Easy Ravioli

 16 oz. fresh cheese filled ravioli (in the cheese section of the store)

1 C. chopped bacon

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 C. minced fresh mushrooms

2-3 Tbl. drained capers

1 C. oil packed, sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 Tbl. Italian seasoning

1 C. grape tomatoes or more fresh and halved

3 handfuls baby spinach

2 Tbl. or more olive oil

1/2 C. or more fresh grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare all veggies so you can quickly add everything.

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until tender, about 5 min.

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel lined plate, leaving some of the grease in the pan, then add garlic and mushrooms and cook until tender. drain.

quickly add the capers, sun-dried tomatoes, drained pasta, Italian seasoning, tomatoes, oil, and spinach.

Cook, stirring occasionally until spinach is wilted.

add more oil as needed as that is the "sauce". You don't want it dripping in oil, but it needs to be shiny.

add bacon and parmesan in, stirring to combine and season with pepper, salt it needed.

serve hot!                                  - Tricia

Mint Brownies

Melt on low heat on in double boiler:

1 1/3 cubes butter

6 Tbl. cocoa + 2 more Tbl. butter

Add:

2 C. sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 C. flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1 C. chopped nuts (opt.)

Mix all together and bake at 375 for 30 min in well greased 9x13.  Do not overbake.  Cool 1 hr.

Frosting:

2 1/2 c. powder sugar

2 1/2 Tbl. milk

5 Tbl. butter (melted)

1 5/8 tsp. peppermint extract

green food coloring.

In double boiler, melt:

6 Tbl. butter

1 C. chocolate chips.

Drizzle over mint frosting.

 - Tricia

Tomato Tart

 

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed, or can use a pie crust
• 1 egg beaten
• 2 Tbsp pesto
• 1/2 C Parmesan cheese grated and enough to sprinkle on top.
• 3 tomatoes 3 large tomatoes or 6 small tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 C mozzarella cheese grated
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil sliced

• Instructions

  • Heat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Place pastry on cookie sheet (lightly greased)
  • Poke the crust bottom with a fork.
  • Brush with beaten egg.
  • Spread with pesto.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Put on a cooling rack. (you may need to poke, again, with a fork.
  • Place sliced tomatoes on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to sit for about 20 minutes and then blot with a towel to absorb moisture
  • Sprinkle pastry with mozzarella cheese and place tomatoes on top, overlapping them.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and garlic.
  • Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature   (Recipe from "Yourhomebasedmom.com")           - Tricia

Duffy's Spare Ribs

2 1/2 lbs. country style/boneless spare ribs
Grill ribs or put ribs in broiler @350 for 45 minutes. Cut off fat

Sauce:
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 Tbl corn starch
1/2 C. white vinegar
1/2 C brown sugar
3 Tbl soy sauce
1/4 C. minced onion
Stir with wire whip then bring to a boil.
Pour over cooked ribs and bake @ 225 for an additional 5 1/2 hours.

Feeds 3 - 4 people.                                         - Tricia

Rice and Sour Cream Casserole

1 1/2 C cooked white rice
3 small zucchini, sliced
4 oz can chopped green chilies
12 oz grated jack cheese
2 lg tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 C sour cream
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 C chopped green pepper
1/4 C chopped green onion
2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley

Layer into large buttered 9 x 13 casserole: cooked rice, chopped chilies, 1/2 of the cheese, zucchini, and tomato slices.
Combine the sour cream, oregano, garlic salt, green pepper, and green onion.  Spoon this mixture over the tomatoes and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
Bake at 350 for 45 min.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Works as either a vegetarian main dish or a side dish.              - Tricia

Casserole Steak

1 lb. of lean round steak (cut all the fat off)
Brown real good on both sides in a little crisco.  Salt and Pepper it.
Put in a heavy casserole dish and slice 1 small onion over it.  Then add hot water and about 4 or 5 whole carrots and 3 or 4 potatoes and cover with hot water. Add more salt maybe two good shakes.  Let simmer for 3 hrs. in oven.  Take out and thicken gravy.
I like it best if I put it over mashed potatoes instead of adding the potatoes when I add the carrots.

350 oven

If you want to make more just double everything.

Be sure you cut meat into the sizes of the number of people you have before you cook it.

(Mom typed this up for me when I got married and I copied what she wrote.)  - Tricia

Sugar Cookies

Cream together:
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C shortening
1 C white sugar

Add:
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix and add:
3 1/2 C flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Mix well

Roll out and cut using rim of glass

Bake at 350 for 5 - 6 min.

Cool, frost and store in fridge     - LouAnn