Lasagna with Meat Sauce

I like to make this after we eat spaghetti so I can reuse the sauce!

Ingredients:

1 9 oz. box Oven Ready Barilla Lasagne (I like to use this kind. Easier to work with and ready to go!)
2 eggs
1 - 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
Approx 6 cups of spaghetti meat sauce

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 13X9 pan with cooking spray. If you use a smaller pan you just need to cut down on the ingredients. :) Remove 16 lasagne sheets from the box.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Stir in the ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese.

Spread about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking pan and layer as follows.

Layer 4 sheets, slightly overlapping. Add about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Add 1 cup mozzarella, and then 1 cup of sauce.
Layer 4 sheets, 1/3 of the ricotta, and 1 ½ cups of sauce.
Layer 4 sheets, the remaining ricotta and 1 cup of sauce.
Layer 4 sheets, the remaining sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella. I like to top with a little freshly grated parmesan as well.

Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 50-60 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and browned, about 5 minutes. Let it stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Flat Iron with a Brazilian twist

Ingredients

1 Flat Iron
2-3 Garlic Cloves
About 4 Tbs Olive oil
Kosher Salt

Mix Garlic and Olive oil in food processor (you could use a blender or just chop the garlic finely and mix if needed). Coat both sides of the meat with a generous amount of kosher salt. Add garlic and olive oil mixture over the meat and spread evenly. Let stand for approximately 20 minutes.

The absolute best way to cook this is on a charcoal barbecue (gas would do in a pinch :). Cook to 165 degrees (or your desired temperature) at the thickest part. Should take about 10-15 minutes or so. I pair this with Brazilian rice and beans.

Three Cheese Macaroni

Don't be scared...it's really good! Ella says it is better than regular Macaroni and Cheese! :)

Ingredients

1 large egg
1 12-ounce can evaporated whole milk
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/3 cups grated muenster cheese (4 ounces), plus 4 deli-thin slices (1 ounce)
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups)
4 cups medium pasta shells (9 ounces)

Directions
Whisk the egg, evaporated milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Toss the grated cheeses in a separate bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until almost falling apart, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the pasta to the same water and cook, about 10 minutes. Drain and reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Preheat the broiler on high.

Combine the egg mixture and the grated cheeses in the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheeses melt and the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower. Move mixture to a blender and puree (you can use an immersion blender but it didn't work as well for me) until smooth. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water until creamy.

Toss the pasta in the sauce; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish and top with muenster slices. Broil until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.

Deep Dish Pizza

Through the mouth of a babe, "please never buy a pizza again, only make it from now on!" This is pretty good, I'm not going to lie. I cook this in my 12" cast iron pan, and it usually makes another 8 inch pizza or so as well. It's very good in that pan because of the seasoning, but you could always use another baking dish if need be.

Pizza dough Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 1/4 yeast
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cups room temperature water
3 Tbs melted butter

Sauce (recipe follows)
Cheese (about 2 cups). 2/3 freshly grated mozzarella, 1/3 freshly grated parmesean mixed together.

Mix until dough comes together. About 1 to 2 minutes scraping sides as necessary. Turn to medium until dough completely clears the sides.

Add 1 Tbs olive oil to coat bowl. Put dough in the bowl and turn dough to coat. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour,or until dough has doubled in size. Roll dough out on flat surface in a rectangle shape. Add  4 Tbs softened butter on top and spread evenly. Leaving about 1/2 inch on the ends to seal. Starting at the short end, roll dough into cylinder. Lightly roll dough out a little flat. Cut dough into the size you would like your pizza. (For 12" and 8" I do about 3/4 of the dough and 1/4 the dough). Fold each dough into thirds and seal edges. Pinch and shape into a ball. Put dough back into bowl and let rise about 40 to 50 minutes.  Prepare pans by adding 2-1/2 Tbsp olive oil in the 12" pan and 1 Tbsp in the 8" pan (more or less depending on your pan sizes). Remove dough from bowl and put on flat surface. Roll dough out until it is the right size for your pan. Press the dough into the pan evenly. Leaving a very small crust area around the edge, top with sauce (recipe follows) and cheese mixture. Add toppings to your desire (sometimes I like to put the pepperoni underneath the cheese and on top as well). Bake at 425 degrees on the lowest position in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Sauce Ingredients:

