Weeknight Casserole

A little over a year ago, I sat in a friend’s bay window, very pregnant, knitting a baby blanket.  My husband and our two friends were busily renovating a porch, while I managed to skip out.  I watched out the window as the sun stretched across the lake, looping wool and draping the ever-lengthening blanket over my lap, and realising that this could be one of the last quiet, contemplative afternoons I would have.  Ever?

As thanks for “our” help, my friend had whipped up a casserole and thrown it in the oven to bake while the last nails were driven into the wood and the frost began to collect on the window panes.  It smelled delicious, and I was inordinately excited about eating it.  I have a bit of a love of casserole.  Especially other people’s casseroles.

Little did I know that this dish would become a staple in our home, especially on those chilly winter nights when we don’t really feel like cooking.  It takes about ten minutes to prep and between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes to cook – just enough time to walk the dog around the block a few times.

IMG_4468

Here’s what you need:

 1 lb lean ground beef

1 large potato (sweet or white), sliced into disks

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup canned corn

1 cup carrots

1/2 a large onion, sliced into rings

6-10 cabbage leaves (red or green)

1 can tomato or cream of mushroom soup

Salt and pepper to taste

Here’s what you do:

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Spread half the ground beef in the bottom of a deep casserole dish.  Season with salt and pepper.

IMG_4450

Layer half the potato slices on top.

IMG_4451

Add another layer of ground beef and season.

IMG_4452

Now add the carrots, peas and corn.

IMG_4454

Spread the onion slices on top of this and then finally top with whole cabbage leaves.

IMG_4455

IMG_4456

Pour the can of soup over top and place in the oven until the meat is cooked through and the potatoes are soft.

IMG_4457IMG_4460

Note:  Either tomato soup or cream of mushroom soup work well in this recipe – make this each way and see which you prefer!

Recipe adapted from Angela Trenholm