Hamburger Noodle Bake

maI'm back! New Year resolution #1... try to post a recipe once every other week. I was going to do once a week, but who am I kidding... I want to be able to stick with this! Tonight we were in the mood for a good, comfort food type of meal. So I turned to the family cookbook and decided on this one. It was yummy and even James ate a good sized portion. The only thing I would do different next time is add a little spice. Maybe some chili powder would do the trick.

Hamburger Noodle Bake

~Barbara Davis

1 1/2 - 2 lbs Hamburger Meat ( I used 1 lb of extra lean ground beef)

4 TB butter (I omitted this all together. Didn't seem like it needed it)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp sugar ( I didn't add this either)

32 oz tomato sauce

10 oz egg noodles, cooked and drained

1 small onion, chopped

8 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 c. sour cream (I used light sour cream)

1 c. shredded cheese ( I used light cheddar)

Brown hamburger, drain. Add butter (if using), sugar, garlic and tomato sauce. Simmer 15 min. Combine noodles, onion, cream cheese and sour cream. In a 9x13 pan, layer half of the noodle mixture, half of the meat sauce, repeat and then top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Butterhorn Rolls

I had to get this recipe up before Thanksgiving. These are the yummiest Thanksgiving rolls - or anytime rolls, and they aren't that hard or messy to make. My least favorite part about cooking or baking is always the clean up afterwards! I made these for a bridal shower and as always everyone loved them.

Butterhorn Rolls

1pkg. quick-rise yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1/2 c. butter, melted

3/4 c. milk scalded (heat until just before boiling)

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

3 eggs, well beaten

4 1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. butter (for later)

Soften yeast in warm water. Set aside. In your mixer, combine the melted butter and scalded milk. Stir in the sugar, salt and eggs. Add the softened yeast and then the flour. Mix everything until it makes a soft dough. Set dough aside in a warm place and allow to rise for 2 1/2 hours.

(here's my before and after pics of the rising)

After dough is risen, divide in half (it will be sticky but don't add more flour). Put the first half on a lightly floured surface and roll around until it is coated with flour. Then roll it out in a 14-inch circle. Spread the dough with 1/4 cup melted butter and cut the circle into 16 pie pieces.

Roll each piece from the large end to the small to form rolls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Then repeat with the other half of the dough. Allow your rolls to rise for another two hours covered with a kitchen towel, then bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Everyone is sure to enjoy these yummy rolls. You can even make them days ahead, roll them out into the rolls, then freeze. When you take them out of the freezer, allow 3 hours for rising instead of 2.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

I remember this one from when I was a kid. Coming home from a long day of dance classes and then eating about 3 servings of this stuff! It really hit the spot. Since James loves broccoli, I thought this was something he would like... and he did! I didn't have bread to crumble on the top, so we just did with out it. It is good either way.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

6 chicken breasts, boiled and then shredded

2 bunches of broccoli

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 TB lemon juice

1 c. mayonnaise ( I used plain greek yogurt. I am not a mayonnaise fan)

1 1/2 c. grated cheddar

1/2 tsp curry

1/2 c. chicken broth

4 c. cooked rice (I used brown rice)

1/2 loaf white bread

Cook and cut up chicken. Cook broccoli until slightly tender. In a nonstick 9x13 pan, spread rice in bottom. Top with broccoli and then chicken. Mix mayonnaise, soups, cheese, curry, broth and lemon juice. Heat in saucepan until cheese in melted. Pour over chicken. Cut crust of 1/2 loaf of bread. Break up into chunks. Place over soup mixture until it is completely covered. Bake at 350, covered in foil, for 30 minutes. Remove foil, bake until bread is browned, approximately 10 minutes.

