Hayley's Italian Pasta Salad

 We had 2 celebrations for Memorial Day in our home today. My friend, Hayley Bennett, brought this to dinner. It was wowzers and great!  She left some for us...and Joshua, our summer intern ate so much of it!  He said it was one of his top favorite meals...pasta salad.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups tri color rotini pasta...cook for 10 minutes in salted water. Set aside to cool while you chop up the following.
• 1/2 small red onion
• 1/2 green bell peppers
• 1/2 red bell peppers
• 1/2 orange bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup black olives (Hayley wisely omitted.)
• bunch of fresh parsley
• 1 cup diced mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• pepperoni
• hard salami

Dressing:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 apple cider or red wine vinegar

2 T Italian seasoning

 1 T salt 

2 grated cloves of garlic

1 tsp black pepper

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T honey

1 tsp red pepper flakes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TXkTZ79r_o

Cabbage and Noodles

 This is all guesstaments on amounts but I'll give you an idea.

Cook the noodles in boiling and salted water while frying the bacon, being sure to save the FAT

1/2 package bacon, fried in electric skillet,     RESERVE THE FAT IN THE PAN    

I cabbage head sliced and then cuz up into pieces, but not small

   add to the bacon grease and then add more if you save the fat throughout the year. Put the prepared cabbage into the bacon fat and fry til somewhat sort and browned a bit.  

1 large onion sliced and diced large  ADD the onions next.  do not add the onions with the cabbage or the cabbage will not brown up niceley.

Stir together

1 bag of flat or curly noodles, egg noodles, Hluska noodles.

Chop the bacon into good size pieces and along with the drained noodles add to the frying pan.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Empire's Lucy's Artesian Breadsusa

 2 t. Yeast

2 cups water

3 cups all purpose flour

2 T salt

combine and knead.  cover with cloth for 6 hours.

flour a Dutch Oven and place the dough in the pan.

Bake at 450 with lid on for 40 minutes. Remove the cover and bake 15 minutes more.

Betty Franklin's Danish

While I have never met Betty Franklin, I have been blessed by her culinary prowess and generous spirit to share these recipes which are now considered "family recipes."  The following is taken from my mother's NaNoWriMO novel, The Dough Also Rises (as do my friends):

And this novel would not be complete with(out) Betty's Danish recipe. These are so easy to make, especially if you've tried/Mastered her Croissants. Start these in the morning the day BEFORE you want them. Adjust the time line and you'll them the next day.

Betty Franklin's Danish

Mix in a large bowl:

1 1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 T cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

2 T yeast

1/4 cup dry milk

Add and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of mixer:

 1 1/4 c. warm water

1/4 c. warm margarine

Beat in and then beat 2 minutes on high speed:

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

Stir in and stir until blended to stiffen batter:

1 1/2 to 2 c. flour

Cover bowl with aluminum foil. Chill 1 hour in fridge. (Let's say 9am on first day.)

Meanwhile:

Spread 1 1/2 c. margarine onto wax paper into 10x12" rectangle. Chill for 1 hour. (It's easiest if you cut the margarine into 1 T pieces and lay out on wax paper and then with a spatula, gently spread them into a solid piece.)

Roll chilled dough on lightly floured board into 12 x 16" RECTANGLE. Place margarine slab on center third of dough.  Fold dough over margarine. Give a quarter turn. Roll to 12x16" rectangle. Fold as above. Turn, roll, fold once more. Chill for 1 hour (11:30am on the first day.)

Repeat rolling, folding, chilling two more times; refrigerate overnight. (till 9pm of the first day)

Divide in half. Roll half into 15 x 6 " rectangle. Cut into 12 long strings...1 1/2 x 6" strips. Hold each end of a strip and twist each end of strip in opposite directions and then twirl around to form a circle, looks sort of like a snail. Seal ends well. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover lightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. (This will be overnight of the first day. Awaken in the morning to finish.)

