For those of you that want to have a bunch over for the Fourth of July, I would suggest you having Pulled-Pork Sandwiches, Bar-B-Q Beans, Potato Salad and Coleslaw.
Why this menu?
Because you can do it a day ahead of the party and be able to enjoy the party on party day. All you have to do is to ice your drinks, heat your beans and BBQ, and enjoy your party as much as your guests do.
If you have a smoker, use wood chips for about 3 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. If your grill does not have a smoker, place a piece of metal over a burner and place wood chips on it. On my gas grill, I use the lid off a 5 gallon metal bucket. It will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes for each pound of raw meat. I would first trim off any loose meat, as it will burn easy. What I do is place them on a cookie cooling rack, fat side up, so I can move them around easily. I then leave them there for 3 hours. Next remove and wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil and place them in your oven so you can regulate your temperature. Next, you want to check them with a meat thermometer. You want it up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the aluminum foil and place it back in your grill at about 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Baste with a basting sauce made from 1 part of your favorite BBQ sauce and 1 part apple cider vinegar to mop with. I would mop about every 15 minutes until they reach 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil and let rest for at least one hour (make sure that your meat is 195 degrees). When it is cool enough, you need to pull it. That way you can get all the fat and gristle out. You can leave it stringy or chop it. Finally, roll it in some sauce very lightly. Don’t over sauce it. Let your guests add their own sauce. If you have trouble you can email me at foodsofthesouthland at comcast dot net
Have a safe and Happy FOURTH of JULY!!
DAVE
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Grilling and Chilling
Well, I have been dragging my feet lately with my blog updates. I hope to catch up. I have been judging week after week. We’ve travelled all over. You wouldn’t believe! One week in Southern Alabama, next in Southern Georgia. Then we traveled to Salisbury, Maryland, then Northern Mississippi, and then spent a week in Memphis. We had little time to rest, because after that we travelled to Sevierville, TN and then back to Stone Mountain, Georgia. So we’ve been all over recently! Now, we are home for two weeks, and the 4th is right on us.
And it is definitely grilling and chilling time.
I have so much catching up to do, I am going to make this short and sweet.
So let us grill some chicken thighs. I think they are the best: more flavor, more meat and easier to do. Don’t let the Mayo fool you like it did me!
Now we are grilling:
L.R.B.’s Bar-B-Q ‘d Chicken
Use thighs that are the same size.
To make marinate, use one bottle of Kraft Spicy Italian salad dressing. Let it sit then pour off the oil and leave the goodies. Then take the juice from a jar of sliced and pickled jalapeno peppers and fill the dressing jar. Shake.
To make glaze use
1 part Memphis style B.B.Q. sauce or what you have
1/4 part Pure honey
1) Clean thighs, place in zipper locking bag and add marinate. Leave in for 2 hours.
2) Pull skin down over top and sides and pin.
3) Start fire and bring up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (use wood chips if you can)
4) Take your thighs and pat the skin dry
5) Add a heavy coat of mayonnaise to skin side.
6) Put into the smoker for 1 hour
7) Wrap in Heavy Duty foil for 1/2 hour, and test internal temperature. You want it to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
8) Remove from foil and wipe off excessive mayo.
9) Glaze with your glaze. Then put it back into the smoker to caramelize. DON’T LET IT BURN!
Now we are chilling:
Blueberry & Lemon Chicken Salad
This is one that you can play with. You may want more of this and less of that, so do your thing. Another is if you are calorie conscious, you can use yogurt instead of mayo.
Here is what we need:
4 Lg. split chicken breast, with skin and bone.
1 red bell pepper (med)
1 celery hearts
1 bunch green onions
1 pt. fresh blueberries
2 fresh lemons (if you get lemon yogurt you will need only 1 for garnish)
1 pt. yogurt (now you can get lemon yogurt) or mayo
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
You will need some good crackers
1) Let’s boil our chicken with a little salt and pepper till just tender.
2) Get it out of the hot water. Let it cool, then pull off the skin and bones.
3) Cut into 1/2 inch squares and chill in the fridge.
4) Cut your red peppers and celery in 3/8 inch squares
5) Slice green onions 1/4 inch thick, white and green parts.
6) What I like to do is to fix everything the day before and let it chill in zipper locking bags. I like to wash and look my blueberries. I use a chilled S/S bowl, add everything BUT the chicken, including the mayo or yogurt If you don’t have lemon yogurt then take the zest of one lemon, then add salt and pepper.
