Johnny Marzetti ...Kentucky style!

 

When I was kid we played outside and when I say that, I mean we played outside all day long from the time we got up to dark and sometimes even after dark.   We played at other kids houses and they played at ours, but my mother had a rule that you could not go inside any one's house no matter what. If she found out you went in any one's house, you would not be allowed to go back.  I am sure other parents loved her rule and looking back it was a smart rule to make.  One day I was playing with some kids who I usually didn't play with, but the older of the two and I had two loves...softball and gymnastics, so we gravitated to each other.  They wanted me to come in their house so I could see their rooms and such.  I hated to say my mother would kill me if I went inside, so I decided to take a chance and go in for just a peek. 

As soon as that door came open, a smell that was like heaven on earth hit me right in the face.   It was tomatoes and garlic and cheese and I was always hungry no matter how much I ate back then.  I guess I just blurted out,  "What in the world is that I smell cooking?"    Their mother said,  "We are having Johnny Marzetti for dinner".     I said, "Who is he?"  They all looked a each other and died laughing and I was still confused.  Had a Johnny Marzetti moved in nearby and I had missed it?  Why were they laughing at me?  They explained that is was a casserole called Johnny Marzetti. I had never heard of food named after a man...very strange.  I asked what was in it, because I knew I needed to have my mama cook this.   They had the recipe and showed me what all went in it and I took it all in.  I was always very curious about food and recipes, even then.  

From what I understand Johnny Marzetti originated in Columbus, Ohio at Marzetti's Italian restaurant back in the 1920's maybe.  Some say the owner had a brother named Johnny he named the dish after.  It's theorized it was a way to use up the red sauce that was left over.   There are so many recipes for it now and my version is my own, but they all have meat sauce, pasta, onion, green pepper and some form of cheese in common. 

This is a budget stretcher and makes a box of pasta and  a pound of ground beef go a long way!  In these economic times, we all need more of these dishes. 

Here is what you will need:

 1 lb. ground beef, 1 jar or can spaghetti sauce of our choice, 1 can tomato paste, pasta, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, pepperoni, salt, pepper, garlic powder.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef or chuck

1 cup pepperoni slices

1 jar or can pasta sauce ( I used Ragu Sweet Basil and Sun dried Tomato)

1 lb. pasta

1 small can tomato paste

2 cups water

1 Tbs. sugar

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup Cheddar cheese

2 cups Mozzarella cheese

1 cup onion chopped

1/2 cup green pepper chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. garlic powder 

You can use 2 jars of pasta sauce instead of the tomato paste and water.  I think the tomato paste makes a richer meat sauce.

 

Cook the pasta just until al dente.  You can use just about any pasta you have on hand...penne, rotini, even egg noodles work well.  Pour them into a large casserole dish you have sprayed with cooking spray.

Brown ground beef with onion and green pepper. Drain any fat off.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic salt.  Add pasta sauce, tomato paste, water, sugar and basil.   Stir and bring to a low simmer.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.

 

 

 Pour the meat sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. 

 

 

Layer pepperoni on top of cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese again. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and starting to brown.

Johnny Marzetti...KY style!

Strawberry Fruit Pizza!

Not long ago I worked in long term care for a couple of years.  Each month we would have a big birthday party celebration to honor all of the residents who had birthdays that month.  My mother and my Aunt Mary, were so kind to bake and donate all sorts of sweets...cakes, cookies, cupcakes and this fruit pizza, to serve at these parties.  Needless to say, the residents looked forward to these days and didn't fuss over their lunches too much on that day, because they were saving room for their sweet treats.  Anyone who has ever worked with the elderly knows if they won't eat anything else, you can usually get them to eat something sweet.   The staff looked forward to it about as much as they did also.  I have had several staff members say to me lately that they are dying for a piece of my mama's fruit pizza.  So I am posting this recipe for them! 

Here is what you'll need:

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookies
1 8oz cream cheese (softened)
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup refrigerated whipped topping
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
1 lg can pineapple
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding (3oz.)
3-4 bananas
approximately 4 cups large strawberries sliced in half
1 pkg. strawberry glaze


Leave the roll of cookies out of the refrigerator to soften a bit.  Spray a pizza pan with baking spray, then pat the roll of cookie dough on the pan to the edges.  Bake as directed on the package minus just a few minutes of cooking time...just until the cookies are starting to brown.  Remove from oven and cool completely. 

With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and confectioners sugar together, then add the vanilla and mix.  Spread this mixture over the cookie crust to the edges.

Next mix the pineapple (don't drain) with the instant pudding until well blended then spread over the cream cheese layer.  Slice the bananas and place in a single layer over the pineapple.  If you are making this ahead of time, you might want to squirt some lemon juice over the bananas to keep them from turning dark.  If you are serving  within a few hours, this isn't really necessary though.

Slice strawberries in half and arrange over the bananas with the large ones in the center and fanning out to the smaller ones on the outer edges.   Cut the end off of the strawberry glaze just enough to drizzles it over the whole thing starting in the middle and working your way out to the edges.  If you have a squeeze bottle, you can put the glaze in it and use it to squirt it on the pizza. Works beautifully!

Voila...strawberry fruit pizza! 

Mama's Potato Salad!

 

For me, potato salad sort of falls into the same category as meat loaf and cornbread, it seems basic and a lot of people make it, but it's something that people can really mess up for some reason.  When it's bad, it's usually way bad.  My mother, makes the best potato salad I have ever eaten, so I guess I am spoiled to hers.  I went and cooked with her yesterday to get the exact recipe and see what her 'secret' is.  I didn't get step by step pictures, mainly because my mother moves too fast, and also because it's actually pretty basic.   So here are the ingredients:

 

4-5 large baking potatoes or 8 cups diced (baked)

1/2 cup sweet onion like Vidalia

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup chopped pimento

4 eggs boiled

1 stick melted butter

1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip (if you must use mayonnaise, use mayonnaise)

2 tsp. yellow mustard

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

First boil the eggs and let them cool, peel and chop them, bake the baking potatoes until they are done.  She bakes hers in the microwave.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and dice them. Chop the celery, onion, and pimento fairly fine...no big chunks.  Place the eggs, potatoes, chopped celery, pimento, onion and relish in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the stick of melted butter over all. Add 1 1/2 cup Miracle Whip, if you are one of those people that has to use mayonnaise only, us it instead.  This is one of those things that really needs the Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise, but it's a matter of taste and what you like too.   This is one of the few things we use Miracle Whip in, instead of mayonnaise because it just makes it taste better.   Add the mustard, sugar, salt and pepper and stir it up good.   You can sprinkle the top with some paprika for a little color or (this is my touch, not my mother's)  I use some Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning to dust the top for a little color and kick.

Mama's Potato Salad!    

Strawberries and Cream Butter Cake!

This recipe is one I found in the Pillsbury 45th Annual Bake-Off Contest publication.  My husband loves strawberries and this is the time of year they are best, so I wanted to make him a really good strawberry dessert.   To be honest you can put fresh strawberries and whipped cream on those little round cakes you buy at the store (the ones they keep next to the strawberries) and he is happy as a clam.   However, I didn't think that was blog worthy...lol.  

This cake is best served warm from the oven, either by itself or with fresh strawberries, that have been sliced and macerated, which just means sweetened and refrigerated for a couple of hours to release their juices.  I just use plain ole sugar.  I see recipes for honey and liqueurs and such though. I still use plain ole sugar. If I got all fancy with it, my husband would say 'What's wrong with the strawberries?'   Some things need to be left alone...lol.  Add a  dollop of whipped cream and it is wonderful!   You can serve it as a coffee cake or breakfast/ brunch cake by itself and it is also really good.

Here is what you need:

Roll of sugar cookies, can of sweetened condensed milk, eggs, strawberry jam (or jelly), flour, butter, sugar, and fresh strawberries and whipped cream for topping.

