There's so much about casseroles to love!! On the practical side, most are easy to prepare, and they can often be assembled ahead and baked later. And leftovers provide additional quick meals.
But it's the experience of the casserole that endears it to so many cooks. There, in a single dish, are a variety of ingredients that have mingled and melded while baking, yielding a texture that's both deliciously sauce and crunchy.
Homey, one-dish cooking just keeps getting better!
Because I never have a set amount of people at the table for dinner, someone is always "popping" in, I make 2 or more stews and casseroles at a time, what I don't use, I Freeze!!!...Great for last minute company coming!!!
The expression "en casserole" is sometimes misunderstood because the word "casserole" is used in two quite different ways by writers on domestic subjects. Properly speaking, a casserole is the coarse clay saucepan, so common in France, in which meats and vegetables are not only cooked but served on the table. In its other usage the word is applied to a case or mold of potato, rice, or fried bread, inside of which is placed some preparation of meat or vegetables. The word in this case really signifies a border or croustade.
Casseroles of different sizes, shapes, and materials, are convenient additions to the cooking equipment, and should be chosen with consideration for the needs of the family. They come in many sizes from the individual ramekin up to one that will hold two chickens. They may be found in a variety of materials - glass, vitrified china, earthenware, iron and aluminum - and in a color-range that allows one to choose according to personal preference - brown, yellow, green, blue, white, etc., and mixtures.
Casseroles are a great way to use up left-overs, cook tough meats until tender, and to prepare vegetables in an almost unlimited variety of ways.