Baked Mostaciolli

I tried a new Pioneer Woman recipe this weekend and it was delicious and will definitely be a made again.  It's good enough that I'm adding it to my blog which will eventually by converted into a cookbook that I can print and give to Katie when she gets older.

If you want to see PW's original recipe, which she called Baked Ziti, Click Here

Baked Mostaciolli
Source: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 1 pound Italian Sausage
• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 1 can (28 Ounce Can) Whole Tomatoes, With Juice
• 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces, weight Ziti Or Mostaciolli, Cooked Until Not Quite Al Dente (the orig recipe called for 16 ounces of noodles)
• 1 tub (15 Ounce) Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 1-1/2 pound Mozzarella Cheese, Grated
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 whole Egg
• Minced Parsley

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or until soft. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture.
Add tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and salt and pepper. Stir together.
Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps.) Add 3 cups of the meat/tomato mixture to this and mix.
Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and the mozzarella.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle some parsley on top before serving.

Blog Overhaul

With the turn of the New Year I decided I needed to evaluate the purpose of my blog.  I've been using the blog to share pictures of my daughter, family, our travels, recipes, and anything else that came to mind.  But since the blog people limit the amount of free space....and since I don't want to pay a monthly charge....I decided to overhaul the blog.

The blog title has been changed to Angel Cooks....and I'll give you 3 guesses regarding the content of my blog.   Give up?  Okay, it's going to be about the things I cook!

This blog will only contain recipes and pictures of things that I've made and deemed worthy of making again and also our family favorites.  Including recipes passed down to me from my Mom and Grandma and from other family members.  And friends.

The ultimate goal is that over the new few years I can blog and photograph all our family favorites and some new favorites we discover along the way -- then I want to publish a cookbook.  I want to have this cookbook to pass down to Katie and any children she may have.  I would love to have my Grandma's recipes but after she passed they seem to disappear and I didn't get the chance to copy down some of my favorites.

But don't worry...you won't have a shortage of Katie updates in your inbox.  I'll just deliver that in a different format, mostly likely a photo e-mail that I can generate from Photoshop Elements.

Christmas Crack Candy

This recipe has different names....Christmas Crack and Poor Man's Candy are two that I've heard.  This reicpe is from two of my friends who have both sent it to me and I've also seen it on other blogs. 

It's super easy to make and very good -- and it's addicting.  Once you start eating it, you can't stop....thus the name Christmas Crack!

Christmas Crack

 

Ingredients:

40 saltine crackers (approx. 1 1/2 sleeves)

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar (I used regular brown sugar, it's what I had on hand)

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

1.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.       On a 9×13″ jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper, line the saltine crackers side by side until the pan is full.

3.       In a saucepot, melt butter and sugar together. Bring to boil then let boil for 3-5 minutes, do not stir.

4.       Pour the caramel evenly over the saltines then place in oven to bake for 5 minutes.

5.       Remove pan of saltines from oven and spread chocolate chips evenly on top of the caramel, spreading it evenly and smoothing it out -- the chips will melt as y ou do this.  If you’re using chopped pecans or nuts, this is now the time to sprinkle them on.

6.       Let the toffee and chocolate cool completely. I sat mine out in the garage covered with foil overnight, or you can stick in the fridge for an hour or so.

7.      Once cool, break into 2 inch pieces.

8.       Store in an airtight container.

 

Light and Easy Icing

Mom requested an Angel Food Cake for her birthday party so I made her one and tried a new recipe for making the icing.  It turned out really good and everyone liked it. 

I used a Pillsbury Angel Food Cake Mix.   I made it the day before so it could completely cool then I made the icing the day of Mom's party.   You will need to keep the cake in the refrigerator after you ice it. 

This would be really good served with some fresh strawberries or peaches!

Light and Easy Icing

1 cup milk
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 pkg cool whip

Beat the milk and instant pudding mix until it starts to thicken.  Fold in the cool whip.  Ice the cake and try not to lick the beaters too much!


I haven't tried it yet; but I think making this with chocolate pudding would be good on some cupcakes!  Or any flavor of pudding that you like.

Apple Pie

A week ago we went to the apple orchard and I bought a peck of Cameo Apples.  This is the first time that I've gotten this type of apple. 

These apples have a creamy yellow skin with red stripes, the apples were crisp and juicy and the flavor is the perfect balance between sweet and tart, with a hint of citrus and honey.

I made some apple pies using these apples and they were very good.  I'll share my super easy yet super delicious pie recipe with you. 

