“Beef” and Hash Brown Casserole With Zucchini.

Dinnertimes are going to be unwieldy this week, so yesterday I decided to cook a big lasagna pan’s worth of “beef” and hash brown casserole – found in Christy Jordan’s Southern Plate Magazine ­– to tide us over for a couple of days.  As usual, it turned out great – and has offered more than enough to keep us fueled for several dinners, plus at least two lunches!  And it’s a cinch to make.  Paired with some zucchini from last week’s Great Country Farms shipment, it was a perfect meal.

The casserole is a layered dish of goodness – a layer of frozen shredded potatoes, a layer of mixed-together ground “beef” and frozen onions and peppers, another layer of potatoes, a layer of spaghetti sauce, and finally some cheese to top the whole thing off.  (We actually used Daiya vegan cheddar this time and were thrilled with the results!)  Bake the whole shebang for 35-45 minutes or so in total, and you’ve got a hearty, one-dish supper that keeps very well for leftovers.

But since I had the zucchini and all, I decided to do a little something with it too in order to add some greenery to the plate.  :)  I sliced each squash lengthwise, then again to make four quarters; then I cut each quarter in half crosswise.  I sprayed a pan with some Pam, added the squash, and cooked on medium for a couple of minutes.  Then I decided to add in four tablespoons of veggie broth (I actually have an ice tray filled with broth at the moment – don’t ask – so I used four of the ice cubes) and, finally, some diced-up Morningstar Farms bacon strips.  I let it all cook for the last 10 to 15 minutes of my casserole’s cook time, and voila!  Dinner was served.

The broth really brings out the flavor of the zucchini without eliminating its crunch, and the side paired very nicely with the casserole.  Further, there was just enough zucchini left over for us to enjoy tonight as Leftover No. 1 – a special treat!  Tomorrow night we’ll have to add another side to pair with the entrée.  At this point, I’m thinking of using the delicata squash that came in our CSA box last week.  Who’s got a good recipe for me to try?

:)