10 Cozy Casseroles for Cold Nights
I blame the weather, as well as my pocketbook (and the fact that I just used the word “pocketbook” should prepare you for the retro flavor of this post), but all I want to eat are casseroles. In the past week I’ve hauled out Fanny Farmer and our two favorite 70’s cookbooks. I made something called Tomato Macaroni Pie on Monday and have been dreaming of something called Beef Noodle Skillet. This from the girl who served duck breast on a weeknight?
But casseroles have so much going for them: they can be elegant (just call it a gratin), they can be healthy (if you insist), they can be cheap, and the leftovers reheat beautifully. For the past hundred years, women carrying Pyrex dishes into church basements knew as much. When you don’t grow up with potlucks and hot dish and you take physics instead of home economics, you find yourself learning these things backward. I was drawn first to the glamour of making pâté and shaking martinis than the art of putting three square meals on the table each day. But eventually, because of that pocketbook, you come around.
- King Ranch Chicken
- Apple, Leek and Butternut Squash Gratin
- Hamburger Stroganoff
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Tamale Pie
- Mediterranean Tuna Noodle Casserole
- French Baguette Casserole
- Cauliflower, Bacon, and Potato Casserole
- Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
- John Wayne Casserole (corresponding reading material)
Julia: wow, the French Baguette Casserole looks like pure, beautiful, stodgy FILTH!!! yum yum…. any combo of bread and cheese passed off as a proper meal is a win in my book. And excuse my ignorance, but I’ve always wondered what a pocketbook is? Please can you put me out of my misery?40 weeks ago
Christine S.: Those King Ranch Chicken, Tamale Pie, and John Wayne Casserole recipes are definitely making me reminiscent of my Texas years!!! And, I agree with Julia, WOW to the French Baguette Casserole!!! Can’t wait to make that one!:)40 weeks ago
Julia, Ha on the French bread casserole! I’ve usually heard people — particularly men — of a certain age refer to purses as pocketbooks. Misery be gone!
Christine, King Ranch Chicken was always a fave of mine, and I couldn’t resist posting something called John Wayne Casserole, of course!40 weeks ago
Becca: Love your blog! I totally added the tator tot casserole to our menu for next week (I even posted it on my blog!). I love me a good casserole but I don’t make them enough. Can’t wait to try it!40 weeks ago
Megan: Loved the John Wayne Casserole story! The Apple, Leek & Butternut Squash gratin looks particularly delish. Thanks for the weekend plan!40 weeks ago
Jora: My favorite retro casserole is Chicken Divan!40 weeks ago
Kristen: Loved the Apple Leek and Butternut Squash Gratin! It was perfect this past crisp autumn evening! I love your site thank you so much for all you share! Cheers!40 weeks ago
Alyson: It’s sad that we are out of season-synch, because the furthest thing on my mind is heating up the kitchen by turning on the stove (we’re already in late summer temperatures and it’s still Spring in Australia!) but I too love to browse my retro cookbooks for the growing up I missed out on. Luckily my favorite “The Potluck Cookery Book” has super salads and desserts with lots of chilled cream as well as cool casseroles. Mmmmm.40 weeks ago
Meghan: yum! i’ve also been in the mood for casseroles, esp. as it’s rainy and gray out. i may do all casseroles from tonight until tuesday! my favorite part of casseroles? not many dishes to clean up.40 weeks ago
Emily: This is just what I need for winter hibernation! Thanks!40 weeks ago
alliemarien: don’t you think tater tots would be so much better if they had the same spicy seasoning as the curly fries? oh yeah babe….as emeril would say.40 weeks ago
Betsy: I can vouch for King Ranch Chicken! However, I have raised children my entire adult life and I am a little over casseroles. Having said that, can’t wait to try the french baguette casserole. It sounds like just the thing to respark my love of this lovely one dish meals!40 weeks ago
Megan: Love the post, as per usual.
And just for the record, peoples of the northeast, particularly the greater Boston area, call any purse a pocketbook, regardless of age
40 weeks ago
Christine: Hi Julia,
Great post for this time of year. Thank you so much for including my (actually my husband’s) John Wayne Casserole. I appreciate it.40 weeks ago
Becca: Just wanted to report back and say that the tator tot turkey casserole was fabulous! We ate it for dinner last night and I couldn’t get enough! I had to stop myself from eating too much.
40 weeks ago
Becca, I know just how you feel. Sometimes I dream about that casserole….40 weeks ago
Shauna Younge Dessert Tables: Great collection of recipes!39 weeks ago