Texas Sheet Cake

This is one of my favorite cakes. I think it is mainly because of the frosting... it is to die for!!! I would eat it by the spoonfuls if I could. This was the first thing I made that really made me sad about the gestational diabetes. I did manage to get ONE spoonful in though and it was divine :)

Texas Sheet Cake: Barbara Davis

1/2 c. butter

1 c. water

1/4 c. cocoa

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

1 c. buttermilk

2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

Bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Mix dry ingredients together and add cocoa mixture. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and mix well. Grease a 12x17-inch cookie sheet and pour cake mixture into it. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

1/4 c. cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. buttermilk

1 lb powdered sugar

1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Heat butter, buttermilk and cocoa. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Pour over cake. Sprinkle nuts on top.

Sour Cream Cucumbers

Thank you Sesame Street for giving me a break to get this post done. I have been a major slacker! Pregnancy definitely effects my cooking and blogging abilities. Now that I am out of the thick of it... I hope to be more consistent.

Brooke and I made this side way back in July when we were in Montana. We substituted the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt, which I liked, but I think Brooke would prefer the sour cream. Do what you like. I thought this was yummy.

Sour Cream Cucumbers

1/2 c. sour cream (or you can try the plain Greek yogurt like we did)

3 TB. white vinegar

1 TB. sugar

Pepper to taste

4 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

In a serving bowl, combine the sour cream, vinegar, sugar and pepper. Stir in cucumbers and onion. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon. Serves 8

I just realized this recipe was given to us by my dear Aunt LaRee who passed away last Friday. We love you Aunt LaRee! Thank you for all the good times and the wonderful food you have shared with us. I know that you are enjoying a sweet reunion with Uncle Milt.

Meatloaf

I so much prefer the colder weather and being able to turn on the oven without sweating away in the kitchen. So here is the meatloaf recipe from our recipe book.

Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs

1 onion, finely chopped

1 egg

salt and pepper

1 (16oz) can tomato sauce

3 T. brown sugar

2 T. prepared mustard

1/2 c. water

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 T. vinegar

My favorite way to make meatloaf is shaped on a cookie sheet like this. It cooks fast and all the fat runs off to the side.

Mix beef, crumbs, onion, egg, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Shape into loaf pan (or on a cookie sheet like I did). Combine remaining tomato sauce and the rest of the ingredients and pour over the meat loaf. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. It takes about half the time on the cookie sheet - depending on how thick you shape your loaf.

Tomato Pasta Sauce

Can you believe that we are finally posting something again?!? Our excuses for the lack of cooking are summer, and 3 preganacys totalling 4 babies arriving between October and March. Anyone else find it difficult to cook when you are in the worst of morning sickness?

Here is something I've wanted to post forever. It's so much better than any store bought version, and super simple. I make huge baches and freeze the extra in either glass jars or ziplock baggies for all year round. Our Tomatoes haven't been has abundant this year, so I've taken advantage of store deals as well. When you don't have tomatoes from your garden I like the sweet Campari tomatoes from Cosco. Anything sweet works best.

Tomato Pasta Sauce
2 lbs tomatoes, chopped with their juices
3-8 tbsp olive oil (I know that's a large range. I tend to go light - maybe 4, but traditionally more is used.)
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 tbsp water
salt, pepper, basil

1. Heat oil in sauce pan, add onion and cool until translucent 5-8 minutes

I usually add red pepper flakes with the onion and oil because we like our sauce spicy.

2. Stir in tomatoes, their juices, water, and garlic.

3. Season with salt and pepper and add basil

4. Cook 30 minutes.

5. Puree - I use a hand puree tool, which is really ideal, but you could use a food processor. I discard the skins that get stuck in the blade as I go.

Now you are ready to toss with your favorite pasta, or freeze for later use. This is my 4 year olds absolute favorite. My 6 year old doesn't love tomato's but we tell him they fight cancer and he's willing to eat.

Enjoy!

Bruschetta

I love me some appatizers. They are my favorite kind of food. Easy to make, easy to eat, and I can never tell how much I eat , which might be the only bad thing :) dips and spreads are high on my list and this dish does not disappoint. It is perfect for any get together. I serve it with long French baguettes. Enjoy!

