Lasagna Toss

1 pkg (12 oz)  large Shell-Roni macaroni, cooked
2 lbs ground beef (I usually use only 1 1/2 lbs.)
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 27 oz can spaghetti sauce (I usually make my own sauce, and make more than what one jar would equal.  I find it is dry without the extra sauce.  I make mine with a large can of tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce and Italian seasonings to taste.)2 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
2 cups (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Heat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to package directions drain.

 Meanwhile in large skillet, brown grown beef with onions and garlic; drain off excess fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and simmer  until heated through.

remove 1 cup sauce

Stir cooked pasta into meat sauce.

Place ½ pasta mixture in 2 quart casserole. Combine cottage cheese with parsley. Evenly spread on top of mixture in casserole.Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese; cover with remaining pasta mixture then the extra sauce and remaining mozzarella. (Sometimes I only put the Parmesan on top and put all the cheese on top of the cottage cheese.)

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Texas Sheet cake (brownie)

Here is my recipe for Texas Sheet cake.

2 Cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup butter (two sticks)
1 cup water or Postum type drink (pero, caffix, Roma etc Postum is no longer sold so I make do with something else.)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 dash salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
4 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 400
Butter an 11 x 17 jelly roll pan
Mix sugar and flour in a bowl. In a saucepan (large enough to make frosting later) bring to boil the butter, water/postum mix, cocoa and salt. Pour cocoa mixture over flour mixture and stir until combined.

Beat in buttermilk, baking soda, eggs and vanilla. (It is thin not thick like other brownie recipes) Pour into baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. The center is barely set, so very soft. Do not overbake, the center is slightly puffed but will fall if not overbaked when cool.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons milk, (I use whole milk)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In the same pan that you cooked the chocolate mixture for the brownie bring to a boil butter, milk and cocoa. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, and vanilla. Stir until nice and smooth. Pour and spread carefully over the brownie immediately after removing it from the oven. The frosting melts into the cake. Cool and refrigerate if needed.

Enjoy this easy to make and very chocolatey brownie. A favorite at any family gathering.

Mock Mince Pie

This is a recipe I found in my grandmothers old Better Homes and Garden cookbook. I'm not a mince pie person, but when I saw this recipe I knew that it was a good one and anyone that likes mince or raisin pie it is a keeper. Be prepared, it is very, very rich and a very small sliver is plenty.

Prepare your favorite pastry of a 2 crust 9 inch pie.

In a bowl, mix together 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger.

Add 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pared apple, 1 cup raisins, 1/2 cup canned jellied cranberry sauce, broken up, 1/3 c coarsely chopped walnuts, 1 tsp grated orange peel (make sure you use a fresh orange not dried), 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel (fresh like the orange peel) and 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh not the bottled stuff). Mix well

Line 9 inch pie plate with pastry: fill. Dot with butter. Adjust top crust over filling, tucking edge under rim of bottom crust; seal. Crimp edge. Cut design in top crust for escape of steam.

Bake at 400 for 30 to 35 minutes or till browned. Serve warm. Top with shredded or think slices of Cheddar or sharp cheese if desired.

I made this for Christmas and for those of my family that enjoy mince meat it was a hit. Enjoy.

Coconut Pineapple Chicken

Soak 4 to 5 chicken breasts in 1/2 cup pineapple juice. (I used skinless chicken thighs.) Put one or 2 tablespoons oil in skillet. (I used coconut oil) Add 1/3 red onion and 1 or 2 tablespoons garlic, lightly saute. Add 1 can chopped pineapple and chicken. Cook chicken, then add 1 can coconut milk. Cook but don't boil. Get it thick on medium

I found this recipe to have lots of potential. It is still a bit flat and could use some perfecting in seasoning. It needs salt, pepper, and probably more pineapple juice. You could use curry, lemon grass, or other Thia spices. I also thought the addition of crystalized ginger would be excellent.

Moroccan Lamb and Lemon Tagine

I found this recipe in a Costco magazine article by Bruce Aidells, I adapted it using more fresh ingredients rather than the dried in the magazine.

3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2 inch chunks
1 1/2 cups finely diced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (Used fresh grated ginger)
1 Tablespoon paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Pinch of saffron (optional, I had some in stock)
1 tsp dried mint (I used 1 tbsp fresh mint)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems (save leaves for garnish) (This is the only ingredient I was unsure about because I have always been told that cilantro stems are bitter)
1 1/2 cups water
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 fresh lemon cut into eighths lengthwise and seeded
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
20 kalamata or mild green olives, well washed and pitted
2 cups crookneck squash, or yellow zucchini, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks or whole okra (or combination of all three) I used the zucchini.
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Combine the first 12 ingredients in a large heavy pot with a lid or a Dutch oven. Add the water: bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the lamb is tender. Add more water if needed.

Add the carrots and lemon wedges, making sure they are covered with liquid (add more water, if needed) and cook for 10 more minutes. Add lemon juice, olives and squash, and cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes more or until the carrots and squash are tender. Remove the solids from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid behind.

