Pastitsio

From family friend Fay Kolster. Yummy! It's Greek pasta. Make it without the spinach and mushrooms to be more authentic.

I modified it by adding frozen spinach and mushrooms (cuz I like them and I can!) I cooked the mushrooms in the pan after the hamburger. Squeeze the water out of the spinach first then add it to the mushrooms. Add the hamburger mix back into the pan with the spinach and the mushrooms and mix well. Make the cream sauce, then mix the whole thing together in the 9x13 pan, mix well and bake. Maybe add more parmesan and a little more milk to make it a bit creamier, hmmmm....

1 pkg tube macaroni (ziti, etc)

1 beaten egg

1/4 c milk

1/3 c parmesan

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 c chopped onion

8 oz tomato sauce

1/2 t cinnamon

1/8 t nutmeg

3/4 t salt

1/8 pepper

CREAM SAUCE

3T flour

3T butter

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 c milk

1 beaten egg

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1. Cook macaroni. Stir in 1 beaten egg, 1/4 c milk, 1/3 c parmesan cheesse. Set aside.

2. Cook beef and onion until browned and onion is tender. Drain excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce and spices. Set aside.

3. Make cream sauce: melt butter in small sauce pan. Blend in flour and 1/4 t salt. Stir in milk when well blended and smooth. Cook until bubbly and thickened. Cook and stir 1 min more. Blend a moderate amount of hot mixture into egg. Return to pan and mix. Stir in cheese.

4. Pour noodles, meat mix and cream sauce into 9x13 in pan. Mix well. Bake @ 350F 45-5- min. Will set up and thicken as it cooks.

from Diana

Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken Taco Soup

4 chicken breasts cut bit size
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp each – chili powder, cumin and paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
6 cups water
3 each – chicken and beef bouillon cubes
2 cans – 14 oz. dice tomatoes
1 green pepper, cut bite size
1 can – 15 oz. dark red kidney beans or black beans
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown chicken, onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cook 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve in soup plate with tortilla chips on the bottom. Spoon sour cream on top. Garnish with black olives, cheese or avocado. Serve with more chips or warm tortillas.

Here's another fast, easy and yummy soup. This is Mary's recipe. My kids love it!

Submitted by Joanna

Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup

¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 pkg - 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cans chicken broth
1 can seasoned tomatoes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. basil
1 large (14 oz.) pkg. cheese tortellini
Grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in soup pot, low to medium heat
Peel, chop and add onion and garlic – 3 minutes
Add mushrooms – 2 minutes
Add broth and tomatoes
Raise heat to high - cover pot
Bring to boil
Add Worcestershire and basil when broth comes to a boil (you can put in fridge at this point)
Add tortellini when both comes to a rolling boil
Cook 3 to 4 minutes
Add parmesan cheese to taste before serving

This is easy, fast and YUMMY!

Submitted by Joanna, requested by Sue

Lemon-Blueberry Cake

This is really tasty!

CAKE
2c blueberries
2 1/2 c cake flour, divided (a must use for tender cake, worth the purchase!)
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
1 T grated lemon peel
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 c whole milk
FROSTING
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1 T grated lemon peel
1/8 t salt
3 T lemon juice
1 t vanilla extract
3-3 1/4 c powdered sugar
2 c blueberries

1. Heat oven to 350F. Spray 13x9 in baking pan with cooking spray. Toss 2 cups blueberries with 1 T cake flour in small bowl. Whisk remaining cake flour, baking powder and 1/4 t salt in medium bowl.
2. Beat 3/4 c butter, sugar and 1 T lemon peel in large bowl at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 1/2 t vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture in three parts alternately with milk just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture. pour into pan.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. Beat 1/2 c butter, 1 T lemon peel and 1/8 t salt in large bowl at low speed until combined. Slowly beat in lemon juice and 1 t vanilla. Beat in 3 cups of the powdered sugar, adding additional powdered sugar as needed for spreadable consistency.
5. Frost top of cake; sprinkle with 2 c blueberries (Cake can be made 1 day ahead)
12 servings

Lasagna Spinach Spirals

10 pieces of uncooked lasagne
2T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves minced
2 10-0z packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, excess liquid squeezed out
1 15 0z container ricotta cheese
3/4 to 1 c grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t nutmeg
30 oz meatless pasta sauce
4oz low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Prepare lasagne according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
Heat oven to 350F.
Heat oil in med skillet. Add onion and galric and saute until tender. Mix in spinach. Set aside and cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach mixture, ricotta and Parmesan cheesses, egg and spices. Spread spinach mixture equally on lasagne (covering the whole noodle) and roll up each piece jelly-roll style.
Place half of pasta sauce in a 13x9x2 baking dish. Place pasta spinach spirals, seam side down, in dish. Top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered until heated through, about 25 minutes.

This is great because you can make enough for a lot of people or enough for just 2 by modifying the recipe a bit. It's very tasty!

Beef Stroganoff

Serves 4
1 1/4 lbs sirloin steak tips, trimmed of excess fat and cut w/ grain into 4 equal pieces
2t soy sauce
1 lb white mushrooms, wiped clean & quartered (I used baby bellas and it was good)
2t hot water
1t dry mustard
1t sugar
1/2t ground pepper
1T veg oil
1 med onion, chopped fine,
approx 1t table salt
2t tomato paste
4t unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 c +1T white wine or dry vermouth1
1/2 c beef broth
1/2 c sour cream
1T chopped fresh parsley leaves or dill
1. Using fork, poke each piece of steak 10-12 times. Place in baking dish; rub both sides evenly with soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 min or up to 1 hr.
2. While meat marinates, place mushrooms in med microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until mushrooms have decreased in volume by half, 4-5 min (there should be as much as a 1/4c liquid in the bowl). Drain mushrooms and set aside; discard liquid. Combine water, dry mustard, sugar, and 1/2t pepper in small bowl until smooth paste forms; set aside.
3. Pat steak pieces dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in 12 in skillet over med-high heat until just smoking. Place steak pieces in skillet and cook until browned on all sides and internal temp registers 125-130 deg, 6-9 min, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Transfer meat to large plate and set aside while cooking sauce.
4. Add mushrooms, onion, and 1/2 t salt to skillet and cook until mushroom-onion mix begins to brown and dark bits form on bottom of pan, 6-8 min. Add tomato paste and flour and cook stirring constantly, until onions and mushrooms are coated, about 1 min. Stir in 1/3c wine, beef broth and mustard paste and bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to med and cook until sauce has reduced slightly and begun to thicken, 4-6 min
5. While sauce is reducing, cut steak pieces across grain into 1/4 in slices. Stir meat and any accumulated juices into thickened sauce and cook until beef has warmed through, 1-2 min. Remove pan from heat and let any bubbles subside. Stir in sour cream and remaining tablespoon of wine; season to taste with S/P. Sprinkle with parsley or dill and serve.

Submitted by: Diana

Pear & Greens with Raspberry Mustard Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
3 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup pecan halves (or walnuts)
8 cups mixed greens or I just use romaine
6 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 large Bosc or Anjou pears, cored & thinly sliced ( I sometimes cube it for a large salad)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 6 ingredients: refrigerate covered.
Heat 2/3 cups sugar in a small skillet over medium heat until sugar melts. Stir in pecans until well coated. Spread on buttered foil or parchment paper. When cool, chop into bite-size pieces, set aside.
To serve: Divide greens among 8 salad plates, top with Gorgonzola. Fan the pear slices on top and sprinkle with caramelized pecans. Drizzle with vinaigrette over salads, serve immediately.
I also put the greens in a bowl, add cubed pear, Gorgonzola and pecans. Toss with dressing. Serve immediately.
YUMMY!

Submitted by: Joanna