The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (66 page)

1 pound boneless pork, cut into 1
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-inch cubes

5 large onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon whole allspice berries

2 teaspoons salt

Hot buttered or mashed potatoes for serving

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1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a deep, heavy casserole with a tight-fitting lid, preferably cast iron, layer the beef, lamb, and pork with the onions, allspice, and salt.
   
2. Press a piece of parchment or waxed paper right over the meat in the casserole, tucking the ends of the paper tightly around the edges. Cover and bake for at least 5 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
   
3. Remove the cover and paper, stir, and serve over hot buttered or mashed potatoes.
   

This is a great party dish. Serve the curry surrounded by as many of the
sambals,
or toppings, as you like, and have guests make their selections. You don’t need to add much more than a green salad and crusty bread for a very satisfying meal.

•••••

4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup coarsely chopped onion

5 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

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cup mango chutney

3 tablespoons curry powder

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cup coriander seeds

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teaspoon ground mace

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teaspoon ground cloves

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teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

Cooked rice for serving

SAMBALS (TOPPINGS):

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup toasted coconut

1 cup mango chutney

1 cup finely chopped peanuts

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1 cup finely chopped green onion tops

1 cup finely chopped cucumber

1 cup finely chopped tomato

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips

1 cup bite-size banana chunks, sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning

1 cup bite-size apple chunks, sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning

1 cup drained pineapple tidbits or finely chopped fresh pineapple

1 cup drained mandarin orange segments

1 cup finely chopped hardcooked egg

Crumbled crispy cooked bacon

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pat the lamb cubes dry.
   
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the lamb cubes and brown, a few pieces at a time, and transfer to a 3-quart heavy Dutch oven.
   
3. When all the meat is browned, reduce the heat to low and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken broth, chutney, curry powder, coriander seeds, mace, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Pour over the lamb in the Dutch oven.
   
4. Cover and bake for 2 hours, or until the lamb is very tender. Mix the cornstarch and water and stir into the pan juices, and heat until thickened.
   
5. Prepare at least 8 of the sambals while the lamb cooks. Serve over cooked rice and offer the sambals in small dishes on the side for guests to add as they wish.
   

Instead of layering the lasagna noodles with the other ingredients, they are stuffed with a filling, rolled up, and then placed in the baking dish so that the rolls are standing on end. I like to cook the White Sauce and Herbed Tomato Sauce the day before to avoid last-minute cooking. This is a party dish for a lot of people. Add a salad of romaine lettuce, sliced onions, and black olives and a bottle of red wine to the menu.

•••••

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cup (1 stick) butter

2 large onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1
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pounds extra-lean ground beef

1 pound ground turkey breast

2 cups ricotta or cream-style cottage cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 large egg yolks

1
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teaspoons salt

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teaspoon ground nutmeg

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cup chopped fresh parsley

White Sauce

Herbed Tomato Sauce

2 packages (1 pound each) lasagna noodles

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds mozzarella or Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
   
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until the onions are very tender. Add the ground meats and continue cooking, stirring often, until crumbly and no longer pink. Drain off the fat. Put the meat mixture in a large bowl and cool. Add the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, salt, nutmeg, and parsley and mix well.
   
3. Prepare the White Sauce and Herbed Tomato Sauce. Spoon half of each sauce into the bottom of two 9-by-13-inch pans.
   
4. Cook the lasagna according to package directions until al dente, or firm to the bite, and drain. Add the olive oil to the water and then drain the noodles. Lay them out flat on a work surface, side by side.
   
5. Spoon an equal amount of filling over two-thirds of each noodle. Roll up each noodle, starting from the filled end. Stand the rolls close together in the sauced baking pans. Spoon the remaining Herbed Tomato Sauce and White Sauce over the rolls, and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted.
   

MAKES 5 CUPS

4 tablespoons butter

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/
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cup all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

3 cups hot chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the hot milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook at a simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth. Cool and refrigerate if not using right away.

MAKES 5 CUPS

3 tablespoons butter

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/
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cup chopped green onion (white and green parts)

2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 cup homemade chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 teaspoon dried basil

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/
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teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the green onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, basil, and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until reduced and slightly thickened. Cool and refrigerate if not using right away.

These mashed potatoes are light and fluffy, even after a couple of weeks in the freezer. Be sure to use brown-skinned russet potatoes.

•••••

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cup (1
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sticks) butter, divided, plus extra for the dish

5 pounds russet potatoes

1 cup half-and-half

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cup whole milk

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cut up

2 teaspoons salt

Paprika for sprinkling

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
2. Peel the potatoes and cut into halves; cook in boiling salted water to cover until fork-tender. Drain and press through a potato ricer into a large bowl. Add
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   cup of the butter, the half-and-half, milk, cream cheese and salt. Mash together with a potato masher until smooth.
   
3. Spread the mashed potato mixture into the dish evenly. Dot with the remaining
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   cup butter and drizzle the milk on top. Sprinkle with paprika.
   
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately or cool completely and then freeze, well wrapped. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat through at 350°F just before serving.
   

I first made this pie when we lived in California decades ago. This spicy chili, baked under a thin cornbread crust, became a family favorite. Now I bring it to potlucks or make several to serve a crowd.

•••••

FOR THE FILLING:

1
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pounds lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1
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teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

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/
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teaspoon cayenne pepper

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/
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teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups frozen corn kernels

2 cans (14
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ounces each) chili-style diced tomatoes with their juice

FOR THE CORNBREAD TOPPING:

1 cup yellow cornmeal

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cup all-purpose flour

1
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tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

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teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup milk

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cup vegetable or canola oil

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
2. To make the filling: In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Drain the meat, keeping 3 tablespoons of the fat in the pan, and transfer the meat to the casserole dish.
   
3. Return the pan to medium-high heat and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper,
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   teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon flour and stir until aromatic. Stir in the corn and the tomatoes with their juice. Cover the pan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
   
4. To make the cornbread topping: In a large bowl, stir the cornmeal,
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   cup flour, sugar, baking powder, and
   ¹
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   teaspoon salt together. Whisk the egg, milk, and oil together in a medium bowl and add to the dry ingredients, mixing until well blended. Pour the batter over the filling in the baking dish and spread it evenly with a spoon.
   
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
   

We’ve just got to include at least one Minnesota hot dish. A “hot dish” is strictly a Minnesota term for a casserole. We bring hot dishes to potlucks and family reunions, and we like to have them around for weekday nights when the family is going here and there. This makes enough to fill a 12-by-20-inch baking pan with 2-inch sides.

•••••

10 cups diced cooked chicken

10 cups chopped celery

2 bunches green onions, sliced (white and green parts)

2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chiles

1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained and sliced

2 cups slivered almonds

1 teaspoon pepper

5 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

2 cups regular or light mayonnaise

2 cups sour cream

5 cups crushed potato chips

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes or one large full-sized steam-table pan, about 12 by 20 inches with 2-inch sides.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, green onions, green chiles, olives, almonds, pepper, and 2 cups of the cheese. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream. Fold the sour cream mixture into the chicken mixture and spread out in the baking dishes or pan.
   
3. Sprinkle the casserole with the potato chips and the remaining cheese. (At this point you can cover and refrigerate the casserole overnight. Add 15 to 20 minutes to the baking time.)
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until heated through.