This Baked Pasta Recipe May Knock Your Socks Off!

We have been working feverishly getting the little yellow cottage ready for Christmas.  So much decorating to do!  Last night I was tired and wanted something easy to fix for dinner.  I decided to try this recipe I found on Pinterest last week because, well, it sounded yummy.

The recipe is for baked spaghetti, but I am not a big fan of spaghetti.  I like heartier pastas that grab the sauce and have some "chew" to them.  I had penne, so that is what I chose to use.  If you want to use spaghetti, feel free to do so.

Here is what you need.

12 ounces pasta, cooked according to directions

1 pound ground beef

one medium onion, diced

one clove garlic minced

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I grate fresh, prefer it to canned)

1 8 oz block of cream cheese

salt and pepper

I added these two ingredients

a couple pinches of red pepper flakes

mozzarella cheese for the top of the casserole

Cook your pasta according to directions.  Brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic.  Salt and pepper to taste.  When beef is browned, drain.  Add the jar of marinara sauce and heat.  Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to sauce when it is bubbling until cheese melts.  Add parmesan cheese and stir to mix.  Spray a 9x13 casserole with cooking spray.  Place drained pasta in casserole dish.  Cover with marinara sauce and stir to mix well.  Grate some parmesan over top of casserole and add mozzarella.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Oh my goodness good!

We had this quick and easy baked pasta with a green salad and crusty bread.   Our youngest son joined us for dinner and he and Dan agreed this was one of the best pasta dishes they had ever eaten.  Yes, it is fantastically good.  The cream cheese makes the sauce creamy and delicious and causes the sauce to adhere to the pasta in a wonderfully delicious way.

Give this recipe a try the next time you want something quick and easy.  You will make it again.  I know I am going to!  Enjoy,

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

 “Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” ~ Fellini

Beautiful DIY Ornament Wreath

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at the little yellow cottage!  Now that we have Thanksgiving behind us, I can begin the transformation to our Christmas wonderland.  The weather was nice on Monday, so we got our outside decorations put up and then it was time to begin on the inside.  I have spent the last two and a half days working on decorating.  I still have projects to complete before I can finish up, but we will get there.

I wanted to share one of the first projects I did, which is my ornament wreath.  Last year I made one of these for each of our daughters, but never got around to making one for myself.   So, I thought I would share the DIY steps with you.  These would make lovely gifts.  They are relatively easy to do and they make me smile.  They are shiny and festive and bring out the "holiday" in the season.  Mine is made from red and silver ornaments, some of which have glittered decorations on them.  I made Holly's red and pearl white which is what she wanted and Annie's was hot pink, turquoise blue, orange and lime which compliments the colors in her home.

This is what you will need.

a styrofoam wreath form  (I used a 16" form)
at least 10 yards of ribbon
a couple of greening pins
at least 4 dozen large ornaments
at least 4 dozen  medium ornaments
at least 4 dozen small ornaments
hot glue gun and lots of glue sticks

Most of my ornaments were purchased at the Dollar Tree and came in tubes with a dozen large ornaments or 2 dozen medium ornaments.  I found the small ornaments at Big lots.  It is better to have too many ornaments than to run out, so don't skimp when making your purchases.  If you use a smaller wreath form, you will need fewer ornaments.  Now, on to "how."

It is important to work with your wreath form laying flat so that the ornaments will not be "lumpy" causing the wreath not to hang flat.  Cover your workspace with brown paper so that glue doesn't drip all over your surface.

This is a picture of what greening pins look like.  You can find a small package of them in the floral department of most craft stores.  The ribbon I used is inch and a half and you will need at least 10 yards if not a little more, so buy two spools to be safe.  You want to wrap the styrofoam so that the ornaments have a surface to adhere to and so that it looks pretty and complete from the back.  Start by using a greening pin to anchor your ribbon to the styrofoam wreath form. Just push the pin through the ribbon into the styrofoam.

Next, begin wrapping the ribbon around the wreath form by overlapping it tightly like in the picture below.

Leave the ribbon on the spool because it makes it easier to handle while you are wrapping.  When  you get to the end of your wrap, secure the ribbon with another greening pin.

Now, lay your wrapped wreath form on the flat, covered surface where you plan to work, and place large ornaments at north, south, east and west securing them with lots of hot glue.  WATCH YOUR FINGERS, HOT GLUE WILL BURN!  Keep a bowl of cold water handy in case any glue drops on your skin.  Do NOT try to pull it off, the skin will come with it.  Dip the affected area quickly into the water so that the glue sets and then pull it off.  