7) Now it’s ready to eat except for the chicken.
8) Lastly, fold (DO NOT MIX) in the chicken. Then transfer to serving dish that the edge is garnished with thin slices of lemon around the edge of your dish.
Serve on a lettuce leaf or with crackers
And it is definitely grilling and chilling time.
I have so much catching up to do, I am going to make this short and sweet.
So let us grill some chicken thighs. I think they are the best: more flavor, more meat and easier to do. Don’t let the Mayo fool you like it did me!
Now we are grilling:
L.R.B.’s Bar-B-Q ‘d Chicken
Use thighs that are the same size.
To make marinate, use one bottle of Kraft Spicy Italian salad dressing. Let it sit then pour off the oil and leave the goodies. Then take the juice from a jar of sliced and pickled jalapeno peppers and fill the dressing jar. Shake.
To make glaze use
1 part Memphis style B.B.Q. sauce or what you have
1/4 part Pure honey
1) Clean thighs, place in zipper locking bag and add marinate. Leave in for 2 hours.
2) Pull skin down over top and sides and pin.
3) Start fire and bring up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (use wood chips if you can)
4) Take your thighs and pat the skin dry
5) Add a heavy coat of mayonnaise to skin side.
6) Put into the smoker for 1 hour
7) Wrap in Heavy Duty foil for 1/2 hour, and test internal temperature. You want it to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
8) Remove from foil and wipe off excessive mayo.
9) Glaze with your glaze. Then put it back into the smoker to caramelize. DON’T LET IT BURN!
Now we are chilling:
Blueberry & Lemon Chicken Salad
This is one that you can play with. You may want more of this and less of that, so do your thing. Another is if you are calorie conscious, you can use yogurt instead of mayo.
Here is what we need:
4 Lg. split chicken breast, with skin and bone.
1 red bell pepper (med)
1 celery hearts
1 bunch green onions
1 pt. fresh blueberries
2 fresh lemons (if you get lemon yogurt you will need only 1 for garnish)
1 pt. yogurt (now you can get lemon yogurt) or mayo
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
You will need some good crackers
1) Let’s boil our chicken with a little salt and pepper till just tender.
2) Get it out of the hot water. Let it cool, then pull off the skin and bones.
3) Cut into 1/2 inch squares and chill in the fridge.
4) Cut your red peppers and celery in 3/8 inch squares
5) Slice green onions 1/4 inch thick, white and green parts.
6) What I like to do is to fix everything the day before and let it chill in zipper locking bags. I like to wash and look my blueberries. I use a chilled S/S bowl, add everything BUT the chicken, including the mayo or yogurt If you don’t have lemon yogurt then take the zest of one lemon, then add salt and pepper.
7) Now it’s ready to eat except for the chicken.
8) Lastly, fold (DO NOT MIX) in the chicken. Then transfer to serving dish that the edge is garnished with thin slices of lemon around the edge of your dish.
Serve on a lettuce leaf or with crackers
Monday, February 9, 2009
Update on Bar-B-Q
We have had a bad winter, but now we can see the other side of it. Days getting longer, sun shining but to tell the truth we have had more snow and colder weather then we have had in over 8 years. Betty had surgery to repair her aorta. She is up and going strong, back dancing again. I have been certified as a Judge for the Kansas City Bar B Q society and the Memphis Barbecue Network. I am planning on competing in 2 or 3 that are close to home. I have this new cooker that is great. I just don’t have the help to man it that can be off from work enough. It usually takes 5 days.
For M.B.N. You do whole shoulders, whole hogs and ribs. For the K.C.B.S. you do butts or shoulders, ribs, chicken and beef brisket. You need at least 3 good strong people.
When you are there to judge you get to mill around. Believe you me, you will meet some of the nicest people in the world out on the BBQ trail. When cooking, about all that you will meet is the ones on each side of you. You get a LOT of good BBQ. It is much better than what you can buy. It is all so good you have a problem telling the best.
I ran 2 butts today using different dry rubs and basting sauce. On one I used a sweet glaze that I use on ribs but it was too sweet for me. I ran them at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours and down to 200 degrees F for 2 hours while basting. All the grease was gone, tender, juicy and very tasty.
I have said this before. If enough are interested I will do a step-by-step where if you follow it you will have perfect Bar-B-Q and be the envy of your neighborhood. You can reach us at foodsofthesouthland@comcast.net
For M.B.N. You do whole shoulders, whole hogs and ribs. For the K.C.B.S. you do butts or shoulders, ribs, chicken and beef brisket. You need at least 3 good strong people.
When you are there to judge you get to mill around. Believe you me, you will meet some of the nicest people in the world out on the BBQ trail. When cooking, about all that you will meet is the ones on each side of you. You get a LOT of good BBQ. It is much better than what you can buy. It is all so good you have a problem telling the best.
I ran 2 butts today using different dry rubs and basting sauce. On one I used a sweet glaze that I use on ribs but it was too sweet for me. I ran them at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours and down to 200 degrees F for 2 hours while basting. All the grease was gone, tender, juicy and very tasty.
I have said this before. If enough are interested I will do a step-by-step where if you follow it you will have perfect Bar-B-Q and be the envy of your neighborhood. You can reach us at foodsofthesouthland@comcast.net
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Happy New Year!
Well this will wind up 2008. I can’t help but wonder if yours went by as fast as ours did. It was both good and bad. Betty had heart surgery on the 12th of December, and she is up and going strong. I finally got our new smoker finished and used it four times. It worked well and looks good. Now it is up to me to make championship Bar-B-Q again. I will be going down in Alabama the 17th of January to be certified as a K.C.B.S. judge and in Georgia the 3rd of April and finish my judging to be certified with M.B.N. I plan on entering 3 or 4 contests that are close to home. I can’t foresee being able to get enough help that can afford to be off many 5 or 6 day stretches. Most of the teams are at least 4 people. I will be getting into all phases of Bar-B-Q’ing after the first of the year. And make each of you that are interested a great Bar-B-Q’er.
I have always been told that it was bad luck not to have Black Eyed Peas and hog jowl for New Year’s Day. I have no idea where that came from but I don’t want to take a chance on it. So here is what I will do.
It’s a must for New Year’s Day to be able to ward off bad luck, bring good luck and have a happy life. You must start off the New Year with hog jowl, black eyed peas, fried cabbage and hot buttered cornbread!!!
Get some smoked hog jowl
Black eyed pea’s - frozen, canned or dry (if dry soak overnight in water)
Head of cabbage
Onion
A bunch of green onions
In a cast iron pot (or whatever) put 1 Tablespoon of hog lard (or whatever). Cut jowl into 1 inch blocks when the lard starts to smoke drop in the meat cook until most of the grease is cooked out. Then dump in the peas and cover about 1 inch. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a good simmer. Cook until soft. When they are about done, add salt to taste.
Fried cabbage
Cut cabbage to about the size of a match folder. Chop some onion. Add a Tablespoon of hog lard to your cast iron skillet. Drop onion in first, stir a couple of rounds and add cabbage. Then add about 1/2 cup water and cover with enough heat to keep it steaming for about 10 minutes. Then remove the lid, cook the water all out, being careful not to burn.
Here’s wishing YOU the best of luck throughout the coming year,
DAVE
I have always been told that it was bad luck not to have Black Eyed Peas and hog jowl for New Year’s Day. I have no idea where that came from but I don’t want to take a chance on it. So here is what I will do.
It’s a must for New Year’s Day to be able to ward off bad luck, bring good luck and have a happy life. You must start off the New Year with hog jowl, black eyed peas, fried cabbage and hot buttered cornbread!!!
Get some smoked hog jowl
Black eyed pea’s - frozen, canned or dry (if dry soak overnight in water)
Head of cabbage
Onion
A bunch of green onions
In a cast iron pot (or whatever) put 1 Tablespoon of hog lard (or whatever). Cut jowl into 1 inch blocks when the lard starts to smoke drop in the meat cook until most of the grease is cooked out. Then dump in the peas and cover about 1 inch. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a good simmer. Cook until soft. When they are about done, add salt to taste.
Fried cabbage
Cut cabbage to about the size of a match folder. Chop some onion. Add a Tablespoon of hog lard to your cast iron skillet. Drop onion in first, stir a couple of rounds and add cabbage. Then add about 1/2 cup water and cover with enough heat to keep it steaming for about 10 minutes. Then remove the lid, cook the water all out, being careful not to burn.
Here’s wishing YOU the best of luck throughout the coming year,
DAVE
Friday, December 19, 2008
Fruit Cake
Fruit Cake - Unbaked
1 pound graham crackers
1 Cup pecans (toasted)
8 oz. seedless raisins
8 oz. candid mixed fruit
1 pound dried figs
1/2 Cup maraschino cherries
1 pint whipping cream
1 teaspoon rum flavor
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Make crumbs of graham crackers. I place all of the fruit, marshmallows and nuts in food processor and cut to where the cherries are about 1/4 there size, but not too fine. Now add the vanilla and rum flavor. Then fold the fruit and cracker crumbs in. Whip the cream until it stands up good then fold it together. Now fold in the whipped cream.
