In my family, true bonding requires casserole. This weekend, I returned home to my mother and her mother for whirlwind tri-generational quality time. Although it was a constant celebration, going out to eat would have been a slap in the face to two generations of French Canadian-American cooks. I was amidst two women who had never been afraid of using cheese with abandon, of sauteing onions in butter. It's rumored that my great grandmother, Flora LeBlanc, would make doughnuts at 4 a.m. saying, "Well, I woke up, and I could feel a pit in the bottom of my stomach." Another person's cooking hardly ever satisfies the culinary needs of the Quebecquoise palate.
My dear grandmother, Memere, migrates every February to our home in Florida -- a petite size four despite our genetic pre-inclination to saturated fat. It goes without saying that the casserole would be made for her visit this year. Cuisine-wise, it's a modern marvel. Based on the pillars of meat, tomato and cheese, the casserole is guaranteed to fill you up -- and if you add in a few peas, you have nutrients and priceless comfort. This Velveeta-wonderful creation is the family's autopilot for every momentous or difficult situation. Heart broken? Got a speeding ticket? This casserole rises to the occasion. I can't tell you where my mother was for 9/11, but I can promise you that this casserole was made within 24 hours afterwards.
Facing a chilly 70 degrees this Valentine's Day weekend in Florida, we indulged and turned on the oven to reheat some casserole with a fresh layer of cheese. It was divinity in an ovenproof dish. Officially naming the heretofore unnamed masterpiece has been difficult, but I remember a hundred conversations I've had with my mother, that all went something like: "Let's make, you know, the ??? comfort casserole. "
And so, I present the LeBlanc Comfort Casserole. Like a great wine, or a great fruitcake, it only improves with time. It takes at least a few batches to perfect the ratio of cheese, tomato and meat, but keep on trying. Hopefully, your efforts will last a generation.
LeBlanc Comfort Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb pasta 1 large can pureed tomatoes
1 lb lean ground beef 1 large onion
1 clove garlic Velveeta (lots)
2 C Milk and 3 T flour for a sauce parsley, basil
1 lb mushrooms
Preparation:
Cook pasta, set aside.
Saute the ground beef with onion and garlic, season with basil, salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Make a white sauce with the milk and flour, stir until thick, then stir in about half a box of Velveeta, sliced, until the sauce is nice and smooth.
Saute the mushrooms in butter, season with parsley salt and pepper.
Stir the pureed tomatoes into the meat, adjust seasoning.
Now, combine everything. Pour into a large casserole. Cover with more sliced Velveeta. Bake at 375 until bubbly.
Note: If fresh mushrooms are not available, substitute cream of mushroom soup with the Velveeta mixture. A few peas stirred in add some nice color.
