The

CASSEROLE QUEENS

M ake -a-Me al
Mix and Match

100 Casseroles,

Salads, Sides,
and Desserts

Crystal
Cook
&
Sandy
Pollock

Pur
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CLARKSON POTTER

Copyright 2013 by Sandy Pollock and Crystal Cook

Photographs copyright 2013 by Ben Fink
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the
Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com
CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with colophon is a registered
trademark of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cook, Crystal.
The casserole queens make-a-meal cookbook / Crystal Cook and
Sandy Pollock. First edition.
pages cm
Includes index.
1. Casserole cooking. I. Pollock, Sandy. II. Title.
TX693.C645 2013
2012046898
641.82'1dc23
ISBN 978-0-7704-3680-3
eISBN 978-0-7704-3681-0
Printed in the United States of America
Book design by Rae Ann Spitzenberger
Cover design by Rae Ann Spitzenberger
Cover photography by Ben Fink
10987654321
First Edition

Contents
The Casserole Queens
Are Back!
9

Let the good times

casserole!
19

Casseroles
for all!

Favorite Classics
for the Whole Gang

34

international

casseroles
Around the World
in Ate-y Days

52

Dietary Exceptions Made

Exceptionally Well:
Casseroles That Suit Your Life!

75

name that

casserole!
In Seven Ingredients or Less

98

Lettuce discuss

our options:
Iceberg! Straight Ahead!

114

Sassy

sides
Side Dishes with Attitude

138

Naughty

desserts:
If Eating Dessert is Naughty,
Then We Dont Want to be Good!

162

Starting

from scratch:
Fall in Love with
Your Kitchen Again!

184
Acknowledgments
204

Index
205

the

Casserole queens

are back!

Hi, it s Crystal and Sandy, and were back for a second

helping! Were the Casserole Queens, two dear friends who
are proudly front and center of a growing casserole movement. We, along with thousands of other folks across the
country, are reviving this American mealtime staple with
fresh ingredients and updated flavors. Of course, we like to
throw in some kitsch and retro-chic style, to keep things
fun with a nod to the 1950s, when casseroles reigned
supreme. But these delightfully simple and wholesome
dishes are truly timeless and are the best way to put a
delicious, from-scratch meal on the table so that you can
actually sit down with your family at the end of the day.
As we kick off our second cookbook, were taking the concept a step further, giving you great ways to add even more
spontaneity and flair to your meals. So grab your quirkiest
apron, grease up a casserole dish, and get ready for a fresh
new batch of hot-from-the-oven goodness thatll have your
family crowded around the table.

|9

Zucchini Lasagna
Citizens of Casseroleville, bow in the presence of the king of all baked dishes! This
recipe gets two thumbs-up not only for being gluten-free, but also
gluten-free
for allowing you to keep your blood sugar in check. By replacing
Diabetic Friendly
lasagna noodles with thin layers of sliced zucchini, the carbs stay
low, but the flavor is still full and zesty. We suggest using a mandoline for even slices
and quick prep. Just be carefulthose things are sharp! Serves 8
2Bc tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil

1 Preheat the oven to 375F.

1 small onion, finely

chopped

2 In a large straight-sided skillet set over medium heat,

Bc teaspoon red pepper

flakes
1 pound ground turkey
1 (28-ounce) can diced
tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped
fresh oregano
2 teaspoons salt
2 medium zucchini
1 cup part-skim ricotta
cheese
Be teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
Bc cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
(2ounces)

heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and red pepper
flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is
tender, about 8 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking
up any large pieces with the back of a spoon, until brown
throughout, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring the
mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer
until it thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in the oregano and
salt. Let cool.
3 Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips (about

Biinch thick). Put 5 or 6 zucchini slices, overlapping slightly,

in the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Top with 1 cup of
the sauce. Dot with Be cup of the ricotta. Repeat the layers
twice, alternating the direction of the zucchini. Top with the
remaining zucchini and brush the top with the remaining
Be teaspoon oil. Dot with the remaining Be cup ricotta
and season with the black pepper. Top with the Parmesan
cheese.
4 Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the lasagna is bubbling

and the top is brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before

serving.

76

| The Casserole Queens Make-A-Meal Cookbook

Zucchini Lasagna
page 76

Broccoli Salad
Youll be surprised how this tasty salad tricks many picky eaters into dining on
veggies! Crystals sister-in-law Ramona employs this salad to get her daughgluten-free
ter Chloe to eat her broccoli. The trick lies in the combination of the flavorsthe raw broccoli pairs beautifully with salty bacon and a sweet and creamy dressing.
Serves 8
6 cups fresh broccoli
florets, chopped
8 slices bacon, cooked and
crumbled
3 green onions, green parts
only, chopped
Bc cup dried cranberries
or raisins
Bc cup chopped pecans
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Bc cup sugar

1 In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, bacon, green onions,

cranberries, and pecans.
2 In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, and

sugar to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over the broccoli

mixture and toss well. Serve room temperature orcold.

This dish can be made diabetic-friendly by substituting a

sugar substitute like stevia for the sugar. Take a look at the
guidelines on the sweetener package to know how much
to put in the salad, since something like Splenda is much
sweeter than sugar.

let us discuss our options

| 1 33

broccoli salad
page 133

Aunt Fannies Cabin

Squash Casserole
page 148

rosemary
Baked Ham
page 78

Pretzel Nut

Nilla Cake

In the South, we call vanilla wafers nilla wafers. Just like we call pudding puddin.
Hmm . . . come to think of it, bet the person who invented Nilla wafers was from the
South, as we southerners tend to lose the extra parts of words so we can get right to
the good stuff. This cake is all kinds of good stuffvanilla wafers, peanuts, and pretzels
in one delicious dessert. Try it and you just may start droppin letters and syllables like
a southerner. Who needs them, anyhow, when your mouth is full of cake? Serves 8
Cooking spray
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark brown
sugar
De cup (1Bc sticks) unsalted
butter, softened
6 large eggs
Bc cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 vanilla wafers, crushed

1 Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole

dish with cooking spray.
2 In a large bowl, cream together the granulated sugar,
brown sugar, and butter. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, vanilla
wafers, peanuts, and pretzels. Mix thoroughly. Pour the
mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
3 Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center

comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

1 cup peanuts, chopped

4 Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator

1 cup thin pretzel rods,

coarsely chopped

for up to 1 week.

170

| The Casserole Queens Make-A-Meal Cookbook

Pur
chas
eacopyof

T
HECAS
S
E
ROL
EQUE
E
NS
MAKE
AME
ALCOOKBOOK
atoneoft
hes
er
et
ai
l
er
s
:

CLARKSON POTTER