I use Penzey's spices...click here for their online catalog: http://www.penzeys.com

Apple Pie
Source: Me

1 package of Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts
4-5 large cameo apples (it will take more if you have smaller apples)
3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
milk
Penzey's Cinnamon Sugar
Penzey's Vanilla Sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel and cut apples into small bite sized pieces.  Put one of the pie crusts in your deep dish pie pan.  In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Then add the apples and stir well to coat the apples.  Put the apples in the pie dish. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture over the apples.  Cut the butter into pats and put over the top of your apples.  Then add the top crust and seal the edges.  Take a pastry brush and lightly brush the top of your crust with milk.  Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar and vanilla sugar.  Then use a fork to make several slits in the top of the crust.  Bake 45-55 minutes.

Gorilla Bread

Monday evening Jennifer and Colton came over for a dinner play date.  Jen and I decided to try a new recipe from Paula Deen. 

It was so good, that we didn't get pictures....too busy fighting Dan off from it. LOL

Here's the recipe as we made it....we used the Grands biscuits since that is what I already had and we used pecans instead of walnuts. 

Gorilla Bread
Source: Paula Deen

1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (8oz) package of cream cheese
1 large can of Grands style biscuits (or 2 cans of the 10 count smaller biscuits)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan.

Cut the cream cheese into 20 small squares.

If using the large Grands biscuits, cut each biscuit in half.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

Microwave the stick of butter in a glass bowl until melted and stir in the brown sugar.

Take the biscuits and dip in the sugar mixture, covering both sides.  Place a piece of cream cheese in the middle of each biscuit then wrap and seal.

Place 1/2 the biscuits in the pan.  Then sprinkle on some of the sugar. Then put 1/2 the butter mixture. Then put the remaining biscuits, sugar, butter, and remaining nuts.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let sit about 5 minutes, then place a plate on top and invert.

Crusty Bread

I tried a new recipe today for Crusty Bread.  It was very easy and turned out great! 
I really don't have much experience making bread.

But I love bread. 
I love the way it makes the house smell.
I love the way it tastes warm from the oven with melty butter.
I love to soak it in my potato or tomato soup. 

So I thought I'd start with this super easy recipe.  Next I'll graduate to more complicated breads.

I found the recipe for this Crusty Bread at Simply So Good Blog.  She has lots of pictures of the bread making process....and the finished product.  She also has some recipe variations, which I hope to try next weekend.

CRUSTY BREAD
Source: Simply So Good

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 cups water

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a "shaggy" mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. Overnight works great. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough (remove the plastic wrap!!)   Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. 

Pork Chops with Potatoes

Apparently I wasn't the only one who thought this recipe was too good to pass up!  I found this recipe last Friday on the Not Enough Thyme blog....e-mailed it to a selection of my e-mail friends...and there are three people, including me, having this recipe for dinner tonight! 

I made the recipe nearly like the original .... you  know me... I always tweak things a little. 

This recipe was excellent!  I'm certain these were the most tender pork chops that I have EVER made.  Dan had two pork chops and I had one. I had to fight him over the remaining one....it's going to be my lunch tomorrow!

I didn't take any pictures....if you go to the original recipe site she has a gorgeous picture. 

PORK CHOPS WITH POTATOES (with my changes)
Source: Not Enough Thyme Cooking Blog

4 pork chops - buy thicker chops with bone in
2 cloves garlic, diced
salt and pepper
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
4 slices of thick bacon, chopped
 tarragon leaves
1/2 cup beer
1/2 cup chicken broth

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet over med-high heat melt butter with the garlic.
• Salt & Pepper both sides of the chops.  Add to the butter/garlic and cook 7 minutes on each side.
• Meanwhile, spray your dutch oven with cooking spray.
• Layer 1/2 the potatoes and 1/2 the onion.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Take 1 tbsp of butter and cut into chunks and put over the potatoes.
• Put the cooked chops (and the leftover butter and garlic) on top of the potato and onions.
• Sprinkle with tarragon leaves (I didn't measure, just lightly sprinkle)
• Scatter the bacon all over.
• Add the remaining potatoes and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the beer over all this.
• Cut a piece of baking parchment to fit over the contents of the dish and lay it on top of the final layer of potatoes and onion.
• Cover with the dutch oven lid...bake for 45 minutes.  Add the chicken broth then cook for another 45 minutes.
• Enjoy - because these are some tender and delicious chops!