Your beginning wreath will look like this.  Turn the silver tops toward the wreath so that they do NOT show when the wreath is complete.

Continue by filling in the wreath with the rest of your large ornaments glueing them to all surfaces - sides, top and insides of the wreath form.  The next step is to fill in empty spaces with the medium ornaments and finish with the smallest ornaments.  Vary the colors as you work.  This gives your wreath lots of depth and interest.  You will just have to use your judgement and artistic eye to make it all work.
This is how the finished wreath will look.

The final step is to turn your wreath over and make a hanger.  Your wreath will look like this on the back.  See how flat and even the edges are?  That is why you lay it flat while you work.

To make the hanger, take a loop of ribbon and secure it through the styrofoam with another greening pin.  Then, coat the base of the ribbon and the greening pin with hot glue to keep it from pulling out of the styrofoam.  Let the glue set and hang your wreath.


There will be some small gaps between the ornaments because you cannot fit everything completely together because of the round and varying shapes of the ornaments, but that is okay.  It took me about an hour to make this wreath, but give yourself plenty of time.  Because of my years of experience as a floral designer and crafter, I may work a little faster than you.  You will get faster with practice.

I hope you will give this beautiful ornament wreath a try.  It is something you will be able to enjoy for years to come!  Anyone receiving one of the beauties for a gift will be truly appreciative!!  They sell online for as much as $100.00 for a wreath this size.  See how much you can save and have fun at the same time?   Give it a try!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas." 
~Peg Bracken

Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas

Next week is Thanksgiving already (where has this year gone?) -  the time when we gather with friends and family and give thanks for all the bounty and blessings in our lives.  Even if it's been a "hard" year, there is much to be thankful for.  When we eat ourselves into a food coma, maybe watch some football or our favorite movies, nap, enjoy time with those we love and enjoy at least one day off.  (At least I hope you get a day off)  Because Thanksgiving is celebrated in the fall, we use fall colors of oranges, golds, scarlets, dark greens and browns for decorations.  This is a beautiful time of year with a myriad of colors to use.  We all know the iconic symbols of Thanksgiving - turkeys, pilgrims, native people, pumpkins, gourds and fall leaves.  The choices are endless.

After Halloween, I changed a lot of my home accents from bright oranges to more fall-like colors of golds, bronzes, lattes, and browns.  How did I achieve this?  I spray painted all my gourds and pumpkins that I used at Halloween so that I didn't have to go buy new or throw out all the perfectly good ones I already had.  It is a very simple process.  I used Krylon spray paint in metallic gold, sparkly bronze and metallic latte.  I purchased my paint at Wal-Mart, but it is also available at Lowes and Home Depot.   All you have to do is spray whatever you want and let it dry.  Simple!

I took everything out in the yard to spray it.  It looked so pretty sitting in the dried grass and leaves that I snapped this picture.

Some of these gourds and pumpkins are real and some are artificial.  When they are sprayed, you cannot tell the difference and they are so lovely.  It just gives a new vibe to all of them and makes things look different without expending a lot of effort or money.

After Halloween, I added some artificial glittered "trees" to the mantel, removed some of the more Halloween type decorations, did some rearranging and added some of the spray painted pumpkins, gourds, pinecones and artificial acorns.  The more muted colors will carry us through Thanksgiving when it will then be time to start decorating for Christmas.  Whew.  It's never ending.  This is how our mantel looks now.

I also sprayed the big pumpkins on the front porch and added some lovely fall mums and a fall welcome flag.  Yes, I decorate inside and out - I  have just always done that.   Here is how the porch looks.

I also put my painted candy corn candle holders away until next year and made a new centerpiece for the dining table.  It is really easy to do and it looks like this.

All I did, was take a wide cylinder vase that I already had and placed in on a small serving plate.  I placed a candle in the middle of the vase and filled around the candle with small pinecones and acorns.  (Place the candle in the vase before you fill with anything to keep the candle in the middle and so that it will sit flat in the vase.)  Next, I added some artificial fall leaves that I had.  I laid more leaves on the plate around the vase and then placed small pinecones over the leaves.  I had some big artificial fall leaves that I placed on the table and then sat the plate with the candle holder on them.  ( Dollar Tree still has artificial leaves for sale and a whole package is only a dollar.)

If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner next week, you can use some of these easy ideas to decorate your home.  Look around outside for branches, pinecones, acorns and leaves that you can use - even gum balls.  All it takes are a few candles,  some vases, a little imagination, and a few minutes to create a lovely table scape and decorations to welcome your guests.  If you are going to be dining at someone else's home, make a simple centerpiece to give to your host or hostess.  They will be so appreciative that you thought of them!  