12 plum tomatoes
2 T. Minced garlic
2 T. Minced green onions
1 c. Chopped fresh basil
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/4 c. Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Sourdough or French bread

Add all ingredients and chill.

Italian Chicken

This is my Aunt Nancy's recipe. It has always been one of my favorites! When we were in Montana we made this to go along with Debra's pasta carbonara and a green salad. I think this was the favorite meal of the week! I ate it for left-overs a few days and it was still just as yummy to eat a couple of days later.

Italian Chicken

2-3 (60z) jars marinated artichoke hearts (we used canned and it was just as good!)

Flour

2-3lbs skinless chicken breasts

1 (28oz) can tomatoes

3-4 cloves minced garlic

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced (we used cremini mushrooms and they were super yummy!)

1/2 c- 1c. cooking sherry ( we didn't have this so we used chicken broth)

Fresh or dried parsley

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp basil

Drain artichokes (saved liquid if using ones marinated in oil). In plastic bag, shake flour and chicken pieces. Brown chicken in reserved liquid or olive oil. Brown 5 minutes per side. Put chicken in 9x13 inch plan. Combine tomatoes, mushrooms, sherry and seasoning in saucepan and cook for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are soft. Pour over chicken and bake uncovered at 350 for 50 minutes. Put artichokes on top and bake for 10 more minutes.

Peanut Butter & Snickers Cookies

We have been horrible about posting this July!  I guess that's what happens when summer fun takes over.  Lori and I (Brooke) have been in Montana on vacation, and have actually done a few recipes - we just need to post them!  So here's the first.  I was totally pleased - they turned out great.

 Peanut Butter & Snickers Cookies

2 sticks butter

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

31/2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. miniature Snickers (we used fun size and cut them in half)

Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars, then slowly add in the eggs and vanilla.  Mix in the flour, salt and baking soda.  Then cover and chill for 2-3 hours.  After the dough has chilled, unwrap your candy, and divide the dough into 1 tablespoon pieces.  Flatten the dough, place a piece of candy in the center and form a ball around it.  Finally bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes - though it may take longer.  Ours took about 20 minutes to cook.

These cookies were fun and yummy - and something  your kids would enjoy helping with.  I'm trying to think of another candy which would also be good in the center.  Any suggestions?  

Chicken and Cashews

This meal sounded more time intensive than it really was. It turned out delicious and we loved it served over brown rice.

Chicken and Cashews

6 chicken breasts

1 tsp sugar

4 TB corn starch

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 TB oil

2 c. chicken stock (broth)

2 tsp. lemon juice

(I added cabbage because I wanted a vegetable and that is what I had that sounded good)

1/2 c. cashews

Cooked Rice

Cut raw chicken into bite size pieces. Combine sugar, 2 TB corn starch, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Dredge chicken pieces in this mixture. Drain and save for later. Stir fry chicken in oil until lightly browned and tender, about 10 min. Remove chicken from pan. Ass remaining corn starch and the dredge mixture into pan. Mix well and then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened. Add lemon juice and chicken pieces (and cabbage if you choose to add a veggie). Reheat, but do not boil. Taste to correct any seasonings. Add cashews and serve over rice.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

This is probably my favorite pie to eat. It was very similar to the Fresh Peach Pie I made a month or so ago. Pretty fuss free - and perfect for all the yummy fresh strawberries at the market and in our back yard.

Fresh Strawberry Pie
4-5 c. strawberries
1 baked pie crust

Glaze:
1 1/2 c. crushed strawberries
1 1/2 c. water
1 1/4 c. sugar
4 1/2 T. cornstarch
Red food coloring (I skipped this)

For the Glaze, cook the crushed strawberries and water for 2 minutes. Combine the sugar and cornstarch and stir into the berry juice. Cook and stir this until it is thickened and bubbly. Arrange half of the strawberries into your crust then poor half the glaze on top. Arrange the other half of the strawberries and cover with the rest of the glaze. Chill and serve. Easy!

