Spaghetti Pie

Here is a  different way to have spaghetti.  It makes a nice dish to serve, as it is served in slices. Have a salad and garlic bread on the side.  It would be a good dish to take to someone who needs meals brought in.

Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients:

8 oz. spaghetti
3 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can tomatoes, chopped
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cottage cheese, well drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook the spaghetti until just tender.  Drain and stir butter,  eggs and Parmesan cheese into spaghetti.  Press the spaghetti mixture into a buttered 10 inch pie plate as a crust.

In a skillet, cook ground beef, onion and green pepper until meat is done.  Drain off excess fat.  Stir in the next 6 ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.  Spread cottage cheese over the spaghetti crust.  Pour in meat-tomato mixture.  Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Uncover and top with Mozzarella cheese.  Bake 7 to 8 minutes more, until cheese has melted.

Serves 8.

Salad Dressings - Ranch, Zesty French and Bleu Cheese

Homemade salad dressings are so easy to make and taste so much better than the store bought ones.  I often have a jar of one of these in the fridge.  Add to some lettuce and you will have a tasty easy salad.

Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. dried dill ( or 1 tbsp. fresh dill)
1 tsp. dried parsley (or 1 tbsp. fresh parsley)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Store in a jar or bowl with a lid in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.  This dressing will thicken up slightly as it sits in the fridge.  If possible let set in fridge for one day for flavors to come together.


Zesty French Dressing

Ingredients:

1 can tomato soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 cup salad or olive oil
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  Dressing is ready to use.  Refrigerate leftovers.



Bleu Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
4 oz. Bleu cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Blend the sour cream, mustard, pepper, salt, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce together in a mixing bowl and beat on low speed 2 minutes.  Add the mayonnaise and blend another 1//2 minute at medium speed.  Add the Bleu cheese and blend on low speed for an additional 4 minutes.  Let set , refrigerated 24 hours, before using.  Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.

Pineapple Casserole

I love pineapple casserole.  It is a different side dish and complements pork quite well.  Of course it can be eaten with other dish options as well.  Hot pineapple you say?  Try it!

Pineapple Casserole

Ingredients:

2 20-ounce cans chunk pineapple (I like more pineapple so will use 3 cans next time.)
1/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salted butter
4 Tablespoons of the pineapple juice you reserved
1 cup crushed cornflakes (measure after crushing)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice.  You will use some of it in this recipe.

Mix the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda together in a small bowl.  Make sure they're well mixed.

Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick baking spray.  Put the flour mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish.

Add the drained pineapple to the casserole dish and mix it in.  Add the grated cheese to the dish and mix that in.

Melt the butter, this can be done in the microwave for 45 seconds.
Drizzle about half of the melted butter over the mixture in the casserole dish.  Mix this all up again.

Drizzle the top with 4 T. of the pineapple juice you reserved.

Sprinkle the crushed cornflakes over the casserole.
Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the cornflakes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Baked Raspberry Custard

We have raspberry bushes in our back yard and for about a month every summer we have lots of raspberries.  I found this recipe a few years ago and always pull it out when I have fresh raspberries in my fridge.  It says other fruit can be used, like bananas, cherries or pears.  I think blueberries or peaches would be good.  I have seen this dessert called a Clafoutis. Use this French name to impress someone!  This is an easy and tasty dessert!

Baked Raspberry Custard

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup all- purpose flour

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups raspberries (about 9 oz)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In oven melt butter in a 9 inch pie plate, about 6 minutes.

In a blender, combine milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt and vanilla.  Add melted butter and blend mixture until smooth, 30 seconds.  

Distribute berries evenly in pie plate and pour batter over top.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and bake until slightly puffed and just set in the middle.  20-25 minutes.  heat broiler and broil until top is deep golden brown, 2-3 minutes.  Serve warm.