We have family coming from out of town next week and I am busy making new pillow covers for all our toss pillows.  I will share some ideas for new pillow covers with you soon because next, it's the BIG holiday season when I want everything to look really spiffy.  I am also going to make "gratitude flags" by cutting triangles of paper in fall colors,  I will ask everyone to write something they are grateful for on a flag.  I will have a strand of sisal rope tied where we will hang these flags with mini clip clothes pins so that we can all read our "gratitudes".  Then, we will be reminded of more reasons why we celebrate this special day of Thanksgiving!  So many projects, so little time!  Time to get busy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.  ~Meister Eckhart
 

Brussels Sprouts - Yes, They Are Good (I Can Hear You)

Okay, here is the rule we had with our children when they were at home.  No one can say yuck, gross or make noises about the food on the table.  I can hear you if you are doing that right now!  Have you ever tried Brussels sprouts?  You say you don't like them?  Perhaps you would if you prepared them this way.

Last week we made a trip across town to Trader Joe's.  If you don't have a Trader Joe's in your town, I am truly sorry.  It is a great store with reasonable prices and a wonderful food selection.  As I passed the produce aisle, I noticed a huge display of fresh Brussels sprouts.  If you have never seen how they grow, they look like this.

  Normally, you will see them in a container like strawberries come in, or you can buy them frozen. As soon as I saw these beautiful stalks of tiny little cabbage-like sprouts, I knew I would be talking one home with me!  All I had to do was pick them off the stalk and discard the stalk.  One stalk can produce up to 2/3 pounds of sprouts.

Brussels sprouts were one of those vegetables that moms boiled to death back in the day and put them on your plate and expected you to eat them.  Fortunately, I always liked them, boiled to death or not.  Most kids did not feel that way.  Here is what Wikipedia says about Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts are a cultivar of the same species that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi; they are cruciferous. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fibre. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, because they contain sinigrin.


Now, you know that Brussels sprouts are not only good, but good for you!  If you like cabbage and/or broccoli, you should like Brussels sprouts - especially if you use this recipe.


Here is what you need:


2 containers, 1 large stalk or 2 bags frozen Brussels sprouts (cut larger sprouts in half)
4/5 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 box chicken stock
salt  (if needed) and fresh cracked black pepper


Fry bacon in large saute pan until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and drain most of the bacon fat leaving a couple tablespoons in the pan.  Place pan back on stove and add onion and garlic to the remaining bacon fat and cook until onion is translucent.  Add Brussels sprouts and enough chicken stock to almost cover sprouts.  Cook until most of the chicken stock has reduced and largest sprouts are fork tender.  If they are not quite tender at this point, add some more stock and continue to cook until done.  (about 30/40 minutes).  Taste and add salt if needed.  Also add fresh cracked black pepper.   Place sprouts in a serving dish and crumble crisp bacon over them.  Serve.  Delicious!


This recipe is a combination of several that I found some time ago on the Food Network web page.  There is a little Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray and Paula Deen here so you know it's good!  This is not my mother's way of cooking Brussels sprouts and probably not the way your mom fixed them either!


We had this dish last week with meat loaf and mashed potatoes.  They were soooo good.  This is my suggestion, step outside your comfort zone and give this recipe a try.  You might really like it - we certainly do.  With the upcoming holidays, this would be a terrific side to serve with all the other dishes that will grace your table.  It's also a really pretty and healthy dish to sit on the table.  Give it a try, you might just like it and remember - no saying yuck, gross or  "those" sounds allowed.


Everyday Donna


Things to Remember:


“We kids feared many things in those days - werewolves, dentists, North Koreans, Sunday School - but they all paled in comparison with Brussels sprouts.”
Dave Barry

Okay, here is the rule we had with our children when they were at home.  No one can say yuck, gross or make noises about the food on the table.  I can hear you if you are doing that right now!  Have you ever tried Brussels sprouts?  You say you don't like them?  Perhaps you would if you prepared them this way.

Last week we made a trip across town to Trader Joe's.  If you don't have a Trader Joe's in your town, I am truly sorry.  It is a great store with reasonable prices and a wonderful food selection.  As I passed the produce aisle, I noticed a huge display of fresh Brussels sprouts.  If you have never seen how they grow, they look like this.

  Normally, you will see them in a container like strawberries come in, or you can buy them frozen. As soon as I saw these beautiful stalks of tiny little cabbage-like sprouts, I knew I would be talking one home with me!  All I had to do was pick them off the stalk and discard the stalk.  One stalk can produce up to 2/3 pounds of sprouts.

