Sausage and Parmesan Wheat Bake

This is one of my favorite quick meals. It takes minutes to prepare, combines most of the essential food groups (vegetables, carbohydrates, meat) and includes Parmesan cheese. The only potential pitfall? It could take a long time to bake if you start with frozen ingredients. Work around this problem by prepping the dish in the morning, refrigerating it during the day, and popping it into the oven when you get home. It should then take a little more than half as long to cook.

• 4 sausages (1 per person)
• 3 cups frozen mixed julienned vegetables (or 1 1/2 cup each fresh grated zucchini and carrots)
• 2 cups uncooked cracked wheat
• 2 tablespoons dried herbs (italian seasoning works best)
• 1 tablespoon dried garlic
• Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups boiling water added just before cooking (!)

In a large baking dish, sprinkle the cracked wheat mixed with the herbs and garlic. Lay the sausages on top of the wheat and then cover with the vegetables. Top with the Parmesan. If preparing in advance, stop here. Otherwise, add the boiling water. Pop into the oven at 400° F until cooked (about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the oven, if the sausage is frozen; 30 minutes if prepped in advance). Check during cooking about halfway through to make sure it’s not too dry, otherwise go give the kids a bath.

Delicious with a medium golden beer and a beet salad.