Seven Layer Casserole My Moms' Recipe

                                                                     

                                                                                  

Seven layers of scrumptious eating! 

2 Pounds Lean Ground Meat, Mom used Burger, I love Turkey Burger, Ground Pork or Sausage

1 Cup Raw White Rice

4 Large Potatoes Peeled & Sliced Thin

1 pound Frozen Mixed Vegetable Thawed

1 Large Onion Sliced Thin

2 Cups Thinly Sliced Cabbage or just used bagged Slaw Mix

28 Ounces Crushed Tomatoes

3/4 Cup Water

Salt & Pepper to Taste, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Parsley or any seasoning you like.

2 Cups Shredded Cheese I used Cheddar

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

In a large deep casserole place the rice on the bottom. Now take half of your raw ground meat and spread that over the rice. Then I season the meat to taste, Use as much as you like, I go light on the salt & pepper about 1 tsp salt and a shake or 2 of pepper then the Garlic & Onion Powder & about 1 Tablespoon of Parsley. Now spread the potatoes over the seasoned meat. Next spread the half of the Onion. Next spread half of the mixed vegetables. Now spread the rest of your Ground Meat, season as you like. Spread the rest of the Mixed Vegetables over the meat. Spread the Onion over the vegetables then top with the Cabbage or Slaw mix. Now pour the can of Crushed Tomatoes over the top & pour the water over the Tomatoes. Cover with a lid & bake 1 hour in your preheated oven. Now take of the lid & poke with knife throughout the casserole to be sure the tomato juices are reaching to the bottom to soften the rice. Put the lid back on & bake 1 hour longer. Now remove from oven take off the lid & cover the top with your Cheese and sprinkle more parsley over the Cheese. Put the lid back on and let it sit for 10 minutes or until all the cheese is melted. Plate up & dig in! Garlic Bread is a perfect side with this! & yes it adds up to more than Seven Layers but Mom only did 7 layers & never added the Cheese so I kept her name for this! ENJOY!

Strawberry Cheesecake

                                                                         

This is thick & dense Cheesecake not the light whipped variety!

1 Large Pre-Made Graham Cracker Crust

2, 8 Ounce Blocks of Cream Cheese

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Sugar

Dash of Salt

2 Tsp. Vanilla

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Add sugar & beat again. Now add eggs vanilla & salt & beat again. Spoon into the graham cracker crust. Smooth over the top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, turn heat down to 325 degrees & continue baking for 45 minutes. Now turn oven off & leave door slightly ajar & let cheesecake sit in oven for 1 hour more. Remove from oven & top with the fresh strawberry topping you will make next.

Strawberry Topping:

1 Quart Fresh Strawberries

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp. Lemon Juice

1 Heaping TBS Cornstarch

Dash of Salt

4 to 6 drops Red Food Coloring

Divide berries in half using the biggest & prettiest for slicing. The ones you chose for the sauce put into a saucepan & slightly mash. Add 1/2 cup of the water & bring berries & water to a boil & boil for 5 minutes. Turn off berries & let sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. Now mash them very well. You will drain this now saving the juice. Throw out the mashed berries. Return the juice to the saucepan & add the sugar & salt, Bring back to the boil. Stir the cornstarch and the 1/2 cup water together until smooth, stir into the simmering berry juice & add the lemon juice. Continue to cook & stir until nice & thick. Stir in the red food coloring Remove from heat. 

Now you will slice your whole berries into 4 slices each. Arrange slices on the top of your cheesecake. Now spoon glaze over the berries. Chill for at least 6 hours overnight is best! You will have one delicious & beautiful Cheesecake

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

                                                                     

Thick hearty Pasta e Fagioli Soup! Lucious & Easy!

2 TBS Olive Oil

2 LBS. Ground Beef

2 Onions Chopped

2 Cups Carrot Chopped

2 Stalks Celery Chopped

2 TBS Chopped Garlic

24 Ounces Tomato Sauce

30 Ounces Chicken Broth

1 Cup Water

30 Ounces Diced Tomatoes

2 Tsp. Sugar

2 TBS Italian Seasonings

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 $ 1/2 Cups Dried Ditalini Pasta

15 Ounces Red Kidney Beans

15 Ounces Great Northern Beans

2 TBS Parsley

Shredded Italian Cheese Blend to top each serving about 4 Cups

Place olive oil in deep large pot. Add ground beef & brown. Add the onions, garlic, celery, & carrots & cook until vegetables are soft, stir often cook about 15 minutes. Now drain & then return to pot. Add remaining seasonings, liquids, beans & pasta. Simmer & stir often to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom, cooking until  pasta is tender & soup is slightly thickened, about 1 hour but even longer is better. Ladle into bowls, top the cheese & serve once cheese has melted. Makes about 10 servings! 

The Devil Made Me Do It Black Bottom Brownies

                                       

Oh yeah, rich fudgy brownies with that swirl of cream cheese and chocolate chip filling! Sinfully good! This brownie only has half of the filling, because silly me I thought one block of cream cheese would do it. But no no no it cried out for more! So the recipe is for more than what you see in this photo! These are so good!  

Brownie Batter                                                                                                                                              1 and 1/3 Cup Softened Butter.

2 and 2/3 Sugar. 

4 Eggs.   

1 TSP Vanilla.  

2 Cup Flour.   

1 Cup Cocoa.  

1/2Teaspoon Salt.                                                                                                                                                Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a deep 10×15 baking pan.                                                        I large mixing bowl beat the butter until fluffy. Now beat in the sugar until fluffy. Now add eggs and beat again. Add vanilla and beat until everything is fluffy. In another bowl stir the flour, cocoa and salt together. Now add to your butter mixture 1/3 at a time until batter is once again fluffy. Spoon I to your prepared pan. Now make that filling.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING. 

2, 8 Ounce Blocks of Cream Cheese Softened.

2 Eggs.        

2/3 Cups Sugar.   

Dash of Salt.   

1 TSP Vanilla.   

2 Cups Mini Chocolate Chips or regular size  

        Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat again. Now add the eggs and vanilla and beat again making it fluffy. Now stir in the chocolate chips.  Now in large dollops plop those over your brownie batter. Swirl with a knife to marble it.    Pop into the oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes or batter tests done. Yoh want no raw batter on the tester. Melted chocolate is just fine but no raw batter. Be careful yo not over bake though

 Once out of the oven I spread some Duncan Hines Extra Dark Chocolate Frosting over the still hot brownies just for extra oomph! Perfect!