Baked Italian Pasta

 They say that necessity is the mother of invention.  I had planned to make a different recipe for dinner and found that I didn't have one of the basic ingredients.  So, I used ideas from several of my recipes and came up with a very delicious casserole. It was a great invention, if I say so myself!  I wanted to record it here, so I can make it again and, of course, share it with you.  I will definitely be making this again.

Baked Italian Pasta

1 lb. ground beef or sweet Italian sausage

1/2 cup or so diced summer sausage

1 onion, chopped

1/2 lb. pasta of choice, individual pasta like rigatoni or farfalle

1 32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

2 T. sugar

1 package Italian dressing mix

1 8 oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese, grated

1 can black olives

Brown the hamburger or sausage with the summer sausage and onion.  Drain.  Sprinkle the dressing mix over the meat mixture and mix well.  Add the spaghetti sauce and sugar and mix well.

Put pasta in a sprayed covered casserole dish.  Add the olives.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the pasta, then add the meat sauce and mix well.  Top with the rest of the cheeses.  Put the lid on and bake in a 350 oven until hot and bubbly.  

Ice Box Cake

 Happy birthday to Leora Hinton, Ken's mother.  She would be 101 today.  She raised eight kids.  One of their favorite desserts that she made was what she called Ice Box Cake.  In honor of her, I publish this recipe today.

Ken made it to honor her.  He used strawberries.

Leora's Ice Box Cake

 

1. Graham cracker crust.  Some like more crust, some less, so suit yourself. Using a rolling pin, crush as many Graham Crackers as you desire—enough to line the bottom and sides of the container you put your cake in. Some like crust sprinkled on top as well, so leave enough for that if you choose. (You can substitute two commercially-made graham cracker crusts.)

 

2. Marshmallow mix. Into a pan with just a touch of milk (¼ cup), add 16 oz bag of marshmallows. Some prefer a little lighter marshmallow taste and they go with a 12 oz bag. Melt the marshmallows in a double boiler. (Updated version:  Just melt them in the microwave, stirring often.)

 

3. Whip cream. Into your marshmallow mix add a cup of cream that has been whipped (or 8 oz of cool whip). I have found it better to be a tad extra on whipped cream than too much extra on marshmallows. 

 

4. Fruit. Add whatever fruit you prefer to the marshmallow/cream mix. Our family has preferred bananas—usually four average size bananas, sliced. Other people prefer strawberries, blue berries, pineapple and other fruit. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared crust/ crusts.  (We find it better to slice the fruit right into the graham crust, then pour the marshmallow mixture on top.)  Top with graham crumbs, if desired.  

 

5. Chill the ice box cake.  Cover the container and place in the refrigerator (not freezer) for several hours until it has become cold to fridge temperature. Cut and serve.

Southwest Salad

 For the last couple of years, Shonna has often made Mason jar salads for the week- six or seven each week.  Pre-COVID, she was part of a group that would each make enough salads of one kind for everyone else in the group, then meet on Fridays and exchange them, everyone going home with seven different jar salads to eat for their lunches.  She is very creative, often creating her own recipes.  She enjoyed the others' creativity and variety as well.  

Shonna enjoyed those salads so much, that she has continued making seven jar salads many weeks during COVID, just for herself.  She then has a salad to eat each day for lunch.  I will be publishing some of her recipes on here from time to time.  She has her sisters doing this, too, so some of the pictures come from her and some from them.  And some from me, though I don't do the jars.   

I think if I forced Shonna to name her favorite of all of them, it is this Southwest Salad.  I made it one night for dinner, not in a jar- just for dinner.  It was delicious- especially the dressing.  You can add cooked chicken cubes if you would like.  I didn't, but think I will next time.

Southwest Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

1 head romaine, chopped

fresh corn kernels from 1 ear of corn (I used canned, drained), charred in a skillet (just let it char in a skillet while preparing the rest)

1 red pepper, chopped

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, each cut in half

1/4 cup chopped red onions

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup roasted and salted pepitas

1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Tortilla strips or corn chips

If making jar salads, divide and layer the ingredients in quart mason jars.  Add the pepitas, tortilla strips and dressing when you eat it.  

Avocado Dressing

1 avocado, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, diced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup salsa of choice

1/4 cup milk

juice from 1 lime

2 T olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper

Hot sauce to taste

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add milk if it needs to be thinner.

Layer ingredients of the salad in Mason jars.  Or if you're serving to your family, put all ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss with dressing.  Garnish with tortilla strips or corn chips.  

Watch for more jar salad recipes.  I will be posting them over the next while.  

Shonna takes one of her salads to a widowed friend each week.  This is how she packs it up.

Pecan Rolo Pretzel Bites

 A neighbor brought us some of these at Christmas time.  Ken was enamored with them and tried to figure out what was in them.   I suggested we google it.  We did and bought the ingredients.  He immediately made two batches of them.  Easy and yummy!

Pecan Rolo Pretzel Bites

50 pretzel twists

50 rolo candies

50 pecans

Place the pretzels on a parchment covered cookie sheet.  Top each with a rolo candy.  Place in a 250 oven just long enough to let the Rollo candy melt and fasten to the pretzels.  Remove from oven and put a pecan each one while still warm.  Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

White Chili

I got this delicious soup recipe from my sister-in-law, Ada, years ago.  I kind of forgot about it.  Kristen was making it one day recently (I put it in my cookbook that I gave to all my daughters) and said she makes it frequently and her family loves it. She now makes it in her instant pot.  That reminded me about the recipe and I got it out and made it.  It is absolutely delicious, especially with the avocado relish on top.  This one is a crowd pleaser!  

White Chili

3 cans great northern beans, drained

3-4 cups chicken broth

3 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 cans green chilis

1-2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 T olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground oregano

1/4 tsp paprika

Cayenne pepper or pepper flakes, to taste

1-2 lbs. Monterey Jack Cheese (grated)

Salt to taste (you may not need salt)

In a large pot, saute' onions in olive oil until translucent.  Add the garlic and saute' a bit longer.  Add the broth, beans, green chilis and chicken breasts.  Simmer until the chicken is cooked.  Remove the chicken and cube or shred, then add it back into the pot.  Add the spices and cheese.  Cook and stir for a while.  Taste and add salt if needed.  Serve with corn chips and Avocado relish.

Avocado Relish

1 large avocado, peeled and diced

3-4 large Roma tomatoes, diced (or cherry tomatoes, chopped)

Juice of 1/2 lime

Fresh cilantro, chopped.  

1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced fine (opt.)

Mix together.  Garnish soup with the relish.

*I've altered the recipe slightly to our tastes.

Chocolate Cream Pie

 I have never made cream pies from scratch and wanted to learn.  I have been trying many recipes.  I have had some fails, but this one was really good.  Watch for more soon.  

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 baked 9 inch pie crust

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups half and half, or mixture of milk and half and half

1 T butter 

1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

Whipped cream or cool whip for topping

In a large saucepan, mix together the egg yolks and sugar.  Mix in the cornstarch, cocoa, and salt.  When mixed, add milk.

Turn on the heat to medium and stir constantly until boiling.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.  Cool for a few minutes, then pour into pie crust.  Chill for several hours before serving, topped with whipped cream.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

 This is a delicious pulled pork recipe that simmers all day in the cockpot.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 bottle barbecue sauce

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 pork loin

4 onion rolls

Stir barbecue sauce, onion, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and chili powder in the slow cooker;  add pork loin and coat with sauce.  Cover and cook on high until pork is very tender.  It should just fall apart. Shred the meat with two forks and mix together.  Serve on onion rolls.  Delicious served with cole slaw.