One Huge Lasagna!

                                                                                              

This is GREAT Lasagna! Lots of good cheese a great sauce & meat that can't be beat! MAKE IT A LASAGNA NIGHT!

 

1, 16 oz size box of Lasagna noodles

1 & 1/2 LBS Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

1 & 1/2 LBS 90% Lean Ground Beef

3 Cups Ricotta Cheese

3 Eggs Beaten

8 Cups Shredded Pizza Cheese by Kraft

1, 4LB Jar of Prego Spaghetti Sauce

Garlic, & Onion Powder, & Parsley flakes

 

In a large deep pot simmer chicken breast in water to cover that you added about 1 tsp. each of the garlic & onion powder& 1 tsp. salt. Cook until chicken is cooked through & juices run clear. Remove from water & let cool to the touch about 20 minutes. In that same pot with the chicken broth from the chicken you just cooked & bring to a boil & drop in the lasagna noodles & cook according to the package. Once cooked drain! While noodles cook brown the beef in a large skillet. add 1 tsp. each of the onion & garlic powder, & salt. Cook until meat is no longer pink. drain off grease. Now in a LARGE, DEEP Lasagna pan place about 3/4 cup of the Prego sauce in the bottom & spread out evenly. Now place the cooked noodles over the sauce so they cover the bottom of the pan 1 layer of noodles only, but you might need to overlap them to cover all gaps. Now spoon in 1/2 of the remaining sauce & smooth out to cover the noodles evenly & completely! Now spread 1/2 of the beef over 1/2 of the pan. On the other 1/2 spread out 1/2 of the chicken that you cut into bite sized chunks! Beat the eggs & stir them into the Ricotta Cheese. stir in 1 tsp. each of the garlic & onion powder & about 2 tsp. of the parsley flakes. Now dollop that on top of the meat layer using 1/2 of the Ricotta mixture & spread it out evenly . Now sprinkle 1/2 of the Pizza Cheese over the Ricotta layer. Now place a new layer of noodles over this! Take the rest of the sauce & spread it over the noodles. Place the rest of the beef on one 1/2 making sure it is over the first beef 1/2. Do the same with the chicken keeping it on the chicken 1/2! Dollop the rest of the Ricotta over all & then the rest of the Pizza Cheese. Sprinkle Parsley over the top! Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 1 hour! Let the Lasagna rest 10 minutes before serving! GREAT EATING!

Amazing & Easy Pumpkin, Caramel No Cook Trifle

                                                                        

This dig into goodness Trifle is a luscious way to serve up Pumpkin! Beautiful enough for special events & yet easy enough for everyday dining! Layers of flavors that young & old will enjoy. Best part is NO COOKING!

1 Large OR 2 15 oz. Cans of 100% Pumpkin

1 Large 5.1 oz. Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding

16 oz. Cool Whip Topping

1 TSP Cinnamon or use Allspice for variety

1 TSP Vanilla

1, 10 oz. Bag Mini Marshmallows

2 Sleeves of Graham Crackers OR use Gingersnaps, or Nilla Wafers or use crumbled up cake! Mix it up as you choose! I LOVE the Graham Crackers & I also love using Ginger Snaps & I never tried using the cake but it would be good too!

1, 15 oz.  Jar of Caramel Topping ! you want this nice & thick so use a good brand! I used Berry Hill brand & Smuckers is very good too!

Stir the pumpkin & the dry pudding mix together to combine very well! Now fold in 1/2 of the Cool Whip! Fold in the vanilla & spice stirring well. Now in your deep Trifle dish ( you may do this in a large 9x15 pan, or a deep mixing bowl if you do not have a Trifle dish), place a layer of the Graham Crackers or cookies or cake. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 Cups of Mini Marshmallows. Now place 1/2 of the pudding mixture on top of the marshmallows spreading it out to even. Now spread a 1/2 of the Cool Whip that you have left. Now spread 1/2 of the Caramel Topping over the Cool Whip even it out as best you can, I drizzled it over to make it even. Now do another layer of Graham Crackers or that which you chose to use. Sprinkle another layer of Mini Marshmallows, now the remaining pudding, then the rest of the Cool Whip & drizzle more of that Caramel Topping! Chill well. TAHDAH you made a Trifle fit for a King!

Fresh Peach & Blueberry Sticky Cake

                                                                          

This soft, moist cake is packed with flavor from summers freshest in season fruits, Peaches & Blueberries! The best of both mixed together to give a delightful dessert!

 

1 Cup Butter Softened

1 & 1/2 Cups Sugar

3 Large Eggs

3 Cups Flour

1 & 1/2 TSP Baking Soda.                                            1 Tsp. Salt

1 Cup Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream but Yogurt is BEST!

2 TSP Vanilla Extract

3 Cups Thinly Diced Peeled Ripe Peaches

1 Pint Fresh Blueberries

1 Cup Peach Jam Or Blueberry Jam as you can see I used Peach, homemade or bought is OK!

 

Cream the soft butter, add sugar and beat.Beat in eggs & beat until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir flour & baking soda together mixing well. Now add flour mixture alternating with some of the yogurt until you have all combined. Now stir in the peaches & the blueberries. Spray a large deep pan, mine was 10 x 15. Gently pour batter into the pan & smooth out the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Test with a cake tester, or toothpick it should come out with no wet batter! As soon as cake is out of the oven warm the jelly so it is thin in texture. I did mine in the microwave for 45 seconds on high.  Spoon hot jelly over the hot cake. Let cool. This is a GREAT CAKE!

