Millet Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 3 oz. can mushrooms (optional)
½ C. chopped onion
½ t. poultry seasoning
½ C. chopped celery
1 t. salt
1 C. hulled millet
¼ t. pepper
1 can mushroom soup
½ C. hulled sunflower seeds
2 cans of water
1 dash garlic salt

Cook and stir ground beef, onions, and celery in a large skillet until meat is brown. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 2-quart casserole. Bake 1½ hours at 300°. Serves 6-8.

We found a box of millet in the health food store some years ago when we lived in Virginia. On the side panel was the recipe for millet casserole. We made it and sat down for dinner. I told our two young children we were having birdseed casserole for dinner. That did not go over too big, but I was being truthful. Millet is the main ingredient in many birdseed products. They were not sure they wanted to eat it so they each took a small portion. I think we also had a pitcher of thick Campbell's cream of mushroom soup to pour over it after it was served. Fortunately, I had taken a large helping because the two children fought over what was left. By the way, we are both trying to stay away from meat so Nancy is using Smart Ground---a meat substitute made from soy protein. She made it this way when we had a recent convert to dinner who was a gynecologist by profession. Again, I was glad I had a generous first helping, because there was no second helping left after our friend finished it off. Well, you cannot really blame him. There will never be any of this casserole left. So if you don't like storing leftovers, serve this.