1-2 small cans tomato puree
1 small can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Add tomato puree in a small pot and heat on medium. Add tomato sauce to desired texture. You want it thick enough, but not too thick! Add spices (you can use 1-1 1/2 Tbsp pizza seasoning in place of the individual spices). Turn heat down to medium-low to simmer, stirring frequently. Heat for about 20-30 minutes with the lid on. You want the sauce to darken up a little bit. Remove from heat when it is your desired texture/flavor.

Carnitas

This is SO yummy! You can eat it on tacos or burritos (or both!). Hope you enjoy as much as I do. I want to eat it right now just thinking about it!

Ingredients:
Pork Shoulder (may be called a Boston butt or Chuck Roast depending on your grocery store)
1 tsp mexican oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp lime juice
small onion halved
1 orange
2 cups water


Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut meat into 2" chunks. Trim pockets of fat off, leaving the ribbons on. You need to leave some of the fat for flavor and to keep the meat moist. Place in a pot on the stove and add spices. Juice orange separate to prevent seeds from getting into the mixture (should be around 1/3 cup orange juice). Add juice, orange peel, onion and water. Bring to a simmer and then put into the oven, covered. Simmer in the oven for 2 hours, turning the meat over after 1 hour. Remove from oven and check meat to see if it begins to fall apart. Use a fork to try and pull meat apart. The meat should very easily come apart if it is done. If meat is done, remove from pot and place in a bowl. Remove and discard onion, leaves, and orange.

Preheat oven to broil. Bring pot to a boil and reduce the braising liquid down until thick and syrupy. Toss over meat. Spread meat out on a rack (over a baking pan) and broil until the edges crisp up a bit. Turn meat over about 5 min to crisp the other side. Total broil time should be between 10-15 min. Remove from oven and EAT!!


I usually make it with corn tortillas and a mixture of white onion diced and cilantro. Top with some tapatio and enjoy! I usually pair this with rice and beans and make enough for leftovers of each. This way the next night I can make some home made tortillas and do carnitas burritos!

Cajun Tri Tip

Ingredients:
1 untrimmed tri tip
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning


Directions:
Trim excess fat while leaving at least 1/4 inch fat cap on one side. Rub tri tip generously with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, covering trip tip on both sides. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. With grill on high heat, place trip on grill and sear on one side for 3 minutes. Flip the trip tip over and sear for 3 additional minutes. Using indirect heat, continue to cook at 350-375 degrees. Pull tri tip at 145 degrees for rare, 155 degrees for medium, 165 degrees for medium well and 175 degrees for well done. Tent and let meat rest for 10 minutes. Cut the triangle portion off, as the grain runs in different directions and these pieces will need to be cut seperately. Slice thin against the grain and serve. This step is important, as the meat will be tough if you cut with the grain.

Smoked Tri Tip

Wood - Hickory

Smoke @ 250 degrees for around 2 hours -- 145 degree doneness for most people (165-170 degree if for Jessica!)

BBQ Sauce - Cattlemens

Tri Tip Rub Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Combine the tri tip rub ingredients.
Season each of the tri tips with salt...kosher if you have it. Use about 2 teaspoons of salt per each roast, one teaspoon per side. Let the roasts sit salted for a few minutes, then season with the tri tip rub. Go ahead and pack all of it on. Put it in the smoker!

