Tis the season for...
-Red bows and white lights
-Inflatable reindeers and snowmen larger than your front yard
-It’s a Wonderful Life and Christmas Vacation
-Lighting Hanukkah candles
-Special ornaments of days gone by
-Opening the windows of the Advent calendar each day
-Jingle Bells and Hark the Herald Angels Sing
-Stocking stuffers (so many decorative socks to choose from these days!)
-Decking the Halls with the Lincoln Symphony
-Oyster Stew
-Spritz cookies (and being so very grateful my sister is carrying on the tradition of making them)
Yes, those may all be possible components of your holiday season. Many are traditions we carry with us from our childhoods. Some are new additions to our repertoire in the last few years.
But really, as the days get shorter, the nights longer, and the temperatures drop...tis the season of casseroles. Yes, casseroles. They transcend the other holiday traditions. They make us happy all year long, but there is something even more special about them in November and December. They bring us joy, a full stomach and most often grand memories of days gone by.
If you now think this blog doesn’t really speak to you, you might stop here. However, if you continue reading, you might find a new recipe to try this winter!
Casserole: a kind of stew or side dish that is cooked slowly in an oven.
Google it and the first entry listed is from the Food Network, “47 Comforting Casserole Recipes/Recipes, Dinners and Easy Meal Ideas.”
I don’t know about you, but yes, I grew up in casserole (some call them 'hot dish') land. And there was nothing better on a cold winter’s night, especially in the midst of a blizzard when the roads were closed, no school, no electricity except the gas stove in the kitchen which provided warmth for our bodies and casseroles for our souls! Luckily, we grew up in the era of non-electric can openers so we could get the soup can open in spite of the lack of electricity.
It's a bit difficult to determine who 'invented' casseroles. "Recipes for casseroles start appearing in American cookbooks in the late 19th century but they really grew in popularity during the Depression and World Wars. Vegetables and starches helped to pad a meal so that a small portion of meat could become a more filling dish during times of hardship.They became even more popular in the mid-20th century as a vehicle for leftovers - often bound together with a can or two of condensed cream of what-have-you soup." https://bit.ly/2rpFWeY
Yes, many casserole recipes include Campbell’s soups. I admit there is always a can of soup in my pantry...it’s a staple. Some people may snub their nose at canned soup, preferring to make their own creamy concoction. I don't often have all the ingredients to quickly make the cream sauce so I turn to the can. Personally, I think canned soups are all American and deserving of their place of honor among Andy Warhol’s paintings.
Canned soup or homemade sauce, you decide. Either way it will be used to create a warm and creamy delight that will definitely fill your soul with happiness.
If you are lucky enough to have family recipes from the past, I am sure you have favorites and many have different names for the same dishes. My hamburger rice casserole is Nancy's mom's beef rice bake. Tuna noodle casserole or tuna au gratin? Same ingredients, different names. Does it matter if the word 'casserole' is in the name?
Having hand written recipes with detailed instructions brings a bit of nostalgia. I heard on the morning show today that ‘nostalgia’ is prevalent in decorating this holiday season. Good to know. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling sentimental about casseroles this year.
Perhaps it could be a conversation starter at your next holiday gathering. What is everyone's favorite casserole? You know they all have one, even if they won't admit it.
Yes, I have many of mom’s recipes, including her all-time family favorite. She wrote with great detail, and with options...always options! We made copies of this recipe and gave to the family and friends who joined us for her celebration of life in October. I know several have already tried Junebug’s scalloped corn.
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This is a theme in my life as well. I love casseroles! My mom usually worked outside the home. Casseroles were quick and one dish to clean up. When on the farm casseroles could serve extra men and "hold" until they got there. As a single parent they stretched the budget and provided leftovers to warm up in the microwave. As Mary said, they are a tradition that serves well all year long! YUM!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary. My mother could take ANY ingredients and make them into a great casserole.
ReplyDeleteWell I am certainly being nostalgic this yr. Brought all the decor down from the attic and hung tree ornaments from my grandma , some of Moms and even 2 from Mary. And tater tot casserole along with night-before -chicken -dish will forever be enjoyed by my three children along with delicious refrigerator desserts made by Junebug . A box of spritz cookies will certainly be under the tree with your name on. Thank you for the joyful words in todays blog.
ReplyDeleteThis was a perfect blog during the holidays. I'm ready to make cookies!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! I was going to bring up our casseroles with hamburger, rice and cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup, but you beat me to it. One more thing that makes us laugh and laugh! I C made Junebug's escalloped corn for Christmas. Our mothers are with us always.
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