 

Leave the roll of cookie dough out on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften.  Spray a 9"x13" baking pan well with baking spray.  Press the cookies in the bottom of the pan.

Beat together the softened butter and the sugar until it is whipped and light.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat. Using the low speed of your mixer, add in 1/3 flour, 1/3 condensed milk alternating and ending with flour.   Pour the batter over the cookie layer.

Drop the strawberry jam by teaspoonfuls over the batter and then drag a knife through it lightly to swirl.  You want it to stay on top so be gentle.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 to 50 minutes.  At 45 minutes test it with a toothpick inserted in the center, it should come out clean. All ovens vary and this is a dense cake so it could take the center a few extra minutes.

Strawberries and Cream Butter Cake

Ingredients:

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookies

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup strawberry jam (or jelly)

fresh strawberries and whipped cream for topping

White Chicken Chili ... with the crunchy things!

It has been cool and a little dreary for the past week or so in southern Kentucky.  I think April and March got confused and traded places weather-wise.   We had beautiful warm, almost hot days in late March and now we are having cool, almost cold days and nights.  I am not sure what is going on, but it's very strange.  I am reading that it even has some of the birds migrating up from Mexico and South America confused and they are getting here way early.   It is the type of weather that makes me want soup and I know we won't have a whole lot of cool weather like this for soup after April so I am going to eat my soup now.

White chicken chili is such an easy soup or really it's a stew.  Doesn't Rachel Ray call that a stoup?  The 'crunchy things' part of this comes from when my son was little.  There was a restaurant we ate at that had the best tortilla soup that we all loved.  It had lots of good stuff in it that he would never have eaten otherwise, like zucchini and tomatoes and onions.  More than likely he was pushing those things around in his bowl and not actually eating them, but it made the feel like he was so it worked for me...lol.

  I decided that since he loved it so much, I would try to make it at home.  I made my version and it was pretty good.  My son's critique of it was that it would just be perfect if you could make the 'crunchy things' they put on top of it, because, "Mama, that is what really makes it".   We tried tortilla chips in it.  No, that wasn't the same.  So, I got some flour tortillas, cut them in strips with my kitchen shears and deep fried them.  They were a hit!   So now when I make any sort of Mexican soup...tortilla, white chili, taco soup, I have to make the crunchy things to go on top.  They really do turn a plain soup into something a little more appetizing.  One warning, if you ever start doing this, your family will want these every time you make soup, so be prepared.

Here is what you will need:

White beans (navy or great northern) chicken bouillon cubes or canned chicken broth, onion, white chicken chili mix, Philadelphia cooking cream Sante Fe flavor, jalapeno pepper rings, cheddar cheese, chicken breasts, and flour tortillas for your crunchy things.

I coated some chicken breasts with a little oil and then sprinkled them with chili powder, salt and pepper, then roasted them in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes (depending on thickness).

Soften the onion in a little vegetable oil. 

To the onions add 5-6 cups of water (depends on how thick you like it...I add 6 because I like some broth in it), 3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes, the white chicken chili mix, and jalapenos chopped. Stir to mix the chili mix in well. Add the chopped or shredded chicken and the 2 cans of beans (don't need to be drained). Bring this up to a boil and then turn back to simmer for about 30 minutes. 

 At the end add the Philadelphia Santa Fe flavored cooking cream.  I set this out when I start to cook to bring it up to almost room temperature so that when I add it to the hot soup it won't break.  You can also temper it with some of the hot soup to gradually bring it up to temperature.  You can substitute an 8oz cream cheese for this cooking cream.  It was on sale and I had a coupon so I tried it and it is so good. It adds a zip of flavor to this also.  I do make it with just the cream cheese also and add a little more spices to it with Tabasco and cayenne pepper, but go easy on these until you taste test for heat. 

Now cut your tortillas in strips like this.  I usually do about 4 or 5 large ones, but if you have company you will need to do a lot more.  If you have kitchen shears they work great, if not, lay them on your cutting board and use  sharp knife.   If you have some tortillas that are not so fresh and are sort of dry, this is a great way to use them up.

Drop by batches in hot oil. I just use my little Fry Daddy for this...works perfectly.  Watch these closely because they cook in no time.  They will brown on the side that hits the oil first and you need gently flip them over to brown the other side.  I use the utensil that you get with the Fry Daddy or you could us a metal slotted spoon.  When they brown, pull them out carefully and drain a paper towel lined plate.  Immediately sprinkle with salt and do the next batch. 

These are also really good sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar for a sweet snack or to use as a garnish on a dessert.

I top each bowl with some shredded cheddar cheese, some sliced green onions, and the 'crunchy things'.   Have a plate of extra crunchies on the table also cause they go fast! 

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped or shredded chicken breast ( I roast mine)

2 cans white beans (navy or great northern)

1 envelope of white chicken chili mix (you can substitute 1 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. cumin and 1 tsp. oregano)

3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes (if you use another brand of the small square ones use about 6)

5-6 cups water (depending how thick you like it)

1 container of Philadelphia Santa Fe cooking cream (can substitute 8 oz. cream cheese, dash of cayenne and a dash of Tabasco)

1/4 cup chopped jalapenos (can substitute a small can of mild green chillies if you don't like too much heat)

5-6 large flour tortillas

cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)

green onions for garnish (optional)

Ham and Asparagus Casserole!

I love asparagus, especially fresh asparagus.  I can eat it just by itself, drenched in hollandaise sauce, in a salad or in a casserole.  However, I find that there aren't all that many good casserole recipes for asparagus or maybe I just haven't found them.  This casserole is absolutely one of the best in my opinion.  Two of my aunts each say this recipe is theirs so I am not sure which one made it first, but they both make it very tasty so I am just glad they shared it.   I did make a few subtle changes to the recipe, but shhhh... don't tell the aunties!  The recipe calls for canned asparagus and I am not a huge fan of canned asparagus so I used fresh and I added some celery, garlic powder and a little cheese.   The recipe is delicious without any alterations though.  

Here is what you will need:

Asparagus, ham, rice, onion, celery, cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese, small can of evaporated milk, corn flakes, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Slice the asparagus on the diagonal in about 1 inch pieces.  Break off the woody ends and discard those.  Put about 2 inches of water and 1/2 tsp. salt in a deep skillet, add asparagus and bring to a low boil.  Turn down to simmer and cook for about 3 minutes.  The asparagus will turn bright green.  Remove from heat and drain in a colander.  It will be tender but still slightly crisp.

Rinse and wipe out the skillet and put 1 cup rice and two cups water along with 1/2 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil, turn heat down and cover.  Cook the amount of time it directs on the package.  I am all about using as few pans and dishes as possible when cooking to make cleanup easier.

As soon as your rice has absorbed the water, remove the lid and fluff it up.

In another skillet saute ham, chopped celery, and onion in about 1 Tbs. butter just until the vegetables are slightly tender.

In the skillet with the rice, add the ham, celery, onion mixture, the asparagus, the mushroom soup, garlic powder, pepper, the cheese and the can of evaporated milk.  Fold it all together and pour it into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Place the cornflakes in a Ziploc bag and crush them slightly...not to fine crumbs.  They should still resemble cornflakes.  Melt 2 Tbs. butter and pour over the cornflakes.  Spread over the top.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 35 minutes.

This is a great side dish for a holiday or special meal or with a salad and bread it makes a main dish for a light supper or lunch!  It's a great way to use leftover ham.

Ingredients:

2 cups asparagus (canned or fresh)

2 cups cooked rice

1 1/2 cups chopped ham

1 small can evaporated milk or a 1/2 cup half and half

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup cheddar cheese

3 Tbs butter

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 cups cornflakes for topping

1/2 tsp. pepper

Pizza By the Yard!

