At least I'm not sick this year!
November 22, 2010 10:57 AM Subscribe
It's time for that ethic holiday potluck at my work again. Really tempted to do the KFC bucket.. but I think I'm learning more towards a casserole.. Give to me your kick-ass recipes!
First of all, thanks to everyone in that gave me suggestions last year. I ended up making chili. Seemed to go over well.
This year I would like to tackle a casserole. It's not something we make in my home nor so I eat them very often. But I want to try doing something different or new.
Alton Brown's chicken pot pie style casserole is what gave me the idea.
I could make that.. or something else! What is your favorite casserole to eat?
Also, because we don't make casseroles at home, I don't have a casserole pan! As much as I would love to follow Alton's suggestion and make one out of a terracotta pot, I think I had better do something a touch nicer for work. I don't want to spend a lot of money on it though. Any simple standard size (what is standard size?) do you suggest?
One last thing: I am making glazed carrots for a different work potluck earlier that same week! This is another venture into doing something I've never done before. Most of the recipes on the internet say to cook (or partially cook) the carrots, then drain them and add some brown sugar and water to the pan. I have some flat diet ginger ale laying around: Do you think that would taste yummy?
tr;dr: I need casserole recipes, suggestions for a cheap casserole pot/pan, and suggestions in making glazed carrots with diet ginger ale.
First of all, thanks to everyone in that gave me suggestions last year. I ended up making chili. Seemed to go over well.
This year I would like to tackle a casserole. It's not something we make in my home nor so I eat them very often. But I want to try doing something different or new.
Alton Brown's chicken pot pie style casserole is what gave me the idea.
I could make that.. or something else! What is your favorite casserole to eat?
Also, because we don't make casseroles at home, I don't have a casserole pan! As much as I would love to follow Alton's suggestion and make one out of a terracotta pot, I think I had better do something a touch nicer for work. I don't want to spend a lot of money on it though. Any simple standard size (what is standard size?) do you suggest?
One last thing: I am making glazed carrots for a different work potluck earlier that same week! This is another venture into doing something I've never done before. Most of the recipes on the internet say to cook (or partially cook) the carrots, then drain them and add some brown sugar and water to the pan. I have some flat diet ginger ale laying around: Do you think that would taste yummy?
tr;dr: I need casserole recipes, suggestions for a cheap casserole pot/pan, and suggestions in making glazed carrots with diet ginger ale.
Do you mean an "ethnic" holiday potluck? This is the confusingest part to me, because you say "ethic" both this year and last year. I spent far too much time trying to imagine unethical potlucks.
That's my question. Here are my answers:
A) A 9 by 12 glass pan, preferably Pyrex or Anchor Hocking, is probably the pan to have if you have only one casserole pan. You can also bake brownies in it! And you can cover it with aluminum foil.
C) No, flat diet ginger ale will not make your carrots taste delicious. Throw it away. Diet soda works in very few recipes because aspartame doesn't like to be heated.
B) You say in the other thread that you are a white Southern girl. The queen of all casseroles, Paula Deen, is also a white Southern girl. Pretty much every one of Paula Deen's casserole recipes rocks like a particularly rocking and delicious hurricane, so Google "{ingredient you want to use} casserole 'Paula Deen'" and you'll find something awesome.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:07 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
That's my question. Here are my answers:
A) A 9 by 12 glass pan, preferably Pyrex or Anchor Hocking, is probably the pan to have if you have only one casserole pan. You can also bake brownies in it! And you can cover it with aluminum foil.
C) No, flat diet ginger ale will not make your carrots taste delicious. Throw it away. Diet soda works in very few recipes because aspartame doesn't like to be heated.
B) You say in the other thread that you are a white Southern girl. The queen of all casseroles, Paula Deen, is also a white Southern girl. Pretty much every one of Paula Deen's casserole recipes rocks like a particularly rocking and delicious hurricane, so Google "{ingredient you want to use} casserole 'Paula Deen'" and you'll find something awesome.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:07 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
I made this broccoli casserole last night and wanted to eat the whole thing myself. It was AMAZING. Next time I'd add 1/2 cup slivered almonds to the filling as it's a bit mushy. But it was unreal. So good. It's made in a 9x13 pan, not a casserole dish.
posted by ms.v. at 11:12 AM on November 22, 2010
posted by ms.v. at 11:12 AM on November 22, 2010
Response by poster: Sorry Sidhedevil. The people I work with all hail from different countries and cultures. The words in the invitation say: "Please bring an entree unique to your culture to share."