Chicken Enchiladas

 These enchiladas were so different from any recipe I've tried before.  The best way to diferientiate them is that they just taste super fresh.  The ingredients is fresher and that definitely caries through in the taste.

Fresh Chicken Enchiladas
4 oz. green chilies
1 clove garlic
2 T. oil (or less, I always use less)
1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled and choped
1 tsp. cumin
3 c. cooked chicken
2 c. shredded cheese
1 c. chopped onion
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 c. sour cream
corn tortillas

In a saucepan combine the chiles, onion, garlic, and oil.  Saute until soft.  Add your tomatoes, oregano, cumin and the 2 tsp. salt.  Simmer until thick.  In a seperate bowl, mix the chicken, 1 cup of cheese, sour cream and the 1/2 tsp. salt.  Fill the tortillas with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture and roll up.  Put in a 9x13-inch pan.  Finally pour the sauce on top and cover with the remaining cheese.

I loved this recipe for it's unique fresh taste.  It's also one of many wonderful things you can do with your garden tomatoes!

Apple Dip

This recipe is not in the cookbook, but it is a must in our house so I thought I would blog about it. I make this often, for one it makes me eat my apples :) and Chase is obsessed with it. He seriously would eat it with just a spoon if I let him. It makes a lot so I love making it and taking some to work for snacks during the day. It is the perfect snack for our monday night get togethers to watch the bachelor :)

2 pkg cream cheese Softened at room temperature

1/4 Cup of sugar

1/2 tsp of vanilla

1 1/2 C. of Brown Sugar

Mix together and then add 1 cup of grape nuts.

The grape nuts are perfect in this! it gives it that great crunch, I have seen people who also use toffee chips as well. You can chill in fridge or just eat it right away. Enjoy!

Strawberry Bread

 The strawberries have been super cheap at the store, so we've been buying tons of them.  The ones from our garden never make it into the house.  My 18 month old seems to grab them before anyone else can.  We decided to make this strawberry bread with some strawberries we had bought and it was delicious.  It tasted like a dessert, and smelled like amish friendship bread while baking (I think because of the cinnamon).  The top was by far the favorite part by everyone, so I think next time we'll do muffins to increase crust area.

Strawberry Bread
3 c. fresh straberries, quartered
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. oil
4 eggs slightly beaten

Mix together the eggs oil and strawberries.  Then add the sugar, salt, soda and cinnamon and flour.  Mix it all together and poor into two large greased loaf pans.  Bake at 325 for about an hour.  (When I make the muffins I'll leave a comment with how long it took me.)

Tumi Salad

I signed up to make a side dish for a family from Church who just had a baby. The main dish was teriyaki chicken and rice. I knew a salad would go well, but wanted to make something more than just your typical green salad. So I turned to the cook book and decided on the Tumi Salad. I loved this as a kid and had not eaten it in quite sometime. I made two salad. One with the normal dressing, and one for us with a dressing made with less than 1/4 c. oil, but more vinegar. I asked Haws to taste test them for me and he said he actually liked the one with less oil! He said it had more flavor which makes sense. So you can choose what you like on this. You can also add cooked chicken to make it a main dish. It is good.

TUMI SALAD

1 head cabbage, shredded

1/2c. sesame seeds

8 green onions, chopped

3/4c. slivered almonds

1 pkg Top Ramen noodles, crushed (remove seasoning packet)

1 TB butter

(cooked chicken breast chunks if making a main dish)

Dressing:

1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. pepper

1 c. vegetable oil (I used 1/4 c.)

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/3 c. rice vinegar (I used 3/4 c.)

2 tsp. salt

Brown almonds and sesame seeds in 1 TB butter. Let cool. Mix cabbage and green onion in mixing bowl, add almonds and sesame seeds. Mix dressing well and then add to salad. If using chicken, mix in with salad. Top with crumbled Top Ramen.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

These little pizza rolls are perfect for a night you don't have a lot of time for dinner, but you want something that the kids will love (and adults too!). We gobbled these right up!

