3 Meat Lasagna--The BEST lasagna recipe EVER!!

This is a delicious Lasagna recipe made with 3 kinds of meat--ground beef, pepperoni, and Italian sausage. It also has 4 different cheeses, making it so ooey-gooey!!!! I normally like to make my sauce from scratch, but I was limited on time, so I just used canned spaghetti sauce, and it was still wonderful!!!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 lb Italian sausage

1 4 oz. package of pepperoni

2 cans of Hunt's Spaghetti sauce (26.5 oz cans) or you can use your favorite!

1 clove garlic, minced

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened

1 cup cottage cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs, beaten

1 Tablespoon dried chopped parsley

16 oz package of lasagna noodles, cooked and drained (according to package directions)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I like to shred it myself, because it just tastes better)

1 cup parmesan cheese (reserving 1/4 cup)

Directions:

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. While it's cooking, chop onion and garlic. Brown beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet. Drain grease off, add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce heat, cooking about 15 minutes.

Combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese and beaten eggs and parsley.

Spoon a small amount of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a greased 13'' X 9" baking dish. Top with 3 noodles. Spoon 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture onto noodles and evenly spread over noodles.

Place a layer of pepperoni over cream cheese mixture, Spoon 1/3 of spaghetti sauce over the top.then sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Repeat with layers of noodles, cream cheese mixture, pepperoni, spaghetti sauce and mozzarella and parmesan, twice. The dish will be full!

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake, uncovered 10-15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. DELICIOUS!!!!!!

Mexicorn Dip

This dip is so addicting! You have to let it set in the fridge overnight because it gets better and better! It's creamy with just a little bit of heat.

Mexicorn Dip

Ingredients:

2 cans mexicorn, drained

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 packet of ranch dressing/dip mix

3 bunches green onions, sliced

1 can green chilies, diced and drained

1/3 cup jalapenos, diced

8 oz. package shredded Mexican blend cheese

Tortilla Chips or crackers for dipping

Instructions:

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream and ranch dressing mix. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. I suggest making it 12 hours ahead of time because the flavors get better and better! Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Southern Skillet Green Beans

Fresh green beans are in season! This recipe is so delicious...the beans are cooked with bacon, garlic and onions for a couple of hours, so they become so tender and full of flavor! 

Southern Skillet Green Beans

Ingredients: 

6 slices of bacon

1 med onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 pounds of fresh green beans, trimmed and rinsed 

1 cup of chicken broth--plus more if needed

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat in a large skillet until the bacon is fully rendered.

Add onions and saute with bacon until transparent. Add garlic, cooking for 2 minutes more. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, stir well, de-glazing the pan. Add beans and apple cider vinegar, mix well. Reduce heat to low. Cover and continue to slow cook the green beans for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, making sure there is enough broth in the bottom of the pan so the beans don't get scorched. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Peach Pecan Dump Cake

Peach Pecan Dump Cake

I love this cake! It's is so easy! You can used canned peaches or fresh peaches...I used fresh ones in this recipe because they are in season and so delicious! 

Now if you are using fresh peaches, you'll want to peel and slice them. Here's a quick way to peel peaches.  How to peel a peach--FAST!

You start out by mixing your peaches, evaporated milk, sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl, then pour the mixture into a baking pan.

Then sprinkle a box of cake mix evenly over the top of the peaches. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top. Then pour melted butter over the top of the whole mixture. Bake for 50 minutes. It's so EASY! And so rich and yummy!!!!! 

And when it's done it will look like this!

Peach Pecan Dump Cake

Ingredients:

6-8 ripe peaches, pittled, peeled and sliced

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

3 eggs

 1 cup sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 box french vanilla cake mix (or you can use a simple white cake mix) 

1 cup pecans

3/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. 

In a large bowl, mix peaches, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. (It will be somewhat runny) Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the top of the peach mixture. Sprinkle pecans over the top of cake mix. Pour melted butter evenly over the top. Bake for 50 minutes. Let cool and serve with ice cream if desired. 

Chicken Gruyere With Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

OH MY! This recipe is fantastic! Chicken breasts browned in butter and olive oil, then baked with sauteed mushrooms, onions and white wine, then a final layer of grated Gruyere cheese! So delicious!! I served it over a bed of mashed potatoes.

Start by either pounding your chicken breasts or simply cut them in half, so they aren't so thick

Dredge chicken in flour, salt, pepper, parsley and dill.

