Author: sarah

Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 cup raw Spanish peanuts
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

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Stir together peanuts, sugar, syrup and salt in 1 1/2 quart microwave proof casserole dish. Place in microwave and cook 7 to 8 minutes, interrupting cooking to stir well after 5 minutes. At end of total cooking time, add butter and vanilla to syrup, blending well. Return to oven and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Peanuts will be lightly browned and syrup very hot. Remove from microwave and add baking soda and gently stir until light and foamy. Pour mixture onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Let cool, then break into small pieces and store in an air-tight container. Makes 1 pound.

Meatless Fried Rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 green onion salt and pepper — to taste
1 splash soy sauce
1 cup cooked cold rice
1 egg — lightly beaten

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In skillet, on medium-high heat, heat oil until hot. Gently stir in onion, salt, pepper, soy sauce and rice. Stir and fry until rice is light brown. Add egg. Stir fry until egg is cooked.

Macaroni, Beef, Tomatoes and Cheddar

6 ounces elbow macaroni — cooked
1 large onion, chopped — (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 large cloves garlic — minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
12 ounces lean ground beef
1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes — pureed
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

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Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain well. Add spices and tomatoes. Stir and simmer 15-20 minutes. Stir in macaroni and cheese and serve.

Macaroni and Cheese

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cups cubed processed cheese

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Cook macaroni and drain. Melt butter, blend in flour and add milk. Stir until thick over medium to medium-high heat. Add salt, pepper, onion and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Bake in casserole at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Lemon Sauce for Grilled Chicken or Fish

1/2 cup butter
1/2 clove garlic — crushed
2 teaspoons flour
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

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Heat butter and garlic in saucepan until butter is melted. Blend in flour and cook over low heat until mixture is bubbly. Remove saucepan from heat and add remaining ingredients. Return to heat and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Use to baste chicken or fish.

Lemon Pie

3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 egg yolks — slightly beaten
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon margarine
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 baked pie shell
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/8 c. sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

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Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Add boiling water to sugar mixture gradually while stirring. Cook over boiling water until thick, stirring as needed. Once thickened, cook 5 minutes longer, then whisk a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Add egg yolks, margarine, lemon juice and rind to boiled sugar mixture and cook over boiling water until egg yolk is thickened. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Beat egg whites, 1/8 teaspoon salt and cream of tartar. When soft peaks form, add 6 tablespoons sugar gradually. When peaks are stiff, fold in vanilla. Cover lemon mixture with meringue and brown meringue in a 450 degree oven.

Lasagna Rolls

Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces deli ham, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

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To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, ham, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Lasagna

2 cloves garlic — crushed
1 pound hamburger
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 28 ounce can tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
7 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
8 ounces lasagna noodles

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Saute the hamburger and the garlic. Add the next seven items and simmer twenty minutes. Meanwhile cook noodles in boiling salted water. Fill a buttered casserole (9×13) with alternate layers of the noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, tomato-meat sauce, and Parmesan. End with a layer of sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Jodie’s Oreo Dessert

3 cups crumbled Oreo cookies — divided
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 qt. soft vanilla ice cream
8 ounces Hershey’s syrup
12 ounces whipped topping

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Mash 2 cups crumbled Oreo cookies and melted butter into the bottom of a 13×9 cake pan. Spread softened ice cream over the top of the Oreo crust. Drizzle chocolate syrup evenly over the ice cream. Top with the whipped topping. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup crumbled Oreos. Freeze overnight, and serve. Store the remaining dessert in the freezer.