I take a 5X4X9 loaf pan and line with aluminum foil that is large enough to seal it. When packed, I would use the back of a tablespoon to smooth the top.
You can lay a cloth on top with some rum on it and seal and place in the fridge for 24+ hours. When I serve, I slice about 1/4 inch thick and cut that piece in half. Then place a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream on one half then place the other slice on top with a heaping teaspoon of whipped cream in the center. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and sprinkles.
1 pound graham crackers
1 Cup pecans (toasted)
8 oz. seedless raisins
8 oz. candid mixed fruit
1 pound dried figs
1/2 Cup maraschino cherries
1 pint whipping cream
1 teaspoon rum flavor
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Make crumbs of graham crackers. I place all of the fruit, marshmallows and nuts in food processor and cut to where the cherries are about 1/4 there size, but not too fine. Now add the vanilla and rum flavor. Then fold the fruit and cracker crumbs in. Whip the cream until it stands up good then fold it together. Now fold in the whipped cream.
I take a 5X4X9 loaf pan and line with aluminum foil that is large enough to seal it. When packed, I would use the back of a tablespoon to smooth the top.
You can lay a cloth on top with some rum on it and seal and place in the fridge for 24+ hours. When I serve, I slice about 1/4 inch thick and cut that piece in half. Then place a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream on one half then place the other slice on top with a heaping teaspoon of whipped cream in the center. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and sprinkles.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Christmas Cookie Balls
Merry Christmas to You and Yours
ONLY SEVEN DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS !
This year has come and gone so fast. We did not put up very many lights this year because I did not have the time or help to do it. While it was nice weather, I worked on our Lil’ Red Barn Smoker because I could stand on the ground and do it by myself. I have spent the last two weeks running back and forth to the hospital and Drs offices. Betty had to be cleared by 4 or 5, then go to post op before her surgery that was last Friday. She had her aorta repaired. They went in and put in a (BOOT) ha! before she had a blowout.
She came home Monday and is up and going now. We do a little thing that is a lot of fun. We do a Twelve Days of Christmas where we each have a little something to open each day for twelve days. When I first started it, I got a clay flower pot and placed a small tree limb in it. I found a small bird and two plastic pears. At first she didn’t have the faintest idea what it was. I had to tell her that it was a partridge in a pear tree. If you could see it you would know why she didn’t. It is a lot of fun. I guess I could say that is the highlight of our gift opening. We place them in a gift bag at each side of our tree and we each pick a bag.
Last year we had 6 trees and this year only one. As I was picking out what ornaments that I was going to use, I placed the others on a table in a pile. When I backed off to look at our tree I looked at the pile. It was out of this world. So I placed a square table in the corner and raised the back corner 6 inches and clamped some Styrofoam around the edges and covered it with a Christmas tablecloth. I then piled the ornaments on it. I think it really looks good.
We have a 3 car garage that is finished as a party room. One end is in field stone with a fireplace and a band stand. Behind it is our test kitchen and pantry, and it is 10ft x 33 ft.
I have just finished making a batch of Christmas cookies. So here is the recipe:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
BETTY –n- DAVE
The Country Cooks
------------------------
Cookie Balls
1- stick of real butter
1 box red velvet cake mix
1- 8 oz pack cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans and toast them first.)
1- large egg
Have butter and cheese at room temperature and cream.
Add the egg. Mix then add nuts and mix. Now add the cake mix a little at a time. (NOTE: it will be stiff.) Place into a Zip-lock bag and refrigerate until chilled.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray baking sheet lightly with Pam. Then, with your hands now, pinch off a piece a little smaller than a golf ball and roll in your hands until round. Then roll in multi-colored sprinkles and place about 1 inch apart. Bake for 14 minutes. If you are going to ice them do it while they are HOT. If you do not want the nuts, leave them out.
It should make about 4 dozen cookies.
(Note) Better make a double batch, they will go fast!!
ONLY SEVEN DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS !
This year has come and gone so fast. We did not put up very many lights this year because I did not have the time or help to do it. While it was nice weather, I worked on our Lil’ Red Barn Smoker because I could stand on the ground and do it by myself. I have spent the last two weeks running back and forth to the hospital and Drs offices. Betty had to be cleared by 4 or 5, then go to post op before her surgery that was last Friday. She had her aorta repaired. They went in and put in a (BOOT) ha! before she had a blowout.
She came home Monday and is up and going now. We do a little thing that is a lot of fun. We do a Twelve Days of Christmas where we each have a little something to open each day for twelve days. When I first started it, I got a clay flower pot and placed a small tree limb in it. I found a small bird and two plastic pears. At first she didn’t have the faintest idea what it was. I had to tell her that it was a partridge in a pear tree. If you could see it you would know why she didn’t. It is a lot of fun. I guess I could say that is the highlight of our gift opening. We place them in a gift bag at each side of our tree and we each pick a bag.
Last year we had 6 trees and this year only one. As I was picking out what ornaments that I was going to use, I placed the others on a table in a pile. When I backed off to look at our tree I looked at the pile. It was out of this world. So I placed a square table in the corner and raised the back corner 6 inches and clamped some Styrofoam around the edges and covered it with a Christmas tablecloth. I then piled the ornaments on it. I think it really looks good.
We have a 3 car garage that is finished as a party room. One end is in field stone with a fireplace and a band stand. Behind it is our test kitchen and pantry, and it is 10ft x 33 ft.
I have just finished making a batch of Christmas cookies. So here is the recipe:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
BETTY –n- DAVE
The Country Cooks
------------------------
Cookie Balls
1- stick of real butter
1 box red velvet cake mix
1- 8 oz pack cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans and toast them first.)
1- large egg
Have butter and cheese at room temperature and cream.
Add the egg. Mix then add nuts and mix. Now add the cake mix a little at a time. (NOTE: it will be stiff.) Place into a Zip-lock bag and refrigerate until chilled.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray baking sheet lightly with Pam. Then, with your hands now, pinch off a piece a little smaller than a golf ball and roll in your hands until round. Then roll in multi-colored sprinkles and place about 1 inch apart. Bake for 14 minutes. If you are going to ice them do it while they are HOT. If you do not want the nuts, leave them out.
It should make about 4 dozen cookies.
(Note) Better make a double batch, they will go fast!!
In Remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day
In Remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day
To me this was our worst day ever. I can remember where I was sitting when I heard that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Our Sunday school teacher lived next to our church and came over and told our minister. At that time, I’d never dreamed that I would ever see Pearl Harbor. But I visited it many, many times as I passed through Hawaii. I say GOD BLESS all of our service people and other protectors that have given their ALL for us to be free!!!
Whatever we do, we need to protect our 2nd Amendment!!!
______
Christmas will be here! Before we know it! I suggest that anyone that wants to have a full dinner to use our Thanksgiving menu. I spent most of last week putting up (some) of our Christmas lights. I really cut back on them this year because we really do not know what to expect. Betty goes in for heart surgery on the 12th of December to repair her aorta. But we still have 3 Christmas parties planned. We always have country parties with plenty of food and country music, to not overrun others Christmas dinner plans last year we served (petros), chili and chips. This year we are going to serve lasagna, fresh cut salads, garlic bread, plain bread and sweets. What I will do is to make it and fridge the lasagna and breads. While they are heating I will cut the salad that I have already trimmed and washed. I will get all this done ahead so we will not be worn out.
Here is the lasagna recipe that I will be using:
Lasagna
1 lb box lasagna noodles
1 ½ lb. ground chuck. (Not extra lean)
1 - 20 oz. can chopped tomatoes
3 - 6 oz cans tomato paste
1 - 6 oz can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
2 large onions chopped
4 sticks of celery chopped
2 green peppers chopped
1 lb shredded sharp cheddar
1 lb shredded Italian 6 chesses
granulated garlic (to suit yourself)
Italian seasoning (to suit yourself)
2 lb cottage cheese
1 shaker can of parmesan cheese
corn starch
black pepper (to suit yourself)
(NOTE) Some will use 1 cup chopped mushrooms, but I don’t. But if you do, sauté them by themselves so you can pour off the juice.
You can make your sauce the day before. I start by sautéing the celery and peppers first (Don’t brown ) just tender. When they start to get soft, add the onions. When the onions are clear, set aside.
Now the meat. Add a little vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to start so it won’t stick, because if it does it will be bitter and hard. SLOW cook to where they turn gray. Do not make them brown. Pour off all the grease that you can. If it still has a lot run hot water over it and drain.
