Casseroles are a childhood favorite for many, and a true comfort food. Anyone can learn how to easily prepare and cook them at home. The typical dish is rich and creamy in flavor and texture; a mix of meats and vegetables with pasta or rice and sauce. In general, they can be prepared and cooked in a fairly short amount of time, even prepared well in advance or frozen for later use. The ingredients are usually inexpensive and few in number. These characteristics make casseroles a great dish for savings in terms of both time and money.
Casseroles containing meats like ground beef, ground turkey, or ground sausage are easy to prepare. The idea is to build something rich and hearty; and put a hot, savory dish on the table without spending too much time in the kitchen hovering over the stove. A lot of casserole recipes take advantage of creamy ready-made soups and packaged rice and noodle products. When combined with some seasoned browned meats and seasonal vegetables the results can be quite rewarding, delicious, and very affordable.
Watch your supermarket for sales on different items that you can store in the pantry including soups and bouillons; packaged pastas and rice; and canned vegetables. Stock up on these staples and save money. You can buy chicken, beef, pork, seafood, ground meats, and sausages on sale and divide them into smaller packages for freezing and later use. With some simple recipe investigation, and an eye to the future, you can put together some delicious new entrees, side dishes, appetizers, even breakfast offerings and save a bunch of money and time in the process. Plus, you will save both time and money by not having to run to the store when deciding what to prepare for dinner.
Fresh local, seasonal vegetables can play a large role in your casserole making. Different vegetables may be available to purchase year round due to climate controlled storage facilities or extended growing seasons, but often have a peak time where they are harvested freshest, and less expensive to purchase than at other times. Asparagus is a very popular casserole ingredient and is grown for peak harvest in the early spring. Zucchini and eggplant are popular summer vegetables, while butternut squash is a fall item, and sweet potatoes are readily available in the winter.
Some imagination and planning is all it takes to create the traditional classics or contemporary new dishes and save time and money in the process. Everybody loves casseroles why not put one together today!
The ultimate comfort food, casseroles are a part of nearly every cuisine around the world. Check out our growing collection of the best, taste-tested casserole recipes representing the best the culinary world has to offer.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.