Invent Your Own Casserole

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1  (8-ounce) carton sour cream
• 1  cup  milk
• 1  cup  water
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  pepper
• 
  Choose one from each category:
• 
  Sauce Makers:
• 1  (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1  (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of celery soup, undiluted
• 1  (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1  (10 3/4-ounce) can Cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 2  (14 1/2-ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 
  Choose one Fish/Meat/Poultry:
• 2  (6-ounce) cans solid white tuna, drained and flaked
• 2  cups  chopped cooked chicken
• 2  cups  chopped cooked ham
• 2  cups  chopped cooked turkey
• 1  pound  ground beef, browned and drained
• 
  Choose one Pasta/Rice:
• 2  cups  uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1  cup  uncooked rice
• 4  cups  uncooked wide egg noodles
• 3  cups  uncooked medium shells
• 
  Toppings:
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2  cup  grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2  cup  fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 
  Choose one Frozen Vegetable:
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen cut broccoli
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen Italian green beans
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen English peas
• 1  (16-ounce) package frozen sliced yellow squash
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn
• 
  Choose one or more Extras (Optional):
• 1  (3-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1/4  cup  sliced ripe olives
• 1/4  cup  chopped bell pepper
• 1/4  cup  chopped onion
• 1/4  cup  chopped celery
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1  (1 1/4-ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix

Preparation

Combine 1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream, 1 cup milk, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper with Sauce Maker (omit sour cream and milk when using tomatoes). Stir in Pasta/Rice, Frozen Vegetable, Fish/Meat/Poultry, and if desired, Extras.

Spoon casserole mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking dish; sprinkle with your choice of toppings.

Cover and bake casserole at 350º for 1 hour and 10 minutes; uncover and bake 10 additional minutes.

Chicken Casserole: Cream of chicken soup, broccoli, rice, chicken, Parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs.

Ham Casserole: Cream of celery soup, Italian green beans, wide egg noodles, ham, garlic, and 2 portions Swiss cheese.

Turkey Casserole: Italian-style diced tomatoes, spinach, medium pasta shells, turkey, onion, garlic, mozzarella cheese, adn breadcrumbs.

Vegetarian Casserole: Italian-style diced tomatoes, yellow squash, rice, olives, 4 portions celery, 4 portions bell pepper, garlic, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs.