Casserole Crazy

Tomorrow I leave for a two-week European adventure. My first trip out of the country. Ever. That’s what happens when you grow up poor in middle America. I’ll keep my eyes open for casserole-like dishes and try to blog while I’m away, though I can’t make any promises. Feel free to share recipes or tips in the comments section and I’ll see you when I get back.

I’m babysitting today, and because the family is getting ready to go on vacation, there’s not much food in the house. Because it’s raining (unfortunately, not men) I decided I’d just concoct a little something.

There was no soup or broth in the house, so a casserole was out of the question. But, I thought I could follow the same basic principle—throw a few things together, a little of this, a little of that—and I’d have a great meal.

They had what appeared to be the fixins for pad Thai—rice noodles, fish sauce, soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil—and I figured I could forgo a recipe. If you know anything about Asian cooking, you do the math.

Obviously, I’m still hungry.

UPDATE: The dog, who eats everything—including hobo poop—turned her nose up at it. Hey, I never claimed to be good at anything but casseroles.

If you’ve come to this site, like me, you’re probably a little casserole crazy. And if you’re a little casserole crazy, you probably have a few favorites. And where there’s a favorite, there’s a recipe.

Do you think Grandma’s turkey tetrazzini  or Aunt Pat’s hamburger surprise deserve to be published? If so, send them in. I’m always searching for the best casseroles out there. And if I find something I love, it could end up featured here or in my upcoming contemporary casserole cookbook.

I had a dream last night. I dreamt that I walked into some generic Brooklyn grocery store like C-Town or Key Food and had my choice of French fried onions. The shelf was stocked full of Durkee, French’s, some kind I’d never heard of, along with a store brand. It was only a dream.

I believe that the reason my tuna noodle casserole didn’t place at my Second Annual Casserole Party, held last October, was because I had to use potato chips, instead of French fried onions, for my crusty topping. Yes, they’re that good.

Am I missing something here? Are French fried onions not available in Brooklyn because they’re too tacky for New Yorkers? I honestly wouldn’t be surprised; my ex, who was raised on both coasts, once turned his nose up at my love of Durkee Onions and suggested I should “at least French fry your own onions.” That’s like saying if I cut up my own potatoes and fry them, that they’ll be as good as McDonald’s fries. They just won’t. Sure, they might be better for me, and a little more sophisticated, but there’s no denying that fresh, heavily salted McDonald’s fries are amazing.

I’m holding out hope that I can buy Durkee Onions in bulk at Costco. If anyone knows where I can buy French fried onions–any brand–in Brooklyn, please let me know in the comments section.

For those of you who can’t get enough casserole craziness, you’ll soon be able to buy my contemporary casserole cookbook (tentatively titled: “Hot Stuff: Not Your Mama’s Casserole”). Today I agreed to a publishing deal with Perigee, a division of Penguin books.

Coming to a bookstore near you…in about a year and a half.

I’d lived in New York four years before deciding to entertain with casseroles. I was sure my sophisticated, sushi-eating East Coast friends would pass over any Midwestern baked dish, leaving a Pyrex-full of carbohydrates and fats for me to enjoy alone for the next week.

But in the spring of 2004, when a certain domestic diva was about to be freed from prison, I knew that the Martha Stewart Release Party I was planning with my then-roommate was the perfect time for the New York debut of my signature Mac & Corn Casserole.

At the party, a restaurateur friend I can only describe as the Ultimate Food Snob devoured three servings, then gave up on plates all together and ate straight from the dish.

I knew I could no longer hold out on my friends.
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I call it “magic” because I manage to cook in here with absolutely no counter space.

I take pride in my improvisational abilities, though…
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Check out this week’s  month’s (now that I have a book in the works, I can’t give away all my secrets) recipe, The Greenpoint, inspired by my northern Brooklyn neighborhood.

Those who didn’t grow up eating from Pyrex often ask me “why casserole?”

In addition to being time saving and practical, casseroles are the perfect solution for the “domestically challenged.” (Full disclosure: a good casserole is the only thing I do well in the kitchen, aside from a good cocktail.) The beauty of a casserole (especially in its simplest form) is that by following a few simple guidelines you can throw your favorite ingredients in a casserole dish, pour some soup or broth over it and stick it in the oven. Then, use that time to do something more important, like pour yourself a glass of wine (or pop a can of Milwaukee’s Best) and relax.

I got called “The Crazy Casserole Lady” by a fellow blogger tonight at the Brooklyn Blogfest. I have a feeling it’s only the first time… especially considering this site is called Casserole Crazy.

What freaked me out the most was the “lady” part. I just turned 25 (seriously like 36 hours ago) and I’ve been been freaking out about it for the past three months. This didn’t help. And I swear I was “girl” before. So I turn 25 and, all of a sudden, I’m “lady?”

I guess a better way to look at it is that I’m not The Crazy Cat Lady– though that’s probably only a matter of time… CatCrazy.com: coming soon to a browser near you.