Ready for Independence Day?

~KJV~

Manicotti

3 C spaghetti sauce
1 box manicotti noodles
3 C ricotta cheese
2 C mozzarella cheese
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 T parsley
3/4 tsp. oregano

  Boil noodles for 8 minutes and drain.  Grease a 9x13 pan.  Spread layer of spaghetti sauce in bottom of pan.  Stuff shells with cheese mix; cover with remaining sauce.  Bake, covered with foil, at 375 degrees for 30 minutes; uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until bubbly throughout.  Then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Put back in oven until cheese melts.

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies

5 oz. semi-sweet, dark chocolate
1/2 C butter
2 eggs
1 C brown sugar (date and maple sugar work well also)
1/2 C almonds, ground finely
1 T ground flaxseed meal
1/4 C brown or white rice flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C chopped pecans
1/4 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 8x8 pan.  Melt the dark chocolate and butter in the microwave.  Beat eggs in mixer until frothy.  Add chocolate mixture and brown sugar to eggs.  In seperate bowl, combine almond meal, rice flour, salt and soda.  Slowly add to mixer, adding vanilla at the end.  Stop machine and stir in pecans and chocolate chips.  Pour into pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Cool and eat!

Cabbage Salad

This is my FAVORITE salad!  It's great with a barbeque lunch.

Dressing:
1/2 C vegitable oil
3 T red wine vinegar
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 chicken seasoning packets (from Top Ramen)
2 tsp. sesame seeds
2 tsp. sunflower seeds

Salad:
1 head cabbage, chopped
1 package Top Ramen noodles, uncooked
2 stalks green onion, chopped
Slivered almonds, optional

Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk.  Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl, top with dressing.

~VLS

Cold Spaghetti Salad

1 1/2 lbs. thin spaghetti
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green onion
1 chopped tomato
1/2 C kidney beans
8 oz. Italian dressing
Optional ingredients: chopped parsley, basil, chopped brocolli, olives, parmesan cheese, and black pepper.

Cook spaghetti until done and rinse in cold water. Let dry. Add ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate, then serve with sliced eggs and grated cheese.

Perfect Lemonade

1 C sugar
1 C water (for the simple syrup)
1 C lemon juice (fresh squeezed from REAL lemons!)
3-4 C cold water (to dilute)

Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small sauce pan until the sugar is completely dissolved.

While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4-6 lemons, enough for 1 cup fo juice.

Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher.  Add 3-4 cups cold water, more or less to the desired strength.  Refrigerate 30-40 minutes.

Serve with ice and sliced lemons on a hot summer day!

Eggs, eggs, eggs...

~A fresh egg will sink in water; a stale one will float.
~For light and fluffy scrambled eggs, add a little milk or water while beating eggs.
~Can't remember if the egg is fresh or hard boiled?  Spin it.  If it wobbles, it's raw.  If it spins easily, it's hard boiled.
~To test egg whites:  If they adhere to the bowl when you turn it upside down, they are well whipped.
~When poaching eggs, try water flavored with tarragon vinegar for a subtle, different taste.

Helpful Hints on Fruits

~Ripen green bananas by wrapping them in a wet dish towel and placing in a paper bag.
~You can get more juice from a dried-up lemon or lime if you heat it for 5 minutes in boiling water before you squeeze it out.
~To ripen green tomatoes, place them in a paper bag with an aple or ripe tomato.  Store the bag in a warm dark place for 2 days or until the tomatoes ripen and turn red.

A Little Common Sense

Keep a pair of kitchen scissors handy for chopping
ingredients such as herbs, or for cutting bacon, etc.

The Proper Tea Party

"In serving tea, the table should be arranged before any
visitors arrive.  Its cover may be a linen tea cloth embroidered
or trimmed with lace, while the cups and saucers, with the
spoon resting in each saucer, the thin slices of lemon, the
small wafers, cakes or sandwiches on plates or pretty doilies,
should be artistically arranged upon it.  The tea kettle should
be in its place, the teapot just in front of it.  The cream pitcher
and sugar bowl should be within reach.  If the hostess pours
the tea, she allows the guest to put in the sugar and cream
themselves.  If she expects many visitors, then there will be
wisdom in asking a friend to pour tea for her."


~Ladies' Home Journal, 1897

Facts About Herbs

From: "The Backyard Homestead".

• Dried herbs are more potent than fresh--1tsp dried equals 1TB fresh.
• To store fresh herbs, wrap them in barely damp paper towels, place inside resealable plastic bags, and keep refrigerated.
• Add most herbs about 30 Minutes before the end of cooking time; simmer slowly to release flavor and retain volatile oils.
• The chopped leaves of fresh herbs may be frozen with water into ice cubes and then stored in labeled, airtight freezer bags. Use to impart an herbal flavor to soups or stews.
• Use herbs in moderation. Some may be overpowering if too much is used.

~KJV~

Baked Gemelli with Pesto, Mozzarella and Meat Sauce

Serves 6-8
~
16 oz. Gemelli or other pasta (spiral, macaroni, shells)
1 T cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C pesto sauce
1 1/2 C mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Oil a 9x13 baking dish.  Cook onion in oil for about 3 minutes.  Add ground beef, cook and drain.  Add the tomatoes and salt and bring to a simmer.  Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and stir in pesto sauce.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions.  Toss with the meat sauce.  Put half the pasta in the baking dish.  Top with half of the mozzarella and 2 T of the Parmesan.  Repeat with the remaining pasta, mozzarella, and Parmesan.  Bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes.

~VLS