Customer Reviews

Bake until Bubbly: The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Okay, I admit it. I'm a cookbook junkie. I probably have hundreds of cookbooks, although there's no way I'm going to count them since I don't really want to know. I think because of this, I'm very picky about what I consider to be a great cookbook. Great cookbooks, in my opinion, are ones that produce fabulous results without any adjustments. The recipes work the first time, and I don't have to figure out how to fix them. My favorites include anything by Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, the Barefoot Contessa and Jean-Pierre Brehier.

This cookbook doesn't fall into the category of great, even though I thought it was going to. I'm married to a man from Wisconsin (to really get the flavor, it's pronounced "wis-CAN-sin") who loves casseroles. He sat down with the book before I did and picked out more than a dozen recipes he wanted me to try. And the recipes sounded really homey and heartlandish -- things like Hamburger & Potatoes Hot Dish and Cheesy Ham Poof.

The problem is that none of the recipes even worked without adjustments. For instance, one recipe called for a 2-quart baking dish yet nearly overflowed a 3-quart dish and another was incredibly bland before I added quite a few more seasonings. Many of the recipes called for a weird cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup substitute that included pulverizing veggies in a blender with enormous amounts of heavy cream and other ingredients. These recipes ended up being extremely rich (and loaded with calories) and sometimes very runny because of it. I would've had to play around with this, too, to get it palatable.

I tried four of the recipes and then gave up. Had I received rave reviews from my family I might have continued, but the dishes just weren't as great as they sounded. I wish the book had been tested more thoroughly and advise you not to get sucked in by the gorgeous cover photo (the only photo in the book, by the way).

(review by Mrs. Scott)

I've been looking for a casserole cookbook that doesn't require a lot of processed foods. I am thrilled to discover this cookbook, which doesn't require a can of this (no Campbell's mushroom soup) or a packet of that. It's simple, basic cooking from scratch. Sure, it may take a bit more time, but I have found the results from this cookbook to be well worth it. Right now, I am working my way through the chicken casseroles and have found them all to be doable and delicious.

I will add that the author is a big fan of cooking a whole chicken (preferrably an organic, free range chicken) for his chicken casseroles. Even though I am a fan of "from scratch" cooking, not everyone has the time and financial resourses to do this. I have cheated when time has been short and have bought the rotisserie chicken you can buy precooked at the grocery store (of which the author is not a fan). The results are still delicious!

I agree with a previous review's comment about some of the "casseroles" are not what I typically would consider a "casserole." Also, the recipes are more on the sophisticated side that young, picky eaters may not be so crazy about. I've been using this cookbook mostly for dinners for my husband and me.

I like the explanations that the author has inserted. Yes, there are no pictures but the author's explanations prior to each recipe are informative and helpful and bring the recipies to life. I found his writing style witty and entertaining.

Definitely a must have recipe book!

I've never written an Amazon cookbook review before, but I noticed some strange reviews of this fantastic book, so I had to speak up. Some of the other reviews appear to be written by people who have never cooked from the book. There are complaints that the book doesn't have photos. One complains it has too many recipes?!

Yes, this book has a lot of recipes -- that's why I buy cookbooks. No, there aren't any photos inside (except for the amazing photo on the cover -- one of the best recipes in the book, by the way). But what's really important to know is that I've made a lot of the recipes in this book, and they're fantastic. I've been impressed again and again, and dinner guests beg me for the recipes. I highly recommend: Baked Rigatoni with Sausages (unbelievably good), Baked Swiss Chard and Spinach with Chickpeas and Feta (great for veggies)and super easy, Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping (perfect for Thanksgiving, although I could eat it for dessert), and Baked Macaroni with Broccoli (I'm addicted to this).

Don't expect any canned cream of mushroom soup in the recipes in this book. That's so old-fashioned. The author has a genius technique in the Broccoli-Spinach casserole for whipping up some fresh mushrooms, milk, flour, salt & pepper in the blender. It's so easy, and so much better for you than canned soup.

And so many of the recipes, after a little prep work, pretty much cook themselves. That's why I love this book, and casseroles in general. I'm too busy with a daughter at home and a full-time job to be standing over the stovetop. This book is just what I needed. Very highly recommended.

`Bake Until Bubbly' by distinguished culinary writer and teacher, Clifford A. Wright is billed as `The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook', which is a figurative sticking out of the chin, daring one to poke holes in the author's pretensions for claiming to write an `ultimate' treatment of any subject. My skepticism is muted a bit when I see a very complementary blurb on the back cover from James Villas, the author of another recent casserole treatise, `Crazy for Casseroles'. Looking back at Villas' book, I see one immediate difference between the two. Villas' clearly stated range is purely American, while Wright's range is global, with special attention being paid to those great Mediterranean culinary powerhouses, France, Spain, and Italy. This is all quite appropriate, as Villas is the great American cookery writer, an inheritor of James Beard's mantle, while Wright is quite in the tradition of Elizabeth David, focusing on European cooking.
Upon opening the book, I discover that Wright has stretched the notion of a `casserole' far beyond what I would imagine. Being something of a linguistic purist, I would call `casserole' anything baked in a traditional casserole dish, whether it's the American Corning Ware rectangle, the Spanish Cazuela, or the French Cassoulet. I also tend to limit the notion to savory dishes, with baked desserts having their own extensive taxonomy of crumble, pan-dowdy, cobbler, buckle, and the like. Wright cuts an incredibly broad swath with his definition, including such cousins as all sorts of baked pastas (ziti, lasagna, bucatini, and so on). Wright clearly relishes the great diversity, as in America alone there are many regional names and styles for a `baked dish' such as pilafs, poofs, perloos, puddings, pies, surprises, suppers, shroups, royales, stifles, supremes, bakes, gratins, cobblers, crisps, crunches, delights, dishes, hot dishes, hot pots, medleys, and melodies, oh my!. In the end, Wright seems to include virtually every kind of dish which is baked in a dish with raised sides, does not have a pastry crust, is not a meat roast, and is not covered like a braise or a stew. This range goes so far as to include meat loafs, meat balls, and baked stuffed crepes. A significant symptom of the range of dishes is the fact that Wright cites sixteen different baking dish sizes needed to do all his dishes, ranging from ½ quart to 10 quarts.
While Wright relishes presenting a broad range of very ethnic dishes, he is thankfully not limiting himself to ethnically accurate dishes. This is, after all, a handy reference for the everyday cook who specifically likes the relatively quick prep times unattended baking. Therefore, Wright adapts many recipes to eliminate some of the less healthy or less accessible ingredients found in the provincial originals to these dishes. He is especially diligent in eliminating all use of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup as a replacement for simple white sauces. My favorite discovery in Wright is for a corn and oyster casserole with all the good flavors and none of the carb laden pastry of my dear Pennsylvania Dutch corn pie.
One improvement over Villas' `Crazy for Casseroles' is a simplified organization, making it easier to find the most recipes which fit a particular need. His chapters are:
Breakfast and Brunch Casseroles
Meat Casseroles
Poultry, Dairy, and Game Casseroles
Seafood Casseroles
Rice and Grain Casseroles
Vegetable Casseroles with Meat
Vegetable Casseroles without Meat
Dessert Casseroles
It is no surprise that most of the pasta and noodle casseroles are Italian (especially since Wright previously wrote a book on lasagna). What may be a bit of a surprise is that almost every rice casserole is Spanish. This is due in no small part because of the great Spanish tradition of rice culture and the fact that the cazuela (earthen casserole dish) is as much or more the national dish of Spain than the more famous paella.
I could think of no better way of comparing Villas to Wright than to compare their macaroni and cheese recipes. While Wright has eight (8) macaroni casseroles, he has only one mac and cheese recipe. Villas has six (6) macaroni casseroles, and four (4) of those six are variations on mac and cheese. On that basis alone, I suggest you own both books. Wright's single mac and cheese recipe is a straight béchamel recipe flavored with onions and mustard and dressed as a gratin with breadcrumbs. Villas simplest recipe is even simpler, but is based on custard instead of a béchamel. Now `Cooks Illustrated' claims the custard based mac and cheese is superior to the béchamel recipe, but I disagree. Of course, on the very next page, Villas gives us a béchamel based recipe with extra cheese and extra flavors. All the recipes are utterly simple.
Both writers are thoroughly engaging, and I can enjoy reading both from cover to cover. Both writers include many culinary tips; however, some culinary verities such as the meaning of a `roux' goes unexplained in Wright. These books are for people who know how to cook.
I tried to find a common sweet recipe in both books, but I am happy to say I could not, giving us all the more reason to own both. The closest I could come was a raspberry and blueberry crunch in Villas and a blueberry cobbler with raspberry thumbprints in Wright. And, while Villas had three recipes with rhubarb, Wright had none. Both books are cheap and both books have more useable day to day recipes than any five books by celebrity chefs.

Say goodbye to those nasty canned soup casseroles! Cooking from scratch is not as time consuming as one would think and this book proves it! Love the plan ahead recipes, and inventive to the traditional recipes! Great book! Downside are no photos, but that doesn't deter me from using this book. Glad I bought it!

There's something here for any season, for any time of day, for any mood, for any palate. Thankfully, the recipes are easy to read and almost all are quite easy to prepare as well. All of the classics are here, but prepared with fresh ingredients. You're safe cutting out half the fat, but sometimes you just have to give in with the Fromage lathered on French Bread, the Cheesy Ham Pouf, Baked Macaroni and Broccoli, and the Bacon Noodle Bake.

Start the day on a sweet or savory note with Stuffed French Toast or Egg and Bacon Strata, both quick and easy, or plan ahead and luxuriate with Baked Panettonne with Ricotta and Mandarin Oranges or the Deviled Egg and Cream Cheese Casserole.

Go hearty with Chicken Scallopini with Three Cheeses or Sausage, Celeriac and Apple Casserole -- or light with Root Vegetable and Fennel Casserole oe Fish Florentine Casserole. Travel the world with a perfect Moussaka, Tamale Pie, Brazilian Fish Casserole or the nutty and spicy Turkey Fatta, and then come home to Casserole of New England Vegetables, Alabama-Style Shrimp Bake or Corn Casserole. Then finish with the sublime Pear Crisp, Sicilian Rice Pudding or Brownies, which, to my surprise, turn out to be a casserole.

Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food, the perfect pot luck offering and the welcomed leftover -- a complete meal or the perfect side dish to a roast. It's become one of the first cookbooks I turn to and as well as the perfect gift.

I've loved -- really loved -- every casserole I've had from this book.

Sure, some of the recipes take some time; most things that are worth it require more than 5 minutes of prep. But the benefit of taking some time making really great casseroles is that you've got really awesome leftovers. And casseroles usually freeze well.

I'm mystified at all the disappointed reviewers who bemoan the lack of pictures. Uh, seen one pic of a 9 x 13 pan with a golden brown top, seen 'em all? Who needs pics? I know what a casserole should look like. And if you're not sure, you can look at the cover.

I like the categories -- makes it easy to decide what I want to make: meat/no meat, rice vs. pasta, vegetables as main ingredient or meat.

I like the range of the casserole offerings -- many different cooking traditions are well represented here. I also appreciate that there's not just one or two chicken casseroles, but well over a dozen.

I dunno, bottom line, I just really like the book. Like most ppl reviewing this book who wrote positive reviews, I'm at home in my kitchen, own lots of cookbooks, don't need a lot of hand-holding, have the confidence to alter recipes to suit my taste. It may be that every recipe in this book is not best suited for the beginner/unsure cook or for those who want or need to make quick pull-together casseroles, but there are plenty that seem accessible to every level.

For those of you who are wavering on whether or not to buy this cookbook, the Tamale Pie recipe is worth the price of the book alone. I'll tell you right up front, it's a time-consuming recipe with some mildly tricky bits. But it's worth it. And it makes a lot.

If you're intimidated, do what I do and make it with a friend. My sister and I get together on a Saturday now and then and make some recipe that's complicated and involved and maybe even a bit scary ("we're really supposed to set this on FIRE?!" "that's what it says" "let me see that book"). We always make a double batch so we each get to take some home for leftovers, thus our labor is halved b/c we are sharing the making of the dish and our pleasure is doubled because we get all the fun of doing something together and then we have fabulous food for the coming week.

Btw, there's no fire involved in making Tamale Pie. I made that up.

This great title drew me to "Bake Until Bubbly," as did the yummy cover illustration...the only picture in the whole book, an odd editing choice for a cookbook. Odder still, not ONE recipe appeals to me enough to try it. Even odder still for a casserole cookbook, these recipes are not quick or easy! They are of the "stand in the kitchen for 6 hours" variety. Frankly, if I'm cooking a whole chicken, THAT'S what I'll serve for dinner...not subsequently cut it up into bite sized pieces, make a homemade bechamel sauce, shred a pound of cheese, mince garlic, make homemade stock, etc., just to produce a casserole my kids will stare at and say "Why couldn't we just have chicken?"

No pictures, and a very cooking school style, everything is made in seperate pans and combined at the last minute. so its all very time consuming, and a lot of heavy white sauces.

I sent this book to a friend and she loves it. It is full of delicious recipes but a lot of butter and cream is used in too many of them for those are restricted diets. She is very please with the book and plans to make many of the recipes.