My Version of Paula Deen's Lots O'Meat Lasagna

My Version

My Version of Paula Deen's Lots O'Meat Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp ground basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomotoes with basil, garlic and oregeno
2 (15oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 (5 oz) package grated Parmigianno-Reggiano
2 Tbs freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
9 oven ready lasagna noodles

2 (8 oz) packages shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large saucepan, combine ground chuck, sausage, onion and garlic.  Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled: drain
Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper.  Add tomato sauce and paste.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan, parsley and eggs.  Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13 x 9" by 2" baking pan.  Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce.  Do not overlap noodles.  Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese  mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.
Bake 45 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  (If you allow it to rest 10 minutes, the lasagna will form and make it much easier to get out of the pan)

Apple Dumplings

2 whole granny smith apples
2 cans (8 oz cans) Crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1- 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon to taste
1 can (12 oz) Mountain Dew Soda

Instructions:
Peel and core apples.  Cut each apple into 8 slices each.  Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13" buttered pan.
Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir.  Add vanilla, stir and pour entire mixture over apples.  Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  Serve hot with ice cream and use sauce over the top!

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

12 oz spaghetti
1 (28 oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce
1 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 250
2. In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through, drain fat and stir spaghetti sauce.  Set aside.
3. Cook spaghetti according to directions on packet.  Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl.  Add cream cheese, italian seasoning, and minced garlic.  Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated.
4. Lightly grease a 9 x 13" pan. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish.  Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly

***My kids love this! I, myself was a little put-off by the cream cheese, but actually loved this dish.***

Pechuga con Calabaza (Chicken with Squash)

Inspiration:

Abuelo’s Sautéed Chicken Zucchini & Squash

Lightly sautéed premium chicken breast with sliced zucchini, roasted red peppers and corn in a delightfully spicy cream sauce.

Pechuga con Calabaza (Chicken with Squash)

Ingredients
2 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons clarified butter
1 zucchini, cut in 16 1/8-inch thick slices
12 roasted red bell pepper strips, 1/4-inch wide
3 tablespoons whole kernel corn
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1-2 roasted garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Dash seasoning salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place 2 tablespoons clarified butter in an ovenproof 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brown chicken breasts on both sides.

3. Place pan in oven until chicken is done, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

4. In a second saute pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons clarified butter over medium heat. Saute zucchini, roasted red pepper, garlic and corn with crushed red pepper for about 2 minutes.

5. Add heavy cream, stirring, and reduce by one-third.

6. Add seasoning salt and remove from heat. Place chicken breasts on plates, pour sauce over chicken and serve.


****When my family loves it, it's a hit!!!****

Poquito and Grande: Taquitos and Burritos w/ a side of "mexican" corn

Poquito and Grande: Taquitos and Burritos

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007

For the Taquitos:

* 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 can chopped green chiles, 4 ounces
* A few leaves fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
* Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
* 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas


For the Burritos:

* 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
* 1 small zucchini, grated
* 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
* 2 to 3 tablespoons (medium to hot) chipotle in adobo, mashed into paste
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 (19-ounce) can black beans (recommended: Progresso)
* 2 cups shredded Chihuahua cheese or Monterey Jack or Cheddar
* 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, or 1 heart romaine, shredded

For the Dipping Sauce for burritos and taquitos:

* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 red onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 tablespoon chili powder, a palm full
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 a palm full
* A pinch ground cinnamon
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted crushed tomatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Taquitos: Season the chicken with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and mix in the chiles and cilantro or parsley. Dip the tortillas in 1-inch warm oil to soften. Tightly roll a couple of forkfuls of chicken up in the tortillas. Place seam side down and bake 12 minutes.

************* Sauce: Heat a sauce pot over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, red onion and garlic and soften 5 minutes then season with sugar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper and stir in the fire roasted tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer.

Burritos: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add the pork, brown it for 2 minutes then add in zucchini, garlic, chipotle in adobo and salt. Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes more.

Heat the last tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a small nonstick skillet. Add the black beans and mash with a fork. Season the beans with salt and fry until crisp at edges, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Soften tortillas in microwave or in hot oven. On each tortilla pile a little refried black beans,





MEXICAN "Creamed" Corn



2 cans Mexican Corn

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup water

1-2 tsp. sugar ( I prefer less sweet, so I only do 1/2 tsp)

1/2 cup half and half (or milk)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2-3 tablespoons cream cheese

( Most always, I add diced bell peppers and 1 sm can green chilies)





In a heavy skillet add corn, butter, water and sugar. Mix well over medium heat until it is lightly boiling.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix half and half (or milk) with cornstarch until smooth.

Add cornstarch, salt and pepper to the corn and continue cooking until thick and bubbly. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese and mix to melt.

Remove from heat and serve.

Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Serves:

about 4 cups

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a
casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Heat the spinach in a microwave oven on high for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Drain the artichoke hearts and
coarsely chop in a food processor.
Combine all the ingredients except the jack cheese in a large bowl. Stir well. Scrape into the prepared
casserole dish and sprinkle the jack cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Transfer to a chafing dish and keep
warm over a low flame.

Hot Corn Dip

HOT CORN DIP Credit: Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood 
Serves 12

2 11-ounce cans Mexican corn, drained
2 4½-ounce cans chopped green chiles, drained
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Corn chips, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 13 × 2-inch casserole dish.

In a medium bowl, mix the corn, chiles, cheeses, and mayonnaise until fully combined.

Spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. ( I also top with extra cheese)

Serve the dip warm from the oven with corn chips.