CELEBRATE THE 50s WITH CASSEROLES January 18, 2006 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

One of the coolest looks around is retro. From home furnishings to clothing, the 1950s reign. But since I'm not redecorating the house or myself, I decided to be 50s cool in the kitchen with casseroles.

Casseroles were very popular in the 1950s. Food historians call this time period the Decade of the Casserole.

So I began my journey to retro cool by searching for casserole recipes. I looked through a cookbook compiled by First Baptist Church in Luling, Louisiana, where I did relief work after Hurricane Katrina. Two recipes struck my fancy. One was a manly casserole with meat for Daddy. A lady-type casserole with artichokes appealed to Mother and me.

Here I must be honest. Mother and I also ate some of Daddy's casserole. Really, how can I test a recipe if I don't taste it? And honest, I did need to tinker with both recipes to reduce the fat. I don't know what Mother's excuse - er, reason - was.

Daddy's Cabbage Casserole contains ground beef. Ground beef ranges from high in fat to very lean. Lean is better for us, but it's expensive. However, you can buy less expensive, higher fat ground beef and apply a little elbow grease to reduce the grease. That's what I did when preparing this casserole.

After browning the beef, I removed it from the pot and placed it on several layers of paper towels. Placing more paper towels on top of the beef, I pressed out all the fat I could. Next, I placed the beef in a colander and ran very hot tap water over it for a minute or so; then I let it drain for about 3 minutes. This flushes out more fat. Finally, I wiped the grease out of my pot before returning the beef to it and continuing with the recipe.

Judging from the looks of the resulting ground beef, I succeeded in removing a substantial amount of fat. While I saved money on the beef, my paper towel bill resembles the national debt. You decide where you want to spend your money, but do go with less fat.

Cutting the fat in the artichoke casserole didn't take any elbow grease - in fact, it took less. The original recipe called for a half cup of olive oil. While olive oil is considered a good fat, this is definitely a case of too much of a good thing.

I measured out only 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In tasting the finished casserole, both Mother and I thought this was plenty. However, if the casserole mixture looks too dry after combining all the ingredients, add a little more oil if you feel the need.

I also had to do some tinkering to figure out amounts of some ingredients, such as chopped onions. Like many good cooks, the ladies who contributed these recipes to the cookbook don't measure. But being smart as well as cool, I'm not going to argue with their success.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown beef in 5-quart pot; drain fat. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, and water; mix well. Then add rice, salt, and pepper; mix well. Pour mixture into 3-quart casserole dish (a little smaller than 9- x 13-inches) that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with shredded cabbage then with cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or till cabbage is tender.

Yields 6 - 8 servings.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil in skillet till onion is transparent, being careful not to burn garlic. Add green beans to mixture and cook 5 minutes. Add artichokes to mixture and mix well. Add bread crumbs and cheese to mixture. Transfer mixture to covered casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or till bubbly.

Yields 8 servings.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 5/24/06