Lasagna

1 pound ground beef

½ to 1 pound of sausage

¾ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1- 12 ounce can of tomato paste

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

2 Tablespoons parsley flakes

2 Tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon basil

3 cup of ricotta cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 Tablespoon parsley flakes

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp oregano leaves

1 package (8 ounces) lasagna noodles, cooked and well drained

¾ pound shredded mozzarella

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook and stir ground beef and sausage, onion and garlic in large sauce pan or Dutch oven until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Add tomato sauce and paste, 2 Tablespoons parsley, the sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and the basil. Heat to boiling and reduce heat to simmer. Add additional water if necessary due to the thick paste.  Simmer for one hour until the consistency of spaghetti sauce.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ricotta cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, the egg, 1 Tbsp parsley, 1 ½ tsp salt, and the oregano in a bowl.

Assemble Lasagna:

In ungreased baking dish 13x9x2 inches spread a thin layer of sauce, then layer noodles, cheese mixture and tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese 3 to 4 times, reserving ½ cup sauce for thin top layer. Sprinkle top with ½ cup Parmesan cheese. At this point lasagna can be refrigerated and stored overnight or frozen for a later time. If not, bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. (Allow an additional 15 minutes if lasagna has been refrigerated.)Let stand 15 minute before cutting and serving.

Waikiki Meatballs

1 ½ pound ground beef

2/3 cup cracker crumbs

1/3 cup minced onion

1 egg

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ginger

¼ cup milk

1 TBSP shortening, coconut oil or safflower oil

2 TBSP cornstarch

½ cup brown sugar

1 can (13 ½ ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve the syrup)

1/3 cup vinegar

1 TBSP soy sauce

1/3 cup chopped green pepper (optional)

Mix thoroughly beef, crumbs, onion, egg, salt, ginger and milk. Shape mixture by rounded tablespoons into balls and brown in a large pre-heated skillet with shortening or oil melted in it. Remove meatballs from pan; keep warm. Pour remaining fat from skillet. Discard.

Mix cornstarch and sugar. Stir in reserved pineapple syrup, vinegar and soy sauce until smooth. Pour into skillet; cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add meatballs, pineapple tidbits and green pepper. Heat through. Serve with brown rice if desired and additional soy sauce.

Note: bread crumbs can be substituted for cracker crumbs but meatballs will have a different texture and not be as salty. 

New England Pot Roast

¼ cup all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sea salt

1 ¼ teaspoons black pepper

4 pound beef chuck roast

2 Tablespoons shortening

1 cup water

8 small potatoes, pared and halved

8 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3 inch chunks

8 small onions or 1 to 2 large onions quartered

1 to 2 bay leaves

Stir together flour, salt and pepper: rub mixture on meat thoroughly. Melt shortening in large Dutch oven or frying pan; brown meat over medium heat, about 15 minutes.

At this point you can either add water to Dutch oven; cover and simmer over low heat for 3-4 hours until meat is tender adding veggies one hour before end of cooking time, or, you can place meat, bay leaves, and water in a covered roasting pan and place in preheated 350 degree oven and roast for 3 to 4 hours, again adding veggies one hour before end of roasting time. If you roast the meat, check on level of water and add more if needed, but not too much or it will dilute the flavor of the juice which will be used for making gravy. At end of cooking time, remove meat and vegetables to a warm platter and prepare gravy as instructed below.

Gravy

Pour dripping (fat and juices) into a 2 cup measuring cup. Let fat rise to surface and skim off ¼ cup fat. If there is not enough fat then add enough butter to equal ¼ cup. Melt fat in pan. Stir in ¼ flour until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Add 2 cups liquid and continue stirring until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve with meat and vegetables.

Note: if meat is roasted in oven, make sure to get all the browned bits from the sides of the roasting pan for the best flavor in your gravy.

This meal pairs well with Butter Dips.

Quiche

Pastry for a 9-inch one crust pie (see link below)

12 slices of bacon (or 1 cup diced ham)

1 cup shredded natural Swiss cheese

1/3 cup minced onion

4 eggs

2 cups whipping cream, or light cream, half n half or evaporated milk

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

1/8 tsp cayenne red pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in pastry lined pan. Beat eggs slightly; beat in remaining ingredients. Pour cream mixture into pie pan.  Bake 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature and bake 30 minutes longer or until knife inserted 1 inch from center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

You can choose any meat and cheese combos for quiche. Here are a few suggestions:

·         Apple, cheddar, sausage and onion is good.

