Category: Entree – Casserole

Aunt Elda’s Casserole

So things have been kind of slow here in the Kitchen for a while, so Dave the Hubby decided maybe he should rummage around for some stuff himself. He used to be a bit of a recipe-bound cook himself, albeit nothing quite as yummy or creative as Margie. Nevertheless, maybe it’s time to record some of those Old Standards / Comfort Foods from days gone by …

This recipe is no doubt from some sort of magazine article, but Dave’s family was introduced to it on a visit to Aunt Elda up in Sacramento. Hence it became known in the family as “Aunt Elda’s Casserole.” From that day, a long-time family standard.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. Pasta (rotelle/rotini work well)
  • 1 lb. Ground Round
  • ¾ c. Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • 1 can Tomato Soup
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
  • 1 mdm Onion, chopped
  • 1 small can Mexicorn
  • 6 oz. Tomato Paste
  • 8 oz. Tomato Sauce

Directions:

  1. Boil the noodles and set aside.
  2. Brown the meat.
  3. Mix together the other ingredients (except meet and cheese) and cook for about 10 minutes.
  4. Put a layer of noodles at the bottom of a 9×13 casserole. Add a layer of meat mixture, then noodles, etc. Sprinkle top with cheese.
  5. Bake 30 minutes at 350°

Note: Can be microwaved, too. Easy to freeze and reheat. Like most pasta casseroles, better the next day.

Serves: However many family members can chow down a 9×13 casserole.

Prep time: Takes about an hour all told.

Source: Aunt Elda, of course!

 

Lasagna

Make sure you use teaspoons, not tablespoons, of fennel, otherwise you’ll end up with “Dave’s Infamous Fennel Lasagna.”

Ingredients:
½ lb Lasagna Noodles, Cooked
1 lb Mozzarella Cheese, grated
¾ c Parmesan Cheese, grated

Meat Sauce
1 lb Italian Sausage
½ lb Ground Beef
2 c Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Salt
1½ tsp Basil
½ tsp Fennel Seed
¼ tsp Pepper
28 oz Tomatoes, canned
12 oz Tomato Paste
1/4 c red wine

Ricotta Mixture
1 Egg, beaten
15 oz Ricotta Cheese
1 tbsp Parsley Flakes
1 tsp Salt

Directions:

  1. Brown meat.
  2. Saute onions, garlic
  3. Combine Meat Sauce ingredients and simmer to taste.
  4. Mix up Ricotta Mixture.
  5. In a 9×13 baking pan, put a thin coat of meat sauce on the bottom, then layer 3x (i.e., use 1/3 of ingredients in each layer) the following:
    • Lasagna noodles
    • Meat Sauce
    • Ricotta Mixture
    • Mozzarella
    • Parmesan
  6. Cover with foil; bake at 375° for 25 minutes.
  7. Uncover, bake another 25 minutes.
  8. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 2 hrs
Serves: 8
Source: “Mama Creamette” (modified)

Chili Cheese Rice Bake ala Dave

This is a really easy, really filling, and really cheap meal.

Ingredients:
4 oz Green Chile, canned diced
3 c Rice, cooked
2 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
½ c Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 c Sour Cream
½ tsp Salt

Instructions:

  1. Mix chiles, sour cream, salt in a bowl.
  2. In a 1.5 quart casserole, repeat these layers twice:
    • 1 c rice
    • 2/3 c Jack
    • 1/3 of sour cream mix
  3. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (or 3 minutes at 100% in a microwave)
  4. Sprinkle cheddar all over top.
  5. Bake another 15 minutes (2 minutes at 100%) until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.

It’s also quite possible just to mix everything up and bake it.

Serves: 6

Source: Dave got it from somewhere