Prep time

Maybe it is us, but when we are making a recipe, especially a new one, our prep time is never what the recipe says it will be.  In fact, it is usually at least double the prep time if not sometimes three times the prep time.

For example, a few weeks ago we made this new to us recipe, Zucchini Tomato Casserole.  As you can see in the picture below the prep time says 10 minutes.  

Here are the directions (which you can also get from the link above as well as the ingredients).  

• Preheat oven to 375˚F.
• Grease a 9-inch baking dish with a little butter. Set aside.
• Prepare the cream cheese mixture by combining cream cheese, milk, basil, and ground nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
• Layer half of the zucchini slices on the bottom of the baking dish.
• Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
• Add a layer of sliced tomatoes over the zucchini slices.
• Sprinkle with half of the garlic and half of the fresh basil.
• Add a layer of HALF of the cream cheese blend over the tomatoes; sprinkle with half of the shredded Italian cheese.
• Repeat one more layer of zucchini slices; add a bit of salt and pepper.
• Repeat one more layer of tomato slices; add the rest of the garlic and fresh basil.
• Spread a layer of the remaining cream cheese mixture and sprinkle the rest of the shredded Italian cheese.
• Dot with slices of butter.
• Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly, browned, and veggies are tender.
• Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh basil; cut and serve.

The zucchini was cut into round slices and the recipe called for 2 zucchinis to yield the needed 6-7 cups needed.  We got 4 pretty good size zucchinis and it took 3 of them to get the 7 cups.  The tomatoes were cut into slices.   The recipe called for heirloom tomatoes.  We couldn't find them at the store so we got beefsteak ones and they worked fine.

So hubby and me were making the recipe together.  I cut the zucchini and tomatoes and at the same time he was doing step #3 on the directions above, preparing the cream cheese mixture.  Before we had started, we got out all the ingredients we would need.

Then after the cream cheese mixture was made and the zucchini/tomatoes cut, we started assembling the casserole, steps 4 through 12.  He primarily assembled while I handed him things he needed.  

All in all, it took us 40 minutes to get it ready to go into the oven.

Not the 10 minute prep time listed.

Here's the finished product out of the oven.  

The recipe said it was for six servings but we cut it into four servings and had some sausage with it.  We had leftovers the next day.  

It was good and tasty and we'll make it again.  Next time we'll serve it with chicken I think for variety.  

As I always do when we make a new recipe, I write down notes on it for the next time we make something.  Notes like "needs a bit more spicing" or "consider using frozen veggies instead of fresh".  Things like that.  This one I wrote "40 minutes to prep".  

And this happens constantly and continually with us.  I wonder who comes up with these prep times?? Or are we slow preppers?