Casseroles

For years, if someone mentioned Casseroles, the first thing many of us would think of was a way to use up left-overs. While casseroles might be a good way to do that, they're so much more. They can be a great way to get a bunch of ingredients together in one yummy dish.

A brief anecdote: When my maternal grandparents were newly-weds, my grandfather invited his boss home for dinner. My grandmother had gotten rave reviews about her chicken casserole, to the point that whenever their church or any other group had a potluck dinner, people would request that she bring along her chicken casserole. It needed, among other ingredients, an entire chicken; no left-overs here!

So, for grandpa's boss, it was grandma's chicken casserole. Unfortunately, the boss made the mistake of thinking that the casserole was a left-overs dish, and stated, "If you knew your husband was bringing home the boss, you might have fixed something better than left-overs!"

To say that the comment was not kindly taken was an understatement. Grandma was off and running her mouth, informing him that she'd had to go out and buy a fresh chicken that morning for the casserole. (This was at a time when chicken was expensive enough that it was usually saved for Sunday dinner, or special occasions - like the boss coming for a meal.)

Fortunately, the boss apologized, tasted the casserole, and was impressed.

Grandma and Grandpa

Unfortunately, I never got a copy of my grandmother's chicken casserole recipe; I really wish I had a copy of it! However, check out the Taco Potato Casserole, the Neiman Marcus Chicken Casserole, and the rest of today's offerings. Enjoy!

MEXICAN-INSPIRED CASSEROLE

This is from Lisa Blake at allrecipes. For this yummy recipe, Lisa wrote, "My busy weeknight dinner go-to consists of chicken cutlets and a can each of green chiles, black beans, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce. I cook the chicken, stir in all of the other ingredients, simmer it, top it with Colby or pepper jack cheese, and call it a day.

"When we’re tired of tacos or quesadillas, this is an excellent throw-together alternative. It’s creamy, easy, full of flavor, and everyone loves it. The bubbling cast-iron skillet meal can be served with warmed tortillas for a DIY enchilada-style dinner or served with chips, salsa, and guacamole as a scoopable nacho-inspired meal."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/simple-family-dinner-11825144.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil

2 cups cooked and diced chicken cutlets or shredded rotisserie chicken

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10-ounce) can red or green enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese or Colby Jack cheese

Optional toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, diced white onion, salsa, sliced avocado, chopped green onions

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and add chicken and spices. Cook until chicken is cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.

Add chiles, beans and cream of mushroom to the skillet. Stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.

Transfer cast iron skillet to preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.

Serve hot with toppings of choice.

NEIMAN MARCUS CHICKEN CASSEROLE

This is from Nicole McLaughlin at allrecipes. For this recipe, Nicole wrote, "This Neiman Marcus chicken casserole recipe is a casserole version of the famous department store's cafe dish. Saucy chicken, bacon, Cheddar, and almonds are baked with a buttery cracker topping in this quick-prep dinner."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8; Yield: 1 (9x13-inch) casserole

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/neiman-marcus-chicken-casserole-recipe-11693255.

Ingredients

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup slivered almonds

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1-1/2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco® or to taste

1 sleeve buttery crackers, such as Ritz® crackers, crushed

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Place chicken, chicken soup, sour cream, cheese, green onions, almonds, bacon, and hot sauce into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour mixture into the prepared dish.

Stir crushed crackers and butter together until combined; spread mixture evenly over casserole.

Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.

SAUSAGE AND EGG CASSROLE

This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "This Sausage and Egg Casserole is a hearty way to start your day right! Packed with bold and delicious flavors, this breakfast casserole is perfect not only for you, but for the entire family. They won't be able to get enough! Everyone will be asking you to make this delicious Sausage and Egg Casserole on Sunday morning. Bring it to the next potluck and everyone will be begging you for the recipe."

Cook Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 6; Serving Size: 1 slice

Ingredients

1 teaspoon canola oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup turkey sausage crumbles

6 eggs

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot; saute onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and turkey sausage, 5 minutes; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk eggs, Italian seasoning, and black pepper; stir in the cheese. Add vegetables and turkey mixture to the egg mixture; mix well. Pour mixture into pie plate.

Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until set in center. Slice and serve immediately.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the Food Network kitchen, and begins, "This sweet potato casserole is sprinkled with a nutty crumb topping to create a pleasantly crunchy contrast to the creamy and soft mashed sweet potatoes down below. The filling gets an extra special pumpkin pie(ish) treatment with brown sugar and vanilla for a deep caramel flavor. (In fact, leftovers can be heated up and topped with a scoop of ice cream just like pie.) Want to make ahead for Thanksgiving or another special holiday? Not a problem. The casserole ingredients can be mixed and transferred to a baking dish. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake but leave off the topping. Store it separately at room temperature in an air-right container and sprinkle it on right before baking."

Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/sweet-potato-casserole-3364945.

Ingredients

Filling:

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the baking dish

3 to 4 large sweet potatoes (about 1-3/4 pounds), peeled and cubed

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Special equipment: a 2-quart baking dish

For the sweet potatoes: Add 1-3/4 pounds peeled and cubed sweet potatoes to a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool. Mash the sweet potatoes.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Whisk together the butter, mashed sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs in a large bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

For the topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, butter and salt in a medium bowl until moist and the mixture clumps together. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes in an even layer. Bake until mostly set in the center and golden on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

TACO POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from Emily Weinberfer on the Food Network. The recipe begins, "Perfect for busy weeknights, this mash-up bake of hash browns, ground beef, canned tomatoes and green chiles, taco seasoning and gooey cheese can't be beat. It's the ultimate hands off meal. And since everything's tossed together right in the baking dish, there's very little cleanup. Simply garnish with your favorite taco toppings and dinner is served. If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, try wrapping them in a tortilla for a quick burrito."

Active Time: 15 minutes, Total: 1 hr 20 minutes, Yield: 6 to 8 servings, Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/taco-potato-casserole-17048462.

Ingredients

30 ounces frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

1-1/2 pounds 80/20 ground beef

Two 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Rotel

Two 1-ounce packages taco seasoning

4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

8 ounces processed cheese, such as Velveeta, cut into small cubes

8 ounces shredded Cheddar (about 2 cups)

Sour cream, guacamole, pickled jalapeños and fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Scatter the hash browns in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pinch off pieces of ground beef and scatter on top of the potatoes. Top with the diced tomatoes and green chiles, taco seasoning and scallion whites. Scatter the processed cheese cubes over top. Bake until the ground beef is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir until well combined. Top with the Cheddar and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling in some places, about 15 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes, then top with the scallion greens, sour cream, guacamole, pickled jalapeños and cilantro leaves.

MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE

This yumminess is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "This casserole may upset some mashed potato purists, but take heart: one bite and they'll be won over. The genius of this recipe, besides its utter deliciousness, is that it can be made the day before, or even two. Cook the potatoes, assemble the casserole, wrap tightly and store it in the refrigerator. When dinnertime comes, dust it with the cheese, butter and bread crumbs and bake the whole thing off. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.) Discover more ideas for the big day in our best Thanksgiving recipes collection."

Total Time: 40 minutes plus 30 minutes' baking; Yield: 12 to 14 servings

This was featured in "What Can I Prepare Before the Actual Day of Thanksgiving?", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013923-mashed-potato-casserole.

You might also want to check out "Melisa Clark's Thanksgiving" and Julia Moskin's guide, "How to Cook Potatoes."

One last thing: If you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, and more for the pan

6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/2 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon black pepper

6 tablespoons finely chopped chives

2/3 cup bread crumbs

2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

Lightly grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan.

In a large pot, bring the potatoes, 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Mash potatoes with 10 tablespoons butter, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mash in the chives. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spread potatoes into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, bread crumbs and cheese. Mix together until it forms coarse crumbs. Crumbs can be refrigerated for three days.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the potato casserole and bake until golden and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.