Autumnal Stuffed Shells

1 box jumbo pasta shells 

22 oz. ricotta cheese 

1 (15 oz.) can 100% pumpkin puree 

3/4 cup Romano cheese, grated 

1 large egg 

1/4 tsp. garlic powder 

1 1/2 tsp. crushed dried basil 

1 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. pepper 

1 (26 oz.) jar pasta sauce 

Shredded mozzarella cheese 

Cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain and rinse. 

In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, 3/4 cup Romano and remaining ingredients, except pasta sauce. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Spread sauce in bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. 

Fill each pasta shell with ricotta-pumpkin mixture and arrange in pan. 

Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove foil and sprinkle shells generously with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

When my husband heard his favorite stuffed shells were going to include pumpkin, he was a little leery. After tasting, he told me it's one of his favorite fall festive feast treats (after Thanksgiving, of course). Once your try it, you'll agree.

  Enjoy! Elvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radost'!

Beve's Penne Alla Vodka

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped finely
6 slices prosciutto or pancetta, thinly sliced and cubed
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sugar
12 oz. penne pasta
1 cup heavy cream
2 shots of vodka
1/2 tsp. crushed dried basil

Preparation:

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the prosciutto, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for a minute.
Add the tomatoes and sugar and cook for about 15 minutes.
To the boiling water, add a tablespoon of salt and the penne. Cook until al dente.
Slowly and gently add the heavy cream to the sauce and fold in.

Stir vodka into the sauce.
Drain the penne and add to the sauce.
Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

This is a great alternative to my standard spaghetti sauce recipe that cooks slowly for 3 hours. The combination of crushed tomatoes and cream give the dish a savory blush sauce that never fails to delight even the most scrutinizing palate. Penne is also one of my favorite pastas because it absorbs the sauce inside and out. Serve this dish often, it will surely please the crowd. Great with homemade bread.

Enjoy! Elvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radost'!

Quick As A Wink "RAD" Cheesecake

1 and 1/2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese
1 C powdered sugar
1, 8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 graham cracker crust, homemade or pre-packaged
topping of choice

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until thoroughly mixed. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon mixture into crust and level. Top with favorite topping; refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Our favorite toppings:
1/2 can cherry pie filling
1/2 can strawberry pie filling
1/2 can blueberry pie filling.

When strawberries are in season, slice up 1/2 pint and place in a plastic container. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar over them. Refrigerate for 1 hour and use them as the cheesecake topper.

Cheesecake lovers, rejoice! You get the great taste you love, without the wait. Fresh fruit in season tastes best with this recipe. Frozen or canned fruit will do when you can't get fresh. My family makes short work of the cheesecake either way.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Meatloaf and Vegetable ANY DAY Dinner

1 1/2 lb ground beef (or 1 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb ground pork)
3 C corn flakes before crushing
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce or Soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp ketchup

2 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Place 3 cups of corn flakes in a large mixing bowl and crush up with your hand to make smaller flakes. Add the salt, pepper, and onion powder to the flakes and mix well. Beat the eggs, ketchup, milk, and soy sauce together. Pour eggs over flakes and add the ground beef. Mix meat mixture thoroughly.

Form meat mixture into a loaf and place in the center of a Dutch oven (lightly sprayed with cooking spray). 

💗Mix together the following:
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Spread this mixture over the top of the meatloaf. Cover with lid and place in oven. 

Bake for1 hour.

While meatloaf is baking, prepare:
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters; and

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3" pieces. Soak in cold water until the first hour of baking is finished.

(I like to use red skinned potatoes, that I don't peel, but cut in quarters. I also use 8 ounces of baby carrots...which saves time.

After 1 hour:

Remove meatloaf from oven and skim off fat.

Dissolve:
2 beef bouillon in 2 cups of boiling water.
Add:
2 Tablespoons ketchup to the water.
Pour this mixture over the top and around the sides of the meatloaf.