Combine:

1 egg white

1 T. water

Brush on rolls. Bake for 375 degrees for about 20 minutes til done. Cool on wire racks. Frost with confectioners sugar icing. Top with a cheery from a can of cherry pie filling for color.

 

Garlic Aioli

 Yummy!

3/4 c mayo

2 1/2 T lemon juice

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh pepper

Mix, cover & chill foe at least 30 mins before serving. Was Great on BLT sandwiches with home made sour dough bread! Good for dips, burgers, tater tots!

Velveeta Tex Mex Mac N Cheese

Velveeta Tex Mex Mac N Cheese 35 Min(s) 20 Min(s) Prep 15 Min(s) Cook 6 Servings 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 pkg. (12 oz.) VELVEETA Shells & Cheese Dinner 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Mexican-style diced tomatoes, undrained 1-1/4 cups water 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese 1 Brown meat in nonstick skillet; drain. 2 Stir in Shells, tomatoes and water. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 15 min. 3 Add Cheese Sauce; stir until blended. Top with shredded cheese. https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/094497/tex-mex-shells-and-cheese

Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti (before I lose it again!)

https://easyweeknight.com/garlic-parmesan-spaghetti/ 

 PREP TIME 10 minutes COOK TIME 10 minutes TOTAL TIME 20 minutes 

 INGREDIENTS:

8 oz spaghetti 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder 

2 oz grated Parmesan cheese 

1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley 

 INSTRUCTIONS:

 Heat up a pot of water and cook the spaghetti to al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Heat up a skillet with the olive oil and saute the garlic until aromatic but not browned. Add the spaghetti to the skillet, follow by salt and chicken bouillon powder. Stir to blend well. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Mix well with the spaghetti. Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

Cowboy Chopped Salad by Ree Drummond

 

1. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/cowboy-chopped-salad-3111102

Bacon and Tortilla Strips:

12 slices bacon, chopped

Vegetable oil, for frying

4 corn tortillas, cut into strips

BBQ Ranch Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream 

1/4 cup barbecue sauce 

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

2 tablespoons chopped chives 

1 clove garlic, finely chopped 

Buttermilk, as needed to adjust the consistency 

Hot sauce, as needed 

Kosher salt

Salad:

1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into chunks and sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved 

1 bunch scallions, sliced 

1 pound Cheddar, grated 

Pico de gallo, store-bought or homemade, recipe follows, for topping

Pico de Gallo:

12 Roma tomatoes (slightly underripe is fine)

3 yellow or red onions 

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves 

1 to 2 jalapenos, plus more if needed

1 lime 

Salt 

1. 
   
2. For the bacon and tortilla strips: Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add some vegetable oil to the bacon skillet and fry the tortilla strips until crisp, approximately 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
3. For the BBQ ranch dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, barbecue sauce, parsley, chives and garlic. Adjust the consistency with buttermilk to make it a little thinner. Taste and add hot sauce and salt as needed.
4. For the salad: Put the lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, bacon and most of the cheese into a bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and stir. Scatter over some pico de gallo, the tortilla strips and the reserved cheese, then serve.

Pico de Gallo:

1. Dice up equal quantities of the tomatoes and onions. Roughly chop the cilantro. Now slice 1 or 2 jalapenos in half. With a spoon, scrape out the seeds. (If you like things spicy, leave in some of the white membranes.) Dice the jalapenos very finely; you want a hint of heat and jalapeno flavor, but you don't want to cause any fires. Now dump these 4 ingredients into a bowl.
2. Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and stir together until combined. Be sure to taste the pico de gallo and adjust the seasonings, adding salt, lime juice or more diced jalapeno as needed. Yield: 8 servings

Classic Chicken Parmesan

 I made this recipe tonight...and Goodhousekeeping.com won't let me see it any more...so here I go!

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/easy/a36266/classic-chicken-parmesan/

Ingredients:

1/2 c Italian-style breadcrumbs

1/2 c Grated parmesan

2 large eggs

4 small chicken breast halves, about 1.5

3/4 c marinara sauce

6 oz mozzarella

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan in one shallow dish.  Beat 2 eggs in another.   Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.

