NEXT-LEVEL CASSEROLES

“I used thicker-cut (1½ -inch-thick) chops and found that cooking them 11 minutes per side was necessary.”

– MIKE

“Crushing the croutons seemed a bit labor intensive, so I used panko bread crumbs combined with ¼ cup Parmesan and 1 tsp. garlic powder.”

– ROSEMARIE YANDOLI-SMITH

B R E A D E D A I R F R Y E R P O R K C H O P S

HANDS-ON 10 MIN TOTAL 20 MIN SERVES 4 SUBMITTED BY FRANCE C

55 REVIEWS Cajun seasoning gives these chops a little kick, and the seasoned crouton breading gets terrifically crisp in the air fryer. For a filling supper, serve these with smashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts.

4 (1-inch-thick) boneless, center-cut pork chops (1½ to 1¾ lb.) 2 tsp. salt-free Cajun seasoning ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper 2 cups seasoned croutons 1 egg

1 . Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Sprinkle chops all over with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. 2 . Pulse croutons in a small food processor until a fine consistency. (Or put them in a zip-top plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.) Transfer crumbs to a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, lightly beat egg. Dip pork chops into egg, letting excess drip off, then dredge in croutons. Lightly coat chops with cooking spray. 3 . Coat air fryer basket with cooking spray. Working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding, arrange chops in a single layer. 4 . Cook 5 minutes. Turn chops over and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts registers 145°F. armagazine.com/breaded-airfryer-pork-chops

HEALTHY QUICK

PER CHOP: 287 CAL; 9G FAT (3G SAT); 38G PRO; 13G CARB (1G FIBER, 1G SUGARS); 554MG SODIUM

HANDS-ON 10 MIN TOTAL 25 MIN SERVES 4 SUBMITTED BY PAM

1,144 REVIEWS

4 Tbsp. butter 15 buttery round crackers, crushed 1 lb. thick-cut cod, cut into quarters ¼ tsp. black pepper ¼ cup dry white wine 1½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp. sliced green onion 1 lemon, cut into wedges

1 . Preheat oven to 400°F. 2 . Microwave 2 Tbsp. butter in a bowl until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in crushed crackers. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a 7x11-inch baking dish in oven, 1 to 3 minutes. Add cod; turn to coat. Sprinkle with pepper. 3 . Bake 10 minutes. Turn fish over and drizzle with wine and lemon juice; top with cracker mixture. Bake 10 minutes more, until fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts registers 145°F. 4. Transfer fish to a platter. Scatter with green onion. Serve with lemon wedges. armagazine.com/perfect-10-baked-cod

QUICK

PER PIECE: 275 CAL; 15G FAT (8G SAT); 22G PRO; 12G CARB (2G FIBER, 2G SUGARS); 263MG SODIUM

H U M M U S P I Z Z A (photo on page 59)

HANDS-ON 15 MIN TOTAL 25 MIN SERVES 8 SUBMITTED BY POODLEMOLUC

266 REVIEWS Not just a dip, creamy hummus is great on pizza crust, and fresh veggies make this a light vegetarian meal. For a side dish, try tabbouleh.

1 (11- to 13.8-oz.) can refrigerated pizza crust dough 1 cup hummus (8 oz.) 1½ cups any color chopped bell pepper rings 1 cup broccoli florets 1 Roma tomato, sliced ½ cup sliced red onion 2 cups shredded Monterey

Jack cheese

1 . Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a 12-inch pizza pan or baking sheet with cooking spray. 2 . Roll out pizza crust dough in prepared pan. Prick all over with a fork; bake 6 minutes. Spread hummus over hot crust. Arrange bell pepper, broccoli, tomato, and red onion over hummus. Sprinkle with cheese. 3 . Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut into 8 slices. armagazine.com/hummus-pizza

HEALTHY QUICK VEGETARIAN

PER SLICE: 269 CAL; 12G FAT (6G SAT); 12G PRO; 27G CARB (3G FIBER, 2G SUGARS); 458MG SODIUM The crackers add to the buttery flavor of this easy-to-cook cod. You can serve it with rice and a fresh spinach salad with cucumbers and a dill vinaigrette.

“I put the cod in a buttered baking dish, sprinkled it with a little lemon pepper, patted the crumbs on top, and gave it a little squirt of lemon juice. Then I popped it in the oven for 20 minutes. Perfection!”

– HOLLY

What makes a casserole special, from top to bottom? Here’s how to make yours more craveable, one lovely layer at a time.

“I added broccoli, minced garlic, and some white pepper to give it a kick. Yummy!”

– CLAIREANDDAN

“I used homemade mushroom soup and fresh mushrooms instead of canned. Slightly healthier and just as delicious!”

– COOKINGWITHLOVE

what makes it special

Top-quality wild rice, with its nutty flavor and enjoyable bite, takes this casserole favorite to a higher plane. Lightly spiced Italian pork sausage, crisp bacon with its drippings, and a creamy sauce tie it all together.

BY DOUG CRICHTON PHOTOS BRIE PASSANO FOOD STYLING LAUREN McANELLY PROP STYLING SUE MITCHELL

P O R K A N D W I L D R I C E C A S S E R O L E

HANDS-ON 25 MIN TOTAL 2 HR SERVES 8 SUBMITTED BY KATHLEEN

26 REVIEWS

2 cups uncooked wild rice 3½ cups half-and-half ½ cup flour 2 lb. bulk Italian sausage 4 slices bacon, cut into ½ -inch pieces 1 cup chopped onion ½ cup chopped celery 1 (4-oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained and liquid reserved 1 (10.5-oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 cup sliced almonds 1 (2-oz.) jar diced or sliced pimiento, drained (optional), plus more for garnish ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish ¾ tsp. kosher salt ¾ tsp. black pepper Fresh celery leaves, for garnish

1 . Cook wild rice according to package directions in a 5- to 6-qt. pot or Dutch oven. Drain any excess liquid. 2 . Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 3-qt. baking dish. Whisk together 1 cup half-and-half and the flour in a bowl until smooth. 3 . Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain, then transfer to pot with rice. Return skillet to medium heat and add bacon; cook until crisp. Reserving drippings in skillet, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. 4 . Stir onion and celery into skillet; cook over medium heat until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in flour mixture, remaining 2½ cups half-and-half, and the mushroom liquid. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir onion mixture, soup, bacon, mushrooms, almonds, pimiento (if using), parsley, salt, and pepper into pot with sausage and rice. Transfer to prepared baking dish. 5 . Bake, covered, until hot and bubbly , about 40 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and celery leaves. armagazine.com/pork-andwild-rice-casserole

PER 1¼ CUPS: 674 CAL; 39G FAT (14G SAT); 36G PRO; 49G CARB (5G FIBER, 7G SUGARS); 1,340MG SODIUM

HANDS-ON 45 MIN TOTAL 3 HR SERVES 8 SUBMITTED BY MARINA

4 REVIEWS

For Béchamel Sauce ½ cup butter 6 Tbsp. flour 4 cups whole milk, warmed ¾ tsp. kosher salt 3 egg yolks, beaten For Meat Sauce 1 Tbsp. olive oil ½ cup grated onion 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1½ lb. lean ground beef ¾ tsp. ground allspice ¾ tsp. sugar ¾ tsp. kosher salt ¾ tsp. black pepper, plus more for garnish ¼ tsp. cinnamon 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish 1 egg white, lightly beaten For Eggplant 3 lb. eggplant, sliced lengthwise

into ½ -inch-thick pieces [Can’t find fresh eggplant? Substitute three 14-oz. pkg. frozen grilled eggplant slices, prepared according to package directions.]

1 tsp. kosher salt 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

Make Béchamel Sauce

1 . Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms. Lower heat and gradually pour in warmed milk, whisking constantly until sauce thickens, about 4 minutes. Stir in salt. Remove from heat and let cool, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks.

Meanwhile, Make Meat Sauce

2 . Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef. Cook, stirring, until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in allspice, sugar, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. 3 . Stir in tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until excess liquid has evaporated and mixture appears very thick, about 30 minutes. Stir in parsley and remove from heat. Let cool 15 minutes. Stir in egg white.

Prepare Eggplant

4 . Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 5 . Arrange eggplant slices on a double layer of paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with salt . Let stand 30 minutes, until liquid beads on surface. Pat dry with paper towels, wiping off any excess salt. 6 . Arrange eggplant on prepared baking sheets and brush with oil. Roast until tender and just golden, about 30 minutes. 7. Reduce oven to 375°F. Grease a 3-qt. baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant slices in dish. Top with meat sauce and one-third of the Parmesan. Cover with remaining eggplant and sprinkle on another one-third of the Parmesan. Pour béchamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. 8. Bake until set and golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with pepper and chopped parsley. armagazine.com/eggplant-moussaka

HIDDEN GEM

PER 1½ CUPS: 572 CAL; 38G FAT (18G SAT); 29G PRO; 30G CARB (7G FIBER, 16G SUGARS); 963MG SODIUM

what makes it special

A rich, thick meat sauce, spiced with allspice and a hint of cinnamon, plus a creamy béchamel sauce, make this a standout. The fresh eggplant and three layers of Parmesan don’t hurt, either!

“I grilled the oiled eggplant slices and browned the ground beef in the microwave, then added the tomato sauce and spices.”

– JUDY MARTIN

P U F F P A S T R Y C H I C K E N A N D L E E K C A S S E R O L E

HANDS-ON 30 MIN TOTAL 1 HR, 35 MIN SERVES 8 SUBMITTED BY ANALYTICALBLONDE

1 REVIEW

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 large leek (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise, thoroughly rinsed, and sliced crosswise 1 cup chopped carrot 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup frozen peas 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 2 Tbsp. minced shallot 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 1½ tsp. kosher salt 1 to 2 tsp. dried tarragon 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. black pepper 2 bay leaves 2½ cups milk ¼ cup butter 3 Tbsp. flour ½ cup whipping cream 1½ tsp. Dijon mustard 1 (17.5-oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed (2 sheets) 1 egg, beaten Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

1 . Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. 2 . Put chicken, leek, carrot, celery, peas, parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, tarragon, dried basil, pepper, and bay leaves into a large pot. Stir in milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to mediumlow and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain liquid into a bowl. Put chicken and vegetables into 2 separate bowls, discarding bay leaves. Tear chicken into chunks when cool enough to handle. 3 . Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour, whisking to break up any lumps. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and golden. Gradually whisk in strained milk until well blended. Whisk in cream and mustard, then stir in chicken and vegetables. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. 4 . Pour chicken mixture into prepared baking dish. Unfold puff pastry and cover casserole, overlapping the 2 pastry sheets. Brush with beaten egg and cut several slits for venting. Bake until golden, 50 to 55 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves. armagazine.com/puff-pastry-chickenand-leek-casserole

HIDDEN GEM

PER 3½ x4-INCH SLICE: 474 CAL; 31G FAT (17G SAT); 15G PRO; 38G CARB (3G FIBER, 8G SUGARS); 584MG SODIUM

what makes it special

The stars of this dish are the sweet, tender leek inside and the crisp, buttery puff pastry on top. It’s less a casserole and more one big, delicious potpie.