It’s summertime, and the garden is producing massive quantities of zucchini right now! So, using the blessing of the bounty that is at hand, what’s for dinner tonight? Zucchini Lasagna!

Now don’t scrunch your nose; after all who said pasta noodles are an absolute lasagna requirement? Rigid expectations when it comes to cooking long-recognized entrees can limit inventive approaches to creating new and equally delicious entrees … new entrees that can still please the “old-schoolers” and also appeal to the “carb-conscious” gang! So, let’s get creative and produce something that, just like the old-school recipe, can wonderfully fill the tummies of our friends and family.

Zucchini Lasagna

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 zucchini – sliced thinly (4 cups), don’t peel

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. tabasco

½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 onions – finely chopped

1 tbsp. butter

4 oz. cream cheese

½ pint sour cream (1 cup)

½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Grated parmesan cheese

Paprika

Directions:

Brown beef. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, tabasco sauce, sugar, Worcestershire sauce. Cook 5 minutes on low. Stir in onions. Butter 10 x 6 casserole dish. Layer ½ meat, ½ zucchini.

In a bowl, blend cream cheese and sour cream. Spread over the top. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread and a side of wide buttered noodles for the carb lovers!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

In a similar way, rigid expectations regarding worship music from “old-school” church members can limit inventive approaches by younger members in creating new, spiritually nurturing worship experiences. On the flip side, however, as contemporary Christian music has become more and more popular over the years, hymns have become less and less prominent in many churches. As such, I suggest that during each worship service, hymns should be included along with the contemporary music to provide a complete benefit to all who have “come to dine”. Granted, as Christians, our whole lives should be a living sacrifice of worship to God, but undoubtedly, praise and thanksgiving through song play a big role. So, let’s “use the blessing of the bounty”: the creative musical talent of our young people along with that of our Christian forefathers to create a biblically sound “entrée” that will provide for all who are partaking.

-Cheri Henderson