Brussels sprouts were one of those vegetables that moms boiled to death back in the day and put them on your plate and expected you to eat them.  Fortunately, I always liked them, boiled to death or not.  Most kids did not feel that way.  Here is what Wikipedia says about Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts are a cultivar of the same species that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi; they are cruciferous. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fibre. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, because they contain sinigrin.


Now, you know that Brussels sprouts are not only good, but good for you!  If you like cabbage and/or broccoli, you should like Brussels sprouts - especially if you use this recipe.


Here is what you need:


2 containers, 1 large stalk or 2 bags frozen Brussels sprouts (cut larger sprouts in half)
4/5 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 box chicken stock
salt  (if needed) and fresh cracked black pepper


Fry bacon in large saute pan until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and drain most of the bacon fat leaving a couple tablespoons in the pan.  Place pan back on stove and add onion and garlic to the remaining bacon fat and cook until onion is translucent.  Add Brussels sprouts and enough chicken stock to almost cover sprouts.  Cook until most of the chicken stock has reduced and largest sprouts are fork tender.  If they are not quite tender at this point, add some more stock and continue to cook until done.  (about 30/40 minutes).  Taste and add salt if needed.  Also add fresh cracked black pepper.   Place sprouts in a serving dish and crumble crisp bacon over them.  Serve.  Delicious!


This recipe is a combination of several that I found some time ago on the Food Network web page.  There is a little Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray and Paula Deen here so you know it's good!  This is not my mother's way of cooking Brussels sprouts and probably not the way your mom fixed them either!


We had this dish last week with meat loaf and mashed potatoes.  They were soooo good.  This is my suggestion, step outside your comfort zone and give this recipe a try.  You might really like it - we certainly do.  With the upcoming holidays, this would be a terrific side to serve with all the other dishes that will grace your table.  It's also a really pretty and healthy dish to sit on the table.  Give it a try, you might just like it and remember - no saying yuck, gross or  "those" sounds allowed.


Everyday Donna


Things to Remember:


“We kids feared many things in those days - werewolves, dentists, North Koreans, Sunday School - but they all paled in comparison with Brussels sprouts.”
Dave Barry

Adorable Edible Acorns

Do you Pinterest?  Do you know what Pinterest is?  Pinterest is one of those things you can lose yourself in for hours and hours, looking at all the fabulous things people post to their Pinterest boards -  recipes, DIY projects, fashion, decorating, books, quotes - it goes on and on.  It allows you direct access to the blog or web site that it came from simply by clicking on the picture.  You can "re-pin" other people's pins to your boards.  You can follow people whose boards interest you or follow people that you know.   As an example, say you find a recipe you want to remember.  All you have to do is pin it to one of your boards and it's there the next time you want to use the recipe.   No more trying to remember what blog or website you saw it on.  When you join Pinterest, you get a "pin it button" that you put in your tool bar so that every time you see something you want to look at again, like a recipe or DIY project, you "pin it." to one of your boards.  It is one of the most clever things anyone ever thought of.  Just be warned, you can spend hours, days, weeks of your life on Pinterest.  But, it's worth it and yes, I am a Pinterest addict.  There will be support groups forming I am sure.

Those cute little edible acorns in the picture above are one of my "pins."  I knew as soon as I saw them on a blog named Six In The Suburbs,  that I would be making some and soon.  I mean, why would you not make them?  They are adorable and edible!  They are peanut butter and chocolate, one of the worlds best combinations ever.  Remember the ad that said "you got your peanut butter in my chocolate!  no, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter!"  Can't tell you what product it was for, but I remember the ad because it's a great combination.  Peanut butter AND chocolate.

Think how cute these little acorns would be on a pretty plate for Thanksgiving, or to take as a hostess gift to whomever is preparing your Thanksgiving dinner.  They could be put in little boxes and given as favors to take home after a day of overeating and spending time with friends and family.   How delicious would they be to eat while watching football on Thanksgiving weekend?   I can see these on plates of Christmas cookies.  What adorable little edible accents.   There are endless possibilities here.  Even if you don't bake or cook, these are easy.   Here is what you need.

A bag of regular Hershey's kisses
A bag of bite-sized Nutter Butter cookies
A bag of mini-chocolate chips

Unwrap however many kisses you want.  I made 36 on my first try (with plenty left to make more).  Melt a handful of mini-chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl.  Dip the flat side of a Hershey's kiss in the melted chocolate and stick it to a bite-sized Nutter Butter.  Set it on a flat surface (like a baking sheet) Nutter Butter side down to let the chocolate harden.  Let sit for a minute or two.  Now, dip the flat side of an unmelted mini-chocolate chip in the melted chocolate and stick it to the other side of the Nutter butter.  That's it!  That's all you have to do.  Let them lay on their sides until the chocolate hardens.  Now you can eat them, share them, or box them up for favors -  whatever you want to do.  It's your choice.  I'm sure you will think of lots of things.

