Lazy Lasagna

This post is for my most favorite and faithful follower, my husband, Devlin. When I asked him what he wanted to eat while I was visiting my sister, he answered Lazy Lasagna! Of course he would pick a dairy infested meal when our allergic son was vacationing with me :-). Enjoy every minute of it babe!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb rigatoni noodles

1 garlic clove
1/2 cup minced onion
1 lb hamburger or sausage

1 can spaghetti sauce (can add 3 Tbsp sugar if desired)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (set aside 1/2 cup) I usually grate more! I like a lot of cheese!
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook noodles, set aside
   
2. In a large skillet, cook hamburger with garlic and onion. Season with salt, pepper, and a generous amount of Italian seasoning
3. Add sauce, sour cream, and cottage cheese.
   
4. Pour meat sauce, and remaining ingredients (except 1/2 cup cheddar cheese) in a large bowl. Mix ingredients with a large spatula or wooden spoon until combined
   
5. Spread into a 9X13 casserole dish
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
7. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1/2 hour or until bubbly
   

Whole Wheat Bread by Maxine Meyers

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Angela. In Maxine's words, "This is the lightest 100% whole wheat bread anywhere! Nobody believes it when I tell them it is made from 100% whole wheat. The secret is the three risings. I have had people tell me that they did not like whole wheat at all but after trying this recipe want nothing else. Don't let the three risings scare you. This bread is so easy because you can start it and walk away, come back and walk away. Your family will love homemade bread not just when it comes hot out of the oven but for days on end."

To start...

* 3 Tablespoons yeast
* 4 cups warm water
* 4 cups whole wheat flour

Mix these ingredients together and let sit until double. (Usually 15-30 minutes.) This step is called a sponge and is very important to allow the yeast to get a head start.

Add...

* 1/2 cup butter or vegetable oil
* 2/3 cup honey or molasses
* 3 teaspoons salt
* 6-8 cup whole wheat flour

Mix this together and knead for 15 -20 minutes if kneading by hand. Place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise again until double. (About 30 minutes) Punch down and shape in pans. Cover and let rise again until double. (20-30 minutes). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Oil top of bread for a nice shiny crust. Recipe makes 4 loaves.

*If I have any left over cooked cereal, I add it and the bread even gets better! About a cup to the recipe.

This is absolutely the best and lightest whole wheat bread that I have ever tasted and people who don't even like whole wheat will ask for the recipe. It will keep moist for days and makes great french toast.

Cheree's Pasta Salad

I made this pasta salad up since most boxed pasta salads have some trace of egg or milk. Not only do they not work for my son because of his allergies, but they're usually severely overpriced. You can't really mess this pasta salad up. Feel free to add the vegetables you enjoy the most. However, I'd at least stick with the tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives. Whenever I make this at our house it's gone pretty fast!

NOTE FOR EGG ALLERGIES: If you're looking for egg-free pasta, I usually purchase mine at Costco.

INGREDIENTS:
1 packet Good Season's Italian Dressing, prepared (I use olive oil and red wine vinegar)
1 lb cooked pasta (your favorite kind, I've used rotini and radiatori) drained (you can rinse it or not, I've done it both ways and it doesn't really matter)
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch radishes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 large cucumber, deseeded and chopped
1/2 bag matchstick carrots
1/2 cup-1 cup chopped broccoli (optional)
1 can artichokes, chopped (optional)
parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix cooked pasta with prepared Good Season's Italian Dressing
2. Cover and let sit overnight
3. Add vegetables
4. Top with Parmesan cheese

NOTE: If you're looking to make this into a lunch, add some cooked chicken or kidney beans.

Cheree's Southwest Go Back for Seconds Salad

Yesterday I attended a Pampered Chef party. We had a fantastic salad. Unfortunately, the hostess didn't have recipes printed off for us to take away. It had a wonderful dressing which she shared the ingredients to. I never got the proportions so, I made this salad up today and "tried" to recreate yesterday's dressing for the salad to take to my Mom's house for dinner and was ecstatic about the outcome. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! We ate this with my Mom's grilled chicken which she marianates in Good Season's Italian Salad dressing. If you're not having chicken on the side, chopped grilled chicken is a great addtion to the salad!

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 vegetable oil

DRESSING DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix vinegar, water, soup mix, and garlic vigorously with a wire whisk.
   
2. Add the vegetable oil.
3. Mix again.
4. Store chilled for up to 3 weeks.
5. Makes approximately 1 cup of dressing

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SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1 avocado, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed, drained, and patted dry with a paper towel
1-2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped, rinsed, and dried (I used 2 hearts)

SALAD DIRECTIONS:

1. Toss all the ingredients.
2. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad (I used about 1/3 cup) and toss again.
3. Serve immediately.

Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix

I found this on Recipezaar. "Save money on groceries. When added to vinegar, water, and oil, you get one of the best-tasting homemade instant salad dressings. The dry pectin can be found near the canning supplies in your supermarket."

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon carrot, grated and finely chopped
1 teaspoon red bell pepper, finely minced
3/4 teaspoon mccormick lemon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt or salt substitute
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dry pectin
1 pinch ground oregano

To make dressing:

1/4 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the carrot and bell pepper on a baking pan in an oven set on 250°F for 45 to 60 minutes, or until all of the small pieces are completely dry, but not browned.
2. Combine the dried carrot and bell pepper with the other ingredients in a small bowl.
3. The mix can be stored in a sealed container indefinitely until needed.
4. When ready to use, pour ¼ cup of vinegar into a cruet or jar.
5. Add 3 tablespoons of water, then add the dressing mix.
6. Seal and shake vigorously.
7. Add ½ cup of oil and shake until well blended.