Blue-Plate Special

Eight-Can Casserole

the 8-can casserole

Eight-Can Casserole is our adaptation of the recipe with the same name found in one of our all-time favorite cookbooks: Square Meals, by Jane and Michael Stern (out of print for years, but happily now back in print!). They make it with chicken, we think it's good with tuna. At pot-luck dinners, people beg for the recipe.
Obviously, this is a versatile recipe that you can change in an infinite number of ways, but it would be a definite violation of the concept to consider using any fresh ingredients.

And, yes, the picture shows an Eight-Can Casserole just emerging from the oven.

  • 2 6-oz. cans tuna
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
  • 1 8-oz. can mushrooms, drained
  • 1 5-oz. can chow mein noodles
  • 1 13-oz. can evaporated milk
  • 1 small can fried onions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Open all cans except fried onions, dump into 3-qt. casserole.
  3. Stir and cover.
  4. Bake 20 minutes.
  5. Scatter fried onions on top.
  6. Bake another 15 minutes.
Serves 2-3 hungry bears.

Lazy-Lady's Casserole

Continuing the tone of Suburban Haute Cuisine, here is a positively fabulous recipe given to us by Gerry Stacy, whose taste in such matters rivals even our own (someday we'll move on to molded salads perhaps). He found this in the Better Homes & Gardens Casserole Cookbook, and thought it too good to pass up--we think it's the title that turned his head.

Now, at long last, he has supplied us with the original visual complement to the recipe. Note, in particular, the enthusiastic description of this classic. [In case it isn't legible on your screen: Lazy-lady's Casserole is a meal-in-one! Glazed luncheon meat and pineapple go atop baked beans. Hot biscuits, too! More good news: You give the high-sign for supper in no time!]

Here then, the Lazy-Lady's Casserole, complete with Gerry's editorial comments. Get ready to give that high-sign!

the lazy lady casserole
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 Tb. butter or margarine
  • 2 1-lb. cans (4 cups) pork and beans in tomato sauce or smoke-flavored beans
  • 1/4 cup catsup
  • 1 Tb. prepared mustard
  • 1 12-ounce can luncheon meat [Now, you know they mean Spam]
  • 3 pineapple slices, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tb. prepared mustard
  • 1 Package Refrigerated biscuits [not homemade]
  1. Cook onion in butter till tender but not brown.
  2. Add pork and beans, catsup, and prepared mustard; bring to boiling.
  3. Pour into 11.5x7.5x1.5" baking dish.
  4. Cut luncheon meat in 12 strips; arrange over beans to match picture below [I only wish I could send you the picture; it is a vision. [But wait: we now have the picture!] Suffice it to say that your arrangement should be adequately creative]. Center with row of pineapple half-slices.
  5. Mix 1 tablespoon pineapple syrup or other fruit juice with the brown sugar and mustard. Spread over meat and pineapple.
  6. Place 3 biscuits at each end of casserole.
  7. Bake in moderate oven (375°F) 15 to 20 minutes or till biscuits are done. (Bake extra biscuits on baking sheet.)
  8. Note: Or, make biscuits with 2 cups packaged biscuit mix by package directions [still not homemade]
Serves 2-3 hungry bears.

Quick Taco Bake

Yet another classic casserole recipe that we just can't do without. This one comes from the back of the Bisquick box, so you probably have it if you need it, but in case you don't have the box handy and want to indulge in some casserole fantasies, we preserve it here.


  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 envelope (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
  • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15.25 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups Original Bisquick
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  1. Heat oven to 350°F.
  2. Cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown; drain. Spoon into ungreased 13x9x2" baking dish.
  3. Stir in taco seasoning mix (dry), tomato sauce and corn.
  4. Sprinkle with cheese.
  5. Stir remaining ingredients until blended; pour over beef mixture.
  6. Bake 35 minutes or until light golden brown.
Serves 3 hungry bears.

       

6 August 2001 (est. 961027)