Cheesy Ham and Banana Casserole

Omni from Indiana Approved!

It tastes better than it looks

*  I feel the need to update this post slightly, since it was what inspired this blog, and perhaps if I explain why I made this, the blog will make more sense.

So, I went to Fubonn, my neighborhood Vietnamese emporium and bought a vegan ham tube and figured Paula Deen might be able to tell me what to do with it.  I stumbled upon her recipe for Cheesy Ham and Banana Casserole.  I had to make it, it sounded completely insane and yet oddly appealing.  So I veganized it, and I posted it in Food Porn on the PPK, the responses led me to believe that there may be a demand for a blog devoted to veganizing Paula Deen crap.  And here I am.  *

The original recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cheesy-ham-and-banana-casserole-recipe/ called for butter, ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, 4 eggs, milk, and cream. I used a combination of homemade and convenience items to replace these. Yes, I could have made tempeh bacon and seitan ham. I didn’t, I am trying to channel Paula here people, she’s no Julia Child.

The original recipe calls for 2 cups of crushed potato chips. I forgot to buy chips and it was raining, making a trip to the store for my least favorite snack food not likely. I don’t think the recipe needs em anyways.

What follows is my interpretation, which could still use a little tweaking regarding the replacement for 4 eggs and heavy cream:

Cheezy Ham Tube and Banana Casserole

Serves: 8-10

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and smear Earth Balance on a 9×13 inch container

• 12-14 slices bread, earth balance spread on both sides (I used a crusty sourdough)
• 1 pound ham tube, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 4 bananas sliced on the bias
• Double batch of Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Melty Chedda Cheeze, from her book 20 Minutes to Dinner, or on her website http://www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com/page/page/661699.htm it is third from the bottom, scroll way down
• 6 slices of Smart Bacon, or other vegan equivalent, crisped up and crumbled
• 1 package firm silken tofu
• 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
• 2 cups crushed potato chips (optional)
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Place silken tofu, soymilk, a healthy dose of ground nutmeg, pepper, and just a pinch of salt into blender and blend until creamy, set aside.
2. Prepare cheeze sauce according to directions, set aside.
3. Place one half of the bread on the bottom of the baking dish, in a single even layer.
4. Place all of the ham tube in a single layer on top of the bread.
5. Place all of the banana on top of the ham tub in a single layer.
6. Place remaining bread on top of the banana in a single layer.
7. Pour tofu and soymilk mixture on top of bread/banana/ham until it just reaches the top.
8. Pour cheese sauce on top.
9. Top with crumbled Smart Bacon.
10. Paula would also like you to crumble up 2 cups worth of potato chips and put them on top at this point, go ahead and do this now if you desire.

Place casserole in oven and bake about 40 minutes, until firm and lightly browned.

Let cool a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutritional Comparison for one serving:

Original Recipe:

• 675 Calories
• 44 grams of fat
• 17 grams of saturated fat

My Version

• 300 Calories
• 10 grams of fat
• 1.5 grams of saturated fat