If you are a child of the 70’s like me, “casserole” conjures up images of canned tuna, canned cream of mushroom soup, noodles and maybe crushed potato chips or cornflake crumbs on top. Thankfully, Julie Hasson‘s amazing new cookbook Vegan Casseroles will forever change how you see this staple of American cuisine.  Julie breathes new life into the casserole, heralding its arrival in the 21st century, leaving the 70’s behind. Julie has updated these classic, traditional, comfort food dishes by taking out the animal products without sacrificing any of the taste. The recipes in Vegan Casseroles are easy to make and focus on using whole-foods rather than processed ingredients. As we head into the fall and winter, the time for hearty soups and stews, Vegan Casseroles is a must have.

When Julie was looking for people to review her book for a blog tour, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. Having read some of Julie’s other cookbooks like Vegan Diner and Vegan Pizza, I knew this would be a great addition to my cooking repertoire. As soon as the book arrived I dove into it. I love that every recipe begins with a short introductory paragraph about the dish that makes it feel like Julie is with me in the kitchen just chatting about food. The recipes are clearly written and easy to follow. None of the recipes require any “special” ingredients, and in the true tradition of casseroles, can be made from things you likely already have in your refrigerator or pantry.

Veggies and Dumplings

After reading the book cover to cover, I knew I had to go for comfort food with the Veggies and Dumplings. Back in my pre-vegan days in St. Louis, an ex of mine got his mother’s recipe for Chicken and Dumplings for me. Prior to that, I only knew of dumplings from Chinese food. I had no clue they could also be fluffy balls of dough cooked in a broth. I hadn’t thought of that dish in over a decade, but as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew it was the one to try first. This dish is so spectacular that it is hard to believe how easy it is to make. The stew is rich, hearty, and filled with vegetables. As it was cooking, Ethan kept saying how amazing it smelled and wanted to know when it would be ready. Veggies and Dumplings is the perfect recipe to keep you warm on a cold winter day. The stew itself comes together very quickly. There is no sautéing of vegetables required. Simply throw the veggies in a pot with water and seasoning and let it go. You then thicken the broth with a mixture of flour, soy milk and water. While it is all simmering, you make a quick dumpling dough that you add to the broth. It was ready in under 40 minutes.

The next recipe I tried was the Rustic Vegan Bread Pudding. In my pre-vegan days, I made bread pudding throughout the holiday season. However, it used LOTS of eggs and cream. Once I became vegan, I stopped making it, thinking it was something I would never have again. Well, Julie changed that. Her Rustic Bread Pudding is delicious and simple to  make. You may even have all the ingredients in your kitchen already, except for the French bread perhaps. When I was getting ready to make it, our cousin was over and we were all hanging out in the kitchen talking. As I was putting the ingredients together, she remarked that I looked like I knew what I doing. She was shocked when I told her this was my first time following this recipe. That is how easy this recipe is.

When the bread pudding finished baking and had time to cool off we dug in. WOW!!! It was divine! Sadly, it was gone in less time than it took to prepare. However, on the plus side, it is so easy to make, I can whip it up again anytime I want. Then again, that may be dangerous. Julie and Running Press have graciously offered to share this recipe so you can make it, too.

Rustic Bread Pudding. Photo credit: Felicia Perretti

Reprinted with permission from VEGAN CASSEROLES © 2014 by Julie Hasson, Running Press, a
member of the Perseus Books Group.

Rustic Bread Pudding

This is comfort food at its very best, and one that I can never get enough of. My grandmother made the
best bread pudding, and my recipe is very similar to hers, except that she added dried apricots and
raisins. You can definitely choose to add them here.

Serves 4 to 6

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
21/4 cups plain unsweetened soymilk or almond milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 cups bread cubes (a crusty, rustic bread or French bread is great)
1/2 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Add the soymilk,
maple syrup, and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Add the bread cubes and let sit about 10 minutes, or
until the bread is soft and has absorbed most of the milk. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, dried
cherries, and a few sprinkles of cinnamon. Don’t overmix. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan.
Lightly sprinkle the top with a little more cinnamon.

Bake the pudding for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it is puffed and golden and the milk has been absorbed.

Variation: You can embellish this bread pudding with other additions, such as substituting 1/2 cup
raisins, slivered dried apricots, or chopped toasted hazelnuts for either the chocolate chips or the
cherries.

Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free bread cubes.

In connection with the release of Vegan Casseroles, Running Press is holding  a Rafflecopter giveaway  for 1 Breville Smart Oven. Five runners up will receive a copy of Vegan Casseroles. The giveaway runs from now until November 12. Enter the giveaway AND pick up a copy of the book. If you win, then you have an awesome gift for a friend.

Vegan Casseroles is available on Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.