Casseroles that just won't quit!

In my previous post about Family Circle Casserole Cookbook (Ed. Malcolm E. Robinson, 1978), I highlighted some recipes that were not exactly what I (or most modern cooks) might be expecting. My favorite part of the cookbook, though, is that it has two separate sections inviting cooks to create their own casseroles. The book offers rough formulas of proportions and cook times so home cooks can use up whatever they happen to have on hand to create their own unique casseroles.

The first chart is less extensive and a little more prescriptive than the second, and thus, not quite so much fun. I'll start with that one.

There's no question what the sauce will be for these, as they all start with a can of undiluted condensed soup. Then there's the protein, vegetable, and the appealingly-named "starch or filler." Note that Chart II has the "more highly seasoned combinations," like tomato soup with ground beef, green pepper, and diced potatoes. Spicy! The trick is that cooks can mix and match, as long as they take one item from each column. You know where this is going! I'm going to post the combination that sounds weirdest to me... So I say New England Clam Chowder with sliced frankfurters, a one-pound can of tomatoes, and a one-pound can of hominy. Maybe throw some chow mein noodles on top (per the topping instruction from the headnote) just to keep things extra confusing.

And then, there is a big, beautiful two-page chart with even more recommendations! They're not even all soup-based! Plus, the needlework illustration of all the fruits and vegetables is adorable.

However, I realize that the columns are way too small to read easily, so I'll list each one in isolation below and pick my favorite option from each column to create a crazy, mixed-up casserole by the end.

First up: Proteins!

I'm going with 8 hard-cooked eggs, sliced. Next come the starches!

I'm going for a pound of frozen crinkle-cut French fries. Next, we need a veggie.

How about pared, cubed, and par-cooked cucumbers? Then we need a sauce to cook all this weirdness in...

How about a couple cups of bottled barbecue sauce? And finally, the toppings.

How about wheat germ with chopped parsley and green onions?

Now all I have to do is bake those ingredients in an 8-cup casserole dish in a 375° oven for 35 minutes, et voilà! Egg and Cuke Barbecue with Soggy-Ass Fries!

I hope you find the endless-casserole exercise as much fun as I do. Feel free to share your own dream/ nightmare combinations.