[.ca] The Big Book of Casseroles: 250 Recipes for Serious ... (ISBN 0811822605)

From Amazon.com:
You will find no canned soups in Maryana Vollstedt's The Big Book of Casseroles. You will find 250 ways to simplify your weekly meal planning. The properly deployed casserole is economical of both time and money. Anyone living on a family budget--with a family--but eating according to a take-out lifestyle is going to love this book. Jambalaya is a casserole. So is Coq au Vin. So is classic Hungarian Goulash. But let us not forget Turkey Tetrazzine. Or maybe we should forget. Maybe it's the Turkey Tetrazzines of the world made with leftover dried-out Thanksgiving turkey coming at us after the days of turkey soups and turkey sandwiches and turkey salads that have given the word casserole the kind of odor we look for behind the refrigerator. While Vollstedt's version of Turkey Tetrazzine doesn't ask for a can of cream of mushroom soup, and while it is made from fresh ingredients, the result is still going to be the same. And that's one of the problems with The Big Book of Casseroles. It's so big, the demands of coming in with 250 recipes are so great, that classics of the genre that would be better off left to foggy memory are rejuvenated for another generation of unfortunate diners. The other problem is how the definition of casserole gets stretched by the author. Any substance covered with another and baked in an oven appears to be a casserole. When is baked fish a casserole and when is it simply baked fish? Such are the questions raised by Vollstedt's choices. The book covers a lot of ground. Chapters include those on "Basics" (as in white sauce), "Seafood Casseroles," "Poultry Casseroles," "Meat Casseroles," "Vegetable Casseroles," "Baked Pastas," "Grain and Legume Casseroles," "Gratins," and "Low-Fat Casseroles." There are no dessert casseroles. Vollstedt shows you where the casserole has been, and where it is. Use The Big Book of Casseroles as a launching pad for your own creative endeavors. --Schuyler Ingle

When They're Good, They're Good, But When They're Bad...:
I have mixed feelings about this book ... some of the recipes are really great, like sweet and sour pork chops, and tangy baked shrimp. But there are some big-time duds in this book, which makes me wonder if all the recipes were really tested before the book went to press. The directions give it away: in Gourmet Meatballs, you're supposed to make one-inch meatballs, put on a baking sheet and brown for ten minutes at 400 degrees. Then you're supposed to move the meatballs to a casserole, along with any drippings. Drippings? On a baking sheet? Were they paying attention when they typed this one up? Why not put the meatballs in a casserole to begin with? Anyway, after 10 minutes at 400 degrees, the meatballs, baking sheet or not, are done. Then why put them in a casserole and bake for another 40 minutes, along with a little beef broth? This particular one gets the Martha Stewart Award For Recipes That Don't Work. This book is worth buying, but choose your dinner carefully.

Incredible and easy:
I have made about a dozen dishes from this cookbook and have not found one that my family has put on the scrap heap. The seafood casseroles are fantastic. Best cookbook I've ever owned.

Casseroles, huh?:
I thought I would be getting a cookbook that included easy recipes. You know the kind, where you put all the ingredients in the casserole and turn on the heat! Not so here, for many of the recipes. Many require you to cook various ingredients before you put them in the casserole to be baked. Extra work for busy people. I must say, though, that many of the recipes are tasty.....just not timely. Additionally, several just did not work out, eventhough I followed the directions to a "T". Did they test all these recipes first? They tended to be short on moisture and long on dryness. That being said, there is enough good stuff in this book to recommend it.....just use your head. If it sounds like it will be dry, add more moisture to begin with! Not a cookbook for beginners.

An unexpected find of a cookbook!!!:
I must admit that I was not expecting much from this book. However, I have been pleasantly suprised to say the least (these are not the boring 1975 style casseroles that our mothers served to us). The recipes I have made so far were so good, they could be served to company! Many of the recipes call for wine - which really brings the dish up to a whole new level. The recipes are easy, and for the most part uncomplicated. I have made both the Country Chicken Stew and the Chicken Italian - both FABULOUS! One note about the Country Chicken Stew- I suggest using the brown "crimini" style mushrooms, as they are so much better than the boring white generic supermarket mushrooms. (I made the stew both ways - and the brown muchrooms made it classier and soooo much better) One comment on the Tuna Casserole - I have made it twice...very quick and easy. However, it is dry - so I recommend making it with twice the amount called for of the basic white sauce. Overall - a verrrrrry nice book. It is an unexpected find!

A non-casserole cookbook:
I have been looking for good casserole cookbooks for some time, and was delighted to find so many 5 stars for this one. For me, it was far from a 5-star rating. When I do a Tuna Noodle Casserole, I don't expect to start from scratch, cooking a white sauce, beforehand. Can of Mushroom Soup is a no-no in this book, as are other can quickies. This book is devoted to the concept of healthy from scratch--- which is okay. However, the author has completely lost the fact that for many cooks, not all canned goods are bad -- especially when they save time in getting family meals out on time. My personal peeve: There are many Tex-Mex dishes in this book, which is fine. However, they are the Oregonian's version of what Tex-Mex is. Kidney beans abound, a Tex-Mex no-no. Black beans are also specified, which is okay. But pinto beans, the Tex-Mex favorite are completely missing. In addition, although the author mentions several different grains in one paragraph, there is no variety in her recipies. Rice and pasta are all that you find, with an ocasional use of yellow corn meal. Buy this book if you love one-pot dishes for serving. But beware--- you will be using several pots before you are through, preparing ingredients--- instead of the old-time use of cans or other ready-to go ingredients.