I spent the most time unwrapping the kisses.  Otherwise, this is a really easy project that looks like you spent hours and hours making.  Hope you enjoy making, eating and sharing!  This is what is so fun about the holidays, all these wonderful projects.  Enjoy!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.” ~ James Allen

Pie, Pie, Me Oh My - Pecan Pie

Have you seen the movie Michael - the one where John Travolta plays a really quirky angel?  That movie is one of my favorites.  At one point, he asks Andy McDowell's character to sing a song about pie.  Michael loves pie.  I love pie.  Actually, who doesn't love pie?  Lemon meringue, chocolate cream, apple, cherry, chess, pumpkin, pecan - the choices are endless.   The lyrics to the song say "my, my, me oh my, I love pie!"  That pretty well describes the way I feel about pie - especially pecan pie.  I probably like pie better than cake, it just seems like it takes a little more effort to make somehow.

Saturday evening we had family over for dinner and I made hubby Dan's and son in love Todd's favorite -  pecan pie.  I also made a pumpkin pie and home made whipped cream.  Yum.  This recipe came from my mother in love and was given to me when we were first married 42 years ago and I have been making it ever since.  She is no longer with us, but I think of her every time I make this pie and say a thank you.

This is a picture of the poor, dilapidated recipe book that I used to write my favorite recipes in for so many years.  There is no more space to write recipes.   I bought this book before we were even married.  The spine is broken and I have to hold it together with a rubber band, but  this poor old book has served us well.   Sounds kind of like a John Denver song doesn't it?

As you can see in this picture, my two favorite recipes are written side by side - Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Pecan Pie.  The pages are smudged and covered with schmutz, but I cannot begin to tell you the number of these baked goods I have made over the years time and time again.  These are two family favorites!

I always make my own pie crusts, but you can use a frozen pie crust,  just make sure it is a deep dish crust so that it will hold all the filling.  My pie is baked in a 10 inch corning ware pie pan that I received as a wedding gift 42 years ago.  The stories it could tell!  Now for the recipe.  Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Karo white corn syrup (or another brand works fine)
1/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs, beaten till yellow
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 heaping tbsp flour

This is easy!  Put the eggs in a blender and blend until yellow.  Add corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, salt, cinnamon and flour.  Blend for a minute or two until thoroughly mixed.  Set aside.

Put chopped pecans in bottom of unbaked pie crust.  Pour filling mixture over pecans.  They will begin to rise to the tops of the filling.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Baking time seems to vary every time I make this pie.  I guess it depends on the size of the eggs - not really sure.  Just watch it and take it out once filling is set.  Let pie cool slightly before serving.

You can serve this pie with ice cream, or I like to make whipped cream which is really easy.  This is what you do:

Put 1/2 qt heavy whipping cream in a deep bowl and beat with mixer on high speed until it starts to form stiff peaks.  Just before the peaks form, add a couple tablespoons of sugar and a splash of vanilla.  Continue beating until done.  This is what your pie will look like when you serve it.

Sorry, this is not the prettiest piece ever served because I thought to take the picture just as I served it, but it is the best tasting pecan pie ever!  It is also a very easy recipe.  Give it a try.  You are going to love it.  Pie, pie, me oh my, I love pie!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
Jim Davis

Yeah Baby - Parmesan Potato Wedges

Last week I posted the recipe for the sloppy joe's in this picture with the promise of posting the recipe for the parmesan potato wedges.  In the meantime, I got a request for my chicken pot pie recipe which interrupted my recipe post.  Well, today is the day.  I didn't take a picture of just the potatoes, so I had to reuse the picture from last week.  Sorry.  I'll try to remember next time.  

The first time I had these potatoes was at a Christmas party given by my boss at the time back in the early 90's.  I will tell you they really are super pungent when they bake!  If you don't like the smell of parmesan -  do NOT let that stop you from making these delectable potato wedges.  My husband is not a fan of parmesan cheese for the most part, but he loves these!  He doesn't even complain about the smell when they are baking.  I am not trying to discourage you here, just giving you a heads up. Here is the "recipe" if you can call it that they are so super easy to do.

