The

CASSEROLE
QUEENS
Cookbook
put some lovin in your oven

WITH 100 EASY ONE- DISH RECIPES

crystal cook
&
sandy pollock

CLARKSON POTTER/PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK

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Pollo
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co
Arroz
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into

8 pieces, skin removed
2 teaspoons salt, plus more
for chicken
2 teaspoons freshly ground
black pepper, plus more for
chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 (14Bc-ounce) can diced
tomatoes

The Valley is what we, in Texas, call the Rio Grande Valley. Its
located on the southernmost tip of the state, bordering Mexico,
and its where Sandy grew up. The Valley is a melting pot of
American and Mexican cultures, and is known for its festivals,
architecture, and cuisine. So when Sandy talks about comfort
food, she thinks of dishes that are often heavily influenced by
traditional Mexican flavors. Arroz con Pollo (rice with chicken)
is one of her favorites. Many Spanish-speaking countries claim
this dish, so there are many different ways to prepare it. This
particular recipe is served up Valley style and is uniquely Texan.

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 Preheat

1 cup finely chopped green bell

pepper

2 Season

the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive

oil in a large saut pan set over high heat, and add 4 pieces
of the chicken. Fry the chicken until browned, about
5 minutes on each side.Transfer the chicken to a paper
towellined plate and set aside. In small batches, continue
to fry the remaining pieces of chicken.

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (32-ounce) carton chicken
broth (see page 200), or as
needed

50

the oven to 350F.

3 Add

THE CASSEROLE QUEENS COOKBOOK

the rice to the oil remaining in the pan and fry over
medium-high heat until it is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, peas,
tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, 2 teaspoons of salt,
2 teaspoons of black pepper, and 2Bc cups of the broth.
Bring to a boil, then transfer to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

 4 Add

the chicken to the casserole dish, nestling the white

meat into the rice to prevent it from overcooking, and
place the dark meat on top of the rice. Cover the dish with
foil and bake until the rice is tender and the chicken is no
longer pink, 40 to 50 minutes. If needed, add more chicken
broth, 1 cup at a time, to the dish during baking to keep the
chicken and rice moist.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. NEAT-O!

51

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prese

Ca

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Cooking spray
3 medium tomatoes, cut into
Be-inch-thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
8 Be-inch-thick slices fresh
mozzarella
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
basil
Bd cup seasoned bread crumbs
(see page 196)
2 teaspoons unsalted butter,
melted

This dish is so simply prepared, yet yields amazingly complex

flavors. Sandy was inspired to make these tasty stacks from
ingredients that seemed always to be on hand in her and Michaels
home. Because there are so few ingredients in this dish, it is
imperative that your ingredients are quality. We also recommend
that you take the time to make your bread crumbs from scratch,
as it adds that extra something to the dish. And dont worry about
any extra bread crumbs getting stale; just store them in the
freezer and they will stay fresh for months. If you find yourself
with extra basil, dont waste it! Use it to make some tasty pesto
(see opposite).

1 Preheat

the oven to 425F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch casserole

dish with cooking spray.

2 Arrange

one layer of tomatoes (do not overlap) in the

bottom of the casserole dish. Season the tomatoes with
salt and pepper. Put a slice of fresh mozzarella on top of
each tomato, then top each with basil. Top each stack with
another slice of tomato, and season with salt and pepper.

3 Combine

the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the stacks.

Vegetarian friendly!

4 Bake

for 5 to 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are heated

through, the bread crumbs are lightly browned, and the
mozzarella just starts to melt. Serve hot.

128

THE CASSEROLE QUEENS COOKBOOK

Pesto
When a recipe calls for just a bit of fresh basil, dont let
the rest go to wastein fact, buy a little extra (three
bunches total) and make a delicious pesto. Its easy!
MAKES 1Bc CUPS

4 large garlic cloves

De cup toasted pine nuts
De cup grated Parmesan
cheese (3 ounces)
1Bc teaspoons salt

Bc teaspoon freshly
ground black pepper
3 cups loosely packed
fresh basil
Cd cup extra-virgin
olive oil

Place ingredients in a food processor and blend. If not

using immediately, put the pesto in a zip-top plastic
bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

SIDES THAT TAKE FRONT AND CENTER

129

The

CASSEROLE
QUEENS
Cookbook
put some lovin in your oven

WITH 100 EASY ONE- DISH RECIPES

crystal cook
&
sandy pollock

CLARKSON POTTER/PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK