EXAMINATION
The Hanged Man Tarot card suggests that we need to get a new perspective on whatever is in our way. A challenge that I often face is not knowing what to make for dinner for me and my family.
So how about we take a popular family dinner decision — pizza night — and turn it upside-down! This casserole dish resembles an upside-down pizza, but is hearty enough to feed more than an eight-slice pizza ever could.
ANALYSIS
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 lb Italian sausage
1 lb ground beef
1 small jar (4.5 oz) mushrooms, drained
1 can/jar (24 oz) spaghetti sauce
8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Apparatus
- Saucepan
- 9×13 casserole dish
- Medium bowl
Procedure
- Chop your onion and bell pepper, and set aside. If your sausage is in casings, remove the meat from the casings.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, beef, onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms, until the meat is browned. Drain off the grease.
- Add the spaghetti sauce of your choice (or tomato sauce and favorite herbs if you prefer). Bring to a quick boil then simmer for 2 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch casserole dish and sprinkle with the Mozzarella cheese.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- In the medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour this over the casserole.
- Bake the casserole uncovered in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
- Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
DISSECTION
Feel free to switch up the ingredients. Use whatever your favorite pizza toppings are. If you want a gluten-free version, I think polenta would make an excellent crust layer. (2 cups boiling water to 1 cup of corn meal, cook for about 15 minutes, whisk occasionally, then pour over your casserole instead of the batter.)
POST-MORTEM
This goes together faster than lasagna and gets eaten faster than a delivery pizza. Everyone had seconds and even the picky eaters who normally avoid veggies enjoyed this new take on a favorite dish.