Thanks for your suggestion on paula deen's dishes. I just want to clarify that I'm not 'southern'. I am a standard mutt of an American. I'm no more or less southern then I am german. (or polish, russian, native american..)
posted by royalsong at 11:12 AM on November 22, 2010
Thanks for your suggestion on paula deen's dishes. I just want to clarify that I'm not 'southern'. I am a standard mutt of an American. I'm no more or less southern then I am german. (or polish, russian, native american..)
posted by royalsong at 11:12 AM on November 22, 2010
Oh, and my casserole suggestion doesn't use cream of whatever soup. A plus for me, maybe not for you?
posted by ms.v. at 11:13 AM on November 22, 2010
posted by ms.v. at 11:13 AM on November 22, 2010
Sorry that I can't find a better link, but these Roasted Squash & Poblano Chile Enchiladas are ah-may-zing. To add some heft to them, you can throw in poached chicken with the squash and chile mixture. Also, I usually bake them in one of those disposable foil pans, which are as cheap as it gets!
posted by lagreen at 11:13 AM on November 22, 2010
posted by lagreen at 11:13 AM on November 22, 2010
The people I work with all hail from different countries and cultures. The words in the invitation say: "Please bring an entree unique to your culture to share."
So, yeah, "ethnic". Sorry, I am easily confused by typos and what-not, because I have a very literal mind. I see now that you meant that your ethnicity included heritage from nations south of the US, not that it included heritage from the US South; sorry for misreading that.
Okay, moving on from my inadequacies as a reader: Scratch Paula Deen. I think there is nothing more "generic American" than the Campbell's Soup Green Bean Casserole, though liketitanic's casserole seems quite magical.
Frito Pie is another favorite of mine.
Do you have a particular US state that you think of as your home state? Because some states have Official State Casseroles, so that's another option for the "unique to your culture" twist.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:22 AM on November 22, 2010
So, yeah, "ethnic". Sorry, I am easily confused by typos and what-not, because I have a very literal mind. I see now that you meant that your ethnicity included heritage from nations south of the US, not that it included heritage from the US South; sorry for misreading that.
Okay, moving on from my inadequacies as a reader: Scratch Paula Deen. I think there is nothing more "generic American" than the Campbell's Soup Green Bean Casserole, though liketitanic's casserole seems quite magical.
Frito Pie is another favorite of mine.
Do you have a particular US state that you think of as your home state? Because some states have Official State Casseroles, so that's another option for the "unique to your culture" twist.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:22 AM on November 22, 2010
This is my favorite casserole ever.
Tuna Whirls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare one recipe baking powder biscuits (I use Betty Crocker's)
Roll out biscuit dough into a rectangle.
Sprinkle with 1 large envelope or 2 cans of tuna.
Sprinkle with 2+ cups of cheddar cheese.
Sprinkle juice of 1 lemon on top.
Season with pepper.
Sprinkle 2 sliced green onions over top.
Roll up like cinnamon rolls, slice.
Arrange in rectangular baking dish.
Mix together 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup + 1 can's worth of milk.
Pour over rolls.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbly.
posted by Zophi at 11:28 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
Tuna Whirls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare one recipe baking powder biscuits (I use Betty Crocker's)
Roll out biscuit dough into a rectangle.
Sprinkle with 1 large envelope or 2 cans of tuna.
Sprinkle with 2+ cups of cheddar cheese.
Sprinkle juice of 1 lemon on top.
Season with pepper.
Sprinkle 2 sliced green onions over top.
Roll up like cinnamon rolls, slice.
Arrange in rectangular baking dish.
Mix together 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup + 1 can's worth of milk.
Pour over rolls.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbly.
posted by Zophi at 11:28 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
tater tot casserole
1lb ground beef, seasoned and browned
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 10oz bag of mixed frozen veggies (carrots, peas, corn, etc)
1 bag of frozen tater tots (unthawed)
Mix cooked meat and veggies in bottom of 13x9 inch pan
spread can of cream of mushroom on top
lay tater tots on top. cook 350 until tater tots are golden brown (25-30 minutes?)
serve with ketchup
I have a bunch of casserole recipes at home (the above was the only one I remembered off hand) and will try to remember to post more tonight.
posted by HMSSM at 11:44 AM on November 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
1lb ground beef, seasoned and browned
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 10oz bag of mixed frozen veggies (carrots, peas, corn, etc)
1 bag of frozen tater tots (unthawed)
Mix cooked meat and veggies in bottom of 13x9 inch pan
spread can of cream of mushroom on top
lay tater tots on top. cook 350 until tater tots are golden brown (25-30 minutes?)
serve with ketchup
I have a bunch of casserole recipes at home (the above was the only one I remembered off hand) and will try to remember to post more tonight.
posted by HMSSM at 11:44 AM on November 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
Someone gave me two vintage Corning caserole dishes as a gift one time, with one glass lid that fits both. At the time I thought it was kind of werid but today I love them. One is deep and one is shallow. I think you could find something like this at an estate sale.
posted by chocolatetiara at 12:12 PM on November 22, 2010
posted by chocolatetiara at 12:12 PM on November 22, 2010
King Ranch Chicken is the all time best ever casserole. Delicious incremental death.
