Okay, so I’ve been seeing “Impossible Meat” everywhere, and I finally caved and bought some. I’m not vegetarian, but I’m always up for trying new things. The package had a few recipe ideas, but I wanted something… heartier. I decided to go with a casserole – you really can’t go wrong with a casserole, right?
Getting Started
First, I gathered my ingredients. I’m a pretty basic cook, so I didn’t want anything too fancy. Here’s what I grabbed:
- One package of Impossible Meat (the ground “beef” kind)
- A can of diced tomatoes
- A can of corn (drained, obviously)
- Some onion and garlic (because everything’s better with onion and garlic)
- A box of elbow macaroni (because, classic)
- Cheddar cheese (shredded, because I’m lazy)
- Some spices – salt, pepper, a little chili powder, you know, the usual.
The Cooking Process
First things first, I chopped up the onion and garlic. I’m not great at dicing, so they were probably a little uneven, but who cares? It all cooks down anyway.
Then, I threw the Impossible Meat into a pan. I was surprised, it looked pretty much like ground beef. I browned it up with the onion and garlic, and it smelled pretty good! I added the spices while it was cooking – a dash of this, a pinch of that. I don’t really measure, I just go by feel.
Once the “meat” was cooked, I dumped in the tomatoes and corn. I stirred it all together and let it simmer for a bit, just to let the flavors… mingle, I guess.
Meanwhile, I boiled the macaroni. Pro tip: don’t overcook it! Nobody likes mushy pasta. I drained it and set it aside.
Putting It All Together
Okay, here’s where the magic happens. I greased a casserole dish (just with some cooking spray, nothing fancy). Then I layered the ingredients. First, a layer of the macaroni. Then, a layer of the Impossible Meat mixture. Then, a generous layer of cheese. And then I repeated it – macaroni, meat, cheese. I ended with cheese on top, because, well, cheese.
Bake Time!
I popped the casserole into the oven. I think I set it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit? I’m really bad at remembering oven temperatures. I just kept an eye on it until the cheese was all bubbly and golden brown. It probably took about 20-25 minutes, but like I said, I wasn’t really paying attention to the time.
The Verdict
Okay, so it wasn’t the prettiest casserole I’ve ever made. It was kind of a mess, to be honest. But it smelled amazing! And you know what? It tasted pretty darn good too! The Impossible Meat had a good texture, not mushy or anything. And the flavors all worked together really well. Even my picky-eater husband liked it!
Would I make it again? Absolutely! It was easy, relatively cheap, and satisfying. Next time, I might try adding some different veggies, or maybe a different kind of cheese. The possibilities are endless!