Ingredients:

Russet potatoes, allow at least one whole potato per person

1 stick butter, melted (this is to start)

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (like Kraft, the kind in a shaker container.  You will need more depending on how many potatoes you do.  Same with the butter)

 You will want to allow one medium to large potato per person.  Scrub each potato.  Leaving the skin on, cut each potato in half long wise.  Place each potato half cut side down and cut each half in half so you have 4 wedges.  You need no salt because the butter and parmesan cheese are salty.

I melt the butter in a corning ware dish in the microwave.  Put at least 1 cup grated parmesan cheese in another corning ware dish.  ( I like to use the square corning ware dishes because it makes it easy to roll the potatoes without making a mess.)   Take a potato wedge, roll all sides in melted butter, then roll all sides in the parmesan cheese covering as much surface as possible.  Place each wedge side by side on a baking sheet leaving about 1 inch between each potato wedge.  Add more parmesan cheese to the dish if you run out before you are finished, same with the butter.  When the baking sheet is full, place in a 350 degree oven and bake until potatoes are brown and soft when pierced with a fork - about 30 minutes.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and using a spatula, remove them from the baking sheet to a serving tray or plate.  You may want to place a bowl of heated marinara sauce with them for dipping.  These are DEE- licious!

This is a great recipe for a party where you are serving finger foods, as a side with burgers or sloppy joe's, or just plain good by themselves!  They are also great to take when you need a "dish" for a potluck.  They do reheat, but do it in the oven.  The parmesan gets kind of gooey if you do it in the microwave.  I think they are much better crisp, but that is up to you.

As I have said before, I have never met a potato I didn't like and these are spectacular!  It's so nice to have something besides french fries, mashed potatoes - you know the same old, same old.  Give this easy recipe a try.  Parmesan cheese, butter and potatoes all brown and crispy?  Oh yes!!  Enjoy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I love my friends neither with
my heart nor with my mind.
Just in case heart might stop, Mind can forget.
I love them with my soul.
Soul never stops or forget...
Rumi ♥

Last week I posted the recipe for the sloppy joe's in this picture with the promise of posting the recipe for the parmesan potato wedges.  In the meantime, I got a request for my chicken pot pie recipe which interrupted my recipe post.  Well, today is the day.  I didn't take a picture of just the potatoes, so I had to reuse the picture from last week.  Sorry.  I'll try to remember next time.  

The first time I had these potatoes was at a Christmas party given by my boss at the time back in the early 90's.  I will tell you they really are super pungent when they bake!  If you don't like the smell of parmesan -  do NOT let that stop you from making these delectable potato wedges.  My husband is not a fan of parmesan cheese for the most part, but he loves these!  He doesn't even complain about the smell when they are baking.  I am not trying to discourage you here, just giving you a heads up. Here is the "recipe" if you can call it that they are so super easy to do.

Ingredients:

Russet potatoes, allow at least one whole potato per person

1 stick butter, melted (this is to start)

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (like Kraft, the kind in a shaker container.  You will need more depending on how many potatoes you do.  Same with the butter)

 You will want to allow one medium to large potato per person.  Scrub each potato.  Leaving the skin on, cut each potato in half long wise.  Place each potato half cut side down and cut each half in half so you have 4 wedges.  You need no salt because the butter and parmesan cheese are salty.

I melt the butter in a corning ware dish in the microwave.  Put at least 1 cup grated parmesan cheese in another corning ware dish.  ( I like to use the square corning ware dishes because it makes it easy to roll the potatoes without making a mess.)   Take a potato wedge, roll all sides in melted butter, then roll all sides in the parmesan cheese covering as much surface as possible.  Place each wedge side by side on a baking sheet leaving about 1 inch between each potato wedge.  Add more parmesan cheese to the dish if you run out before you are finished, same with the butter.  When the baking sheet is full, place in a 350 degree oven and bake until potatoes are brown and soft when pierced with a fork - about 30 minutes.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and using a spatula, remove them from the baking sheet to a serving tray or plate.  You may want to place a bowl of heated marinara sauce with them for dipping.  These are DEE- licious!

This is a great recipe for a party where you are serving finger foods, as a side with burgers or sloppy joe's, or just plain good by themselves!  They are also great to take when you need a "dish" for a potluck.  They do reheat, but do it in the oven.  The parmesan gets kind of gooey if you do it in the microwave.  I think they are much better crisp, but that is up to you.

As I have said before, I have never met a potato I didn't like and these are spectacular!  It's so nice to have something besides french fries, mashed potatoes - you know the same old, same old.  Give this easy recipe a try.  Parmesan cheese, butter and potatoes all brown and crispy?  Oh yes!!  Enjoy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I love my friends neither with
my heart nor with my mind.
Just in case heart might stop, Mind can forget.
I love them with my soul.
Soul never stops or forget...
Rumi ♥

Chicken Pot Pie Is Comfort Food!

