Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole

Photo courtesy of Maggie Armstrong.

   When I first read the name of this recipe it didn't sound very exciting. However once I read the ingredients and instructions, I became curious. This reminded me of the layers of a lasagna. Instead of noodles, layers of thin sliced zucchini are alternated with meat and cheese. 
   Once I actually tasted this casserole, I was totally won over. This was the grand prize winning dish at a local holiday recipe contest. It was the biggest surprise of the day for everyone that had the chance to try it. Congratulations to a great local cook.

Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole
Grand Prize Winner, Nora Miller, Patoka

2 cups zucchini unpeeled, sliced

2 T. butter

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

2 cups cooked rice

16 oz. small curd cottage cheese

1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350º. Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs, brown lightly. Set bread crumbs aside.

Brown ground beef and onion stirring until ground beef is crumbly; drain. Add the garlic salt, oregano and cooked rice and mix well. 

Layer one-half of the unpeeled zucchini, the ground beef mixture, cottage cheese and remaining zucchini in a 9x9 baking pan. 

Spread the soup over the top and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes.