Mini Cheesecakes

 This recipe is very simple and makes 12 very light mini

cheesecakes.  I prefer them without a crust but I have

included the ingredients for that also.

They can be eaten plain or with a fruit

topping. 

Recipe: Two 8 oz. packages of cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

fruit jam

Crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs mixed with

3 TB melted butter, pressed into bottom of paper liner.

 First, soften the cream cheese.  Next, with a hand held mixer,

mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. 

Use a 1/3 measuring cup to fill paper lined muffin tin.

 Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

After letting cool for about ten minutes, carefully lift each

one out of muffin tin and let cool on a rack.

I use a strawberry jam topping that I warm in the

microwave oven until it is smooth enough to spoon

on top of each cheesecake.  A slice of strawberry on top

would be perfect.

Place them into a refrigerator after letting cool about 30 min.



Penne with Tomato and Cheese Sauce

 I was all ready to make lasagna and discovered I didn't have

lasagna noodles or ricotta cheese. 

So I thought I would use penne pasta and a cream sauce instead.

It worked out pretty well.

Recipe:  3/4 pound of penne pasta

1/2 pound of ground beef

14 oz. of pasta sauce

home made cream sauce

1/2 cup of mozzarella

salt and pepper

 Cook the pasta and spread a layer in a 12 by 12 inch dish.

 Cook the ground beef and add the sauce .

(Reserve about 1/8 cup of sauce)

Layer on top of the pasta.

 Put another layer of pasta on top.

(A little more than what is pictured above.)

 Make a roux with 3 TB. of butter, 3 TB of flour and

1 and 1/2 cups milk

Cook for 3 minutes on medium low heat and then add cheese.

 Spread cheese sauce on top of the second layer of pasta.

Put a third layer of pasta on top of that.

Put a little left over pasta sauce on top.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Vegtables

Recipe: 4 oz. spaghetti

1 tomato (chopped)

2 carrots (chopped)

2 zucchini (chopped)

10 cooked shrimp

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Chop vegtables into small cubes and mix with 1 tablespoon

olive oil and dried basil.  Spread on a parchment lined baking

sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for about

12 minutes.

Warm the tomato sauce and stir it together with the cooked

shrimp, spaghetti, and vegtables,  in a large bowl.



Zucchini Boats

Zucchini Boats can be used as a main course but I think

I would rather use them as a side dish or appetizer.  Lots

of different ingredients can be used.  My recipe was based

 on what I happened to have in the kitchen today.

Recipe:  Four zucchini

1/2 cup cooked ground beef

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup pasta sauce

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning

Salt and pepper

Shredded cheese

 Slice zucchini in half and chop off the stem.

 Score the zucchini to make it easier to scoop out pulp.

Use a spoon to hollow out the zucchini to 1/4 inch thickness.

 I cooked the tomato, green pepper and zucchini pulp in a

pan with olive oil, for a few minutes.  Then mixed all the

ingredients in a bowl.  The recipe can easily be changed

to suit your taste.  Meat is optional.

 Arrange boats in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees

for 30 minutes.  Top with your favorite cheese and let it

melt on top for a minute, in the oven.

 You can pick them up like a hot dog and eat. 

Crepes

 I love to make crepes.  They can be for breakfast, dinner, or

dessert.  This time I decided to fill them with ham and

broccoli with a white sauce.

Recipe for crepes:

2 eggs

1 and 1/2 cups milk

1 TB oil

1 cup flour (sifted)

1/4 tsp. salt

Wisk the ingredients into a very thin batter.

Put a small amount of oil on a pan at a medium temp.

Pour a small amount of batter onto pan and swirl it

around until it covers the bottom of a pan.

The idea is to make the crepe thin and delicate.

 When the crepe appears to solidify you can turn it.

Very carefully flip over with spatula.

 This is how it should appear when done.

 I placed shaved ham and broccoli on this crepe and

then rolled it up.  I poured a white sauce on top.

Crepes can be filled with lots of different things, depending

on what you like.  I have also use scrambled eggs and ham,

for breakfast and warmed fruit for dessert.

Recipe for white sauce:

2TB Butter

2TB flour

1 and 1/2 cups milk

a dash of nutmeg

Directions:

Wisk melted Butter and flour together and cook at a medium low

heat for about 3 minutes.  Then add the milk and cook at medium

until it thickens.  Add nutmeg when sauce is finished.



Angel Bisquits

 Angel Biscuits are very light and delicious.  

Recipe:

1 pkg. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 and 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3 TB. sugar or honey

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup milk (room temperature)

 First, you must put the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm water.
The water temperature should be about 110 degrees.
  Let the yeast activate.  In five minutes it should look like
the above picture when it is ready.

 Combine the dry ingredients and shortening with a pastry blender

 Add the milk and the yeast to the dough and stir with

a spoon until it holds together.  Knead slightly on a floured 

board.  Roll dough out.  The dough is very sticky so keep 

enough flour on the surface and your hands.

Cut round shapes with a glass or biscuit cutter,

about 1/2 inch thick.  They do not need to rise.

 Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

 Serve with butter and jam.  Makes about 14.

Home Fries

 Home fries do not necessarily have to be a side dish

with eggs and bacon.  They are delicious on their own too.

 Recipe: 4 russet potatoes

(Chopped into 1 inch cubes)

Your favorite shredded cheese

2 TB. olive oil

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

A sprinkling of steak seasoning

Directions: Mix the oil and seasonings in a bowl.

Then toss in potatoes until well coated.

 Spread on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Flip potatoes over about 18 minutes into cooking.

Sprinkle cheese on top right before they are finished.