Casserole, a Family Classic Dinner

The Casserole cannot be absent in a typical family dinner. In culinary history, it is very rich in flavor and started in the west as the Americans have come to love it. All throughout time, there has been  casserole recipes  that have changed and diverged. But still, it remains to be the creamy, cheesy, or crispy-topped dish that we all come to love.

Healthy casserolecomes in recipes with a combination of meat, vegetables and rich. Some even opt to go for pasta. While others need a complicated way of cooking, some casseroles are based on easy recipes.

For a bit of touch of the  casserole’s history, let us go back to the 1940s. This was the time when the women joined the workforce and had little or no time at all to prepare dinner for their families. Then emerged one-dish meals that instantly caught the trend with wives which also a good way of stretching a basic pantry. It was a quick and easy recipe where the casserole dealt with leftovers but was still authentic and homemade.

When the war came to a close, the economy started to climb to its peak and the typical casserole recipe stated to have a fancy feel. It then became a supper centerpiece, present even at elegant dinner parties. There were classic casserole recipes from that time where one could easily make one with canned vegetables, rice or noodles and condensed soups as the sauce.

Now, the casserole recipe is still a family favorite and is customized according to a family’s preference. It only requires ten minutes or even less to make and the taste is just delicious. Here are some classic casserole recipes that you might want to try at home.

One-Dish Chicken & Stuffing Bake

Ingredients:

4 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 6)

Paprika

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (regular or 98% fat free)

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">1/3 cup milk

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">Cooking it:

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">Prepare the stuffing according to the package directions. Spoon the stuffing across the center of the baking dish. Take a chicken and place it on each side of stuffing. Sprinkle paprika on the chicken and set aside. Mix soup, milk and parsley. Once done, pour over chicken and cover. Bake this for 30 minutes at 400°F or until chicken is no longer pink.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">Ingredients

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Cream of Celery Soup

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">1/2 cup milk

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">1 cup cooked peas

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">2 tablespoons chopped pimiento (optional)

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">2 cans (about 6 ounces each) tuna, drained and flaked

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">Cooking it:

<p class="MsoNormal" style="outline:0px;">Mix soup, milk, peas, pimiento (if you wish so), tuna and noodles in a casserole. Bake this for twenty minutes at 400°F. Once done, stir and set aside. Take the bread crumbs and mix it with butter. Sprinkle this on top of casserole. Bake again for five minutes or until it is hot.