In a large skillet melt butter and heat olive oil. Place chicken in skillet and brown each side.

When chicken is browned, remove and place in a 13 X 9 baking dish. Set aside.

Add more butter to the same skillet, let butter melt and add onion and mushrooms.

ahhhhh!!! Nothing smells better than onions and mushrooms soaking up all that butter!

Now for the fun part!!! WINE! Add the wine, and don't forget to pour yourself a glass too!

Let the wine blend with the other flavors, cook for about 5 minutes. Pour mixture over browned chicken. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

While chicken is baking, grate Gruyere cheese.After 20 minutes, take chicken out of the oven and sprinkle cheese over the top and bake for 10-15 more minutes.

And now it's ready! OH MY GOODNESS!!! It's so delicious!!!

I love the flavor of the Gruyere cheese! It just makes this recipe so wonderful!

Chicken Gruyere With Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon dryed dill weed

1/4 butter, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 boneless chicken breasts, halved

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, sliced into course pieces or rings

1/2 cup white wine

8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow dish or plate, stir together the flour, salt, pepper, parsley and dill. Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry with a paper towel. Dredge chicken into flour mixture.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Place chicken into the hot butter and oil. Brown both sides. Transfer chicken to a 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside.

Add remaining butter to skillet and saute the mushrooms and onions until tender and lightly browned. Stir in white wine, reduce heat and simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Pour the mushroom mixture over chicken.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese and bake (uncovered) for 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Miss Cindy's Peaches and Cream Pie

Miss Cindy's Peaches & Cream Pie

This is such an unusual pie recipe! The crust is made from vanilla pudding, flour and milk with fresh sliced peaches (or you can use canned) that are spread over the crust and topped with a delicious cream cheese mixture! It's sort of like a cobbler, pie and cheesecake all in one! It's delicious!

! 

Miss Cindy's Peaches and Cream Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 3 oz package vanilla pudding mix (the heat and serve kind-NOT INSTANT)

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

4 peaches skinned, sliced thinly (or 1 29 oz. can sliced peaches, drained and syrup reserved)

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup sugar (divided) 

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sides and bottom of a 10 inch deep dish pie pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and pudding mix. Mix in butter, egg and milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into pie pan. Arrange peach slices over the top of pudding mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar. (If you are using canned peaches add 3 tablespoons syrup to cream cheese.) If your are using fresh peaches, in a small bowl dissolve remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into 1/2 cup hot water. Slowly add about 3 tablespoons sugar water into cream cheese and beat for about 2 minutes. Spoon mixture over peaches to within 1 inch of pan edge. Mix together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. 

Bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Chill before serving. 

Cornbread Salad

I had never heard of cornbread salad until a few years ago I was at a BBQ at my friend Toni's  house where she served it...I couldn't believe how amazing it was!!! I thought to myself, "Where have you been all my life, cornbread salad?"  It's kind of like potato salad made with cornbread instead of potatoes. This is the perfect salad to take to family reunions, potlucks or BBQ's. 

Cornbread Salad

Ingredients:

1 pan cornbread (I used Jiffy corn muffin mix)

1 cup diced onions

1 bell pepper, seeded and diced

 1 cup diced tomatoes

15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

1 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

1 package Ranch dressing mix

2 cups mayonnaise

Instructions:

Bake cornbread according to package directions. Let it cool and crumble in a large bowl. Add onions, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, corn and bacon. Stir until well combined. 

In a separate bowl mix together ranch dressing mix with mayonnaise. Add the mayo mixture to the to the cornbread and vegetables. Stir until combined well. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving. 

Crab Rangoon Pizza

I love crab rangoon...and I love pizza! This is the best of both worlds! Topped with cream cheese, crab meat and cheeses. Such a delightful dish! 