Bread & Butter Pickles Ala Judys Foodies!

                                                                             

Sweet & Tangy thinly sliced, these have a very nice crunch to them;  Bread &  Butter Pickles! One of the most favorite Pickle varieties! I myself only like Dill but my daughter LOVES Bread & Butter Pickles! So I made a small batch just for her! This recipe makes 1 quart so if you want, double or triple this recipe for larger batches! I made these as a refrigerator pickle & did not process them as if they were to be canned! These will keep indefinitely as they are brined! Go ahead & try Bread & Butter Pickles!

4 Cups Thinly Sliced Washed Cucumbers

1/2 Of  Vidalia Sweet Onion

I did these together in my food processor!

Place these in a deep bowl & sprinkle then toss with 1/8 Cup of Salt. Cover with 2 ice cube trays of ice cubes & let sit for 3 hours!

Now when your 3 hours are up DRAIN the veggies DO NOT RINSE! Now make your brine!

BRINE:

2 Cups Sugar

3/4 TSP Turmeric

3 TBS Pickling Spice

1 & 1/2 Cups Vinegar

Bring to a boil & then dump in cucumbers & onions that you prepared. Stir gently as you cook on a low boil for 5 minutes. Refrigerate! Let marinate for 24 hours before you serve these beauties so you get that marvelous blend of flavors! HAPPY PICKLING FOODIES!



Lemon Cake Roll with Blueberry Filling!

                                                                        

Soft lemon sponge cake stuffed with fresh blueberry filling makes this dessert delicious plus it I fun to make! serve with a dollop of whipped topping or ice cream for extra oomph!

Blueberry Filling                   
2 pints fresh blueberries
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
dash of salt
2 TBS cornstarch stirred into 1/2 cup cold water
Place first five ingredients in heavy saucepan & bring to a boil. Stir & cook about 3 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch solution & cook until thick . Remove from heat & chill. OR use 1 can blueberry pie filling but I like using fresh blueberries in berry season!
OR just use your Home Made Blueberry Jam (recipe on this blog) as this is a typical Jelly Roll Cake!
CAKE BATTER
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 TBS. milk
1 & 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Lemon Flavoring
Dash or 2 of Yellow Food Coloring
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Beat eggs till thick . Beat in sugar till thick & nice batter consistency. Add liquids & beat. Stir all dry ingredients together & fold into batter with a whisk. Cover your jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with edges, with parchment paper. Pour batter into pan & even out with spatula. Bake 10 to 15 minutes BUT DO NOT OVER BAKE . While cake is baking use a clean towel & cover surface with a coating of powdered sugar. As soon as cake is done dump out onto towel. CAREFULLY peel of parchment paper & then roll cake up into towel so you have a long roll. Let cool rolled up on a cake rack. Once cool unroll onto a long pan & spread with chilled blueberry filling. Roll back into the long roll & cover roll with plastic wrap to keep surface from drying out. Keep chilled until ready to serve.









 

Elegant & Easy Blueberry Angel Food Cake

This mile high stunning cake was photographed not on the day I made it but on the second day. It not only traveled well it stayed almost close to perfect! On day one the blueberries did not bleed into the pristine white frosting! My daughter & her family could not all get together the night I made the cake but held it until the next day, & I was pleased at how beautiful it still looked!

Delicious & Pretty!

1 Box Angel Food Cake Mix made as directed on package.

Blueberry Filling:

2 Pints Blueberries, washed

1 Cup Sugar

3 heaping TBS Cornstarch

1 Cup Water

Dash of Salt

Mix Sugar, Salt, & Cornstarch in a deep saucepan. Add water & bring to a boil stirring the entire time. As soon as this starts to thicken dump in blueberries & cook & gently stir until bubbling & nicely thickened. Remove from heat & chill. YOU COULD CHEAT & USE CANNED BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING, but I use fresh berries! Next make frosting!

Frosting:

1 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Water

1/4 TSP Cream of Tartar

Dash of Salt

2 Unbeaten Egg Whites

Stir sugar, salt & cream of tartar together in a saucepan. Add water & bring to a rolling boil. Slowly beat the hot syrup into the egg whites, use a deep mixing bowl for this. As you slowly beat in the syrup beat on low & beat for 1 minute. Now beat on high for 7 minutes. You will get high glossy peaks. Beat in 1 TSP Vanilla. Now assemble the cake!

Place the Angel Food Cake on a nice platter. Put a dollop of the frosting down in the center well. Now put the thickened blueberries down the well and out onto the top of the cake about 2 inches wide. Now cover the rest of the cake with the frosting saving a nice dollop to swirl on the top the center of the cake! Refrigerate until ready to serve! BEAUTIFUL & DELICIOUS!