Dip the 4 small chicken breast halves into the egg, then the bread crumbs. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Place into a cooking dish. Pour marinara sauce over the top, then shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.  (I cooked it for 10 minutes, THEN Added the cheese.)

I served it over spaghetti with lightly tossed marinara sauce. YUM!!  

Hershey's Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

 

Every morning is better when the kitchen is filled with the warm scent of cinnamon rolls! This Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls recipe features a fruity filling and sweet and tangy HERSHEY’S Cream Cheese Flavored Chips inside and out. The icing is the best part of this pastry, and the double cream cheese frosting on top adds a new layer of flavor. Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect start for Thanksgiving or a unique addition to your fall brunch menu. Explore more morning magic makers on our pastries page, featuring tarts, turnovers and more.

• ¹/₄ cup

  butter (cold, cubed)
• 1 cup

  milk
• ¹/₄ cup

  water (warm)
• 1 Tbsp

  active dry yeast
• 6 Tbsps

  granulated sugar (divided)
• 1

  egg
• ¹/₂ tsp

  salt
• 3 - ¹/₁cups

  all-purpose flour
• ¹/₂ cup

  HERSHEY'S Cream Cheese Flavored Chips
• CRANBERRY FILLING Recipe Follows

  
  

  • 2 Tbsps

    orange juice
  • 6 Tbsps

    granulated sugar
  • 1 cup

    fresh or frozen whole cranberries
  • ¹/₄ cup

    butter (1/2 stick), softened
  • 6 Tbsps
  • 1 Tbsp

    orange zest (from one orange)
  • ¹/₂ tsp

    ground cinnamon
  • DOUBLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING Recipe Follows
  • 2 Tbsps

    butter
  • ¹/₃ cup

    HERSHEY'S Cream Cheese Flavored Chips
  • 2 oz

    cream cheese, softened
  • ³/₄ cup

    powdered sugar
  • 1 to 2Tbsps

    heavy whipping cream (if needed)

    
    

    Combine butter and milk in medium saucepan; heat over medium heat just until the butter us melted. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm.

    2

    Meanwhile, combine warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in bowl of stand mixer. Allow to sit until the mixture becomes foamy (about 10 minutes).

    3

    Add cooled milk mixture, remaining sugar, egg and salt to yeast mixture in stand mixer. Mix until combined. Mix in 2 cups flour. Continue adding remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough is sticky, but can be pulled from the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper.

    4

    Transfer dough to large greased bowl, turning to coat dough. Cover; allow to rest until doubled in size (about 1 hour). 

    5

    Make CRANBERRY FILLING. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Roll dough into 12 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread cranberry filling evenly over top of dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle filling with 1/2 cup cream cheese chips. 

    6

    Spray 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line pan bottom with parchment paper; set aside. Starting from bottom of long side of rectangle, roll dough to form 12-inch roll. Cut off very edge of ends; cut remaining roll into 12 even slices. Place slices in prepared pan. Cover; let rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

    7

    Heat oven to 350° F. Bake rolls 17 to 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Do not over bake.

    8

    Meanwhile, prepare DOUBLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. Spread frosting on warm rolls and serve. Makes 12 rolls.

    CRANBERRY FILLING: 

    Combine water and granulated sugar in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries, cooking until cranberries are bursting. Place fine mesh sieve over bowl; pour cranberries into sieve. Use a rubber scraper to press down on berries, pressing out as much of the liquid as possible. Discard liquid or save for another use.

    Mix together butter and brown sugar in medium bowl. Add drained cranberries, orange zest and cinnamon, mixing thoroughly.

     

    DOUBLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

    Place butter and cream cheese chips in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.
    

    Add cream cheese, beat until well blended. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. If needed, add small amounts of heavy cream, beating until desired consistency. Makes generous 3/4 cup frosting.