Smokin' Pot, Part Deux

Casseroles were a staple of my childhood. Tuna, mac'n'cheese, "goulash" (i.e. hamburger, noodles, tomato sauce and spices). Our family of five had them regularly, and I still crave a good tuna noodle casserole every once in awhile, although these days we've switched from Campbell's to a dairy-free Portobello Mushroom soup that comes in a box, and use albacore tuna instead of chunk lite.

What I've been lacking is a proper casserole dish, one that'll hold a pound of pasta and sauce and brown it nicely on top. Until last week, that is, when a little blue Le Creuset 2 3/4 Qt Oval French Oven showed up on our doorstep. Dave had spotted it on Amazon for the ridiculously low price of $39.95 (I kid you not!) and ordered it immediately, thinking it would be perfect for his no-knead bread.

Already we've had a couple of delicious meals from it, and I'm hoping we might smell fresh-baked bread emanating from the oven soon. Can't wait!

Big Blue

Recently, we made the dreaded trek down the freeway to the outlet mall just to go to the Le Creuset store and, thanks to a generous Christmas gift from my in-laws, purchased a very large (9 1/2 qt.), very blue oval Dutch oven.

Though they cost a scary amount of money, this baby has more than earned its keep in the last month, churning out a batch of heavenly choucroute garni for nine, coq au vin (a couple of times) and, just today, a cannellini bean dish with sausages that would take any mortal's breath away. Something about the way the heat is concentrated inside the Dutch oven when it spends a couple of hours in a low, slow oven turns the beans to butter and steeps everything in that wonderful smoky goodness from the sausages and bacon. I've made this dish many times on the stove and it's never tasted like this. What a great addition!