The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (76 page)

•••••

FOR THE CAKE LAYER:

4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

¹
/
₂
cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¹
/
₄
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₂
cup milk

FOR THE FILLING:

8 fresh ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (see Note)

³
/
₄
cup sugar

¹
/
₂
cup boiling water

1 tablespoon butter

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter the bottom of a 2-quart casserole.
   
2. To make the cake layer: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the 4 tablespoons butter and the sugar. In a separate small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the butter mixture with a wooden spoon, and then stir in the milk. The mixture will be thick and lumpy. Spread the batter into the prepared casserole dish.
   
3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the peaches, sugar, and boiling water. Pour over the batter in the pan. Dot the top with the 1 tablespoon butter.
   
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the batter that bubbles up through the filling is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.
   

•••••

NOTE:
To remove the peels from the peaches, heat a saucepan of water to boiling. Drop in the peaches, one at a time, for 15 seconds. With a slotted spoon, lift the peaches out. When cool enough to handle, slip the peels off.

This is a wonderful dessert to make when peaches are in season. For a low-fat version, use the evaporated skim milk instead of cream.

•••••

1
¹
/
₂
cups old-fashioned rolled oats

¹
/
₄
cup light or dark brown sugar

4 large peaches or nectarines, peeled (see
Removing Peach Peels
) and diced

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup cream or undiluted evaporated milk

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
   
2. Combine the rolled oats and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Distribute the peaches evenly in the prepared pan.
   
3. Mix the eggs, vanilla, and cream in a medium bowl, and pour over the peaches in the pan. Top with the rolled oat mixture.
   
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the oats are browned and the peaches bubble up around the edges of the pan. Serve hot or at room temperature.
   

Well, it doesn’t have to be pineapple rum, but I think the flavors go together really well. We bought this rum on a trip to the Caribbean, and I wondered what to do with it, besides drink it. So, I just poured it over apples ready for baking, and the fruity aroma filled the kitchen!

•••••

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans (see Note)

3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

Pinch of apple pie spice mix

2 large Golden Delicious or pippin apples

1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces

¹
/
₂
cup pineapple rum, dark rum, or apple cider

Heavy cream for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the raisins, pecans, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, and the apple pie spice mix.
   
2. Core the apples and peel the top half of each one. Press the raisin and nut mixture into the centers of the apples and place in a shallow baking dish just large enough to accommodate them.
   
3. Dot the apples with the butter and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Pour the pineapple rum over the apples.
   
4. Bake until the apples are tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve hot or warm, and offer the heavy cream in a pitcher to pour over.
   

•••••

NOTE:
To toast pecans, spread them out on a baking sheet and place into a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until aromatic and lightly browned.

I was first served this silken flan in Peru at a buffet luncheon. Although this might be stretching the definition of a casserole a bit, this is a really great recipe, and easy to make, too. A ring mold helps the flan to bake evenly, and it makes for a pretty presentation when you fill the center with berries.

•••••

1 cup sugar

10 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cans (14 ounces each) sweetened condensed milk

2 cans (12 ounces each) evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of cinnamon

Fresh berries, such as raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries, or edible flowers for garnish

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 11-cup metal ring mold with cooking spray.
   
2. Put the sugar in a dry heavy skillet and stir over medium heat until the sugar is melted and caramelized. Pour the caramelized sugar into the ring mold and turn it from side to side until the bottom and part of the sides are coated with the sugar. Set aside and allow the sugar to harden. (Set the mold in a pan of ice water, if necessary.)
   
3. In a large bowl, stir together the beaten eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until well blended.
   
4. Pour the egg mixture into the caramel-coated mold. Place in a larger pan and pour 2 inches of hot water into the larger pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the custard is set.
   
