Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

serves 6-8 – From America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook
This is a strong flavored dish, especially as leftovers. For milder flavor, use less parmesan cheese and spinach (about ½ or 3/4th of what’s called for).

15 oz ricotta
1 ¼ C parmesan cheese – separate ¼ C for ending
1-2 t dried basil
1 large egg or 2 egg whites, light beaten
½ t salt
½ t pepper
2 T olive oil
A dash of garlic powder
1 lb mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly squeezed dry and chopped
5-6 C tomato sauce
1 lb mozzarella, shredded
12 no-boil lasagna noodles (one 8 or 9 oz package – I like Barilla no-boil brand)

1.Preheat oven to 375 with rack in the middle position. Mix the ricotta, 1 Cup of the parmesan, basil, egg or egg whites, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Stir until well mixed and soft.

2.Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan or skillet until shimmering. Sauté the mushrooms on medium high until desired brownness. Sprinkle with garlic powder, remove from heat, and stir in spinach. Set aside and allow to cool.

3.In a 13x9 inch baking pan, spread 1 C of tomato sauce on bottom. Assemble the bottom three layers as follows: Place 3 noodles side by side along the length of the pan (noodles are small and will not exactly fill the pan to the edge, so don’t panic). Place 3 T of ricotta mixture on top of each noodle and spread to edges of noodles. Sprinkle 1/3rd of mushroom spinach mixture on ricotta mixture. Sprinkle 1 C of mozzarella next, and pour 1-1 ½ C of sauce on top of mozzarella. You’ll have just enough filling to do this 3 times.

4.For the final layer, place the last three noodles on top, pour the remaining sauce over noodles, and sprinkle remaining mozzarella and ¼ C of parmesan over the top. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil and place over top. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for 25 minutes more. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.


Chunky Tomato Sauce For Lasagna – This is a strong sauce, and it’s great on any pasta. For milder flavor, use half the garlic and omit the onion and red pepper flakes.
1 T olive oil
½ onion, minced
Salt
6 garlic cloves, minced, or 4 crushed
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (or 2 14.5 oz), drained if using for lasagna, undrained if just topping pasta
¼ t dried oregano
1/8 t red pepper flakes
Pepper

Heat oil over medium high until shimmering. Add onion & 1 teaspoon of salt, & cook until onion is softened, about 5 min. Add garlic & cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in crushed and diced tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season w/salt and pepper to taste.


by Dianna G.

Garlic Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon

2 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 T. fresh rosemary leaves stripped from stems
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt & pepper
½ c. chicken broth

Preheat oven to 450˚ F. Arrange chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Add garlic, rosemary, olive oil, lemon zest, and salt & pepper. Toss and coat the chicken. Roast for 20 minutes. Add chicken broth and lemon juice to the dish and combine with pan juices. Return to oven and turn oven off. Let stand 5 minutes longer, then remove chicken from oven.


by Catherine S.

Pumpkin Bars

2 c. flour
1 2/3 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
4 eggs
1 c. oil
16 oz. pumpkin (about 1 1/2 c.)
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips, or raisins, nuts

Mix together dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil, and pumpkin. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into ungreased 17x12x1 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
2 t. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar

Mix until smooth.


by Catherine S.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. hamburger
3/8 t. garlic powder
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. mushrooms
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 T. parsley
48 oz. tomato sauce
1 t. seasoning salt
1/2 t. pepper

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for several hours.


by Shelley F.

All American Apple Pie

1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. flour
1 t. lemon zest
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
6 medium Braeburn apples; peeled, cored, and sliced. (about 2 lbs.)
1 egg, beaten (optional)
1 t. sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well. Add apples to sugar mixture; coat. Place first pie crust into pie plate. Spoon apple mixture into prepared plate. Place second pie crust on top of filling. Trim edges and press together. Use a sharp knife to cut steam vents on top. If desired, lightly brush top of pie crust with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool.

Pie crust
Single crust: (you'll need to double this)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. shortening
4 - 5 T. ice cold water

Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are size of small peas. Sprinkle water over 1 T. at a time. Mix. Form into a ball. Flatten out slightly on a lightly floured surface. Roll from center to edge until desired thickness or size will fit pie plate. (I use saran wrap when I roll out my crust.)

by Catherine S.

Chili

2 lbs. ground beef
29 oz. tomato sauce
29 oz. can kidney beans (with liquid)
29 oz. can pinto beans (with liquid)
1 medium onion, diced or 1/4 c. dried minced onion
4 oz. can diced green chilis
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 t. cumin
3 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. black pepper
2 t. salt
2 c. water
1 celery stalk, chopped

Cook meat and drain. Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low all day. Top with grated cheese and chopped onion.

Recipe adapted from Top Secret's Wendy's Chili.


by Shelley F.

Easy Peach Cobbler

large can sliced peaches
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 c. margarine or butter, melted

Pour can of peaches into a 9x13 baking dish. Mix cake mix with melted margarine until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

by Shelley F.