Casserole Dish: A Domestic Engineer's Canvas

IF you are Domestic Engineer like me (middle class American) you are feeling the hit of our countries financial crisis. The days of eating out, making expensive boxed meals, and making elaborate dinners are over for now. I have been reigning in our food budget. Every left over in the house is game for lunches, and dinners the next day. I have been making casseroles just like my Grandmother and mother did when things got tight. Casseroles are quick and easy and truly inexpensive.
In my mind the Casserole dish is a blank canvas awaiting the artists touch. My fellow domestic engineers its now time to learn the art of making casseroles. Its time to realize your family is just as worthy of your Casserole creations as your Church. For those of you wondering just how does one make a casserole this is the first installment in casserole making. There are no hard set recipes, more or less some rules that need to be followed in order for it be a casserole.
Last night was casserole night. This casserole was made using a condensed soup, finely chopped veggies, rice and meat.

Below is the recipe for the Casserole I served my family last night.

1 cup of cooked chicken,
1 cup of uncooked rice,
1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup,
1 cup of finely chopped broccoli,
1 clove of finely minced garlic
2 stalks of chopped celery
1/2 medium onion.
1/2 cup cheese (Can be any Mozzarella, Cheddar, Swiss)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Cook the rice according to the directions. Meanwhile chop all veggies. Ten minutes before rice is done, put all veggies in the rice pot and replace the lid. When the rice is finished cooking put the contents of the pot into the casserole dish. Mix in the Chicken and Condensed soup. Top the entire dish with Cheeses and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

In the case of this recipe nearly everything can be substituted or are staples that a domestic engineer has on hand already. I always keep Frozen vegetables on hand like Broccoli, Peas, Carrots. It just happens at this time of the week I only have Broccoli. Celery and Onions are always in my kitchen. These are musts for cooking and seasoning food without much salt. Parm and other cheese are always in my kitchen. The chicken, was left over from dinner the night before. Rice is also a major staple in my house. Now for the basic Rules to take with you.

Rule #1: You must have a casserole dish
Rule #2: A well stocked Kitchen is at the corner stone of casserole making.

Good luck this week.