Anonymous wrote:Casseroles are an easy, convenient one-dish meal that involves meat, starch, veggies, maybe cheese, and some kind of binder (often canned cream-of-something soup). Some casserole recipes are high in fat, carbs, and sodium and low on fresh veggies and this has made the casserole fall from favor, nutritionally speaking. Hence their white trash, trailer park reputation. But lots of people still love casseroles because they are easy, filling, inexpensive, and generally kid-friendly! They also freeze well.
Green bean casserole will probably never disappear from the Thanksgiving table. The Duggars' most famous recipe is for tater tot casserole. "Hot dish" is practically a religion in the upper Midwest. Then there's my DH's grandmother's "seven-up" casserole which involves ground beef, 5 kinds of canned vegetables, and a can of tomato soup. Paula Deen has a chicken and rice casserole which I really should not like, but I do. DH and the kids love it too - go figure. My favorite casseroles are made with good, fresh ingredients. Giada DeLaurentiis has a couple of really good pasta casserole recipes - her chicken tetrazzini recipe is awesome. Pot pie is a casserole, as is shepherd's pie or cottage pie. None of these involve canned cream-of-something soup, but I still can't make them very often because DH has to limit his carb intake.
Paula Dean's corn casserole is freaking delicious. Very high fat though so I make it only on Thanksgiving.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/corn-casserole-recipe.html