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Pulled Pork

Pork Brine:
8 ounces or 3/4 cup molasses
12 ounces kosher salt
2 quarts bottled water
6 to 8 pound Boston butt

Rub:
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
1 teaspoon whole coriander
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika

Directions:

Combine molasses, pickling salt, and water in 6 quart Lexan. Add Boston butt making sure it is completely submerged in brine, cover, and let sit in refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours. 12 hours is ideal.
Place cumin seed, fennel seed, and coriander in food grinder and grind fine. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and stir in chili powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Remove Boston butt from brine and pat dry. Sift the rub evenly over the shoulder and then pat onto the meat making sure as much of the rub as possible adheres. More rub will adhere to the meat if you are wearing latex gloves during the application.
Preheat smoker to 210 degrees F. Place butt in smoker and cook for 10 to12 hours, maintaining a temperature of 210 degrees F. Begin checking meat for doneness after 10 hours of cooking time. Use fork to check for doneness. Meat is done when it falls apart easily when pulling with a fork. Once done, remove from pot and set aside to rest for at least 1 hour. Pull meat apart with 2 forks and serve as sandwich with coleslaw and dressing as desired.

SAUCE -
Yield: 6 cups.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Worchesteshir
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup steak sauce
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup dark brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar if that's all you have)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 medium cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
can add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke.

Secret ingredient. Add 2 tablespoons of tamarind paste..
Do this
1) In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, black pepper, and salt. In a large bowl, mix the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, steak sauce, molasses, honey, hot sauce, and brown sugar. Mix them, but you don't have to mix thoroughly.
2) Over medium heat, warm the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and saute until limp and translucent, about 5 minutes. Crush the garlic, add it, and cook for another minute. Add the dry spices and stir for about 2 minutes to extract their oil-soluble flavors. Add the wet ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid off to thicken it a bit.
2) Taste and adjust. Add more of anything that you want a little bit at a time.

You can use it immediately, but I think it's better when aged overnight. You can store it into clean bottles in the refrigerator for a month or two.

Pair with Cole Slaw here.

Kansas City Spare Ribs

Cook the ribs low and slow as in 230 degrees or less for at least 6 hours. Rib Tips - 4 hours or 170 degrees. The ribs must be allowed to reach around 170 degrees minimum.

Use 8 oz. wood. 4 oz. when starting, 2 oz more after 1 hour, and 2 oz more after 2 hours.

RUB -
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup sweet paprika
3 Tablespoons black pepper
4 Tablespoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

OR

SAUCE -
Yield: 6 cups.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Worchesteshir
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup steak sauce
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup dark brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar if that's all you have)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 medium cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
can add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke.

Secret ingredient. Add 2 tablespoons of tamarind paste..
Do this
1) In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, black pepper, and salt. In a large bowl, mix the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, steak sauce, molasses, honey, hot sauce, and brown sugar. Mix them, but you don't have to mix thoroughly.
2) Over medium heat, warm the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and saute until limp and translucent, about 5 minutes. Crush the garlic, add it, and cook for another minute. Add the dry spices and stir for about 2 minutes to extract their oil-soluble flavors. Add the wet ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid off to thicken it a bit.
2) Taste and adjust. Add more of anything that you want a little bit at a time.

You can use it immediately, but I think it's better when aged overnight. You can store it into clean bottles in the refrigerator for a month or two.

OR

2 cups Ketchup
* 1/2 cup Dark brown sugar, firmly packed (easier to use Turbinado if you have it)
* 1 tbsp Onion salt
* 1-1/2 tsp Celery seeds
* 1-1/2 tsp Garlic powder
* 1-1/2 tsp Chili powder
* 1 tsp Black pepper finely ground
* 1 tsp Cumin, ground
* 1/2 tsp Cayenne powder
* 1/4 cup White vinegar
* 2 tbsp Mustard, plain old yellow table type
* 1 tsp Lemon juice
* 4 tbsp Butter

Pork chops

Ingredients:
Pork chops (one per person)
2 tbs butter
1-2 tbs olive oil
Salt
Pepper


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
I use a cast iron skillet for this. Heat oil and butter in pan on med heat. Pat meat dry and salt and pepper both sides. Brown meat on both sides (about 3-4 min each). Cover skillet and put in the oven for about 15- 20 minutes. Time will depend on thickness of meat. Cook until meat reaches 165 degrees. After plating, I usually spoon some juice from the pan on top.


