Casseroles

[InMediasRes]

My DH has this inhuman love of casseroles. I think they are a comfort food for him, ie, what his parents cooked a lot when he was a kid.

My family followed more the 1/3 plate rule (1/3 meat, 1/3 grain or starch, 1/3 vegetable). Most of our dinners were like this.

I try to mix it up, and I like the idea of a casserole, but I just can't bring myself to make any of the ones that I find. Most of them are "a can of this, a package of this, a packet of that" sort of recipes. I've cooked a few from-scratch casserole type dishes, but they either turn out really bland or are just insanely involved and time consuming.

Anyone have any ideas/recipes for me? Or substitutions for the usual cream of whateverthatstuffis they always put in casserole recipes?

[peaceful_mama]

ha ha i just posted asking for ideas of what to make OTHER than a casserole!

What I started doing with mine when I wanted to get away from cream-o-soup because of MSG (and whatever other preservatives might be in there) is a simple cream-base sauce... usually a good amount is 1/3 stick butter 1/3 cup flour and then enough milk to make it a not-too-thin sauce consistency (I really don't know, I just pour. Start with a cup...you can always put more, but can't take it back.) It'll need some salt and pepper, in my house the meat and usually the sauce too get some cumin.

It is a *bit* more work than just opening a can but not too bad.

If you want one my fam. likes--this one is actually sort of a lot of work...but it takes less time to make than if you were going to say, roast a chicken or make a meatloaf and mashed potatoes....
Saute some onion
Add and Brown some ground beef--turkey would probably be fine too. (all ground meat in my house gets seasoned with cumin, coriander, sometimes cardamom seeds if I remember to throw a couple in the pan, and garlic.)
Make the sauce like I said.
Mix meat, sauce, and some frozen mixed veggies or really whatever veggies you like.
Make mashed potatoes.

Put mixed 'stuff' in pan. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake probably 30 mins on 350--enough to heat through. good with cheese on top, not ESSENTIAL though.

[nameisrio]

This recipe calls itself a "casserole" but uses fresh ingredients and is yummy and not too fatty. I used fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones and frozen green beans instead of fresh ones, b/c they were in the freezer.

http://www.familycircle.com/recipe/beef/moroccan-beef/

[vbactivist]

I recently saw this http://www.amazon.com/Bake-until-Bub.../dp/0471754471 cookbook at a friend's house. I was really imperssed with the recipes - because they were al from whole ingredients. I did not see what recipe with Cream-of something soup. I haven't tried any of the recipes myself, but my friend did, and was happy so far. I plan to check it out from the library and try a few that way. I don't usually mae casseroles at home, but I do like to make them to bring to someone who has just had a baby, or whatever.

[Storm Bride]

I usually just make a white sauce to replace cream of XX soup. If the soup in question is chicken (or chicken would work), you can replace part of the milk in the sauce with chicken stock. Actually, I guess you could do that with veggie stock, too, but I haven't ever tried it.

[BetsyS]

We like casseroles in my house, too.

One of our favorites is chicken tettrazini. Cooked chicken, cooked spaghetti. Cooked mushrooms and onions. Mix with a sauce made of half broth/half milk, flavored with a good amount of parmesan cheese. Mix together well and bake until brown on top. Like 30 minutes at around 350.

I made one recently that was cooked chicken, cooked spaghetti, spinach (blanched), artichoke hearts, and a white sauce made of half broth/half milk, with a good amount of parmesan cheese as well. It was really good.

Macaroni and cheese gets baked in my house. You can add ham, too.

Scalloped potatoes (white sauce, potatoes) gets turned into a casserole with the addition of finely chopped ham. I have a friend whose mother adds carrots, too.

I make chicken and rice casserole with chicken, wild rice, white sauce (LOL), and canned artichoke hearts. Top with cheddar cheese (but don't mix any in it).

We like tamale pie, which is a spicy chili-ish mixture. No meat usually, just beans, tomatoes, spices, whatever veggies I have (zuchinni, carrots, etc). Simmer for a few minutes to blend flavors. Top with a batch of cornbread batter, then bake until the cornbread topping is done.

We eat this cornbread as a main dish. Usually with a green veggie on the side. Sometimes I use the meat, sometimes not. But, it's good and hearty, and it's one of dh's favorites. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/re...cipe_id=488984

Shepherd's/cottage pie
Chicken pot pie
Chilaquiles (not exactly a casserole, but all in one pot)
Enchiladas (same deal)

[InMediasRes]

Thanks ladies! Keep the ideas coming. I knew there had to be something to sub for canned condensed soup. Unfortunately, it makes it a not so easy recipe to sub.

Wanted to share the one casserole that we do really like, but it's kinda time consuming:

Wild Rice cooked in chicken stock
Shredded cooked chicken
Slivered almonds
broccoli florets
sliced crimini mushrooms

Season however you like, add parm on top.

[BetsyS]

See--to me, casseroles are a HUGE time saver. But, that's because my kids will entertain themselves in the morning, and by 5:00, they are crazy. So, I can make a casserole in the morning, then put it in the oven in the evening with a minimal amount of work.

Trying to cook a "separate" meal at 5:00 makes me a bit nutty.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

Scalloped potatoes (white sauce, potatoes) gets turned into a casserole with the addition of finely chopped ham. I have a friend whose mother adds carrots, too.

I don't have his recipe - not even sure if he has one, but my ex-BIL made a scalloped veggie dish for Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets - potatoes on the outsides, then the sweet potatoes, then the carrots, and one layer of beets in the middle. It was so good.

[Fyrestorm]

We do a really easy (and heavy on the fat) casserole

In a 9X12 pan cover the bottom with cut up chicken - any parts you like

Cover chicken with a pint of sour cream (low or no fat works - I've also subbed yogurt)

Melt 1 stick of butter in a bowl and mix in 1/2 package of pepperidge farm stuffing mix - blue package (this works best, I've tried other brands)

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 miniutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

It's even better on day 2

[Fyrestorm]

Double post

[staceychev]

Epicurious.com is my go-to for recipes, and they're pretty "foodie," so their recipes rely on real ingredients. Just did a search there on "casserole" and it turned up 30 pages of hits.