Comfort in Casserole

My wife is from the heart of the Midwest and one thing she is unapologetic for is her love of a good, hot, hearty casserole. She’s a northeastern Ohio gal, from the Cleveland area to be specific. As a Navy brat who grew up a little bit of everywhere, I also know the love of a good, tasty casserole. My Mom had four kids of her own to feed with varying schedules. A casserole dish was often quick, easy, and generally satisfied all four of us without complaints. Warm, creamy, sometimes cheesy, sometimes… a little strange, there’s just something uniquely special about a nice casserole. From their very origins in medieval France, casserole meals were meant to bring together a community or family over a recipe handed down through generations.

I’ve asked my beloved, Jackie, what she remembers most from her family dinners. Her mom made an amazing meatloaf (her favorite, and one that came with an endearing anecdote about her mom learning the recipe from her own mother, Jackie’s grandmother Ruth,) a hot chicken salad (not actually a salad but, you guessed it - a casserole) and something very simply known as Chicken With Stuffing On Top. As she fondly describes it, it’s truly a comfort casserole at its finest. Something perfect to have for dinner on a chilly Ohio night, after a long day of school and ice skating practice. It was a regular meal in her household, not just reserving stuffing for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners but a core staple in Nancy’s kitchen.

We lost my mother in law very recently. Too recently. Nancy passed away in January. Though she had been battling dementia, it still seemed like we had so much more time with her. We were planning a trip to spend time with her and take family portraits just days before. Losing someone always feels like having the wind knocked out of you. Like you can’t quite catch a breath as a wind blows in your face. You’re hit with the realization that the last time you saw this person was it, you’re never going to make new memories with them again. However, you can hold on to the memories you have, like little gifts from those who have left us scribbled on grease smudged index cards. Reminders of their love and lasting impact on us. Parts of them we will carry with us always. Parts of them we can pass down to those who never met them but will know their warmth and love.

Recipes are magic like that, they can be the most simple thing but carried through many hands, hearts, and hearths. Be it your grandmothers beloved biscuit recipe or one from an old magazine article that was stuck to the fridge most of your childhood. Sometimes they’re passed on through whispers and secrets kept between mothers and daughters. Food is the great uniter, it brings people together in many scenarios through many more emotions. Laughter and joy at a wedding reception or baby shower, grief and rememberance at a wake, comfort and closeness of a meal at home with your spouse. A familiar dish brings us together in ways we don’t even often stop to think of, from a simple breakfast before goodbyes for the day to a quiet meal at a near empty diner.

This is my little meal of remembrance, to help carry on the comfort of meals at home with Nancy, my mother-in-law turned guardian angel.

Nancy’s Chicken with Stuffing on Top

Ingredients -

- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins

- 1 can cream of mushroom soup

- 1 can cream of chicken soup

- salt (1/2 teaspoon)

- black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)

- ground sage (1/2 teaspoon)

- pinch of thyme

- 1 box stuffing brand of choice (Nancy used Kelloggs or Pepperidge Farm)

- dried or fresh chopped parsley for sprinkling on top (optional, if desired)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray an 11x7 pan with cooking spray.

Cut 2 pounds chicken tenderloins into smaller pieces and toss them into your prepared baking dish.

Toss the chicken pieces in your salt, pepper, sage & thyme.

In a small bowl, whisk together the can of cream of celery soup and the can of cream of chicken soupand 1/4 cup milk until it is smooth.

Pour the soup mixture over the chicken pieces and make sure all of your chicken is covered completely.

Evenly sprinkle the package/box of your choice of stuffing mix on top.

Pour 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth on top of the stuffing mix, and make sure that all of the stuffing is moistened by the chicken broth.

Cover with foil and bake for about 40-45 minutes (oven times may vary) Take the foil off and bake for an additional 5 minutes to lightly brown the stuffing.

Sprinkle with dried or fresh parsley if desired and ta-da! You’ve got a delicious and easy comfort casserole. Nothing too complicated here, and it’s a real crowd pleaser.

Most importantly, bake with lots of love. Put love in every slice, every stir, every sprinkle of spice. Nancy was full of love, and cared deeply for those around her. The best way to honor her is to continue to share that love as she once did. In a warm meal, in a shared adventure, in moments of laughter between good friends and loved ones.

While I cannot bring back my mother-in-law, or have her make these meals herself, I will gladly make any of her recipes to help my wife keep her memory alive. I can keep Nancy’s spirit here with us by nurturing her loved ones with her recipes, and keep her close in our hearts (via our tummies) with every warm bite.

Thank you, Nancy, not just for the collection of recipes, but for giving me the love of my life and a new additional family. A family with memories of their own to share, ready to create new ones all together. And of course, share a classic casserole.