Product Description

Bake until Bubbly

"Everybody who grew up on tuna noodle casserole or macaroni and cheese remembers that bubbling dish brought to the table with its top dappled golden brown, piping hot and inviting. My passion for casseroles was born from memories of my childhood and my mother's lasagna, thick and rich and gooey and delicious. But once I had three children of my own, casseroles were the solution to many frenzied nights. We all loved the simplicity, ease, and satisfaction of a well-baked casserole. One of my favorite dessert casseroles was the Pear Crisp my kids and I made in late August when our pear tree was groaning from the weight of those luscious orbs ripening. We'd cut them up and arrange them in a casserole with cinnamon and then blanket them with a streusel made of flour, butter, and sugar before baking until bubbly. Hey, what a great name for a book!"
--from Bake until Bubbly

Advance Praise

"Bake until Bubbly . . . the name says it all. Visions of creamy, tender casseroles with crusty, crunchy tops immediately come to mind and Clifford Wright's book delivers. You will find easy-to-make one-dish recipes like the rustic but elegant Veal Saltimbocca and Cassoulet and comfort food such as Blue Cheese Halibut Bake; Sausage, Red Bean, and Apple Casserole; Cranberry-Apple-Walnut Crisp; and Blackberry and Cream Cheese Cr?pes Casserole. I love the fact that you can find everything from breakfast casseroles to vegetarian options to desserts. The Potato, Bacon, and Gruyere Casserole is coming to my next potluck."
--Dede Wilson, Contributing Editor to Bon Appetit magazine and public television host

"Just when I thought there was little left to be exploited in casserole cookery, Clifford Wright comes up with an herby tamale pie with cornmeal mush, an Irish rutabaga pudding, a baked rigatoni with meatballs, a nectarine and almond dessert casserole, and numerous other fascinating dishes guaranteed to add new and exciting dimension to this succulent style of cooking."
--James Villas, author of Crazy for Casseroles and The Glory of Southern Cooking

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8901 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-26
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 456 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Few dishes say comfort food more than the cheese- and egg-laden casseroles that are favored in small towns in heartland America, but Wright (Real Stew) shows that casseroles are part of a long international tradition that continues as strongly today in the Middle East as in the Midwest. He features casseroles from the intriguing higher end, like the French Escargots en Casserole or a Spanish tapa with bacon, cabbage, potato and apple, as well as simple, familiar crowd-pleasers exemplified by Tuna Noodle Casserole and the Nebraska frittata, aka Cheesy Ham Poof. The chapter range is another testament to casseroles' versatility, beginning with hearty breakfast recipes such as the simple Sailor's Omelet, then running the gamut of main ingredients (meat and fish, pasta and grains, vegetables) and concluding with desserts, where he makes a convincing case for fruit cobblers and crisps and even brownies as casseroles. Ingredient lists are often long, but few of the recipes have more than four or five simple steps, which cooks of most any skill level can easily handle. Wright's headnotes give extensive information about the recipes' provenance and preparation, and his frequent text boxes provide tips on what people really care about with casseroles aside from ease: how to incorporate leftovers from other meals. Not just casserole fans but also those who may previously have looked down on the thought of such dishes will find this a great resource for most any occasion. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
Wright, author of numerous cookbooks on the cuisines of the Mediterranean as well as Real Stew, here turns to another enduring comfort food. He presents 250 recipes for casseroles of all types, including both breakfast and dessert dishes (think crisps and crumbles). The recipes come from around the world and all across the United States. Along with beloved classics, some in updated, fresher versions, there are unusual recipes that will be unfamiliar to many readers. The headnotes provide history and context, and most of them offer serving suggestions; there are also ideas for leftovers (if there are any!). With its informative, readable text and tasty recipes, this is highly recommended. (Library Journal, February 15, 2008)

"a great resource for most any occasion.... Few dishes say 'comfort food' more than the cheese-and-egg-laden casseroles that are favored in small towns in heartland American, but Wright (Real Stew) shows that casseroles are part of a long international tradition that continues as strongly today in the Middle East as in the Midwest." (Publishers Weekly, November 19, 2007)

From the Inside Flap

Perfect for family dinners, potluck suppers, and parties, casseroles are the ultimate comfort food—deeply satisfying, amazingly versatile, and blissfully easyto prepare. Now renowned food scholar and award-winning cookbook author Clifford A. Wright has written the definitive casserole cookbook—a peerless collection of nearly 250 great casserole recipes from around the world.

Wright got hooked on his mom's lasagna as a child, and his experiences feeding his own kids and researching the foods of the Mediterranean helped him explore the world of casserole possibilities. Now, with his book, you too can embark on a journey of casserole discovery. You'll find deliciously updated versions of all-American classics such as Tuna Noodle Casserole and Chicken Divan—without canned soup! You can sample a wide range of soul-satisfying Italian-Americanclassics, like Stuffed Shells and Baked Rigatoni with Sausages, as well as famous international casseroles such as Moussaka and Cassoulet. There are lots of healthy casserole options to serve as main dishes or sides—from a Casserole of New England Spring Vegetables to little-known (but tasty) Old World specialties such as France's Pounti—and you'll find a whole chapter of vegetarian casserole choices.

For Wright, a casserole is any one-dish recipe baked in the oven, so he includes not only main dishes and sides, but breakfast and dessert casseroles as well. You can kick off your weekends with crowd-pleasing choices such as Stuffed French Toast Casserole or Egg and Bacon Strata. And to top off a meal, what could be better than a Pear Crisp, an Apple Pandowdy, or a Wild Strawberry and Cream CheeseCr?pe Casserole with Vanilla Sauce?

Wright has formulated the recipes with today's cooks in mind, using easy-to-find fresh ingredients and clear, simple steps.Whether you're looking for a low-stress family supper, an elegant company main dish, a make-ahead brunch, or a potluck crowd-pleaser, his book is brimming with possibilities. Complete with informative cook's notes and lots of leftover suggestions, Bake until Bubbly is truly the ultimate casserole cookbook.

Customer Reviews

I really wanted to like this cookbook...
I borrowed this from the local library with plans to buy it if the recipes turned out. Unfortunately, they were only mediocre and I won't make them again.

To be fair, I only tried 2 of the recipes - the stuffed shells, and a chicken casserole. The stuffed shells was very dry and not cheesy enough - next time, I'd add some tomato, spaghetti, or marinara sauce. The chicken casserole was a little salty (could have been my fault) and just didn't have the warm, delicious, goopy, "I want more" appeal we were hoping for.

Many complained about the lack of photos in this book. I didn't find that an issue since I think casseroles aren't as beautiful as they are tasty. But I was disappointed in the mediocrity of the 2 recipes I tried.

Great Title, Mediocre Cookbook
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?"

one of the best cookbooks in my collection
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.