They hung in the air in exactly the same way that bricks don't. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Episode 1

I Recommend Doing the Prep Work The Night Before at 1 AM (Beef and Zucchini Pizza-Inspired Casserole)

In retrospect, I might try baking the zucchini layer for a few minutes to dry it out a bit for a firmer texture.

  • 1/4 c heavy cream
  • 1/3 c Grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 8 oz. Sliced Bell Peppers and Onions (Costco or BJs has a good mix they sell as fajita vegetables
  • 8 oz. Zucchini Slices, Frozen
  • 1 oz almonds, ground and toasted
  • 1/2 c Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1/3 c Cheddar and Gouda cheeses (or really anything you like), coarsely shredded
  • About 30 slices of turkey pepperoni
  • Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
  • Basil
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350°. In a measuring cup, add parmesan and garlic to cream and whisk. Spray a deep casserole dish with your favorite baking spray and layer the bottom with zucchini slices. Brown the beef in a large skillet, adding salt and Worcestershire Sauce. Drain the beef and layer atop the zucchini. Cover the beef with a thin layer of ground almonds. Pour about 3/4 of the cream and Parmesan mixture over the almonds. Lightly sautee the onions and peppers in the beef drippings and layer in the dish. Top with a layer of pepperoni. Cover with mozarella and dot with the other cheeses. Sprinkle with basil and drizzle remaining cream sauce. Bake at 350° for about an hour.

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