Sausage and wild rice casserole is the perfect comfort food recipe that links my past and present

I can’t think of anyone I know who can’t throw together a casserole from what they have on hand in their homes in a moment’s notice.

I don’t know if it is a Southern thing or if it is the case everywhere, but where I live, families have favorite casseroles for certain occasions, for particular times of the year and for anytime it is cool enough to turn on the oven. We also all generally have all the necessary ingredients on the ready.

Because, hey, you never know when a casserole might just save the day. 

Even my friends who vehemently claim they cannot cook have at least two casseroles — usually one breakfast and another more suited for supper — that are generations old, venerated and depended upon, that they can cook and do cook when need be. 

Most of us, however, consider casseroles a comfort food and make them all throughout the year. But there are different categories of casseroles. It’s true. There are those we make for company, those we make for gifting and those we make on any random day of the week because they are simply family favorites. There are casseroles we make only at Thanksgiving or Christmas and those we are almost secretive about loving, like my family’s favorite Tuna Casserole. 

I’m reminded of those jokes that begin, You know you’re from the South if . . . in this case, you know if you have categories of casseroles. Well, I think we definitely do!    

Favorite family casseroles link us back to our mothers, aunts, grandmothers and great-grandmothers through their familiar smells, comforting tastes and even in appearance, especially when the serving pieces themselves are still around, having survived the cross-town or cross-country moves, the hurricanes and storms and every other loss, upset or disaster we may have encountered over the years.

I think of all the white Corningware with glass lids and bright flower motifs that I inherited at different times in my life, as well as the La Marjolaine line of Corningware with the tomatoes, mushrooms and artichokes trailing along the base. My grandmother’s kitchen cabinets were filled with what would now be considered vintage bakeware, their glass lids inverted so they stacked one on top of the other neatly. Her Corningware and her Desert Rose china with the large pink flowers and green leaves transport me back to being with her every time I see a piece.        

It is no wonder we all love a good casserole. They are easy to make and most freeze well, they are easy to transport and can be made well ahead of time, which can sometimes be the most important thing. 

We were taught at a young age to bake a casserole for our neighbor who is grieving the loss of a loved one or who we know is going through a tough, emotionally overwhelming time. We carry a casserole along when an invitation says, “Bring a covered dish.” 

We gift a casserole when our friend’s in-law’s and extended family are coming to stay for the week or maybe when their child is bringing home a passel of friends from college. By the way, it is totally appropriate to include a bottle of wine with those casseroles and perhaps stick around long enough during the drop-off to help plan an exit strategy for when that company has not left and the house starts to feel awfully small. 

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Casseroles make people feel loved and cared for. Whether you’re feeding those too bereaved to cook or simply helping to ease the pressure of entertaining guests, they are a kindness like few other things.

This Sausage and Wild Rice Casserole belongs in is the all-year-round category of casseroles, which is a big one that encompasses many different types, just not the ones specifically for holidays. I make this when I want a big warm hug of a meal. And when I gift the recipe or bring it to a potluck, I always double it because there is never enough for a crowd.           

Sausage and Wild Rice Casserole is one recipe that has stood the test of time. It passed through my college friend group like wildfire and since then has passed through all of our children and probably our children’s friends and families by now. Like all good “all-year-round” casseroles, it has Cream of Mushroom soup and a copious amount of cheese, but it can still be tailored to fit a variety of dietary preferences. Over the years, I have served it to most every age group imaginable with success. I have brought it along or gifted it on so many occasions that I have truly lost track. There are never leftovers to put away and despite having had it more times than I can count, I love it every time I make it.

This cozy weather we are enjoying right now is perfect for a casserole! And this one is a winner.