The deep freeze of  ’10, O’ Ten or whatever we’re calling it, has left me committed to learning how to make delicious casseroles. Any excuse to keep the oven on while standing nearby.

I am a recipe rebel. I got the basic premise for this one from a one-pot cookbook I snagged at a sale, but I took many liberties. Fortunately, it turned out amazingly well, as evidenced by everyone getting thirds.

Here’s the lowdown on my version. Let me know if you try it.  Bon appetit.

Inventory

1 large onion

3 small zucchini

Generous number of garlic cloves

½ Cauliflower

½ cup Broccoli

1 yellow and 1 orange pepper

3 turnips

1 cup roasted carnival or butternut squash

½ package soft tofu

1 cup cooked black eyed peas or 1 can

Fresh thyme

Teaspoon sage

Teaspoon oregano

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

1 egg

¾ cup rice milk

Sea salt

Butter or butter substitute

Olive oil

Fresh pepper

Teaspoon White wine vinegar

Tabasco sauce

1/3 cup Vegetable broth

Execution

1. Roast squash —- rub it in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover in aluminum foil and stick in oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes (until soft)
2. Roast veggies—- chop em to around the same size ( ½-1 square inch-ish),  mix together  and stick them in a 1-2 inch deep glass dish. Mix 4 tablespoons of olive oil with a teaspoon of vinegar, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, sage, Tabasco sauce, and pinch of cayenne pepper. Coat the veggies with the mixture. Let them roast in the over uncovered for about ten minutes. Remove from oven, cover, return to oven for ten more minutes.
3. Blend tofu, seeded and peeled squash, veggie broth, tablespoon of butter, ¼ cup rice milk, salt and pepper (use a blender or beater).
4. Remove veggies from oven. Mix with tofu blend and black eyed peas.

Sift flour with teaspoon of salt. Rub Four tablespoons of butter into flour. Add oregano, salt, pepper. Beat egg with ½ cup milk. Add enough to flour mixture to knead into malleable dough. Roll out dough. Cut out biscuits (I used a little star-shaped cookie cutter). Arrange biscuits on top of the veggies. Return to oven and bake until the biscuits brown. Serve with aged parmesan cheese sprinkled on top (optional).