I promised in my last blog that I would post the recipe for the parmesan potato wedges and I will do that tomorrow night.   Tonight I am posting my chicken pot pie recipe especially for my friend Robert.  On Saturday I made chicken pot pie, brussels sprouts with bacon and onions, fried apples, pecan pie and pumpkin pie.  I posted on Facebook that I was making these for dinner and Robert sent me a message and asked if chicken pot pie was hard to make.  I told him it is not really hard (and so good) and told him I would post the recipe.  I decided to do it today so he didn't have to wait.   This is a rich, creamy recipe filled with lots of goodness - tender  chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, green peas, gravy and pie crust.  I mean, what could be better?  Is your mouth watering yet?

This is a meal our children loved.  Mom loved it too because it is pretty much a one dish meal.  You can add a salad if you want, but you get your protein and vegetables all in one dish with the added deliciousness of gravy and pie crust.  Yum!  This is the way I make mine - you can add your own tweaks if there is something you don't like or prefer a different vegetable.  Anyway you do it will be good!  You could also make it in individual dishes, but this is the easy way and you know that is one of my favorite words!

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I get mine at Aldi's)
4/5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
3/4 large carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch medallions
6 ounces of pearl onions (got mine at Trader Joe's already peeled)
1 rib celery, cut in very small pieces
1 cup frozen green peas
salt, black pepper, thyme
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can milk

Crust:

2 cups Bisquick
enough milk to moisten Bisquick, approximately 1/3 cup

Cook chicken breasts in salted water until done.  Remove chicken from water and let cool.  Peel potatoes and carrots and cut in approximately 1 inch pieces.  Slice celery rib in half and cut in very small pieces.  Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions to pan and cover with water.  Add salt.  Cook just until potatoes and carrots are  beginning to soften.  Remove pan from stove and drain water.  Place vegetables in a bowl.  Add 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 soup can milk to pan.  Put on stove and heat through, stirring until mixed together.  Remove from heat.

Cut cooked chicken into 1 inch pieces.  Place in bottom of 9 x 13 casserole.  Pour cooked vegetables over tops of chicken.  Add 1 cup frozen peas and carefully stir vegetables and chicken all together.  Pour soup mixture over vegetables/chicken mixture.  Cover with fresh cracked black pepper and a sprinkling of thyme.

Mix enough milk in Bisquick to blend so that all is moistened.  Place Bisquick on wax paper, sprinkle some dry Bisquick over dough and roll out like pie crust, very thin.  (If you prefer, you can make a regular pie crust.)  Place the rolled out dough over the mixture in the casserole leaving the edges open so steam can vent while baking in oven.  Place the casserole in a 350 oven and bake until crust is brown and casserole is bubbly.  Serve and eat!  Yummmmmmy!

Chicken pot pie is one of the real comfort foods.  This also reheats well for a "left over meal".  Good?  You bet!  Hope you give it a try.  The rich, creamy goodness of this pie will convince you to make it again and again.  And Robert, I hope you give this recipe a try.  Enjoy!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

We'd eat chicken pie, country ham, home made butter on the bread
But the best darned thing about Grandma's house was the great big feather bed!
John Denver
Grandma's Feather Bed

All American Super Sloppy Joe's

Do you have memories of favorite meals from your childhood?  One of my favorite school lunches was good old all American sloppy Joe's.  My mom never made them.  Not quite sure why, but she just never did so it made me very happy when they were on the school lunch menu.  After Dan and I were married, it became a staple on our menu.

This is a recipe I found years ago in a magazine.  Our sons fell in love with this version of Sloppy Joe's and I have been making them this way ever since.  They could eat an entire pan of these at one meal (double recipe).  I always prayed for left overs.

Talk about a great "go to" meal when you are tired and need something on the table fast.  It is a quick and easy recipe which are two of our favorite words right?  Quick and easy?  Yes!!  I served one of our favorites, parmesan potatoes, with our sandwiches tonight and some lovely crudites - carrot and celery sticks and broccoli and cauliflower florets.  Throw in a little ranch dressing for dipping and what could be easier?  Or if you prefer, a green salad would round out the meal.