STUFFED PIZZA ROLLS
1 roll of refrigerated pizza dough ( you can make your own or use any dough you like. I didn't have pizza dough and used crescent roll dough. It worked just as well!)
Marinara or pizza sauce
2 TB Parmesan
1 TB olive oil (or just spray it on like I did)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese (grated or diced)
any pizza toppings that you like :)

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out pizza dough onto a floured surface into a large rectangle or square. Cut into about 24 squares ( around 3x3 inches). Just eyeball it. Place cheese and other desired toppings in the center of square and then fold up the sides to make a little ball. Make sure it is sealed. Place on a sprayed pie tin (or other small casserole dish) seam-side down. Brush the top of the rolls with oil, butter or just spray them. Sprinkle the top with garlic powder, seasoning and Parmesan. Bake in oven for 15-20 min. Keep an eye on them since all ovens and doughs are different. You want them to be golden brown on top. Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping. Wallah!

Fresh Peach Pie

We have a young peach tree, and this is our second year getting a ton of baby peaches in May. They are so good and sweet, and nothing is better than eating fruit straight off the tree. We haven't quite yet figured out how to consume all that the tree produces though. One thing we did make with this crop was a delicious fresh peach pie.

Fresh Peach Pie
8 to 9 peaches, peeled and sliced (or if your peaches are smaller - like ours that number goes up to about 20)
1 baked pie crust

Glaze:
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. cold water
1/3 c. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 T. lemon juice

Place sugar and 1/2 cup cold water in saucepan. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 3/4 cup cold water. Then gradually add it to the sugar mixture. Cook this over medium heat until it's thick. Add salt, lemon juice and 2 drops yellow food coloring and 1 drop red. (or you can do what we did. Just puree up some of your left over peaches and add them instead of the food coloring. It worked really well - and added some yumminess as well!). Pour the glaze over peaches, mix and pour into your pie crust. Chill in the fridge and enjoy!

Banana (Nut) Bread

Banana (Nut) Bread
1/2 c. margarine 2 c. flour
1 c. sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c/ mashed bananas 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. milk 1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. lemon juice

Cream margarine and sugar. Add the eggs and beat. Add the bananas, milk, and lemon juice. Next sift the dry ingredients and add them in along with the nuts. As I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge nut fan, so I left them out. Bake in a greased loaf pan for an hour at 350. Or make 3 mini loaves and bake them for 30-35 minutes.

Though we've made banana bread before, this was the first time making this recipe. It was great - so use up those old bananas.

Curried Chicken Shepherd's Pie

This chicken recipe was quick, easy and delicious!!! If you don't add too much butter to your mashed potatoes, it is healthy too :)

James was a huge fan of this one. I am always excited when there is meals I can make for Haws and I that James can eat too. This one is a winner and I will plan on making it often.

Curried Chicken Shepherd's Pie

1 lrg. onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

3 TB, butter (you can use less and it still tastes great)

1 c. frozen peas and carrots (I used just peas)

3 TB. all purpose flour

1 tsp. curry powder

1 1/2 c. reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 c. 2 % milk

2 c. cubed, cooked chicken

2 TB. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 c. mashed potatoes (with milk and butter)

1/4 tsp. paprika

In a large skillet, saute onion and celery in 1 TB butter until tender. Add frozen vegetables and remaining butter; cook 2 min longer. Stir in flour and curry until blended; gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 min. or until thickened. Add the chicken, parsley, salt and pepper. Transfer to a 2 quart baking dish (or 9x13). Top with potatoes; sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie might seem more like a fall or winter dish. But it's been cold here. It definitely doesn't feel like summer is about to begin. Aside from that, I was really wanting chicken pot pie. So I decided to make it for lunch yesterday. Luke (my 4 year old) LOVED it. He was so proud of himself for eating vegetables. So here it is.

