Lasagna

Another one of my mom's signature recipes. It is the best lasagna I've ever had. She uses no recipe so this is the best I can do for you.

Fry 2 lbs hamburgr

Add two cans spaghetti sauce

Cook till tender 9 lasagna noodles

drain

Layer the sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, noodles and

24 oz cottage cheese mixed with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Sukiyaki

This is my mom's signature Chinese recipe. We've made it ever since I was a kid and it is fantastic.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup veg. oil

1 pound tenderloin, sirloin or tenderized round steak, cut into diagonal strips

1/2 pound washed fresh sliced mushrooms or

1-6 oz. can sliced mushrooms

1 cup diagonally sliced celery into 1/2-inch strips

2 medium-sized Spanish onions sliced diagonally

1/2 head Chinese or celery cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices (about 4 cups)

1 10 oz. to 12-ounce bamboo shoots, drained (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate

1/2 cup chicken broth or 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water

1 green pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 cups raw spinach leaves, torn in large pieces (about 5 ounces)

1.Pour oil into WOK, Preheat, uncovered, for 4 minutes at 375 degrees. (Make sure all foods are sliced and measured before starting and arranged on large platter.)

2. Place meat in hot oil and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Push up the side.

3. Add mushrooms and stir-fry 2 minutes. Push up the side

4. Add celery and stir-fry 2 minutes. Push up the side.

5. Add onions and stir-fry 2 minutes. Push up the side.

6. Add cabbage and stir-fry 2 minutes. Push up the side.

7. Add bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, monosodium glutamate and chicken broth. Stir once and cook for 2 minutes. Push up the side.

8. Add green pepper, brown sugar, salt and soy sauce. Stir once and cook for 30 seconds. Do not push up the side.

9. Sprinkle spinach over top of all ingredients in WOK, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to "warm" for serving. Gently stir all ingredients together and serve immediately with hot steamed rice, browned rice or chow mien noodles and soy sauce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Salmon-Potato Cakes with Roasted Tomato Mayonnaise

My brother Matt made these for us when he was home from Ireland. They are fabulous!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds skinless salmon fillet
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups chilled mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs(parsley, basil, and tarragon)
• Bread crumbs
  
• Vegetable oil
• Butter
• Roasted Tomato Mayonnaise:
• 1 1/2 cups homemade (see homemade mayonnaise recipe in blog) or prepared mayonnaise
• 8 oven roasted plum tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Season fillets with salt, pepper and cayenne.

In a baking dish, place seasoned fish with wine, onions and garlic and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

When fish is completely cooled, flake. Mix the flaked salmon with potatoes and herbs. Roll 6-ounce cakes in bread crumbs. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When hot, saute cakes so that the bread crumbs toast. Cook on both sides and place on sheet tray.

After all salmon-potato cakes are toasted, place sheet tray in oven for 10 minutes to heat cakes through.

In a blender or food processor combine, mayonnaise, tomatoes, ketchup, Dijon mustard, paprika; season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Rustic No Knead Bread

Its so easy and comes out perfect every time!

Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour
1/4 tsp instant yeast
3/4 tbsp kosher salt or 1 tsp table salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

The only thing that is need is a five quart or larger coverd pot, cast iron, pyrex, ceramic, enamel, anything that can go into an oven at 450 degrees

The night before you want to eat the bread mix all the ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon. It will be a mess, leave it and cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12 - 20 hours.

The dough will be wet, sticky and bubbly. Dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with your hands and form into a ball shape. Its important to keep your hands wet so the dough does not stick. Generously dust a cotton towel with flour. Set dough seam side down on top of towel. Fold towel over the dough. Let it sit for 2 hours. With a half an hour left put pot in oven and let it preheat.

Time to bake, remove pot from oven and place dough inside. Doesn't matter how it lands, just shake to even it out. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additionaly 15 -20 minutes.

Sri Wasano's Infamous Indonesian Rice Salad

Not sure what makes this salad infamous but it is really good!

Bring to a boil 2 cups brown rice with 3 cups water, lower heat, cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes.

While the rice cooks, combine in a large bowl:
1/3 cup peanut oil
3 tbsp Chinese sesame oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 to 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp rice or cider vinegar
1 chopped pineapple

Add the hot rice to directly to the bowl of dressing. Mix well. Once it has cooled to room temperature cover and refrigerate.

Before serving, stir in the following ingredients:
3 scallions, minced (whites and greens)
1 stalk celery, minced
1 green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 8oz can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 lb fresh mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup (packed) raisins, craisins, or currants
1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts/ or cashews

Toss lightly.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

also from Smitten Kitchen... this is one YUMMY frosting and a great twist on the usual Cream Cheese Frosting.

1 1/4 C Light Brown Sugar
1/4 C Cornstarch
1/2 C Powdered Sugar
16 oz Cream Cheese, Room Temp
1/2 C Unsalted Butter, Room Temp
1/2 t Vanilla Extract

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch and powdered sugar. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the sugar-cornstarch mixture and vanilla, beat until frosting is smooth and light. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator until it thickens back up a bit, about 30 minutes, then spread a dollop on cooled cupcakes.

I HIGHLY recommend this frosting if you have never tried brown sugar cream cheese frosting. It is a bit runnier than the normal cream cheese frosting, so if you want it to stand high on a cupcake you will want to use a different frosting. I am experimenting on a variation of this that will stand up and be thicker with this same amazing taste - LOVE this frosting!!!

Peach Cupcakes

I found this yummy Peach Cupcake Recipe on Smitten Kitchen - they were a big hit! Very moist and a great way to use up some fresh peaches. I used the Sour Cream option & I used more peaches than it called for because I had a ton...

Makes 24 to 28 Cupcakes

3 C Cake Flour
1 1/2 t Baking Powder
1 1/2 t Baking Soda
1 t Salt
Pinch of Nutmeg
3/4 C Unsalted Butter, Room Temp
3/4 C Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Dark or Light Brown Sugar, Packed
2 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 C Buttermilk, Sour Cream or Full Fat Yogurt
3 Large Peaches, peeled, cored & chopped, smallish (1/3" dice)

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Line 28 muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & nutmeg, set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars together, beating until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition, and then add the vanilla. Gently mix in the buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the peach chunks.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared cake liners. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until toothpick clean. Cool the cupcakes for five minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

THEN FROST with frosting of choice. See Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting...