Shish-ka-bake

I love shish kabobs, but the time to skewer everything is not always available. My father and I created a recipe that gives the same results without the time consumption. It started when we were making lunch for a large family gathering, and with what had come in from the garden, decided to make kabobs. We placed the ingredients in a large bowl, and he thought to pour a bottle of Italian dressing over them to marinate and keep from drying out while the others cooked. The taste was superb! Later, when I was in a hurry but wanted to use the very ripe produce to make the same recipe, I put it all in a pan and baked it. It was wonderful and so easy!

Shish-ka-bake

1 pint cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes, quartered and halved
1 pint mushrooms
3 small summer squash, cut into 1" slices
hot or mild peppers, cut into 1" squares
16 oz pearl onions or a large onion, quartered and halved
2-3 pounds your choice of meat or tofu

Marinate cubed chicken, steak, turkey, or tofu in 1/2 bottle Italian dressing overnight, or at least 3 hours. In a separate bowl, mix washed vegetables and remaining dressing, stirring to coat well. Drain marinade from meat and combine meat with vegetables. Add 1/4 cup water and sir. Pour into a 9X14 pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes, checking to see that the center of the meat is cooked (everyone's cube size could be different, so adjust the time for your own needs). While this is baking, put some long grain brown rice to steam or boil, and serve the rice with a topping of the shish-ka-bake, including the dressing. This makes a nice sauce for the rice.