Drain the water off the vegetables and surround the meatloaf with them. Sprinkle the vegetables with pepper.

Return meatloaf to the oven and increase temperature to 375 with the lid on, and bake an additional hour. (Check potatoes and carrots. If still not tender, bake 10 minutes more).

💗💗I must say, I could probably make this meatloaf at least every other week at our house.
This is my Mother's recipe (except for the brown sugar and dry mustard that I place on top).
Mom just slathered the top with straight ketchup. I feel that the sugar and mustard give it a little punch, but if you like, do it my Mom's way.
When people would hear that Mom put corn flakes in her meatloaf, rather than bread or bread crumbs, they would think "how strange."
But, you really have to try it. We consider it a gourmet meal, not plain meatloaf. (Especially served with Homemade Bread).
Thanks, Mom💗

Enjoy! Elvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radost'!

Halushki

1 stick butter or margarine

1 medium onion

1/2 head of cabbage

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Melt 1 stick butter in large skillet. Add 1 medium onion, finely diced. Add 1/2 small cabbage, grated. Cook over medium heat until cabbage is browned. Stir occasionally. (The slower you cook the cabbage, the better it caramelizes to a sweet perfection). May take up to 1/2 hour to brown, reducing heat when needed, as not to burn. Boil 1 bag of store bought egg noodle or make my Potato Dumpling recipe. If you want Ethnic, you have to make the Potato Dumplings! Mix noodles into browned cabbage, add 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. The best food EVER!

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Honeymoon French Onion Soup

1/3 cup vegetable oil

6 cups thinly sliced onions

(onion of choice, yellow, white, Bermuda, or Walla Walla)

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

6 cups beef broth

8 slices French bread (cut thick and toasted)

butter

garlic salt

1/2-1 cup Swiss cheese

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over onions. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently until onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add broth and pepper. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Meanwhile, spread butter on top of bread. Place bread on cookie sheet, sprinkle with garlic salt. Broil bread, with oven door ajar so as to watch that the bread only gets toasted, not burnt. Flip bread over and toast other side without the butter and garlic salt.

Ladle soup into individual “oven proof” soup bowls. Place a piece of bread, garlic butter side up, on top of the soup and sprinkle with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Yields 4-8 servings, depending on size of bowls.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

You ask “Why honeymoon soup?”

Well, because Duke and I had a bowl of this amazing soup to start each dinner when we were on our honeymoon in Acapulco. For that reason, we refer to it as “Our Honeymoon Soup”---------Oh, the beautiful memories!

Chinese Treats

1 12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chips

1 3 oz bag chow mein noodles

1 8 oz jar roasted peanuts

Melt chocolate chips over double broiler. Stir in chow mein noodles and peanuts. Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper. Let cool. Makes 4-5 dozen depending on size.

Oh what a combination of ingredients, but oh how good!

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Grandma Chick's Palachinki

1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 baking soda
1 cup flour
oil or butter flavored spray

Beat egg and milk together. Add flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar and beat to a thin, smooth batter. Add 1/2 tsp. of oil to a skillet (I use butter flavored spray) over medium heat. Ladle 1/4 cup of the batter into the hot oil. Start tilting the pan around immediately to form the crepe. When the palachinki appears dry, (I cook for one minute) flip over and cook one minute longer.
Remove to plate, spread with apple butter and roll up like a log. Serve immediately.

This was always a Sunday morning special breakfast. Thanks for being a good cook, Mom, and learning all these special Hungarian dishes for us to pass along. Yum-Yum.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Quick Potato Soup

3 cups diced, peeled potatoes
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped onion (or 1/2 tsp. onion powder)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. pepper

Bring potatoes, water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes and potatoes are tender.
Remove from heat and do not drain. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until they are about pea-size.
In a separate larger saucepan, melt the butter and add onions stirring constantly over medium high heat, and cook until transparent, approximately 3-4 minutes.
Sprinkle in the flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the milk stirring constantly for 5minutes until it starts to simmer and thicken. Stir in the potato mixture and the remaining ingredients.
Makes 4-6 servings---whether you like a cup or a bowl.