5. Let cool. With a knife, loosen the edges and then invert the flan onto a serving platter or plate.
   
6. Decorate the flan with fresh berries or edible flowers.
   

•••••

NOTES:
Sweetened condensed milk is a mixture of whole milk and sugar, heated until 60 percent of the water is evaporated and the milk becomes sticky, thick, and sweet. If you see a recipe that calls for “condensed milk,” it almost certainly means sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated. If you do not have sweetened condensed milk on hand, to replace 1 cup you can do the following: Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder,
¹
/
₂
cup warm water, and
³
/
₄
cup sugar in a saucepan. Heat until dissolved.

Evaporated milk is concentrated milk. It comes either whole or nonfat. The milk is sold with varying amounts of butterfat, ranging from whole evaporated milk to the equivalent of skim milk. To reconstitute, mix with an equal amount of water.

If you’re not much for rolling out pie crusts, try this instead for your next holiday dinner. This pumpkin pudding has the rich flavor of pumpkin pie.

•••••

2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar, divided

¹
/
₄
cup slivered almonds, toasted (see Note), divided

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1
¹
/
₂
cups milk

1
¹
/
₂
teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see Note)

¹
/
₄
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₄
teaspoon vanilla extract

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   -quart soufflé dish or a deep 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   -quart casserole.
   
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the pumpkin, eggs,
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   cup of the brown sugar, half of the almonds, and 1 tablespoon of the raisins; set aside.
   
3. In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until blended. Gradually whisk in the milk, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth.
   
4. In a small bowl, mix the pumpkin spice, salt, and the remaining
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   cup brown sugar. Stir into the sauce and add the vanilla. Add half of the sauce to the pumpkin mixture, blend well, and pour into the buttered dish.
   
5. Pour the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining almonds and raisins. Bake, uncovered, for 60 minutes, or until set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled.
   

•••••

NOTES:
To toast the almonds, spread them out on a baking sheet and place in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until aromatic and lightly browned.

Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It is available in most markets. If you do not have the mixture, substitute 1 teaspoon cinnamon,
¹
/
₄
teaspoon ground ginger,
¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground nutmeg, and
¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground cloves for the tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.

It seems pumpkin tastes best in the fall, when the leaves are turning and we’re looking forward to the holiday season. Hazelnuts (also known as “filberts”) are a perfect complement to the spiced pumpkin.

•••••

2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra for the dish

1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¹
/
₂
teaspoon ground nutmeg

¹
/
₄
teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups half-and-half

3 large eggs

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

Whipped cream for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   -quart casserole.
   
2. In a large bowl, stir the pumpkin puree and add the brown sugar, salt, and spices. Stir to blend well.
   
3. In another bowl, whisk the half-and-half and the eggs until frothy. Add to the pumpkin mixture, and pour into the casserole. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the top and drizzle with the 2 tablespoons butter.
   
4. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool and serve at room temperature, topped with whipped cream.
   

Here is another delicious alternative for pumpkin pie lovers who are timid about rolling out pie crusts, and are reluctant to use the commercial variety. This ground pecan crust is pressed into the casserole dish and toasted in the oven.

•••••

1 cup finely ground pecans (see Note)

1
¹
/
₄
cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon mixed pumpkin pie spice (see Note)

1 can (15 ounces) pureed pumpkin

3 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

¹
/
₃
cup milk

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 2-quart shallow casserole generously.
   
2. Press the ground pecans evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Place in the oven to toast for 15 minutes while preparing the pudding.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin, eggs, cream, and milk until well blended.
   
4. Pour the filling into the nut-lined dish and bake until the center is set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
   

•••••

NOTES:
To grind the pecans, put them in a food processor with the steel blade in place and process until they have the texture of breadcrumbs. Be careful not to process too long, or you’ll end up with pecan butter!

Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It is available in most markets. If you do not have the mixture, substitute 1 teaspoon cinnamon,
¹
/
₄
teaspoon ground ginger,
¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground nutmeg, and
¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground cloves for the tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.

A cobbler is a baked fruit dessert with a thick, biscuit-like topping, which is usually sprinkled with sugar. Rhubarb can vary in tartness, depending on the variety and where it is grown, so I give a range for the sugar in the filling recipe.