The Basic Casserole

 What makes a recipe qualify to call itself by that illustrious title of the Versatile and Time-Saving Casserole? A casserole contains the following basic ingredients.

1 cup of aromatics such as onion, carrots, celery, peppers, and/or mirepoix.

3-4 cups of cooked protein or beans

2-3 cups of cooked carbs (pasta, rice, couscous, potatoes, chips, etc.)

1-2 cups of vegetables

1-2 cups sauce or binder (condensed cream of soups, white sauces, cheese sauce, gravy, sour cream, ricotta, tomato sauce

Seasonings to taste

1 cup topping such as breadcrumbs, cheese, snack chips, nuts, etc. 

This is the basis for almost every "dump and go" casserole ever invented. Even the layered casseroles like lasagna follow this rule. Stir the first six ingredients together in a large bowl, spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray, dump in the mix from the bowl, sprinkle on the topping, and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. 

Why do you think grandma loved this type of recipe? Because so much of it was prepared well before the assembly. Many newlyweds got the advice to "slice and prep your food as soon as you get it home from the grocery store." 

Yes, that meant cutting all the onions, carrots, celery, peppers and vegetables then bagging them up in freezer bags or storage containers in 1/2 cup increments. Yes, that meant pre-cooking all the meat and I assure you she thanked the sky above that she had a microwave, an oven, and at least one slow cooker. Sometimes she'd use three: chicken, beans, The top of the stove had pasta in one pot, rice in another, and perhaps a third pot with some new adventure like couscous. She'd stock up on cans of tuna, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and other known condensed soups that made life so convenient. She'd put the toppings into zipped baggies in 1 cup increments, ready to go. Everything was in separate containers in the appropriate measurement, even the shredded cheese.

This was the age of the new concept of working mother, so she had to be efficient with her time or she'd miss out on relaxing or family time. They were supposed to be a superwoman, managing to balance home, family, and work with perfect aplomb. Stop laughing! Okay, such nonsense is funny. 

We have more sense about shared responsibility now, but there's still the wish to do the deed with the most efficiency. So take a hint from your stressed out, overworked grandmother and do what she did. Pre-prep and know how to make a casserole. 

This is a rewrite of a previous post. The info is too good not to share early and often.