Arrange the meat and vegetables in a shallow serving dish or deep platter. Degrease the sauce and reduce it by boiling to concentrate the flavors. It should have a soup-like consistency. Taste for salkt, pepper and lemon, and adjust as desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serves 6 to 8

Roasted Mushrooms

I haven't done it exactly this way ever, but I am going to make these roasted mushrooms soon. I think they sound like something very nice for a New Years party.

Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
Perfect as can be from Gourmet.com

1 pound mushrooms such as cremini or white, halved lengthwise if large
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a 1 1/2- to 2-qt shallow baking dish. Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately, with crusty bread on the site for swiping up the juices.

My Lemon-Garlic Roasted Chicken

Okay, so it probably isn't mine, although I have done something like this for years.

It's pretty basic and easy, but our sister Jacinda loves it.


Garlic-Lemon roasted Chicken

Cut up Chicken, whatever parts you prefer
Olive oil
Juice of at least three lemons, I use up to 6 or 7
Several cloves of Garlic, a few peeled and finely pressed or minced, and the other stays in the skins.
Minced fresh Rosemary

Drizzle your baking dish with olive oil. and Place chicken in the dish. You are going to marinate and back. Do this at least a hour ahead, but it is best if you can chill in the fridge for several ours before roasting. Salt and pepper to taste. slowly pour the Lemon juice over the chicken. If you take time to grate some of the peel over the chicken it adds more lovely flavor. spread the minced garlic evenly. Drop the garlic cloves ( at LEAST 20 of them but more is better!)beside the pieces of chicken. Cover with plastic or foil and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350 and roast the chicken for 1 hour.

Yummy!

Mexican Ceasar Salad

A friend made this for us and it is so tasty! Tasha said it sounded hot, but it really isn't. It is a yummy twist on a basic salad. Do enjoy. It is great with Grilled Chicken

MEXICAN CEASAR SALAD

Romaine lettuce

shredded pepper jack cheese (a sprinkling)

roasted pumpkin seeds

croutons, pretzels, or crushed tortilla chips. (I prefer something with kick: we've used Doritos sweet and spicy or buffalos wing flavored pretzels, whatever you heat preference is.)

Mexican ceasar dressing

4 oz green chilies

a sprinkling of minced garlic or garlic salt

1 tsp. salt

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

1 bunch cilantro

a few good pepper grinds

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup mayo

a dash of cayenne pepper.

Mix greens and add dressing last. Sprinkle with croutons. This is a recipe I have modified from the internet (dubstogsdill). Tried to reduce the fat. This will make enough for two or three salads. We have also used this on a steak salad and it was great as well.

Michael's Enchilada's

2-3 tortillas (per person, light eaters might just want one.)
1 chicken boiled and deboned or slow cooked roast shredded or 2 lbs ground beef cooked.
2-3 cups shredded cheese
2-4 cups shredded lettuce
1-2 cups choppped onion (depending on personal preferences)
2-3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 can ripe olives, sliced
1 cup sour cream for toppings.


Sauce recipe

2 cans tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce or paste
2 tbsp chili powder to taste
3 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder or
2 fresh cloves garlic minced.

Mix together in a sauce pan and heat until hot.

Construction of enchilada's per plate.

each gets to choose how many tortillas they think they can eat-- experience or trial and error--(3 often too much for grown hungry man), pour a half a ladle of sauce for each layer, then meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and other toppings as desired. (taco toppings of any sort), put a little extra cheese on the last layer of enchiladas, before placing in the oven long enough to melt the cheese (broiler settings work great, be sure to use oven proof plates). if the plates are hot prepare table with hot pads. Enjoy a personal serving of a tasty dish.

(This recipe is adapted from a simpler version his grandmother made using just sauce and cheese for each enchilada's.)

Tanya's Cream Cheese Enchilada's

1 whole chickens, cut up.
1 bunch green onion chopped
2 cans mushrooms
1 8oz package cream cheese
16oz of sour cream
green enchilada sauce 19 oz
enough mexican blend shredded cheese to cover enchilada's. (I used 1 1/2 packages roughly)

Pat dry chicken pieces and brown in hot frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil as needed.
Place browned chicken in dutch oven to boil. Deglaze pan to get the benefit of drippings and add to water in dutch oven.
Cook chicken for 20-40 minutes until down. Let sit 10 minutes. Then debone the chicken.
Add to deboned meat onions, drained mushrooms, and cream cheese. Add about 3/4 cups of chicken broth and mix together until chicken shreds into fine pieces and cream cheese is completely blended in. Add salt and pepper to taste

For this amount I use two oblong cake pans.
Spread a dollop of sour cream on the bottom of the pan. This helps keep them moist and makes clean up easier.
On each tortilla I spread a dollop of sour cream, and a couple of tablespoons of chicken mixture. I'm not exact with this just fill them as you would like. I can get about 10 enchilada's in a pan 8 placed side by side and 2 in the open space on the edge.
Spread more sour cream on top, add 1/2 a can of enchilada sauce spreading evenly then add cheese on top.
Repeat on the 2 tray.
I usually get 2 trays out of this and sometimes some extra chicken for left overs.
bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Yummy.