Chicken Pot Pie
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
1lb. chicken breast, cubed 1/3 c. flour
1 c. sliced carrots 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. frozen peas 1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. sliced celery 1/4 tsp celery seed
1/3 c. butter 1 3/4 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. chopped onion 2/3 c. milk

Preheat your oven to 425. In a saucepan or pot, combine chicken, carrots, peas and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside. In the saucepan, over medium heat cook the onions until they are soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed (i just used basil because I didn't have celery seed). Slowly stir in the chicken broth and milk, and simmer over medium low heat until it thickens.

I don't like the taste of store bought crusts too much, so I decided if I was going through the effort of making the dish - I might as well make my crust from scratch as well.

I mixed together my chicken mixture and the sauce, but the recipe in the cookbook says to place the chicken and veggies on your bottom crust, then pour the sauce over them. So I guess take your pick. Then cover with your top crust and seal the edges. Make serveral small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Finally bake your pie for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubble. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

It really was delicious. I was surprised at how well the boys (4 and 6) ate it. My one year old is going through a bad eating phase right now, so she just picked at it and made a mess. I was thinking that to try and cut down on the fat, I might try just having a top crust next time. Regardless I was pleased. Good comfort food!

German Pancakes

These pancakes are probably one my favorite breakfast foods. Chase never had them before till we got married and now he request them all the time. Doesn't matter what time of day it is, dinner, lunch, breakfast, he will eat them whenever. They are also so easy to make and a great thing to make for a lot of people! Enjoy!

German Pancakes

6 eggs

1 cup of milk

1 cup of flour

6 T. of butter

1/2 t of salt

Preheat oven at 400. Put butter in a 9x13 pan and place in oven for butter to melt. This is a must! you want the pan nice and hot when you pour the pancakes into it. Mix together remaining ingredients. Once butter is melted remove and add mixed ingredients and place back in oven for 15-20 min. These pancakes get really big! the bigger the better :) kids love watching it. Enjoy with syrup!

Spaghetti Casserole

This meal was really easy to make and really good! It is Marsha's recipe and I followed almost the whole thing except I used Sun Dried tomato Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe's (pork free with no casings) and just cut it into slices. James loved the zucchini and Haws loved the sausage :)

6 oz. Italian Turkey Sausage, casing removed (or slice up chicken sausage. You can really use what ever meat you like!)

2 small zucchini, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (14.5oz) can stewed tomatoes

3 oz. spaghetti, broken into 1 inch pieces

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Over medium, heat sausage, zucchini and onion, breaking up with spoon and cooking until zucchini is crisp and tender and sausage is no longer pink. About 10 minutes. Drain juices. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, spaghetti and water. Transfer to prepared casserole dish, covering spaghetti with the liquid. Cover casserole with foil and bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and let stand for 5 minutes.

Lasagna

Lasagna
1 lg onion Chopped
2 tsp. crushed garlic
1/4 cup oil (I used about 1/2 T. olive oil)
1 1/2 lbs ground meat and/or sausage
1 T. chopped parsley
1 large can tomatoes
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 sm. can tomato paste
salt an dpepper
4 bay leaves
2 T. brown sugar

Saute the onion and garlic in oil (or olive oil). Ad the ground beef and parsley and brown. Drain off any fat. Then add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook your lasagna noodles according to the package directions - or get the no boil kind.

Cheese Sauce
1 sm. onion, chopped fine 3 T. flour
4 T. butter 2 c. milk
2 egg yolks 3/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Cook the onion in butter a few minutes. Then mix in the flour until smooth. Add grated Parmesan cheese and a dash of salt. Gradually stir in the milk, stirring constantly until it is a thick cream. In a seperate bowl, sightly beat the egg yolks. Then mix in a little hot cheese source before adding the eggs to the cheese sauce. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes.

To assemble the lasagna, layer the noodles in a 9x13 pan. (I put a little tomato sauce under the noodles). Then pour half of the tomato sauce over the noodles, followed by the cheese sauce over that. Repeat the noodles and tomato sauce and cover with grated mozzarella cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

We thought the lasagna was very yummy. It also wasn't as labor intensive as other lasagnas I've made before. We'll definitely make this one again.