Tomorrow night, I will give you the instructions for the parmesan potatoes.  (Talk about fabulous!)
Tonight it's all about Sloppy Joe's.  I have always doubled this recipe so I knew there would be enough to satisfy our sons.  Now, I double it so we can have left overs because they are so good.  Here are the ingredients you will need for a single recipe.  This is easily doubled or tripled.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (I use 80/20 grass fed, hormone free from the farmer's market)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped (I used a red one tonight because I didn't have green, worked just fine)
1/4 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's, 18 oz bottle)
1 package taco seasoning mix

Brown your ground beef with the onions, peppers and garlic until beef is brown and onions are translucent.  Add the taco seasoning mix and stir.  Pour approximately 1/4 to 1/3 bottle of barbecue sauce into the ground beef mixture and stir.  Heat through.

Serve on your favorite buns.  That's it.  Quick, simple, easy, delicious.   It's got just a little spice from the taco seasoning and a little sweet barbecue flavor from the barbecue sauce.  Oh so good!

This is a great recipe for tailgating, for a teen party or quick and easy dinner.  I have served it on Super Bowl Sunday.  Delish!   Give it a try.  I think you will like this one!  You may actually have time to watch your favorite television show or read a book it's so quick to fix.  Enjoy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

30 days of gratitude for the Month of November.  Every day list something you are grateful for!

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” ― Dr. Seuss

Italian Sausages With Rigatoni - A Great Pasta Dish

Our youngest son, Tyler,  and his girlfriend came to dinner Sunday evening and I fixed a recipe that I have had since about 1973.  I found it in a magazine when our oldest daughter was just a baby and we had moved into our first house.  It is rigatoni with Italian sausages and it is so good I think I could eat it about every day. It's also easy to make and makes about 8-10 big servings.

The recipe came from an actress by the name of Olivia Hussey.  Anyone know who she is?  She was 15 years old when she starred in Romeo and Juliet in 1968 which was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and produced by Dino DeLaurentis (grandfather of Giada DeLaurentis).  Dan and I saw it at the theater when we were dating.  I know that was a long time ago, but it is still one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen to this day.  If you have never seen it, try to find it.  The cinematography is beautiful, the story is so moving and Olivia Hussey made the most beautiful Juliet ever.  She also must be one good cook, because I love this recipe.  Another bit of trivia, she was married to Dean Martin's son Dino of Dino, Desi, and Billy.  Dino was killed in a plane crash while they were married.  Anybody out there old enough to remember Dino, Desi and Billy?  They were a very popular musical trio back in the day. Yikes.  I am certainly showing my age here.

As for the recipe, it is really, really good and is another variation on a pasta dish when you have grown weary of the same old, same old.  Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

1 pound Italian style sauge (sometimes I use sweet, sometimes hot, depends on my mood)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 large can tomatoes undrained (32 oz) (I used tomatoes I put in the freezer this summer - yum)
1 cup water
1 tsp dried organo leaves  (I also add 1 tsp dried basil and 1 tsp dried thyme)
a pinch of red pepper flakes optional
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Fresh parmesan cheese (or grated will do)

1 pound rigatoni pasta

Take casings off sausages and cut into 1 inch pieces.  Cook in a large pan (I use my dutch oven) over moderate heat stirring occasionally until browned.  Remove sausage and set aside.  Add onion, green pepper, and garlic to saucepan - cook until tender stirring occasionally to keep garlic from burning.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, water, spices, salt, and pepper.  Add cooked sausage.  Stir and bring mixture to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 1.5  hours stirring occasionally.

Rigatoni

About 20 minutes before serving, add 2 tbsp salt to 6 quarts boiling water.  Gradually stir in rigatoni so that water continues to boil.  Cook about 20 minutes or just until al dente.  Drain thoroughly.  Serve sauce over rigatoni.

I add fresh grated parmesan cheese or you can use grated parmesan from a can if that is what you have.  The rigatoni is so perfect with this sauce because it is a fat noodle with lots of ridges in it to hold the sauce.  It is one of my favorite pastas to use because it has a nice "bite" to it.  Chewy and delicious.

This is one of my all time favorite recipes.  The sauce is just thin enough that it is excellent for dipping hot crusty bread into.  The bread soaks up all the flavorful juices and yum!  Makes my mouth water just writing about it.  Tyler ate about half a loaf of bread by dipping it in the sauce.  Yes, it is that good.  The Italian sausage gives it so much flavor.  It also makes great left overs.  I just pour the remaining sauce over the remaining rigatoni, stir it up to coat the pasta and store it in a covered bowl.  Stick in the microwave the next day and, boy howdy, you have another great meal.

Serve this with a green salad and your dinner is complete!  Your family will ask for this again.  Give it a try - and maybe serve it while watching the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet.  Just keep some kleenex handy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers.” Deepak Chopra