The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (35 page)

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2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for the dish

6 boneless pork chops, about 1
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inches thick

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter

3 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and sliced (leave peel on)

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₄
cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger

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₂
teaspoon ground cinnamon

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
2. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides.
   
3. Heat the oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add the pork chops and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
   
4. Arrange the sliced apples in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the sugar, ginger, and cinnamon and dot with the 2 tablespoons butter. Top with the pork chops.
   
5. Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray and cover the dish. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pork chops are cooked through.
   

In this recipe, pork chops bake on top of a stuffing, which absorbs all the wonderful juices. Personally, I think bone-in pork chops have a lot more flavor than boneless, although you could use boneless chops in this recipe if that’s what you have on hand.

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5 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra for the dish

4 bone-in pork chops, 1 inch thick

Salt

Pepper

1
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cups seasoned stuffing mix

1 large apple, cut into chunks (leave peel on)

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, thinly sliced

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1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
   
2. Trim the fat off the pork chops and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
   
3. In a large bowl, mix the 5 tablespoons butter into the stuffing. Add the apple, celery, and onion.
   
4. Spoon a layer of stuffing onto the bottom of the prepared casserole. Stand the chops on edge on the top of the stuffing layer with the fat side up. Spoon the remaining stuffing around, between, and over the chops. Cover and bake for 1
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   ₂
   hours, or until the pork chops are cooked through and the stuffing is lightly browned around the edges.
   

So simple! Just layer everything in a casserole and bake it. Add a shredded carrot salad to the menu, and if you’re up to it, bake a pan of biscuits right along with the casserole.

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Olive oil for brushing

4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced (leave skin on)

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 small onions, sliced

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried sage leaves

1 cup heavy cream

4 boneless pork chops, 1
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/
₂
inches thick

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cup seasoned fine dry breadcrumbs

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
   
2. Layer the sliced potatoes, mushrooms, and onions in the dish. Sprinkle with the salt and sage leaves and pour the cream over evenly.
   
3. Brush the pork chops with olive oil (just enough to coat very lightly), and rub the breadcrumbs onto both sides of each pork chop (about 1
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   teaspoons per side). Place pork chops on top of the vegetables in the casserole.
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or just until the pork chops are cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
   

Here, pork tenderloin bakes on top of scalloped potatoes and onion. The dish is an example of country comfort food at its best and simplest. Add steamed carrots to complete a winter menu.

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3 teaspoons butter, divided

3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1
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cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

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teaspoon pepper

1
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cups fine dry breadcrumbs

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, or 1 tablespoon dried, crushed

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread 1 teaspoon of the butter evenly in a 2-quart shallow casserole. Arrange the potatoes in the casserole in an even layer. Pour the milk over the potatoes and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, or just until the potatoes are tender.
   
2. Melt the remaining 2 teaspoons butter in a small saucepan and transfer to a shallow dish. Put the breadcrumbs in another shallow dish. Dip the pork tenderloin slices in the butter, and then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on top of the partially cooked potato layer in the casserole. Spread out the sliced onion over the pork and dribble any remaining melted butter over the onion. Sprinkle with the garlic cloves and rosemary.
   
3. Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the casserole with the foil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender and the pork is cooked through.
   

Traditional cassoulet is a classic French dish of white beans and various meats baked long and slow to meld their flavors. This version comes together quickly because it includes canned beans and precooked sausage.

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2 pounds precooked French garlic sausage or Polish kielbasa, cut into 2-inch chunks

2 cups chopped onion

9 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups dry white vermouth

2 cups sliced carrots

1 tablespoon sugar

1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14
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ounces) stewed tomatoes with their juice

5 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon whole allspice

4 slices bacon

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. Cook the sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until heated through. Add the onion, garlic, and vermouth and simmer until the vermouth has evaporated, turning the sausage several times. Remove from the heat.
   
3. Put the carrots in a saucepan with water to cover. Add the sugar and cook until the carrots are tender. Drain.
   
4. Transfer the sausage and onion mixture to a deep 2-quart casserole. Top with the cooked carrots, the beans, tomatoes with their juice, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and allspice. Stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. Lay the bacon slices over the top.
   
5. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and the casserole is bubbly. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
   

Spam was first sold in 1937 and became an important item in the military food rations during World War II. It is made of pork and ham with salt, water, and sodium nitrite (a preservative) added. There are many varieties of Spam on the market today, including Spam with cheese and Spam made with turkey. You can use any variety in this casserole.

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pound elbow macaroni

2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

1 can (12 ounces) Spam luncheon meat, cubed

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cup chopped red bell pepper, seeded and deribbed

2 cups milk

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

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cup
panko
or fine dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter, melted

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 3-quart casserole with cooking spray.
   
2. Cook the macaroni according to package directions, drain, and transfer to the casserole. Mix in the broccoli, Spam, and red bell pepper.
   
3. Mix the milk, eggs, Tabasco, and cheese in a medium bowl and pour over the Spam mixture.
   
4. Combine the panko and melted butter and sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 35 minutes until the topping is lightly browned.
   

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NOTE:
Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs. They are coarser than regular breadcrumbs and create a crunchier crust. Panko can be purchased in Asian markets or in the Asian sections of large supermarkets.

Eastern European country-style flavors blend together in this casserole. Serve this with a hearty pumpernickel or rye bread. To save time, you can substitute a packaged coleslaw mix for the shredded cabbage. The shredded carrots and red cabbage in the mix add a bit of color to the casserole.

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4 slices bacon, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

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pound smoked Polish kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces

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pound cooked ham, cut into
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-inch cubes

1 pound lean ground pork

2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons caraway seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle or ground in a coff ee grinder

2 large red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and cut into
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/
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-inch thick slices

1 small cabbage, shredded (about 6 cups), or 1 package (1 pound) coleslaw mix

1 package (2 pounds) sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry

1 pint sour cream

Pepper

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 4-quart casserole.
   
2. In a large heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until browned. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the sausage, ham, and pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer
   pink. Drain off the fat and return the skillet to the heat. Add the 2 tablespoons paprika and the caraway seeds. Cook for 2 minutes longer and remove from the heat.
   
3. Arrange half of the potatoes in a layer in the buttered casserole. Top with half of the shredded cabbage and half of the sauerkraut, and then cover with the meat mixture.
   
4. Top with
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   cup of the sour cream. Add the remaining potato slices in one layer, and then the remaining cabbage and sauerkraut. Spread the top with the remaining 1
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   cups sour cream, and sprinkle generously with pepper to taste and additional paprika. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day, or frozen for up to 2 weeks. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time.)
   
5. Cut a sheet of aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Cover and bake 1 hour or until browned around the edges. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
   

Select meaty ribs for this casserole. Baked on top of a bed of rice and chickpeas, they become juicy and tender.

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2
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pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter

1 large onion, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 cans (14
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/
₂
ounces each) beef broth

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

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cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled

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teaspoon red chili flakes

1
roasted red bell pepper, freshly roasted
or from a jar, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Brown, a few pieces at a time, in a heavy nonstick skillet. Set aside.
   
2. Place a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil or butter. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beef broth, rice, chickpeas, vinegar, paprika, and oregano, and red chili flakes. Top with the browned ribs and the roasted red bell pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
3. Cover the pot and bake for 1 to 1
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   hours, or until the meat is cooked through, the rice is tender, and all the liquids are absorbed. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh cilantro.