Emily Farris is author of 'Casserole Crazy: Hot Stuff for Your Oven'
Last week on "Good Morning America," Emeril Lagasse accused show host Charlie Gibson (who was not present at the time) of stealing one of his recipes. This might not have been a big deal if the dish -- a chicken enchilada casserole -- had not become the most popular recipe on GMA's Web site. Today Gibson struck back in the blogosphere, defending his culinary prowess and questioning why the renowned Emeril would want to take credit for a recipe based on canned chili, canned tomato sauce and canned enchilada sauce topped with Doritos.
Leaving aside the well-known fact that Doritos are delicious -- especially the Cool Ranch variety, but let's not get distracted here -- as a casserole cookbook author, I'm inclined to take Gibson's side on this one.
Gibson claims he got the recipe from a friend before he ever knew Emeril. And I believe him. I grew up thinking my mom's green-bean casserole was hers. It was creamy on the inside, crunchy on the outside and all-round delicious. Of course my mother had created it! Except she hadn't. When I began to make it myself, I learned it was the Durkee onion can recipe.
I am a huge fan of casseroles. In the summer I make a zucchin gratin that would knock your socks off. In the fall and winter, I become the queen of various pasta bakes, blending elbows with sausage, spinach and tomato sauce, and gemelli with ricotta cheese and pesto. Happily, I discovered recently, that when it comes to casseroles, I have a soul sister in Emily Farris. She is the blogger behind the site 
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