We usually top with our friends Plum Chutney, but you can use any sauce you like!

Smothered Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 Chicken Breasts (one for each person)

Yoshida's

Bell peppers (different colors if possible)

Onion

Shredded cheese (enough for top of chicken)

Bacon (to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

Marinate chicken breasts in Yoshidas for a few hours. Then grill the breasts. While those are grilling, julienne bell peppers and onion. Sautee in olive oil and add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Meanwhile, cut bacon into small thin strips (cutting horizontally is an easy way) and fry bacon strips. Once the chicken is grilled, place on a baking sheet and top with bell pepper and onion mixture. Add cheese and bacon on top. Broil in oven until cheese is melted. 

Spaghetti meat sauce

Ingredients:
5 large cans of Tomato Sauce (I use Hunts)

2 lbs ground beef

1 tbs oregano

1/2 tbs basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

Italian Sausage (optional)

Directions:

Cook ground beef in skillet and add to cans of tomato sauce (in a pot obviously). Add spices, sugar, and sausage. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 7 hours. More or less to your liking. This recipe makes a lot of sauce, I usually just freeze the rest! 

Turkey or Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked meat- your choice- cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cans- 10 oz each enchilada sauce
1- 4 oz can green chiles chopped
1 teaspoon onion flakes or fresh
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
12 corn tortillas (Dip in vegetable oil then drain)
2 tablespoons onion chopped
   Chopped tomatoes to your liking
1/4 cup olives chopped if desired
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded (or more to your liking)


Directions:
In medium bowl combine 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, onion, and cilantro. Spoon two heaping tablespoons of mixture in center of each tortilla. Roll to hold mixture. Spray large baking dish with cooling oil, seam down in dish. Top tortillas with remaining sauce, onion, tomatoes, olives and cheese. Bake about 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly. 

Tamales

Ingredients:
15 # Masa
3 cups beef and pork broth
1 lard melted
1/2 cup salt or to taste
1 can Chile sauce (las palmas)
1 package of corn husks (100 each)
10 # beef
5 # pork
6 cloves garlic
4 cans- 7 3/4oz each black olives with pits (optional)
1 cup lard
2 cups flour
2 cans- 28oz chile sauce (las palmas)


Directions:
Cook beef mixed with sauce in crockpot for 24 hours, then cook pork in beef broth for another 24 hours. Spoon Masa into corn husk and smear. Add tablespoon of meat in center and fold corn husk. Tie closed with twine. Steam tamales in pot until Masa is dry and set up.

Grandma Fay's Potato Soup

Instructions:
4-5 potatoes
1 small-medium onion
4-6 stalks of celery
1 can of evaporated milk
Milk (lots)
3-4 eggs
3-4 cups of flour
1 cube of Neuco
Salt and pepper


Directions:
Dice celery and onion, and place in large soup pot. Cover with water. Bring to boil and continue cooking until tender. Cut up potatoes and add to pot, making sure there is enough water to keep veggies covered. Boil potatoes until fork tender and add the canned milk. Add milk until pot is about 3/4 full. Drop in cube of Neuco and simmer. NEVER LET BOIL. Put flour into a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Drop eggs in one at a time and mix (will be very thick). This makes the "noodles" and thickens it. Cook about 10 min, or until noodles are done.

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2-4 chicken breasts
Mayonaise
2 cups red grapes
3/4 cup celery
1/3 cup sliced green onion


Directions:
Cook 2-4 chicken breasts (for 4-6 servings) by boiling in salted water for 15 minutes, or until done through. Cool and dice in one inch squares. Add enough mayonaise to cover the chicken. You may need a little more than it seems. Add cut up red grapes(2 cups), diced celery 1/2-3/4 cup, sliced green onion (1/4- 1/3 cup), and salt to taste (a teaspoon or so). Serve on croissants.


