The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (27 page)
Read The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever Online
Authors: Susie Cushner
BEEF CASSEROLES
I have a dog-eared little 4
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-by-5
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2
-inch mimeographed booklet that belonged to my mother. It is titled simply “Hot Dishes,” and it was assembled by members of the Bethany Guild of the Lutheran Church in Floodwood, Minnesota. Each recipe bears the name of the contributor. Most of them are based on ground beef and have names like “Mary’s Hot Dish,” “1-2-3 Casserole,” “Delicious Hot Dish,” and “Tillie Rosendahl’s Casserole.” Undoubtedly, all of these appeared time and again at funeral lunches.
That booklet explains why, when I think of beef casseroles, the first thing that comes to mind is a casserole made with ground beef. In this chapter, however, I also include other cuts of beef that do very well with long, slow, moist cooking.
These casseroles include the chile-spiced flavors of the Southwest, the hearty beans of South America and the Caribbean, and the garlic and herbs of Italy and France, as well as favorites from around the United States. Many of them provide the convenience people associate with a slow cooker: You put them in the oven and forget about them. Oven-simmered stews, for example, turn out succulent and tasty. They are cooked covered, so the flavors stay right in the pot!
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FINNISH CABBAGE CASSEROLE (KAALILAATIKKO)
MEAL-IN-ONE-DISH HAMBURGER CASSEROLE
BEEF, BEAN, AND BACON CASSEROLE
CARAWAY BEEF AND MUSHROOM BAKE
COVER-AND-FORGET-IT BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW
FIVE-HOUR BEEF AND RUTABAGA STEW
HUNGARIAN BEEF GOULASH WITH SPAETZLE
GREEK BEEF WITH CUMIN AND CURRANTS
GREEK BEEF CASSEROLE WITH ONIONS (STIFADO)
BEEF CHUCK WITH VEGETABLES AND HERBS
FINNISH LIVER AND RICE CASSEROLE
BEEF AND MOSTACCIOLI CASSEROLE
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE CASSEROLE
EASIEST-EVER BEEF AND WINE CASSEROLE
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With its old-fashioned flavors of the Southwest, this is a casserole to please the kids. Grown-ups enjoy it, too, especially when it’s served with ice-cold beer.
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1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups chunky tomato salsa (mild, medium, or hot)
1 can (14
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ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
12 flour tortillas (6 inches)
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2
cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream for serving
Chopped avocados for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro for serving
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- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brown the meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and green and red bell peppers and sauté until the meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the salsa, tomatoes with their juice, and corn, bring to a boil, and remove from the heat.
- Spread out 1 cup of the meat mixture in the bottom of a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with 6 tortillas, overlapping them. Spoon half of the remaining meat mixture over the tortillas. Top with half of the cheese. Layer with the remaining tortillas and then the meat mixture. Cover with lightly greased aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, or until heated through.
- Uncover the casserole, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream, chopped avocados, and cilantro.
When our Finnish friend Tello Anttila served this classic dish on our recent visit to Finland, she made its name,
Kaalilaatikko,
into a song. We all joined in, repeating the word over and over again as we raised the pitch, so that eventually we were singing “KAA-LEE-LAA-TIK-KO” in eight-part harmony! (A hint for those who don’t know Finnish—all of the letters in a word are pronounced. The first syllable is always accented, and where there are double letters, they are pronounced twice, giving them emphasis.) Aside from the fun, this is a delicious, hearty casserole. The hint of corn syrup gives the cabbage a sweet, fresh taste, and the marjoram lends an authentic Finnish flavor.
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2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish
1 small head cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 teaspoons salt
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teaspoon ground marjoram
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup
fresh breadcrumbs
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cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow casserole.
- Put the cabbage in a deep pot and add enough boiling water to cover. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until crisptender; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons butter, the corn syrup, salt, and marjoram.
- In another bowl, mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, and eggs.
- Spread half the cabbage in the bottom of the casserole. Top with an even layer of the ground beef, and then with the remaining cabbage. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the casserole is browned and the casserole is set.
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NOTE:
To make fresh breadcrumbs, tear 1 or 2 slices of fresh bread into pieces and put in a food processor with the steel blade in place. Process with on/off pulses until the bread is broken down into crumbs.
This dish falls somewhere between a casserole and a meat loaf. The meat mixture bakes on the bottom layer while the vegetables cook on top.
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1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1 can (14
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2
ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
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2
teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
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cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
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cups frozen peas, thawed
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
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cup all-purpose flour
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cups shredded Cheddar cheese
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- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, onions, tomatoes with their juice, Worcestershire, chili powder, and salt. Pat the mixture into a smooth layer in the casserole. Spread the potatoes over the meat layer.
- Combine the corn, peas, and green pepper in a medium bowl, add the flour, and toss to coat the vegetables. Spread in an even layer over the potato layer.
- Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the casserole tightly. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are tender. Cut into squares and serve.
There are a zillion variations on this basic casserole, and almost every one has a different name. I found this one in several church cookbooks, entitled “Cherokee Casserole.” I don’t know where the name came from, but it’s definitely simple!
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1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
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teaspoon pepper
Pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of dried thyme
1 can (14
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ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice
1 recipe
Basic Mushroom Sauce
, or 1 can (10 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1 cup long-grain rice
1 cup water
6 stuff ed green olives, sliced
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pound (about 4 slices) Cheddar cheese, cut into strips
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a shallow 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
- In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, brown the beef with the chopped onion. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, tomatoes with their juice, sauce or soup, rice, water, and olives.
- Transfer to the casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Top with the cheese and return to the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts.
One popular name for this dish is “shipwreck casserole.” Nobody seems to know where this rather off-the-wall name came from; there is nothing in the ingredients that comes from the sea. I suppose that leaves it open, so we can make up our own story.
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2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 cups diced celery
1 pound lean ground beef
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cup diced onions
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
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teaspoon pepper
1 red, yellow, or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (14
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2
ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice
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cup chopped fresh herbs—parsley, basil, cilantro, marjoram, or thyme, or a combination—for garnish
Sour cream for serving
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- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
- Arrange the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole. In layers, add the celery, ground beef, and onions. Sprinkle all with the salt and pepper. Next, add a layer of bell peppers and pour the tomatoes with their juice over all.
- Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 2 hours, or until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and serve with sour cream.
Serve this earthy, richly flavored casserole with
French Potato Gratin
and a crisp green salad for a satisfying meal you can proudly serve guests.
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1 package (9 ounces) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 pounds sirloin or top round beefsteak, cut into 1
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-inch cubes
2 large onions, sliced
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cup dry red wine
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
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- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cook the artichoke hearts according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and the beef cubes, a few at a time, and brown the beef on all sides. Remove to a 2- to 3-quart heavy casserole. When all the meat is browned, add the onions to the skillet and sauté over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until very tender. Remove the onions to casserole.
- Pour the wine into the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring constantly and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour over the meat mixture in the casserole. Add the artichoke hearts and tomato sauce.
- Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender. Garnish with parsley before serving.
Hardly a potluck goes by without a casserole that’s something like this one. Ground beef is, of course, the old-time favorite, but ground turkey, pork, venison, or a combination are equally suitable. Of all the canned foods available, canned beans are one of the best because they are such a great time-saver. But if you have more time than money,
cook your own beans
.
