Title:  How to make a casserole
Keywords:  how to, casserole
When it comes to how to make a casserole, it is important to start with what a casserole is.  Originally, a casserole was the type of dish used to make it in.  Later on, the word casserole referred to the dish itself.  Like a stew, a casserole is meat and vegetables cooked slowly.  This is especially great for cooking tougher cuts of meat, as the long cooking process makes it a lot tenderer.
The first, most important thing to remember is the cut of what you would be cooking.  Cuts should be large enough to not cook away, while being small enough to cook through.  A general guide is to cut meat the size of your thumb, and everything else the size of your thumb’s nail.
When using onions, it may be a good idea to fry them a bit before putting them in.  This takes the sting out of the onions, while still preserving their wonderful flavour.  Mushrooms also need to be precooked, as they are mostly water, and could make your casserole look like a swamp instead of a meal if you use it with other moisture-rich vegetables.
Potatoes and carrots also need to be par-cooked before using them in a casserole.  Some people believe that to get the best results, everything should be cooked on the stovetop, and then put into the casserole and into the oven.  This is an effective way of ensuring the perfect texture, but it does influence taste.  I prefer par-cooking only the vegetables that need to be par-cooked, and then putting it in the oven.
The combinations of ingredients are endless.  There is really no fixed recipe when it comes to making a casserole.  Once everything is mixed, put it in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.  Some casseroles may even take an hour and a half, depending on the ingredients.  Bake it with the lid on for the first 30 minutes when using dry ingredients.