Casseroles have always been a comfort food even in times of bounty. They might have a reputation for being a plain food and not worthy of cuisine status, but most cultures boast at least one very popular casserole dish. The French enjoy cassoulet a rich stew with beans, vegetables and sausage. The Greeks, Mexicans and Italians have similar layered meat and tomato dishes; moussaka is made with eggplant, enchiladas use tortillas and lasagna has several layers of filling and noodles. Asian stir-fries or stews are served over rice to make a modified version of the casserole.
Sunday afternoons of my childhood were reserved for visiting. Often a variety of aunts, uncles and cousins gathered at my grandmother’s home for dinner. After grace, we waited patiently to pass our plates to Grammy and she would use a huge metal spoon to cut into a hot casserole and give us a big serving. We sopped up every drop of the juices with a thick slice of homemade bread. We always had plenty of filling food and through the years developed a craving for her casseroles.
I have modified my cooking to my grandmother’s skills. Her recipes were adapted to make do and those recipes have been passed down through the family. One casserole she called Seven-course-dinner consisted of seven basic ingredients, potatoes, rice, onion, green pepper, hamburger, tomato and bacon layered and baked until the bacon on top was crisp and the vegetables tender. This satisfying casserole stretches the more expensive ingredients. Though I’ve adopted a meatless diet, I still make this casserole with substitutions. When I create my own casseroles, I maintain the tradition and include at least seven ingredients.
This morning my honey and I raided the refrigerator and pantry for leftovers and other ingredients. We layered everything in the slow-cooker and added tomato juice. Then we kneaded the bread dough and formed loaves. Today is the day we spend time together twice, once to prepare and then later to share the results.
THE END
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