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.

"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." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"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)

The name says it all. Visions of creamy, tender casseroles with crusty, crunchy tops immediately come to mind, and Wright's book delivers. I love the fact that you can find everything from breakfast casseroles to vegetarian options to desserts.--Dede Wilson, contributing editor to "Bon Appetit" magazine.

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 Gruyère Casserole is coming to my next potluck."

—Dede Wilson, Contributing Editor to Bon Appétit 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

Clifford A. Wright is the author of ten cookbooks, including Little Foods of the Mediterranean, Some Like It Hot, Real Stew, and A Mediterranean Feast, which won the 2000 James Beard/Kitchen Aid Cookbook of the Year Award as well as the James Beard Award for Best Writing on Food. He writes regularly for the major food periodicals, teaches cooking classes across the country, and lectures frequently on Mediterranean food. Visit his Web site at www.cliffordawright.com.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Breakfast and Brunch Casseroles.

Meat Casseroles.

Poultry, Diary, and Game Casseroles.

Seafood Casseroles.

Pasta and Noodle Casseroles.

Rice and Grain Casseroles.

Vegetable Casseroles with Meat.

Vegetable Casseroles without Meat.

Dessert Casseroles.

Index.