Au Gratin Potatoes

These are just a bit different, as you add soup.

NEED:
4 large potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices **no large ones? Just use more.
1/2 large onion, sliced into rings
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (reserve about 1/8 cup)
1 can cream of Mushroom soup
bread crumbs - plain or seasoned

Spray or butter a 2 quart baking dish.
Place 1/2 the potatoes in the dish..sprinkle with salt and pepper
cover with the rings of onion
add remaining potatoes,sprinkle with salt and pepper....set aside
In sauce pan..add milk and flour...whisk together before heating to avoid lumps.
let this reach a low boil to thicken...add soup..whisk together for about 1 minute and then add cheese, all at once and whisk until melted.
Pour mixture over potatoes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with bread crumbs.
Oven at 400 degrees. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Allow to sit 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

Hummus in a Pita Pocket

This is from my on line friend, Robota. Very yummy and healthy and easy.

NEED:
1 16 oz can chickpeas or garbanzo beans **can used pre made hummus if you want.
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini *a paste of ground sesame seeds used in cooking
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. combine remaining ingredients in blend or food processor. add 1/4 cup of liquid from cicpeas. blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus. add a small amount of olive oil in the well, garnish with parsley (optional).
serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.
hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Add a little olive oil if it appears too dry.

ENJOY!

Instant Rice, Instant Oatmeal

I like instant or quick cook oatmeal and instant rice. I know, a lot of people don't consider instant rice "real" rice but for me it serves the purpose.
I think everyone knows the directions...boil the water then add the rice or add the oatmeal. Well, there's a better way. A way that creates a better texture.

FIRST OATMEAL:
1 cup water ( but it is better if it's 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup quick cook oatmeal
dash of salt.
Place all ingredients in sauce pan and stir a few times until it comes to a boil. Cook one minute. Remove from heat and serve.

SECOND RICE:
Measure water and rice according to box directions for how much you plan to cook.
Add both to the sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover for 5 mintues. Fluff lightly and serve.

Cooking both items this way makes for a much better texture.

ENJOY!

ROASTED PEANUTS

I recently bought 3 pounds of raw peanuts for $1.99. Wonderful deal however raw peanuts are not that tasty. Roasting them, however, is very fast and easy.

Need:
raw peanuts

Place peanuts on cookie sheet (with edges) in a single layer.

Oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir once half way through roast time.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before eating.

Store in airtight container for one month, or refrigerate for 6 months or freeze for 1 year.

ENJOY!

Crock Pot Lasagna

This is such an easy way to have great lasagna for dinner, even if you have worked all day. Bob, one of the set-up techs at LifeShare gave me this recipe. His wife, Joanie makes this and he says it is great. What a great smell to come home to.

NEED:
1 box of the no boil lasagna noodles
1 1/2 pound of ground beef, browned and drained
1 carton Ricotta cheese
** carton size depends on how much cheese you like to use
I use part Ricotta, part cottage cheese and at least 1 cup of shredded mozzarella..but it is all according to taste**
1 large jar of can of your favorite sauce.
***I like to used the canned Hunt's Four Cheese Sauce
2 tablespoons of sugar.

Blend the sugar into the sauce ( this cuts the acid) and set aside.
In slow cooker, start with a nice layer of sauce. You do not want to place the noodles directly on the bottom as the direct heat will make them dry and hard. Next a layer of noodles, topped with some ground beef, topped with some of the cheese mixture, topped with some of the sauce and then keep repeating the layers. Very top should be the last of the sauce sprinkled with some mozzarella cheese.

Set Crock Pot ( slow cooker) on low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. If you have a large amount of lasagna you'll want it to cook for 8 hours. Or, if your crock pot is small and therefore the lasagna is thick, 8 hours will be needed.
Turn off Crock Pot ( slow cooker) and remove the lid about 15 minutes before serving.

Can serve with salad and garlic bread for a great meal.

ENJOY!

Easy Jelly Filled Pastry

I just had some of these today...very yummy. They were a creation of my grandchildrens father, Nick Aguilar.

NEED:
1 eight count can of crescent rolls
Jelly of your choice

separate the rolls and with your fingertips spread the dough out a bit..like stretching pizza dough. Place a teaspoon of jelly in the center and fold the sides up..make sort of a round-ish shape. Place on cook sheet, seam side down and bake as directed on the package.


VARIATIONS:
You can sprinkle with powdered sugar
or
take: 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
heat over a low heat until sugar dissolves..let boil, slightly, to thicken. Let cool for one minute and then drizzle over the rolls before baking.
or
make the butter, brown sugar glaze and add chopped nuts and top rolls before baking.
To keep the nuts crunchy, toast in the oven (350 degrees) for no longer than 10 minutes. Let cool slightly and add to the butter, sugar mixture.

You can also use cream cheese instead of the jelly.

ENJOY!