Cassaroles de la Opera
I have been making a lot of cassaroles lately. With 8 people and some working on different schedules, it's nice when there is food, and even better when everyone is home. I generally work an early shift which is 5:00 am to 12:00 pm, my day starting at 4:00. I get home in the early afternoon and relax for a while, and sometimes take a nap, then I get back to work on home projects.
I'll sometimes make Lunch, but more often I make Dinner. Nobody has a schedule as far as plans for meals go. I usually ask my sisters if they have any plans for dinner, and mom will usually mention it if she has something going. When I do get free range in the Kitchen, I just plain old love to create new and exciting recipes. Cooking is an extra joy for me, I feel like I've done a job well if everyone is full and satified, and the plus is, when a meal is made, everyone sits down together and we enjoy family time and make good conversations.
Cassarole Techniques
We bought 50 lbs of Hamburger recently for .99 a lb and it came in the 5 lb logs. I like to get the meat out of the freezer ahead of time, because this usually inspires us all to cook meals and think ahead on them. So, "10 lbs of chicken thawed is worth 50 in the freezer." Right? ;) When I use hamburger logs, I take one third for the meal I am making and seperate the other two thirds into Ziplock bags for two other meals. (This ensures that it will be used evenly and nobody comes out short when trying to prepare food.)
I recently discovered that while I brown the Hamburger, Saute' the Onoins and prepare the other ingrediants, I can start the oven and put about 1/2 inch of Rice or Cornmeal in my cassarole dish and cover it with an equal amount of water. This is an advantage because, number one, I don't have to use another pan, and number two I don't have to cook it completely before adding the other ingrediants. The other thing I like about it is the way thickens so nicely on the bottom and absorbes excess moisture. (This kind of keeps it from falling apart when it's served.)
My new blogspot friend Retired Homeschool Mom was sharing a recipe for Zesty Sausage and Beans, I am planning to make a variation of it as a Cassarole. Yummy!
Rice, Beans, and Sausage topped with Salsa and Sour Cream.
I'll sometimes make Lunch, but more often I make Dinner. Nobody has a schedule as far as plans for meals go. I usually ask my sisters if they have any plans for dinner, and mom will usually mention it if she has something going. When I do get free range in the Kitchen, I just plain old love to create new and exciting recipes. Cooking is an extra joy for me, I feel like I've done a job well if everyone is full and satified, and the plus is, when a meal is made, everyone sits down together and we enjoy family time and make good conversations.
Cassarole Techniques
We bought 50 lbs of Hamburger recently for .99 a lb and it came in the 5 lb logs. I like to get the meat out of the freezer ahead of time, because this usually inspires us all to cook meals and think ahead on them. So, "10 lbs of chicken thawed is worth 50 in the freezer." Right? ;) When I use hamburger logs, I take one third for the meal I am making and seperate the other two thirds into Ziplock bags for two other meals. (This ensures that it will be used evenly and nobody comes out short when trying to prepare food.)
I recently discovered that while I brown the Hamburger, Saute' the Onoins and prepare the other ingrediants, I can start the oven and put about 1/2 inch of Rice or Cornmeal in my cassarole dish and cover it with an equal amount of water. This is an advantage because, number one, I don't have to use another pan, and number two I don't have to cook it completely before adding the other ingrediants. The other thing I like about it is the way thickens so nicely on the bottom and absorbes excess moisture. (This kind of keeps it from falling apart when it's served.)
My new blogspot friend Retired Homeschool Mom was sharing a recipe for Zesty Sausage and Beans, I am planning to make a variation of it as a Cassarole. Yummy!
Rice, Beans, and Sausage topped with Salsa and Sour Cream.
posted by Princess_Fyara at 1:49 PM
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