The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (57 page)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

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teaspoon ground cinnamon

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teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups
shredded raw sweet potatoes

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 1
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   -quart casserole.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and brown sugar and stir until well mixed. Add the milk, the 4 tablespoons butter, the lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Add the potatoes and blend well.
   
3. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir. Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes longer.
   

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NOTE:
To keep the sweet potatoes from discoloring, rinse them in cold water and drain as soon as they are shredded. They will then keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 day without discoloring.

When tomatoes are in season during the summer, I always use fresh ones in this casserole. In the winter I use canned tomatoes because they have more flavor than the hothouse tomatoes at the market.

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3 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup diced and drained fresh or canned tomatoes

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teaspoon salt, divided

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teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed, divided

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teaspoon dried thyme, divided

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teaspoon pepper, divided

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cup grated Parmesan cheese

1
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pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into
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-inch-thick slices

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1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat a 2-quart shallow casserole dish with cooking spray.
   
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Add
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   teaspoon of the salt,
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   teaspoon of the rosemary,
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   teaspoon of the thyme, and
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   teaspoon of the pepper.
   
3. In a small dish, mix in the remaining
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   teaspoon salt and the remaining
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   teaspoon rosemary,
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   teaspoon thyme, and
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   teaspoon pepper with the Parmesan cheese.
   
4. Spread out half the tomato and onion mixture in the casserole dish and layer half the potatoes on top. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan mixture. Repeat the layers with the remaining tomatoes and onions, potatoes, and Parmesan mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, just until the potatoes are tender.
   

Walnuts and broccoli have a natural affinity for one another. Here walnuts add a nice bit of texture as well as flavor to the casserole.

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2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen broccoli spears, cooked according to package directions and drained

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teaspoon salt

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teaspoon pepper

1 cup
Basic White Sauce
, or 1 can (10
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ounces) cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

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cup hot water

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix

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cup chopped walnuts

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a shallow 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Arrange the cooked broccoli in the dish in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
   
2. Prepare the white sauce and pour over the broccoli (or if you’re short of time, use the soup).
   
3. Mix the water and melted butter. Put the stuffing mix in a large bowl and pour the butter and water over the stuffing. Stir until evenly moistened. Spread the stuffing over the top of the broccoli and sauce and sprinkle with the walnuts. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.
   

Serve this hearty side dish with grilled or roasted pork or lamb. If you slice the potatoes in advance, hold them in cold water to cover to prevent discoloration, but drain well before you add them to the casserole.

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2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced, rinsed, and drained

1 can (14 ounces) quartered artichoke hearts, drained

4 large portobello mushroom caps, thinly sliced

6 ounces fresh goat cheese

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

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teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

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cup dry white wine

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1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
   
2. Arrange half of the potatoes in the baking dish, covering the bottom completely. Top with half of the artichoke hearts, and then half of the mushrooms. Coarsely crumble half of the goat cheese over the vegetables. Sprinkle with half of the garlic,
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   teaspoon salt,
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   teaspoon pepper, and then 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Cover with the remaining mushrooms, then artichokes, goat cheese, garlic,
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   teaspoon salt, and
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   teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil. Top with the remaining potatoes. Pour the wine over all and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
   
3. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and the top is brown, about 25 minutes more.
   

A savory blend of green and root vegetables gives this classic Armenian casserole a juicy sweetness. It’s great served either hot or at room temperature. Just add a crusty bread to make a light and satisfying lunch or supper. You will spend some time cutting and chopping, but then it goes together so easily!

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1 can (14
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ounces) diced tomatoes with basil and garlic, with their juice

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cup olive oil

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cup tomato ketchup

1
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teaspoons salt

1
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teaspoons sugar

1
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teaspoons dried basil

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teaspoon pepper

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pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1
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-inch lengths

2 large thin-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into
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-inch pieces

2 large onions, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 stalks celery, cut into
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-inch pieces

2 large red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 small zucchini, cut into 1
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-inch chunks

Yogurt for serving

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. In a medium bowl, mix the tomatoes with their juice, olive oil, ketchup, salt, sugar, basil, and pepper.
   
3. In a 6-quart casserole, combine the beans, potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, bell peppers, and eggplant. Pour the tomato mixture over the vegetables.
   
4. Cover and bake for 1
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   hours, basting the vegetables with their juices every 30 minutes.
   
5. Mix the zucchini into the casserole and bake, uncovered, for an additional 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
   
6. Serve hot or at room temperature, topped with yogurt.
   

Most people associate a cobbler with dessert, but vegetables bathed in sauce and crowned with a cobbler topping are delicious. This one is a classic.

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2 cups sliced carrots

1 cup sliced parsnips

2 cups baby red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch dice

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cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup vegetable broth,
homemade

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper

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cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pieces

FOR THE COBBLER TOPPING:

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

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teaspoon salt

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cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pieces

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cup milk

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1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
   
2. Combine the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and onion in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Drain and mix with the parsley in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
3. In a small bowl, mix the vegetable broth and cornstarch and pour over the vegetables in the casserole; mix well. Sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Dot the vegetables with the butter.
   
4. Prepare the cobbler topping: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and
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   teaspoon salt. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Alternatively, combine the dry ingredients in a food processor with the steel blade in place, add the butter, and pulse. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl if you used a food processor. Slowly stir in the milk with a fork. Gather the dough into a mass and knead 5 or 6 times to form a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured work surface so it is the size of the top of the baking dish. The dough will be about
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   inch thick.
   
5. Place the dough on top of the vegetables, but do not crimp the edges. (It’s okay if the topping shrinks away from the edges of the casserole while baking.) Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly.