Alright, let’s talk about this little mini casserole dish I used today. Had it sitting in the cupboard for ages, the one with the cute little lid. Always thought, “What am I gonna make in something that small?” But today, I was just cooking for myself and figured, why not give it a go.
Getting Started
So, I decided on a mini baked pasta thing. Like, really mini. Didn’t want to make a giant tray like usual. First, I hunted around for ingredients. Found half an onion, a bit of leftover cooked chicken, a lonely bell pepper in the fridge drawer.
I started by chopping everything up really small. Felt a bit funny, dicing such tiny amounts. Cooked up just a handful of pasta – seriously, maybe a cup? While that was boiling, I sautéed the onion and pepper in a small pan, threw in the chicken just to warm it up. Mixed that with a bit of tomato sauce I had left over. Nothing fancy, you know?
Putting it Together
Okay, pasta drained. I mixed the pasta with the sauce mixture. Then came the moment of truth: filling the mini casserole dish. It actually held more than I thought it would. Spooned the pasta mix in there. Topped it with a sprinkle of cheese. Just regular cheddar, nothing special.
Now, the lid. What to do with the lid? I wasn’t sure if I should bake it with the lid on or off. I decided to put the dish in the oven without the lid first. Wanted the top to get a little crispy, you know?
Baking and Waiting
Popped it into the oven. Didn’t take long at all, maybe 15, 20 minutes? Because it’s so small, everything heats through pretty quick. I kept an eye on it. When the cheese looked bubbly and started to brown a little, I took it out.
Here’s where the lid came in handy. I wasn’t quite ready to eat yet, still sorting out some stuff. So, I put the little lid on top of the hot dish. Worked perfectly to keep the heat in for those extra few minutes.
The Result
Honestly? It was pretty good! The portion size was just right for one person. No leftovers, which is a miracle for me. The pasta was cooked perfectly, cheese was melty. The dish itself was obviously super hot, handled it carefully.
- The size was perfect for a single serving.
- Cooking time was fast.
- The lid was useful for keeping it warm.
Cleaning wasn’t too bad either. Bit of baked-on cheese, but it soaked off easily enough. Guess these little things are quite practical after all, especially when you don’t want to make a huge batch of something. Yeah, I think I’ll be using this mini casserole dish again.