But my usual contribution to these kind of things is a room-temp pasta dish I throw together with Bow-tie pasta, shredded roasted chicken, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh (or wilted) baby spinach, crumbled feta and pine nuts (or chopped walnuts and gorgonzola). Add garlic-flavored olive oil (or just plain EVOO), kosher salt, red pepper flakes to taste. Always a crowd-pleaser and always easy. Bonus is that it is meant to be served at room temp so you don't have to be part of that "one microwave, twenty dishes" office logjam.
posted by cross_impact at 1:46 PM on November 22, 2010
But my usual contribution to these kind of things is a room-temp pasta dish I throw together with Bow-tie pasta, shredded roasted chicken, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh (or wilted) baby spinach, crumbled feta and pine nuts (or chopped walnuts and gorgonzola). Add garlic-flavored olive oil (or just plain EVOO), kosher salt, red pepper flakes to taste. Always a crowd-pleaser and always easy. Bonus is that it is meant to be served at room temp so you don't have to be part of that "one microwave, twenty dishes" office logjam.
posted by cross_impact at 1:46 PM on November 22, 2010
Our family favorite is great, but not at all healthy. I made it last night, in fact!
Put a layer of nacho cheese Doritos in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add a layer of canned white meat chicken. Add a layer of cream of chicken soup. Add a layer of cheese - I usually use cheddar and pepper jack. Add some chopped black olives, onions, and chilies if you prefer.
Repeat until dish is full - usually only two layers.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes. It is SOOO good. And it's one of the best re-heated food items I've ever had.
posted by tacodave at 2:59 PM on November 22, 2010
Put a layer of nacho cheese Doritos in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add a layer of canned white meat chicken. Add a layer of cream of chicken soup. Add a layer of cheese - I usually use cheddar and pepper jack. Add some chopped black olives, onions, and chilies if you prefer.
Repeat until dish is full - usually only two layers.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes. It is SOOO good. And it's one of the best re-heated food items I've ever had.
posted by tacodave at 2:59 PM on November 22, 2010
7 can king casserole
1 can cr mushroom soup
1 can cr chicken soup
1 can (10oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (4.5oz) can of chopped green chilies
2 cups chicken broth
18 or so corn tortillas
2 cups of chicken meat
2-4 cups of yellow cheese (cheddar or colby or whatever your preference)
soak tortillas in broth for a minute and then set aside (drained)
add leftover broth, cr mushroom and cr of chicken, tomatoes and chilies together. Mix well.
grease 13x9 baking dish and layer 1/3 of the tortillas then 1/3 of sauce, 1/3 of cheese, and 1/2 of chicken. Repeat and end with last 1/3 of tortillas, then sauce and cheese.
cover with tin foil bake for 45 minutes at 350. remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes. Cheese should be all melty and good.
source: slight changes to a recipe i got from a bag of cheese at HEB in Texas
it sounds a bit weird at first, but it is always a hit.
if you like it spicier, sub in a tin of chopped jalapeños for the chopped chilies
posted by HMSSM at 9:26 PM on November 22, 2010
1 can cr mushroom soup
1 can cr chicken soup
1 can (10oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (4.5oz) can of chopped green chilies
2 cups chicken broth
18 or so corn tortillas
2 cups of chicken meat
2-4 cups of yellow cheese (cheddar or colby or whatever your preference)
soak tortillas in broth for a minute and then set aside (drained)
add leftover broth, cr mushroom and cr of chicken, tomatoes and chilies together. Mix well.
grease 13x9 baking dish and layer 1/3 of the tortillas then 1/3 of sauce, 1/3 of cheese, and 1/2 of chicken. Repeat and end with last 1/3 of tortillas, then sauce and cheese.
cover with tin foil bake for 45 minutes at 350. remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes. Cheese should be all melty and good.
source: slight changes to a recipe i got from a bag of cheese at HEB in Texas
it sounds a bit weird at first, but it is always a hit.
if you like it spicier, sub in a tin of chopped jalapeños for the chopped chilies
posted by HMSSM at 9:26 PM on November 22, 2010
Best answer: Baked macaroni and cheese casserole is definitely an American dish - it was invented elsewhere, but there's a famous story attaching it to Thomas Jefferson (not the inventor, but definitely a fan).
I don't have my Mom's recipe on hand (I'm a big fan!), but Alton Brown's version looks almost identical, in my recollection. I think it didn't have the mustard or breadcrumbs (although I'm going to suggest it).
posted by clerestory at 10:35 PM on November 22, 2010
I don't have my Mom's recipe on hand (I'm a big fan!), but Alton Brown's version looks almost identical, in my recollection. I think it didn't have the mustard or breadcrumbs (although I'm going to suggest it).
posted by clerestory at 10:35 PM on November 22, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I made mac and cheese and it seemed to go over well!
I've saved the other casseroles everyone listed as well. You all are the best answers!
posted by royalsong at 10:10 AM on December 8, 2010
I've saved the other casseroles everyone listed as well. You all are the best answers!
posted by royalsong at 10:10 AM on December 8, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by morganannie at 11:01 AM on November 22, 2010