Morbid Meals – Upside-Down Pizza

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

1. Chop your onion and bell pepper, and set aside. If your sausage is in casings, remove the meat from the casings.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch casserole dish and sprinkle with the Mozzarella cheese.
5. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
6. In the medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour this over the casserole.
7. Bake the casserole uncovered in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
8. 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.