Ever been “called” on to bring a casserole to the next covered dish event at your church, but had no idea what to make? Maybe you’re one of those people who isn’t the most talented when it comes to cooking. Well, that’s okay, since we’re only talking casseroles here. Casseroles are almost impossible to mess up, no matter your level of skill (or lack thereof) in the kitchen. Casseroles are popular items to bring to dinners because:
1 — they are easy to make
2 — they travel well
3 — they reheat tolerably (or taste even better after reheating than fresh out of the oven)
The simplicity of the casserole is its most beautiful feature. Depending on the ingredients, a really good casserole can be made pretty fast, even though cooking time can be up to one hour or more depending on the ingredients. Today we’re going to talk about some of the best casseroles to take to a church get together. We will not post exact recipes, but rather we will discuss what makes each dish especially suitable for taking along to a church function.
Macaroni and Cheese
Homemade mac-n-cheese is one of those down home comfort foods most people really enjoy, but seldom make for themselves. I’m not talking about the Kraft stuff that comes out of a box and is flavored with bright orange powder that may or may not make peoples’ insides glow for 2-3 days after consumption — but rather, real, honest, home made baked cheesy goodness, with real cheese as sauce, and topped with lightly golden buttered crumbs. Finding a workable recipe for this old standby is as easy as reading the back of your box of elbow macaroni, and you’ll be sure to score a bit hit if you make this.
Chicken Bog
This is a traditional Southern dish made of chicken, rice, spicy sausage, and seasonings. A whole chicken is cut up, along with some additional thigh and leg pieces. (Don’t use anything fancy like boneless skinless chicken breasts; the fat content on the skin, plus the flavors in the dark and white meat are what give this recipe all its flavor.) Once the chicken has been cooked and deboned, it is added to the rice and sausage and then put into a hot oven and baked, along with some broth/liquid, until moist and done. This is an excellent recipe to bring to any event.
Au Gratin Potatoes
Lots of people enjoy the taste of sliced potatoes baked with cheddar cheese, milk or cream, grated onion, and a bit of cayenne red pepper or paprika. This super easy recipe warms back up very nicely. It doesn’t have to be piping hot when served, either, which makes it a versatile side dish to almost any main course.
Italian Brunch Casserole
This easy to prepare, make ahead of time casserole will become a favorite fast once you discover how simple it is to throw together, and how the flavors really pop. Just combine some sweet Italian sausage with sliced green onions, a couple of diced zucchini, salt and pepper, a jar of roasted red peppers chopped and drained, a large Italian loaf of bread in cubes, 6 eggs, 2 cups of shredded cheese, and 1 1/2 c. milk in a large casserole dish and bake for one hour. Couldn’t be easier.
So now you’re ready the next time there’s potluck at your church. You’ll never be caught off guard again once you master two or three basic casserole recipes.
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