What says Happy Holidays like a Casserole??? (try a card)

    Nothing says Holiday Cooking like a casserole..of some sort or another... so I have tried to compile some traditional ones for you... I do love traditions..even if they aren't mine!  Thanksgiving at our house, when I was growing up, consisted of Turkey (when I was little I remember poor Tom being butchered in the kitchen sink...but we moved with the rest of the world and bought store bought), stuffing (my mom would make 2..one with walnuts and maybe raisins, and another with chestnuts-my favorite-), mashed potatoes, butternut squash, turnip, baked sweet potatoes, boiled pearl onions, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce-canned..jellied, all of that my mom would make..and my Italian grandmother would make homemade cheese ravioli, meatballs, Italian sausage, fried cauliflower, ensalada (of lettuce and tomato dressed with olive oil and vinegar), loaves of crusty Italian bread from the local bakery, and those store bought sponge soft dinner rolls, which I thought was so American.  Sometimes, my grandfather would buy bottles of coca cola..they were 6 packs in glass bottles.  To consume all of this were various relatives..only seen holiday time.  No one in my immediate family drank, but my grandmother always had a bottle of Seagram's 7 for company.  And she would make her highballs...1/2 glass of Seagram's 7 and 1/2 glass of ginger ale.  Since she didn't drink herself ever..she had no idea that she should use a shot. It's funny, ice was a tough commodity to come by.  I never remember us ever having ice for anything. 
    Well, in my Italian/Anglo home casseroles were never made at holidays, but I saw glossy pictures in ladies' magazine of the beautiful and seductive casseroles...and longed for them.  So, here I am fulfilling my holiday dreams..First two are holiday fixtures...

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE with BROWN SUGAR TOPPING

6 medium sweet potatoes - about 3 cups

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover sweet potatoes in saucepan; cover completely with water; boil until tender. Drain and peel while hot. Mash until smooth. Add butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Put in well-buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle potatoes evenly with topping. Place in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

  TOPPING 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup all purpose flour 4 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup chopped pecans Combine ingredients and blend well. Sprinkle over casserole and bake as directed.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE WITH BACON

 (cause we already know...EVERYTHING is better with bacon)

2 (16-ounce) cans green beans, drained
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1 (2.8-ounce) can French-fried onion rings, divided
6 (12 for Doug) pieces of bacon cooked till crisp and crumbled

1/8 teaspoon pepper

 Heat oven to 350°F.
In medium bowl, stir together beans, soup, milk, 1/2 each of onion rings and bacon and the pepper. Spoon into 1 1/2-quart casserole.
Bake casserole 30 minutes. Top with remaining 1/2 each of onion rings and bacon bits. Bake 5 minutes longer.

(this can be made without bacon, if you fear for your arteries)

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

2 - 16 ounce cans French style green beans

1 can Golden Mushroom Soup

1- 8 ounce can water chestnuts

1- 3 ounce can French Fried Onions

 

Mix beans, soup, chestnuts, and part of onions in bowl.  Spread in casserole dish sprayed with PAM or buttered. Top with remaining onions. Bake at 325 degree oven for 20 mins.

RICE AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

1 cup rice (3/4 cup)

1 jar Cheese Whiz or 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 stick oleo (3/4 cup) [margarine]..bet this is better with butter

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green peppers

1 cup chopped onion (1 med)

1 large chopped cooked broccoli

 

Cook rice and add cheese. In oleo, saute celery, green peppers, and onion. Cook until tender.Add sauted vegetables to rice. Add broccoli and soup. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees in covered casserole dish. Optional: grated cheese on top with almonds.

 

 

 

Easy Cheesy Corn Bake

 

5 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, about 4 ounces

4 large eggs

1 can (approx. 15 ounces) cream-style corn

1 can (11 to 15 ounces) Mexican-style corn with peppers, drained

1 tablespoon Dijon or your favorite prepared mustard

1 1/2 cups fresh finely ground bread crumbs, divided

 

 

Grease a 2 to 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Heat oven to 325°.Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until onions are just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour until well blended. Stir in salt, pepper, and milk and continue cooking, stirring, until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted.In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Stir in cream-style and Mexican-style corn, mustard, and 1 cup of the bread crumbs. Combine the cheese mixture with the corn mixture. Spoon into prepared baking dish.Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and toss with remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over the corn casserole and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until firm in center.

Serves 6 to 8.

Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

This butternut squash casserole includes apples and is topped with a buttery spiced crumb topping with brown sugar. This is a tasty side dish for any fall meal, and it would be a perfect holiday dinner casserole.

1 small butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs)

2 tart apples

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

4 tablespoons butter, cold

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

 

Butter a 2- to 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Heat oven to 350°. Peel, seed, and cut squash into small slices. Core the apples, peel, and cut into thin slices. Toss squash and apples together. Transfer squash and apple slices to the prepared baking dish. Combine brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; cut in butter with fork or pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over sliced squash and apples. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes, or until squash is tender.         Harvest Vegetable Bake   1 rutabaga, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, about 3 to 4 cups diced 6 carrots, peeled, about 2 cups diced 1 cup sliced celery 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided 4 to 6 medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, about 3 to 4 cups diced 5 tablespoons butter, divided 3 tablespoons flour 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Grating of nutmeg, or about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon 1 1/2 cups milk 1 cup mild Cheddar cheese 1 cup fresh bread crumbs       Dice rutabaga and carrots - about 1/2-inch pieces - and slice the celery. Put the diced rutabaga and carrots and sliced celery in a large saucepan; cover with water; add about 1 teaspoon of salt to the cooking water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Dice potatoes and add to the vegetables, adding more water as needed to cover. Simmer, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Drain and let vegetables cool slightly. In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until well blended. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, then gradually stir in the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted. Combine sauce with vegetables; stir gently. Turn into the prepared baking dish. Heat oven to 350°.Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter; toss with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over the vegetables. Bake, uncovered, for about 35 to 40 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Serves 6 to 8.     But absolutely nothing is better than chocolate, except maybe Doug...