The Cooking Challenge - Week 6 - Ingredient You Disliked as a Child

[tuneful87]

Could be particularly interesting if you pick things that could be used in sweet or savoury dishes such as sweet potato. Or even a herb or spice. This would mean possibly a really wide variety of dishes on the same theme.

Yeah, I like the idea of mixing things up with challenges with very loose guidelines and others that are a bit more specific. Centering the challenge around a not often used spice is a great idea!

[ebmerc]

I would love to do this! I love to cook.

[Bubbles1983]

I'd love to see what people could do with the Christmas dinner left overs on Boxing Day 

[Mirnyj]

Ooh, sounds fun! 

[tuneful87]

Glad to see there is so much interest! I'm thinking over the first challenge...

[tuneful87]

The first challenge has been posted at the top of the thread. I think it's best to just keep everything in one thread instead of starting a new thread for each challenge.

I've never made a casserole aside from lasgana/parmigiana, so this should be interesting. I also don't eat meat, so finding a good recipe that is filling and doesn't involve meat might be a bit tricky!

[Chi]

...we don't make casseroles in my...entire family.
It's not really a thing I see a lot of in the Caribbean in general, actually. This should be interesting....

[MikeysGrrrl]

I don't think I've ever made a casserole, but I'm anxious to give it a shot Time to start looking for a good recipe!

[tuneful87]

...we don't make casseroles in my...entire family.
It's not really a thing I see a lot of in the Caribbean in general, actually. This should be interesting....

Are you of Caribbean descent?

Glad this one is shaping up to be a decent challenge! I found this link that breaks down veggie casseroles by type - lasagna, pasta bakes, enchiladas, pies, gratins, and others. It's kind of looking like the broad definition of casserole is any sort of dish that is baked in an oven.

http://ohmyveggies.com/50-vegetarian-casserole-recipes/

[ebmerc]

Oh My Veggies is a great food blog and I use it all the time! I also recommend:

Smitten Kitchen
How Sweet It Is
The Kitchn
Amuse Your Bouche
The Kitchen Treaty
Cookie Monster Cooking

Wikipedia says,"A casserole is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel." I love how much "vessel" comes up! I'm so easily amused.

So off the top of my head here is a run down of what I've made before. Spaghetti Pies are fun and fairly easy especially if you have a spring form pan. Shepard's Pie is a great option if you have left over mashed potatoes and it's very easy to make vegetarian. Just use lentils. On Oh My Veggies, I made the Broccoli Cheddar Brown Rice Casserole two Thanksgivings in a row now.

I think I'm either going to make a pot pie or a gratin.

[Bubbles1983]

Hoping to have the time on Friday, if not I'll try Saturday. 

[tuneful87]

I'm picking up my ingredients tonight. Enchilada casserole. I keep relying on Trader Joe's enchiladas but want to give it a shot myself.

[Bubbles1983]

I thought I'd try a Lancashire Hotpot. Eaten them but never made one before 
There are so many recipes for it, do I include the kidneys or not???? Think I'll see if the supermarket has them and let fate decide 

[Silver Glade]

Pfft!  Casserole is well-trod territory where I live!    In Minnesota we call it hotdish.   

[tuneful87]

Pfft!  Casserole is well-trod territory where I live!    In Minnesota we call it hotdish.   

Then you'll just need to make a very obscure, challenging casserole!

I thought I'd try a Lancashire Hotpot. Eaten them but never made one before 
There are so many recipes for it, do I include the kidneys or not???? Think I'll see if the supermarket has them and let fate decide 

Ooh, that looks yummy. If I was a meat eater I'd be all over that! hehe