We love pizza and I like to make homemade pizza quite often.  I always said I was going to open a pizza place, but now it just seems like too much work...lol.  I am not big on most frozen pizzas and sometimes you just don't want to order out and wait for delivery and it always ends up costing twice as much as you think it should.   This is a way to have homemade tasting pizza that is almost as quick as frozen and almost as good as real homemade and costs even less.    This recipe is so easy it's sort of silly and I almost didn't post it, but I realize that a lot of people want easy and they haven't been cooking forever like me, so maybe they haven't thought of this.

So this is what you need:

 

French bread loaf, pizza sauce, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese and whatever toppings you prefer.  I used sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, and onions.

My family does not care for the taste of Italian sausage (I do... but I don't count) so when a recipe calls for sausage of any kind, except smoked or kielbasa, I use breakfast sausage and it works great.  I am picky about my sausage though.  The best sausage you can buy is Purnell's "Old Folks" sausage.  It just has a better taste than other sausages you buy at the super market.  If sausage doesn't render any fat in the skillet, it is not good.  Sausage is supposed to have some fat in it.  I drain if off, but it's pig people and pig fat is flavor. Purnell's is not real fatty, but it has enough that it isn't going to burn in the skillet or stick.  There is something wrong when you have to put oil in the skillet to cook a sausage patty and that is how some of the other sausages are now days.  They are genetically engineering pigs so much they are breeding the fat right out of them. Pork is not chicken, even if they do call it the other white meat...lol.  Ok, that's my pet peeve for today...yesterday it was mac and cheese!

Any who, I keep these frozen patties in my freezer and just take out what I need for recipes.  They thaw in the pan in no time and you can crumble them up as they brown.  Purnell's does make Italian sausage that comes in a roll like breakfast sausage that is wonderful also.  They are also a Kentucky company which is a bonus, but when I first started using it, I didn't even know that.

So after I brown some sausage or you could use ground beef, split the French bread down the middle with a serrated knife and lay on a big sheet pan or large pizza pan.  At this point, either toast the bread a little in the oven before adding the sauce or take slices of provolone or mozzarella and lay them down first before the sauce.  Either of these steps will keep the sauce from making the bread soggy.  Next spread each with the sauce.



Add your toppings.  I added sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and onions (just on mine), then sprinkled on some Parmesan cheese and covered each with mozzarella cheese.  Place in a 400 degree preheated oven and heat until it is slightly brown.

You can tell the part that has my onions and mushrooms on it and it was yummy!

Ingredients:

1 French bread loaf

2 cups pizza sauce

1lb. sausage or ground beef

1 package pepperoni (you won't need it all)

1 cup Parmesan cheese

2-3 cups mozzarella cheese

Any other toppings you like



Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops!

These might be the best pork chops I have ever cooked in the oven.  They are juicy and have the most yummy crust you have ever tasted.  I have used a similar recipe for chicken before and it is also very good, but the addition of dipping these in ranch dressing before breading really added something fantastic to them!

Here is what you will need for these:

Pork chops (I used boneless loin chops and did 9 of them with this recipe), Italian bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, ranch dressing (you can use a good bottled dressing or make your own).

Pour a cup of the ranch dressing over the pork.

Make sure all of the meat is covered in the dressing.  Let this sit and marinade while you prepare the crumb coating.

Mix the Italian bread crumbs, the Italian dressing, and the Parmesan cheese in a Ziploc bag.  Place about 2 or 3 chops at a time in the bag and seal.  Toss it around to coat on all sides well.  Place foil on a baking sheet and spray well with baking spray.  I like to use Reynolds Wrap non-stick foil.  It browns the crust so well.  Invest in a roll of this foil for recipes like this...the results are worth it.  When you have all of the chops coated sprinkle with a little black pepper, place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Don't try to turn the chops over during the baking or you will lose some of your coating.  If you use the baking spray and the non-stick foil they should just slide right up when you get ready to serve.

Oven Baked Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops!

Ingredients:

pork chops (this will coat about 8 or 9 medium size chops)

2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup Ranch dressing (you can use a good bottled Ranch or I like to make my own with a mix)

a sprinkle of black pepper