Crystal Cook - The Casserole Queens Cookbook: Put Some Lovin in Your Oven with 100 Easy One-Dish Recipes

Copyright 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock
Food photographs copyright 2011 by Ben Fink

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com

CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Casserole Queens is a registered trademark of Casserole Queens, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cook, Crystal, and Sandy Pollock.
The casserole queens cookbook / [by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock].
Includes index.
1. Casserole cooking. 2. Cookbooks. I. Cook, Crystal. II. Title.
TX693.P63 2011
641.821dc22 2010040541

eISBN: 978-0-307-95339-1

Front cover photograph copyright 2011 by Michael Lovitt

v3.1

This book was inspired by the stories, memories, and traditions of our childhoods. From the heartfelt to the humorous, they simply would not exist if it werent for the loving homes we grew up in. We would like to dedicate this book to our parentsJoe Kent and Charlotte Cook, and Max and Margie Pollockfor always making mealtime more than just nourishment, but about family.

Meet Crystal. Meet Sandy. Together were bringing back the classic American casserole, along with other familiar recipes from a bygone era, and updating them with a retro-chic, gourmet flair. Its the best of the 50s with a modern, sophisticated twist. We call it sophistakitsch.

We know what youre thinking. Its not the 1950s, and the idea of whipping up a home-cooked meal with a freshly powdered face seems unreal. But wait! You can have that wholesome dinner ready for your family to devour! And guess what? Youll actually enjoy doing it. Dont think you have to throw on an apron and cook every night of the week (although we think its fun!).

We have loads of nifty tips, creative shortcuts, and easy-to-cook meals that are designed to fit your hectic lifestyle. You may be on a budget, or have zero time to cook, but still yearn for a meal thats healthy and filling. Or maybe youre feeling adventurous and want to step it up a notch. (If so, youre in luckweve included some of our best, world-class recipes derived from Sandys training at the French Culinary Institute. The Queens are crafty like that.)

Whether its a dinner party with friends, an evening meal with the family, or an all-out extravaganza, we hope our unique and quirky perspective, along with our delectable recipes, will inspire you to enjoy an evening gathered around the dinner table. And just maybe youll find out what little Johnny is learning in science class.

Lets back up a bit to a warm, summer night in Austin, Texas. Lots of folks have asked us how we got our business started, and the truth is that the idea for the Casserole Queens was conceived one night while contemplating life over a salty margarita (or two). (See )

As we sipped, Sandy spoke of how she was charmed by a recent holiday visit with her family. Sandy had decided to make all the Pollocks signature dishes with her mom and siblings. The food was heavenly and the conversation centered on the good memories generated by these favorite recipes. She described the evening (while Crystal continued to sip), and proposed the idea of a business designed to help bring families back together around the dinner table with home-cooked goodness. Crystal, being from the South, couldnt agree more. Food and family go hand-in-hand where she grew up. In a world where people are always in a hurry and have little time for dinners together, the idea of convenient home-cooked meals is something that Sandy and Crystal both truly believed in. Hence, the Casserole Queens was born.

Now, we arent saying that all great ideas start this way, but we have been delivering fresh-from-scratch meals to customers in Austin for over four years, all the while sporting heels, aprons, and the timeless tradition of moms best recipes. Our business has been featured in numerous publications. Heck, weve even been on national television, appearing on the Food Networks Throwdown! with Bobby Flay.

Idea-Generating Margaritas

Careful! Drinking more than two of these can make your ideas seem better than they actually are.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Lime wedge

Sea salt

3 ounces premium silver tequila

3 ounces fresh lime juice

3 ounces fresh orange juice

1 ounce Triple Sec

Run the lime wedge around the rim of a margarita glass, and then roll the rim in the sea salt. Add fresh crushed ice to glass and set aside.

Fill a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Add tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and Triple Sec. Shake vigorously, then pour over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. Let the ideas roll!

To us, casseroles represent more than just a delicious and nutritious meal for the family. They also represent a way of lifepart of the retro-chic brand that defines the Casserole Queens as a business and the two of us as individuals. When we think of the quintessential 1950s homemaker, we have to chuckle. Hurry, ladies! Rush and fluff the pillows, prepare his favorite drink, straighten your hair, and quiet down the kidsyour husband is coming home from a hard day at work! Oh, how times have changed. Homemakers may be men or women, and few of us would seek advice on creating a comfortable environment for our spouse. And yet the kitchen remains an important place in many of our lives, not because we are expected to be there but because it is where we can show our devotion to the ones we love most.

When you choose to express yourself through the dishes you cook, its about more than the ingredients. Its about passion, presentation, creation, and pleasing the senses. (Mmmm, smell that? Thats my cookin!)

Having the right items on hand to prepare a quick, delicious meal is key. But also, taking steps to appropriately equip and use your kitchen makes the time you spend there more enjoyable and fulfilling. The kitchen has always been a creative, fun environment for uscooking and dancing like no one is watching. This section was created with care to ensure you never get stuck in a cooking rut! Use our handy tips to minimize fuss, avoid cooking emergencies, and create meals that fit your familys budget, tastes, preferences, and time constraints. We hope to ignite your inner artist, sparking a culinary creativity you never knew you had. Or at the very least, help you cook a solid, memorable meal.