·         Ham and Swiss or ham and cheddar

·         Bacon, mushroom and spinach

·         Onions, mushroom, green pepper, and provolone

Standard Pie Crust

Standard Pie Crust

8 or 9 inch ONE CRUST PIE

1 cup all purpose flour*

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon shortening or 1/3 cup lard

2 to 3 Tablespoons cold water

10 inch ONE CRUST PIE

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour*

½ tsp salt

½ cup shortening or ¼ cup plus 3 Tablespoons lard

3 to 4 Tablespoons cold water

8 or 9 inch TWO CRUST PIE

2 cups all purpose flour*

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons shortening or 2/3 cup lard

4 to 5 Tablespoons cold water

10 inch TWO CRUST PIE

2 2/3 cups flour*

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening or ¾ cups plus 2 Tablespoons of lard

7 to 8 Tablespoons of cold water

*Do Not Use self-rising flour in this recipe!

Measure flour and salt into bowl. Using 2 knives or a pastry cutter, cut in shortening or lard until mixture looks like meal. Sprinkle in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. Add more water if needed but do so sparingly. For a perfect crust, set bowl in fridge for a few minutes to chill.

Remove from fridge, gather dough into a ball and place on floured counter top or table. Roll with flour dusted rolling pin to 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan. (For a 2 crust pie, divide dough in half using one half for bottom crust and one for top crust.) Fold pastry into quarters and place in pan. Unfold and ease gently into place.

For a One-Crust Pie: Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pan. Fold and roll pastry under, even with pan. Flute edges.

For a Baked Pie Shell: Prick bottom and sides thoroughly with a fork. Bake at 475 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

For a 2 Crust Pie: Turn desired filling into pastry-lined pan. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pan. Roll second round of dough. Cut slits so steam can escape; fold into quarters and unfold over filling. Trim overhanging edge of pastry to inch from rim. Roll and fold under and crimp or flute to form pretty edge of crust. Cover edge with 2 to 3 inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking. Bake as directed in recipe.

Note: if possible, hook fluted edge over edge of pie pan to prevent shrinking and help keep shape.

Cinnamon Rolls

First make:

Traditional Sweet Roll Dough

2 packages (or 2 Tablespoons) active dry yeast (less at higher altitudes)

½ cup warm water (105-115F)

½ cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

½ cup shortening, or butter, or margarine

4 ½ to 5 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 ½ cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining dough to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl. Turn greased side up. (At this point dough can be refrigerated 3 to 4 days.) Cover; let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 ½ hours. (Dough is ready if impression remains when touched.)

Punch dough down. Shape into desired rolls. Cover; let rise until double, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Break dough into 2 halves. Roll each half into a rectangle 15x9 inches: spread with softened butter. Mix ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Sprinkled over butter rectangle. Roll up, beginning at wide side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal well. Cut into 15 slices. Place slices slightly apart on greased baking pan on into greased muffin cups.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes. While warm, frost rolls with icing.

Sweet icing: Mix 1 ½ cups of confectioner’s sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth. (I sometimes add a few drops of hot water to melt it all together and make it easier to drizzle over rolls.)

Variation: Frosted Orange Rolls

3 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 Tablespoon grated orange peel

2 Tablespoons orange juice

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

Combine above ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy.

Roll ½ of dough into 12x7” rectangle; spread with half of orange filling. Roll up beginning at wide side. Pinch to seal. Cut into 12 slices. Place slightly apart in a greased round layer pan or a square baking dish. If making both half into orange rolls, use a 13x9” baking dish or a cookie sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Frost with remaining filling while warm.

Family Memories: This use to be our favorite breakfast for Christmas or other holidays. I remember getting up while everyone else was sleeping to make the dough so it would rise and be ready to turn into rolls. Often at Christmas the kids would be up before me, and they would open their stockings and see what Santa brought them before we ate breakfast. Then I would make the dough and let it rise while we opened the rest of our presents before baking them fresh and hot and sweet from the oven. it was a great way to start our day, and my kids still ask me for this recipe at this time of year. As the kids got older, they would join me in the kitchen and participate in making these rolls. I know they will remember the cinnamon rolls the most, but there were times when I made the orange rolls instead. It has been years since I've made them,but they sure are yummy!

Gingerbread Cookies

½ cup shortening

½ cup sugar

½ cup dark molasses

¼ cup water

2 ½ cups flour

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon soda

¾ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice or cinnamon

Red Hot Cinnamon Candies

Raisins

Slivered almonds

Decorator’s icing (below)

Cream shortening and sugar. Blend in molasses, water, flour, salt, soda, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Cover and chill 2-3 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough ¼ inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with gingerbread boy or girl cookie cutter; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press cinnamon candies, raisins, or almond slivers into dough for eyes, nose and mouth or buttons. Bake 10-12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheets. Cool and finish decorating with icing if desired.

(For crisper cookies roll dough thinner and bake 8 minutes. This recipe can be doubled.)

Decorator’s Icing: Mix 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar and 1 Tablespoon water or milk. Add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until of desired consistency to be used in a decorator’s tube, or thinner to be spread.