LOW AND SLOW
In a deep skillet add the meat, onions, celery, peppers, mushies if you use, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
Add the Italian seasoning. It will take a bunch BUT don’t get in a hurry. Maybe 2 Tablespoons. Now add the salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 30 minutes, then taste, add seasoning simmer 30 minutes. Take a look. You don’t want it dry and coarse. Add beef broth if needed and use corn starch so it will cover a spoon real good. That’s all there is to it.
In a deep pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Drop noodles in one at a time and cook like it says. When done run cold water over them and separate.
Mix sharp cheddar and Italian 6 cheeses together real well.
In a 9x13x2 baking dish, in the bottom, lay a layer of noodles. Then a layer of meat sauce, 6 cheese, sharp cheddar and cottage cheese, noodles again, meat sauce, 6 cheese, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese. Do this until U run out of room. On top put 6 cheese and sharp cheddar. Place in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese starts to bubble!! Again don’t brown it.
Serve HOT!!
Have Hot sauce and parmesan grated cheese as a condiment. BUT!! Garlic bread and a green salad is a must!!!
To me this was our worst day ever. I can remember where I was sitting when I heard that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Our Sunday school teacher lived next to our church and came over and told our minister. At that time, I’d never dreamed that I would ever see Pearl Harbor. But I visited it many, many times as I passed through Hawaii. I say GOD BLESS all of our service people and other protectors that have given their ALL for us to be free!!!
Whatever we do, we need to protect our 2nd Amendment!!!
______
Christmas will be here! Before we know it! I suggest that anyone that wants to have a full dinner to use our Thanksgiving menu. I spent most of last week putting up (some) of our Christmas lights. I really cut back on them this year because we really do not know what to expect. Betty goes in for heart surgery on the 12th of December to repair her aorta. But we still have 3 Christmas parties planned. We always have country parties with plenty of food and country music, to not overrun others Christmas dinner plans last year we served (petros), chili and chips. This year we are going to serve lasagna, fresh cut salads, garlic bread, plain bread and sweets. What I will do is to make it and fridge the lasagna and breads. While they are heating I will cut the salad that I have already trimmed and washed. I will get all this done ahead so we will not be worn out.
Here is the lasagna recipe that I will be using:
Lasagna
1 lb box lasagna noodles
1 ½ lb. ground chuck. (Not extra lean)
1 - 20 oz. can chopped tomatoes
3 - 6 oz cans tomato paste
1 - 6 oz can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
2 large onions chopped
4 sticks of celery chopped
2 green peppers chopped
1 lb shredded sharp cheddar
1 lb shredded Italian 6 chesses
granulated garlic (to suit yourself)
Italian seasoning (to suit yourself)
2 lb cottage cheese
1 shaker can of parmesan cheese
corn starch
black pepper (to suit yourself)
(NOTE) Some will use 1 cup chopped mushrooms, but I don’t. But if you do, sauté them by themselves so you can pour off the juice.
You can make your sauce the day before. I start by sautéing the celery and peppers first (Don’t brown ) just tender. When they start to get soft, add the onions. When the onions are clear, set aside.
Now the meat. Add a little vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to start so it won’t stick, because if it does it will be bitter and hard. SLOW cook to where they turn gray. Do not make them brown. Pour off all the grease that you can. If it still has a lot run hot water over it and drain.
LOW AND SLOW
In a deep skillet add the meat, onions, celery, peppers, mushies if you use, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
Add the Italian seasoning. It will take a bunch BUT don’t get in a hurry. Maybe 2 Tablespoons. Now add the salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 30 minutes, then taste, add seasoning simmer 30 minutes. Take a look. You don’t want it dry and coarse. Add beef broth if needed and use corn starch so it will cover a spoon real good. That’s all there is to it.
In a deep pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Drop noodles in one at a time and cook like it says. When done run cold water over them and separate.
Mix sharp cheddar and Italian 6 cheeses together real well.
In a 9x13x2 baking dish, in the bottom, lay a layer of noodles. Then a layer of meat sauce, 6 cheese, sharp cheddar and cottage cheese, noodles again, meat sauce, 6 cheese, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese. Do this until U run out of room. On top put 6 cheese and sharp cheddar. Place in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese starts to bubble!! Again don’t brown it.
Serve HOT!!
Have Hot sauce and parmesan grated cheese as a condiment. BUT!! Garlic bread and a green salad is a must!!!
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