For the Church Potluck ... Or the Family Reunion

At every church potluck dinner or social event in the South, you can bet on the appearance of a Velveeta-laden broccoli-rice casserole (made with white rice of course ... and sometimes even chicken). As a young lacto-ovo vegetarian, I loved the meat-free version of this classic casserole. So tonight, I re-created it vegan-style for my cookbook. Here's a bowl of my Broccoli Brown Rice & Cheeze Casserole:


This dish is super creamy, thanks to nooch sauce and homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup. Homemade sprouted grain breadcrumbs were the perfect topping, adding a little crunch right where it was needed. The perfect childhood comfort food. It brought me back to a time when life was simpler ... when there were no bills to pay, no work to do. Summer days meant swimming the neighbor's pool, riding bikes through the neighborhood, and making home movies on my parents' clunky 1980s video recorder. It's crazy how one bite can take you way, way back.


I'm going to have a whole section of my cookbook devoted to casseroles. I adore a good casserole. No need for a side dish. Just plop everything in one Corningware dish, toss it in the oven, and 30 minutes later, you've got yourself a meal. So retro!