Cookbook Corner: The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

I was browsing through my local Barnes and Nobel the other night and happened upon a decent looking cookbook, The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever. I flipped through it and saw, on initial inspection, several tempting recipes. The $25 dollar price tag made me put the book back on the shelf. Then the next day, I happened to be at one of my favorite places, Half Price Books, and noticed that they had several copies of The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever for the low-low price of $9.98. Needless to say I snapped up a copy, pleased that I got it for less than half of B&N's price. Go me!

What to expect: Boasting over 500 recipes, the book includes sections on: Casserole Basics, Appetizer Casseroles, Casserole Breads, Breakfast & Brunch Casseroles, Poultry Casseroles, Beef Casseroles, Pork Casseroles, Lamb, Veal and Game Casseroles, Grains and Legume Casseroles, Fish and Shellfish Casseroles, Casseroles for Kids, Dessert Casseroles...and on and on and on. I think you get the idea.

The recipes are easy to follow and don't require a lot of difficult techniques or fancy ingredients. Many of the dishes can be made ahead of time and thrown in the oven when ready to cook, which is nice for busy people (and really--who isn't pressed for time these days?).

Best recipes: I've only just started going through this book, but there are tons of yummy recipes, like the Eggplant and Garlic Slather I featured recently. Here are a few more that I want to try:

• Chicken, Polenta, and Morel Casserole (pg. 148)
  
• Beef with Mushrooms (pg. 224)
  
• Pasta Baked with Cheese and Stout (pg. 324)
  
• Barley and Mushroom Casserole (pg. 330)
• Orzo Chicken for Two (pg. 546)
  

Complaints: Some of the recipes tend to get a bit repetitive, but that's just the way it goes. There are not a lot of photos in this book, but that's not a reason to walk away from the book. Overall, it's a simple, unpretentious book that features a ton of family-friendly (if not overly inventive) casseroles.

Deliciousness Scale: 4 spoonfuls of yum out of 5.

Details: This review is based on the 2008 edition of The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas (photos by Susie Cushner); ISBN 978-0-8118-5624-9.