(MUST BE MADE AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE EATING) 

Green chili Enchiladas

I usually make 1 pyrex pan, (about 8-10 tortillas)

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts

8-10 flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese (I like to use 1 package Kraft 4 cheese Mexican blend)

1 small can Ortega diced green chiles

1 can (28 oz.) Las Palmas Green chile Enchilada sauce

Black Olives sliced

Directions:

Boil chicken, wait for it to cool and shred into fairly small pieces. Add approx 1 Tablespoon worth of chicken on tortilla (too much will make it less cheesy) and spread out in a line on one side. Then sprinkle a good helping of cheese on top of chicken. Sprinkle a bit of diced green chiles on top of the cheese, and roll the tortilla. Put seam down in pan and tuck edges of tortilla down if necessary. Do this with each tortilla until the pan is tight with tortillas. Sprinkle a bit of chicken, the rest of the cheese, and the rest of the diced green chiles on top. Pour over entire can of enchilada sauce. Add sliced black olives on top. 

I usually take a spoon to tuck the end of each tortilla under, making sure the sauce goes a bit underneath. You want to make sure that the enchiladas are not floating but tight enough that some of the sauce stays on top of the enchiladas as well.

Bake on 350 for about 30 min or until top is golden brown and bubbling.

Shredded Beef Tacos or Taquitos

Ingredients:
2lbs. chuck roast, 2in. cubes and trim off fat ( you can also use top or bottom round )
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. pepper
1 tbsp. cumin
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
4 bay leaves
1 onion ( small dice )
2/3 head lettuce ( shredded )
2 tomatoes ( small dice )
3 oz. cheddar cheese ( shredded )
16-20 corn tortillas
2-3 cups oil (corn or vegetable)
toothpicks


Directions for meat:
Add meat, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and bay leaves to a 3 to 5qt. pot. Add water to cover, about 1/2in. over the top of the meat and boil covered for 2 hours stirring occasionally.
Add diced onion and boil for 1 more hour covered stirring occasionally. At this point the meat should start to break down. Remove bay leaves and continue to break it down using a wooden spoon or spatula ( I like the spatula ). Continue to boil uncovered until the liquid has evaporated and continue to shred the meat with the wooden spoon or spatula.The meat should be completely shredded after about 4 hours. Set aside and let cool to warm or room temperature.


Directions for Tortillas:
Heat oil in an 8in. cast iron skillet for more even cooking. You can use any 8in. skillet, I just like the performance of cast iron for frying. Or use a deep fryer. Never fill pan more than 1/2 full of oil, it may bubble over during cooking.Heat to 350 degrees. It is very important to reach 350 degrees or the tortillas will not cook right. With a pair of tongs place 1 tortilla into the oil and fry for about 3-5 seconds, just long enough to make the tortillas pliable and easy to work with. Repeat process until all tortillas are cooked, stack them on a plate, flip the entire stack over and get ready for assembly.
Note: Always be careful when using hot oil it can be very dangerous if not handled properly.


Taco Assembly:
Take about 2 to 3oz. of shredded beef and place on upper half of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half and insert 2 toothpicks. Kind of like sewing. Repeat until all of the tacos are done. You might want to turn the heat down on the oil while doing this.


Directions for Cooking:
Take 2 to 3 tacos at a time and place into 350 degree oil and cook for about 1 to 3 minutes a side, or until crispy. Remove tacos and let stand for 1 minute. Remove toothpicks, open and add shredded lettuce, cheese and diced tomatoes.


Pair with Rice and Beans here.

Carne Asada Marinade

Marinate 5-6 pounds of meat (I like skirt steak) in the following:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (can substitute with white vinegar)
1/3 cup lime juice (can substitute with lemon juice)
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 tablespoons peeled fresh garlic - crushed
1 tablespoons white pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 orange, sliced
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped (no stems)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Place beef in gallon sized freezer bag or in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Pour carne asada marinade on top of beef, cover dish or close bag, and marinate beef for at least 1 hour before grilling (I suggest longer).