The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (3 page)

FOR THE SAUCE (SELECT 1 TO MEASURE 1 TO 2 CUPS):

Basic White Sauce
, or 1 can (10
³
/
₄
ounces) condensed cream of mushroom, celery, or a similar soup

Basic Egg Sauce
, or 1 can condensed cream of mushroom, celery, or a similar soup

Basic Cheese Sauce
, or 1 can condensed cream of mushroom, celery, or a similar soup

Basic Mushroom Sauce
, or 1 can condensed cream of mushroom, celery, or a similar soup

Sour cream or mayonnaise

Whole, stewed, or diced tomatoes, with juice

FOR THE FLAVOR INGREDIENTS (SELECT 1 OR MORE TO EQUAL
¹
/
₄
TO
¹
/
₂
CUP):

Chopped celery

Chopped onion

Sliced black olives

FOR THE HERBS (SELECT 1 OR MORE, 1 TEASPOON DRIED TO 3 TABLESPOONS FRESH):

Mixed dried or chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary

FOR THE TOPPING (SELECT 1 OR MORE TO EQUAL
¹
/
₄
TO
¹
/
₂
CUP):

Grated or shredded cheese, such as Swiss, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Parmesan

Buttered breadcrumbs

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 2
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   - to 3-quart casserole.
   
2. Select and prepare the ingredients of your choice from each of the categories listed above.
   
3. Mix the protein, starch, and vegetables in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the sauce, flavor ingredients, and herbs. Spread the starch mixture in the bottom of the casserole and pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the topping.
   
4. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, or until heated through.
   

This thick white sauce is a basic replacement for a can of “cream of” soup, and you can use it in your favorite casserole recipe. To make a sauce to replace cream of chicken soup, substitute chicken broth for the milk. To replace cream of mushroom soup, sauté
¹
/
₂
pound sliced mushrooms in the butter before adding the flour and substitute beef broth for the hot milk. Add any seasonings according to your taste.

•••••

4 tablespoons butter

¹
/
₄
cup all-purpose flour

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₄
teaspoon pepper

1 cup hot milk

•••••

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.
   
2. Whisk in the hot milk, keeping the mixture smooth and free of lumps. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, reduce the heat, and cook until thickened and smooth. Use the sauce hot, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   

Use this mixture, which does not require any stove-top cooking, when you don’t want to make
Basic White Sauce
. Use it to replace 1 can of “cream of” soup. The proportions are easy to remember: Just add 2 eggs to 1 cup milk and season to your taste. To use as a replacement for cream of chicken soup, substitute chicken broth for the milk.

•••••

1 cup milk

2 large eggs

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₄
teaspoon pepper

•••••

Mix together the milk, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour over any unbaked casserole that requires 1 can (10
³
/
₄
ounces) of condensed soup.

This easy-to-make sauce is a great binder for casseroles, and it can also be spooned over cooked cauliflower or broccoli, poached eggs, chicken breasts, or even fish.

•••••

4 tablespoons butter

¹
/
₄
cup all-purpose flour

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

1 pinch cayenne pepper

¹
/
₈
teaspoon dry mustard

2 cups hot milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

•••••

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, salt, cayenne, and dry mustard until blended.
   
2. Whisk in the hot milk, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth. Add the cheese and stir until smooth. Use the sauce hot, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   

Béchamel sauce, or French white sauce, is often used in creamed dishes and casseroles. In the ‘50s, the sauce began to be replaced in everyday cooking by a cream soup of one sort or another. Made from scratch, this sauce will provide a fresher flavor for your dishes.

•••••

4 tablespoons (
¹
/
₂
stick) butter

¹
/
₄
cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared, heated

¹
/
₂
cup cream or undiluted evaporated milk, heated

Salt

Dash of nutmeg

•••••

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, add the flour, and cook together for 2 to 3 minutes to remove the flour’s raw taste.
   
2. Whisk in the heated broth and cream, stirring constantly, and cook until smooth and thick. Season with salt to taste and nutmeg. Use the sauce hot, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   

Mushroom sauce made with fresh mushrooms and beef broth makes a flavorful alternative to cream of mushroom soup. Use it in your favorite casserole recipe. For a richer and deeper flavor, instead of common white button mushrooms, use wild mushrooms such as morels or chanterelles, or shiitake or cremini mushrooms.

•••••

4 tablespoons butter

¹
/
₂
pound mushrooms, finely chopped

¹
/
₄
cup onions, finely diced

¹
/
₂
cup all-purpose flour

¹
/
₃
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₈
teaspoon pepper

1 cup beef broth,
homemade
or prepared, heated

•••••

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions and sauté until aromatic. Add the flour, salt, and pepper, stirring until the mushrooms and onions are thoroughly coated.
   
2. Gradually add the beef broth and stir until the sauce is thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use the sauce hot, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   

When tomatoes are not in season, canned tomatoes are best. Use this sauce with cooked pasta or whenever a recipe calls for tomato sauce.

•••••

2
¹
/
₂
cups
peeled vine-ripened tomatoes
or canned tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, minced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¹
/
₂
teaspoon dried thyme

Salt

Pepper

•••••

1. Whirl the tomatoes in a food processor or blender to puree.
   
2. In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Blend in the flour and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring until the onion is coated with flour.
   
3. Gradually add the pureed tomatoes to the onion mixture, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until thickened and smooth. Add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Use the sauce hot, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   

•••••

NOTE:
Fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes in season have great flavor. The rest of the year, however, the tomatoes from the supermarket are relatively tasteless. In most cases, canned tomatoes can be substituted in casseroles. Since they are usually picked at the height of the season, they actually have more flavor than those pale, out-of-season fresh tomatoes.

Alfredo sauce is credited to Chef Alfredo di Lello, who combined it with cooked fettuccine in the early 1900s. Since then, we’ve found many ways to use this sauce and even make changes in its preparation. In this simple-to-make version, cream cheese replaces the cream in the original sauce.

•••••

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

•••••

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and place over low heat.
   
2. Heat until the ingredients are melted and well combined, stirring frequently, approximately 15 minutes. Use in a casserole or simply pour over the pasta of your choice. Use the sauce hot, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   

The best thing about making your own chicken broth is that you decide what goes in it, and you can vary the flavors, too. For instance, you can add fresh herbs, more or less onion, and even garlic, if you prefer. A concentrated chicken broth is easy to make by simply boiling down the final product until it is thick or syrupy. Store it in the freezer in measured amounts, such as 1 or 2 cups, and use as needed.