Ingredients:

• 4 wonton wrappers, sliced into thin strips
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 can refrigerated pizza crust of your choice
• 1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese
• ½ c. finely chopped onions
• 2-3 T. horseradish ( or 4 if you love horseradish!)
• 2 6 oz. cans crab meat 
• 1 c. Asiago cheese
• ¼ c. parmesan cheese
• 2 green onions
• 3 T. asian style sweet chili sauce
  Instructions :
• Preheat oven to 400º. On lined cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil and brush all over foil. Lay out strips of wontons, not touching and brush with additional olive oil.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until browned and crispy.
• Unroll pizza crust in a pizza pan. In medium bowl, with mixer, blend together cream cheese, onions, and horseradish. Spread  mixture over pizza crust almost to edges.
• Top with ¼ of the crabmeat.
• Sprinkle ¼ of the Asiago over top.
• Chop up green onions and sprinkle ¼ over cheese, then sprinkle with ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and browning and the crust edges are brown and crisping.
• Remove from oven and drizzle chili sauce over top.
• Return to oven for 2-3 minutes and then top with crumbled wonton strips.
• Cut into fourths and serve!

Cashew Chicken (Springfield MO Style)

Cashew Chicken Springfield Missouri Style!!

I grew up in Springfield Missouri, "The Cashew Chicken Capital of the World!" Chef David Leong, moved to the U.S. from China in 1940 and created this recipe to appeal to local residents' taste buds. His famous deep-fried cashew chicken recipe was so popular he then opened Leong's Tea House in Springfield. This dish became exceedingly popular in the Springfield area. As word spread about this dish, so did the recipe. Leong's Tea House closed it's doors in 1997, but his cashew chicken is still being served at over 70 Chinese restaurants in the Springfield area, and elsewhere in Missouri and other states. I crave this recipe sometimes, and can't find it where I am living now. So whenever I have that craving for it--I just make up a batch! My sons beg me to make this for them!

Here's step by step instructions, with the recipe following.

First, rinse your boneless chicken breasts off and cut into bite sized pieces.

Soak the chicken pieces in milk, beaten eggs and salt.

Roll chicken pieces in flour

Heat oil and add chicken pieces one at a time. I like to do it in batches. Keep cooked pieces warm in a 200 degree oven.

Fry to a golden light brown and drain on a paper towel lined platter or dish.

Add corn starch to a medium sized sauce pan and add enough chicken broth to make a paste.

Blend in oyster sauce, soy sauce and pepper. Slowly add remaining chicken broth.

Keep whisking and add more chicken broth and oyster sauce as needed.

Pour sauce over friend chicken pieces, top with chopped green onions and cashews. See, it's really simple!! Serve with a side of white steamed rice or fried rice and enjoy!!! Now, if I could only get my favorite local Chinese restaurant to put this on their menu!

Cashew Chicken (Springfield Mo style)

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons water

2 eggs, well beaten

Salt

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons oyster sauce (find in the asian food section of your grocery store)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Pepper to taste

1 cup flour

Peanut oil for frying

1 cup cashew nuts

cup chopped green onions

Soy Sauce

Hot fried rice

Marinate chicken in milk, water, eggs and salt for at least 20 minutes. In a saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of broth; add remaining broth gradually to make a paste. Whisk together oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Add more chicken broth if needed so it will have the consistency of gravy. Whisk over medium-high heat until sauce boils and begins to thicken. Set aside. Roll chicken in the flour. Fry in oil in a heavy pan until crisp and golden. Drop chicken in one piece at a time to prevent sticking together. Drain on paper towels. Arrange chicken on a serving platter. Reheat sauce add chicken broth if needed to thin it down, and pour over chicken. Serve with rice. S prinkle with cashews and chopped green onions and serve immediately.

Greek Salad With Tomatoes and Feta

Summer is finally here!! Here is a tomato salad that I made for a recent dinner party. This is what I came up with! My guests LOVED it! So, I wanted to share the recipe with you!

Greek Salad With Tomatoes and Feta

Ingredients:

1 medium sized tomato, chopped in big chunks

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

3 Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced

1 avocado, peeled, chopped in bite size pieces

1/2 can of Hearts of Palm (found in the canned vegetable section, usually next to the artichokes) thinly sliced

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

1/2 cup Kalamata Olives

1/2 cup Red pickled sweet peppers

1 bunch of green onions, thinly sliced

3-4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped

Vinaigrette

2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp safflower oil

TO PREPARE

Layer tomatoes, avocado, hearts of palm, olives, peppers, onions, basil and feta cheese on a large platter.
To make the vinaigrette, pour the vinegar and lime juice in a small bowl. Add oregano, salt, sugar and black pepper. Pour the oils in a slow stream, whisking with a whisk or fork to emulsify. The vinaigrette can be made a day ahead of time, just emulsify before using.

Pour vinaigrette evenly over salad. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then toss and serve.