This makes a great soup to serve during Lent.


Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Mum's Homemade Bun Recipe

This Bun Recipe is good for making Buns, Stromboli or  Pepperoni Rolls.

HOMEMADE BUNS

                             

1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 package dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 -3 1/4 cups flour (I usually only need 3 cups)

Combine first three ingredients, mixing well. Sprinkle with the yeast and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the flour and the 1 teaspoon salt, mix in thoroughly. Add the 1 cup more of the flour and when incorporated, begin to knead. Knead on a floured surface adding in more of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). ***Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface and cover with the bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, KNEAD for a count of 50 turns. Repeat from *** one more time. Grease or butter the bottom of the bowl and place dough in and flip. Cover bowl with a tea towel or two. Place in a warm spot to rise for 1 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, gently punch down and form either buns, pepperoni rolls or Stromboli, cover with tea towel and let rise a second time for 1 hour.(Usually 1 hour for buns or pepperoni rolls---30-45 minutes for Stromboli).

Use this dough for 12 sandwich buns, 60 mini pepperoni rolls or 2 loaves of Stromboli. Now, let's get onto baking.

***Make sure you grease your pans before placing your desired  bun, roll or Stromboli on it.

For sandwich buns: 400° for 15 minutes. For pepperoni rolls: 400° for 14 minutes. For Stromboli: 350° for 25-30 minutes. (all should be golden brown when done.)

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Oriental Noodle Slaw

2 packages chicken flavored Ramon Noodles
1/2 cup slivered almonds, optional
2 tsp. butter
1 pound package coleslaw mix
1 red pepper, cubed in small pieces
1 bunch green onions sliced thin
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Melt the butter in microwave and toss the almonds in the butter.
Spread onto a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 325° oven for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Boil the noodles according to directions on package.
Rinse the noodles under cold water and set aside to drain.
Do not use the seasoning packages at this time.
Combine noodles, coleslaw mix, almonds, red pepper and onions. Mix well.
Make the dressing in a separate bowl: Mix oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and the seasoning packages.
Toss the noodle/slaw mixture with the dressing. Chill 2-3 hours before serving.


Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Ham Roll-Ups

1 pound sliced deli boiled ham
1 pound sliced Swiss cheese
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 soup can of milk or 1/2 soup can of white wine.
Optional, one small can of mushrooms, drained.

On your counter, lay out the boiled ham and place one slice of the Swiss cheese on top.
(This will make as many rolls as you have slices of cheese, approximately 15-18 rolls,
depending on how thick you like the slices).
On top of the cheese, close to one end, place a heaping tablespoon of broccoli.
Roll each one up and place in a 13x9 inch casserole.
Mix the soup with the milk or wine and the optional drained can of mushrooms.
Pour the mixture over the roll-ups.
Bake in a 350° for 30 minutes.

I remember having this @ Uncle Yunno's (I believe) 75th birthday. I couldn't wait to get the recipe. These are so, so easy and makes a perfect appetizer to a holiday meal or even makes an easy lunch, served with a slice of bread. The name associated with this recipe is Norma Ballas. I am so glad she shared this with me. They are so yummy.
If you like, you can sprinkle grated Swiss or Colby cheese on the top before baking.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole

1o 3/4 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans cut green beans (drained)
1 1/3 cups French Fried onions

Preheat oven to 350°F .
Combine soup, milk, pepper and soy sauce, mix well.
Add the drained green beans and 2/3 cup of the French Fried onions.
Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole or a pretty deep-dish stoneware pie plate.
Bake @ 350° F for 30 minutes.
Take out of oven, stir a little, then sprinkle the remaining onions around the edges.
Bake 5-8 minutes longer.


Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!