by Cathleene Filmore

Created on: January 24, 2008   Last Updated: January 27, 2008

Casserole, a Simple Scientific Formula

Growing up during the Great Depression, my grandmother learned to cook from what was in her kitchen. She told me many stories of how she often made sandwiches out of tomato and mayonnaise. She never stopped eating those simple sandwiches well into the plentiful times that followed. They were scrumptious and they had good memories attached.

I too learned to love the tomato and mayonnaise sandwich along with many of the treasured memories of cooking with my grandmother. She was not a gourmet chef, but she taught me a more valuable lesson than any expensive culinary school could. She taught me the science of cooking with what is in your kitchen. When times were hard, she knew how to go to the cabinet and not only make good meals, but great holiday dinners, baked gifts and true love from the oven. In lye of the possible downward turn of our present economy, I thought it prudent to share the most important recipe my grandmother handed down. It was the first formal cooking lesson she ever gave me. It was, the casserole.

One can make a casserole out of just about any ingredient in their kitchen. It is more of a science than a recipe actually. If you have something out of each category, you're good to go. Category number one is the starch, from which you will need two cups cooked. This category consists of pasta, rice or potato. Category two would be your protein, from this category you will also need two cups cooked or drained. Protein can consist of cheese, and or cooked boneless chicken, canned salmon or tuna, browned lean ground beef, or chopped ham. Category number two would be your veggies. You will need one cup of either frozen or canned vegetables. The next category is moisture; you will need a can of condensed cream soup and one half a can of milk. Finally, you will need a topper. As a topper you can use crushed potato chips, breadcrumbs, crushed croutons, or cheese.

Now this may all sound a little too scientific at this point, and not so appetizing. Let me assure you that once you get the right combination going, start smelling your wonderful concoction, and extract that warm bubbly creation from the oven, you will feel quite differently.

One of my favorite combinations is chicken, rice, cheese, and corn w/diced green chilies, cream of mushroom soup, topped with crushed croutons. I cover it and bake it in a 375-degree oven for about forty-five minutes. It is awesome. I hope you have fun creating your own recipes with this simple formula.

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