Chicken Casserole, anyone?
Jun 12 '01 (Updated Jun 15 '01)
The Bottom Line A goofy topic, but here's how I do it!
If there's one thing I know, it's how to cook a chicken casserole. It is my specialty! In fact, it's a running joke in my house: Hubby comes home and says "What's for dinner, chicken casserole?" While we do eat your normal meat, starch and vegetable dinner many nights, I just love the convenience of throwing it all in one pan and calling that dinner.
When I was a newlywed, I only considered one thing when buying or using a casserole dish: size. If 9 x 13" was what I needed, that's the pan I used. I had just one, so there weren't too many other options to consider. Now things have changed, I'm considerably older and have accrued a few more dishes to add to my collection. Here's what is in my cupboards now and why:
Utilitarian
We all need a no-frills collection of cookware. Something we use on a daily basis that serves its purpose and is easy to care for during the hectic week. One would think that these should be your cheap casserole dishes, but one would be wrong. The home cook will use these much more than any other, so make sure to spend your money wisely. So often I've bought the cheap stuff, only to be miserable when using it. The best investment I've made in this department is a clear glass 13 x 9 inch casserole dish that comes with a plastic cover. You can use these for nearly any casserole that you come across and it is invaluable for brownies or a cake. I have even seen two wonderful accessories to go with these: a holder and a warmer. The holder is a basket that is designed to have the casserole fit down inside of it. It looks nicer on your table than the plain glass dish. Second is the warmer. If you are taking your dish to a potluck dinner, you can stick it in this insulated bag (think Domino's heat wave bags) and it will stay warm until you arrive.
Size and Shape
As stated previously, you must have a casserole in the 13 x 9" size. Every other size is secondary. I have also found great uses for a 2-quart and 3-quart size oval casserole dishes. In these you are unable to bake a cake, but they are perfect for a chicken casserole! I also highly recommend the Corning Ware square casserole dishes that go from oven to microwave to stovetop. They are excellent, especially for vegetables, but you must watch them on the stovetop. I have burned many a dish using these no matter what my temperature setting. You also need at least one 9-inch pie dish. Mine is the utilitarian design. I would also recommend you get one 8 x 8 inch square casserole dish since some snack cake or brownie mixes (Martha White in a bag is one) won't fill a 9 x 13" dish.
Decorative
I suppose you could get as fancy and expensive as your budget allows, but consider the amount of times you will use the fancy casseroles during your lifetime. I have a full set of my china, but can't bring myself to use it everyday. Otherwise, how would we distinguish between special dinners? Instead of buying the expensive casserole dishes in the same design as my china, I bought solid colors that coordinated well with my own pattern. I do have a few casserole dishes that are brightly colored and have a different pattern, and it is wonderful to have something to bring from oven to table. I also have been known to cook my vegetables in a pan on the stove and transfer to a small casserole dish before bringing it to the table. More dishes for me to wash, but the table looks so much more beautiful.
One note I should mention: On a trip to Mexico my mother brought back some beautiful hand-painted Mexican dishes, including several beautiful casserole dishes. We were later instructed not to bake in them because the paint they used was not lead free and we could actually get lead poisoning. Apparently regulations in foreign countries are not the same as in the United States. Not a helpful tip for many readers, but a safety fact we wish we had known, so be aware.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Casserole dishes have so much versatility and can add color to your table. My favorites have been picked up at garage sales and antique stores, but you can find them virtually anywhere!
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In response to a request from my Comments Section, here is my favorite chicken casserole recipe:
Jen's Chicken Casserole
I got this recipe from an old college friend.
· 2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
· 1 can cream of chicken soup
· 1 can cream of celery soup
· 1 can of mushrooms, drained
· 1 roll Ritz crackers, crushed
· 1 stick of butter, melted
· 8 ounce container sour cream
Mix soups and sour cream. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle chicken on bottom of casserole dish. Layer soup mixture. Spread cracker crumbs over all and drizzle with butter. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
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