccoli, bell peppers, onions, and olive oil in a 3-quart casserole. Toss to coat the vegetables with oil.
- Bake for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, pepper flakes, and salt in a small bowl. With a rubber spatula, stir the mixture into the hot cooked vegetables. Return to the oven for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Garnish with the Parmesan cheese and basil leaves. Serve hot or cooled to room temperature.
If you are looking for a colorful casserole to accompany a baked ham, leg of lamb, or roast beef, look no further. This is a great company dish that can easily be doubled for a big party. Just be careful not to overbake the casserole, or the vegetables will lose their appealing color and texture.
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3 tablespoons butter, divided, plus extra for the dish
6 cups loosely packed broccoli florets
1
/
2
pound mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1
1
/
2
to 1
3
/
4
cups milk, heated (use the larger quantity if not using wine)
1
/
4
cup dry white wine (optional)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
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- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
- Blanch the broccoli in the boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, or until crisptender. Drain and transfer to the casserole.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10-inch skillet, add the mushrooms and bell pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add to the casserole and distribute evenly.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the pan and stir in the flour until well blended. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring. Add the wine (if using), the mustard, and salt. Lower the heat and simmer until thickened. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese. (At this point you can cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.)
- Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Shredded broccoli stems, carrots, and cabbage can be purchased in 1-pound bags labeled “broccoli coleslaw” in supermarkets’ produce departments. The combination is a convenient base for this tasty side-dish casserole.
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3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 package (1 pound) broccoli coleslaw
1
/
2
cup light mayonnaise
1
/
2
cup light sour cream
1
/
2
cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons seasoned fine dry breadcrumbs
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
- Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until aromatic. Add the broccoli slaw and continue sautéing and stirring until the vegetables are wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to the casserole.
- Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream together and spread over the top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crumbs are lightly browned.
Try this for a holiday meal. The flavor of the carrots may remind you of sweet potatoes. For good color contrast, serve this with steamed broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
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2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into
1
/
4
-inch-thick slices
1
/
3
cup light or dark brown sugar
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1
/
4
cup crushed saltine crackers
2 tablespoons butter, melted
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 2
1
/
2
-quart casserole with cooking spray. - Put the carrots in a large pot and add water to cover. Boil for about 10 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain well and arrange in the casserole dish in an even layer. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and the cheese. Mix the crushed crackers with the butter and sprinkle over the carrots.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and the carrots are bubbly.
Butternut squash is incredibly hard, so you need a heavy cleaver to hack it in half. Then remove the skin with a peeler, and cut the flesh into cubes. It is worth the effort, because the roasted result is so flavorful.
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2
1
/
2
pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1
/
2
cup grated Parmesan cheese
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- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a shallow 3-quart casserole with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, toss everything together but the cheese. Transfer to the casserole dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the squash is tender.
The cabbage is baked in cream, making it sweet and flavorful. The term “gratin” simply means that a dish is covered with cheese, like this one, or with breadcrumbs, or both, and then browned in the oven. Serve this with grilled bratwurst or Polish sausage and rye bread or buns.
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1 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped
1
1
/
2
cups heavy cream, divided
1
/
4
teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
1
/
2
pound mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1
/
2
teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
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- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a shallow 2
1
/
2
-quart casserole or gratin dish with cooking spray. - In a large saucepan, bring about 2 quarts salted water to a boil. Add the cabbage, return to a boil, and continue boiling for 3 minutes. Drain well. In a medium bowl, combine the cooked cabbage with 1 cup of the cream and transfer to the casserole. Cover and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cabbage has absorbed the cream. Sprinkle with the nutmeg.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter and add the mushrooms and the remaining
1
/
2
cup cream. Simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the cream has been absorbed and the mushrooms are dry. Add the salt and pepper. - Mix the mushrooms into the cabbage in the casserole and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. (At this point you can cool the casserole, and cover and refrigerate overnight. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time in step 5.)
- Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 15 to 25 minutes more, or until heated through and the cheese is melted.