All great casseroles are made with some kind of meat, a variety of vegetables, a good stock and some herbs. All the ingredients are put into a casserole dish, covered with a lid and cooked slowly on the top of your cooker or in the oven on a low heat. 
Generally the longer a casserole cooks the better it tastes, although there are some casseroles that taste delicious and are cooked quickly.  The cooking time will depend on your ingredients. Cooking your casserole slowly will make the meat tender and allow the wonderful flavours to seep into all the ingredients. 

Meat –You can take a favourite recipe and replace your usual meat with something new to create a casserole that tastes just as good! Changing the meat or herbs in a casserole alters the taste, so by adapting an existing recipe you can easily create a new one with very little effort.  Try using beef sausages in your next casserole instead of your usual braising steak.  They are delicious! And everyone loves them from the kids to grandpa!

Vegetables-Some good basic vegetables to add to your casserole include onions, carrots, potatoes, leeks, mushrooms, tomatoes, red or green peppers or turnips. 

Stock- Make a good stock to add to your casseroles or alternatively buy a prepared stock from your butcher or local shop.

Casserole dishes - Pots can be made from earthenware, stone, pottery or heat resistant glass.  If you’re going to freeze the casserole after cooking, check the dish you’re using is freezer proof and has no cracks in it.  If you are going to serve it straight from the pot have a look online for some pretty casserole dishes big enough to feed your family.  If you have a small family, consider buying a larger pot and freezing the leftovers.

Gravy - It’s a matter of preference whether you thicken your casserole or not, but if I’m using beef sausages then I usually thicken the gravy just before serving.  The family loves it served with chips and chunks of French bread.  Serve sweet garden peas or organic carrots steamed and tossed in butter and parsley as an accompaniment.

Beef sausages make delicious stews and casseroles so try out your favourite recipe using beef sausages instead of stewing or braising meat.