- Making a casserole is easy for even the most novice cooks. They normally include a mixture of meat or fish, vegetables, starch and flavoring and binding ingredients that are combined in a mixing bowl and placed into a casserole dish. The casserole recipe may require covering the dish during the cooking process or leaving it open-faced. Casseroles are normally baked in a moderately heated oven, around 350 degrees Fahrenheit, until the ingredients are cooked through and the flavors are infused into the food. The time for baking casseroles depends on the size of the dish and the ingredients in the recipe.
- Although many sizes of casserole dishes are available, the most common sizes hold 2 to 3 quarts of food. They are conventionally sold with snug-fitting, transparent lids and are made of ovenproof materials like glass, cast iron or ceramic. Since the casserole depends on even, constant heat to properly cook, it is important that the dish be made of a material that heats slowly and hold its temperature. Metals like aluminum or stainless steel heat too quickly and unevenly to be used for casseroles.
- Besides being easy to prepare, many casserole dishes can be made ahead of time. After casseroles are cooked, the leftovers increase in flavor as well. Casserole dishes are normally attractively designed and decorated so they can go straight from the oven to the table without transferring the food to another container for serving.
- Cut your casserole ingredients into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking. Spray the inside of the dish with a light mist of cooking oil to make serving and clean up easy. Choose the right size for your recipe. The dish should be large enough to allow for the expansion of the food during cooking but not so big that the ingredients dry out because the liquid absorbs too fast. Filling a casserole dish about three quarters full is a good guideline.
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