The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (21 page)

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole.
   
2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, milk, and sour cream. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is smooth, but do not let it boil.
   
3. Add the chicken, broccoli, and noodles and mix well. Pour into the casserole dish and sprinkle with the chives. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for for up to 1 day. Add 10 extra minutes to the oven time.)
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center of the casserole is heated through and the edges are lightly browned and bubbly.
   

This is so easy to put together; you just mix all the ingredients, then bake. It’s a great recipe for using leftover chicken or turkey.

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2 cups cooked rice

2
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cups chopped cooked chicken

1 recipe
Basic Mushroom Sauce
, or 1 can (10
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ounces) cream of mushroom soup

1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained

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pound mushrooms, sliced

2 small stalks celery, finely chopped

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cup mayonnaise

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cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Shredded Cheddar cheese

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
2. In a large bowl, stir together the rice, chicken, sauce or soup, water chestnuts, mushrooms, celery, mayonnaise, and
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   cup of the Parmesan cheese. Mix well to combine. Spread out in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining
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   cup Parmesan cheese.
   
3. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese and bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
   

Sun-dried tomatoes add color, texture, and flavor to this simple casserole. Toss a green salad together and buy a crusty bread for a quick and easy meal.

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3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

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cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 cup chicken broth
homemade
or prepared

4 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken

1 cup heavy or light cream

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
2. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add the onion and mushrooms. Sauté until tender, about 4 minutes, but do not brown. Stir in the sundried tomatoes and remove from the heat.
   
3. Spread out the rice in the baking pan, and pour the chicken broth over the rice. Add the chicken, onion, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and cream. (At this point the dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.)
   
4. Cover tightly with lightly greased aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the rice is done.
   

This is about as classic as a hot dish gets! (At least, that’s what it’s called in Minnesota.) To make this healthier, substitute white sauce for the cream of chicken soup.

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2 quarts boiling water

1
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teaspoons salt

2 cups rainbow rotini pasta

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cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 recipe
Basic White Sauce
, or 1 can (10 ounces) cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 cup finely crushed butter crackers, such as Ritz crackers

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1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, add the salt, and cook the pasta for 7 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes longer. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a shallow 2
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   - to 3-quart casserole with cooking spray.
   
3. Add the chicken, sauce or soup, sour cream, and peas to the pasta. Mix lightly, and transfer to the casserole. Top with the cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until crumbs are browned and the casserole is bubbly.
   

My late mother-in-law would have loved this—she was such a fan of what she called “Chinese food.” I look at this as a way to give leftover chicken an Asian flair. You can assemble the casserole a few hours ahead of time and refrigerate it. Just before serving, pop it in the oven.

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1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups diced cooked chicken

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cup cashew nuts for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a deep 2
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   -quart casserole with cooking spray.
   
2. In large wok or nonstick skillet, heat the sesame oil. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms and sauté over high heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the red pepper flakes.
   
3. Drain the pineapple over a small bowl to catch the juice. Add the cornstarch, soy sauce, and ginger to the juice. Pour the sauce into the wok, heat to boiling, and cook, stirring, until thickened.
   
4. Spread out the rice in the casserole. Add the chicken and pineapple chunks to the vegetables in the wok. Mix well and pour over the rice. (The casserole can be prepared 1 day in advance up to this point, covered, and refrigerated. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.)
   
5. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot. Sprinkle with the cashews and cilantro.
   

Get the table ready with a Chianti bottle “candlestick” and a red-checkered tablecloth while this casserole cooks. Add a Caesar salad and Italian bread to complete the menu.

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cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups diced cooked chicken (
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-inch dice)

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cup shredded mozzarella cheese

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teaspoon dried oregano

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teaspoon dried basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14
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ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice

FOR THE TOPPING:

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cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

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cup vegetable oil

1 cup nonfat, 2%, or whole milk

2 large eggs

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cup shredded mozzarella cheese

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch round pie pan with cooking spray and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the bottom.
   
2. Scatter the chicken over the cheese. Top with the
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   cup shredded mozzarella cheese, the oregano, and basil. Mix the garlic with the diced tomatoes with their juice and spread evenly over all.
   
3. To make the topping:
   In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the oil, milk, and eggs and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth like pancake batter.
   
4. Pour the batter over the chicken mixture in the pan. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the
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   cup mozzarella. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
   

Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic pasta dish. I’ve converted it into a casserole and included chicken or turkey meat; it’s a great way to use leftovers. I often make this on Friday after Thanksgiving with almost any kind of pasta I happen to have on hand. Alfredo sauce is made with butter, Parmesan, and cream. Quick Alfredo Sauce deviates from that recipe but produces a creamy sauce that is easily made and better than the bottled variety you can buy.

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3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra for the dish

1 recipe
Quick Alfredo Sauce
, or 2 jars (10 ounces each) prepared sauce

8 ounces farfalle, fettuccine, or your favorite pasta

2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey, or 1 can (13 ounces) chicken or turkey breast, drained

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

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cup seasoned fine dry breadcrumbs

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cup grated Parmesan cheese

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a deep 3-quart casserole. Prepare the Alfredo sauce and have it ready.
   
2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 12 minutes, or until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the Alfredo sauce, chicken, green onions, peas, and poultry seasoning.
   
3. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons melted butter.
   
4. Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle with the crumb mixture. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated. overnight. Add about 10 extra minutes to the oven time.) Bake, uncovered, until the pasta is hot and the topping is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
   

In the Southwest every cook has his or her own favorite version of this casserole. It always contains corn tortillas or tortilla chips and other Southwestern flavors. The problem with many of these recipes is that they call for so much canned soup that the resulting casserole is extremely salty. Here’s my take on the idea.

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12 corn tortillas (6 inches)

Corn oil for brushing

1 tablespoon butter

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 medium onions, chopped

1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 can (14
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ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles with their juice

1
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pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, halved lengthwise and cut into
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-inch slices

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cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 cup heavy cream

4 cups shredded
Colby Jack cheese

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cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Salt

Pepper

2 cups salted tortilla chips, crushed

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1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
   
2. Spread out the tortillas on 2 baking sheets and brush both sides with corn oil. Bake for 12 minutes, shifting the pans around halfway through baking, until the tortillas are crisp. Remove from the oven, cool, and break into pieces (about 1
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   to 2 inches wide).
   
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread half of the toasted tortilla pieces over the bottom. Set aside the rest.
   
4. In a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic, onions, poblano pepper, and ground cumin. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, until the mixture
   is aromatic and the onions are softened. Add the tomatoes and chiles with their juice and the chicken and cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the flour and slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to remove any lumps. Cook for 3 minutes.
   
5. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and cooked vegetables from the skillet and spread evenly over the tortilla pieces in the baking dish.
   
6. Add the cream to the liquid in the skillet and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
   
7. Sprinkle the chicken and vegetables with half of the cheese and half of the chopped cilantro. Pour the thickened sauce over evenly. Top with the reserved toasted tortillas, then with the remaining cheese, and finally with the crushed tortilla chips.
   
8. Bake, uncovered, until the filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.