Lasagna Soup

This is a Paula Deen recipe ... it's out of her special collector's issue "Quick and Easy Meals" ... I saw this while sitting with Mom in the hospital and couldn't wait to try it! I must say ... my kitchen was filled with the aroma of "home-made", yet "quick and easy"! I love italian food and lasagna in the form of a soup on a cold February night sounded perfect ... and to my nice surprise, while cooking, I looked out my kitchen window and it was snowing! Perfect evening for it!



Lasagna Soup

ingredients:

1 lb ground chuck

1 onion chopped (I diced)

1 green bell pepper, chopped (I diced)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (32 oz) box chicken broth

2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 Tbsp brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups broken lasagna noodles

1 (5 oz) package grated Parmesan cheese

1 (5.5 oz) box Italian seasoned croutons (I used Panetini baked Italian toast)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

directions:

Step 1 - in a large skillet, combine onion, green bell peppers and garlic

(I diced with my "chopper" that I purchased from TV for $19.95 - it really DOES work - love it!)

Step 2 - add ground chuck and salt.

Step 3 - cook over medium-high heat, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles.

Step 4 - drain well

Step 5 - Stir in broth

Step 6 - add diced tomatoes

Step 7 - add tomato sauce

Step 8 - add brown sugar

Step 9 - add Italian seasoning

Step 10 - bring to a boil over medium high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 11 - add noodles and simmer until noodles are tender.

Step 12 - stir in Parmesean cheese.

Step 13 - preheat broiler

Step 14 - ladle soup into ovenproof bowls

Step 15 - top with croutons




Step 16 - sprinkle with mozzarella cheese

Step 17 - broil soups, 6 inches from heat, 3-4 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. (I used the convection broiler and it took about 1 1/2 minutes).

Step 18 - serve immediately

comments: So Yummy on this cold winter's night! Very delightful taste of lasagna in the form of a soup (hence it's name) ... and produces a wonderful aroma ... I served it with french bread toasted with butter, garlic and parmesan. I will definitely make this again.

rating: A yummy 4.5

Mountain Dew Cake

This is a recipe that has actually turned out to be an "original" ... Renee's son Brandon requested a "Mountain Dew Cake" for his birthday ... Renee obliged and began a search for a recipe involving Mountain Dew (later we found out, after questioning him ... that he had overheard a conversation that Renee and I were having about a 3 step recipe that I had come across involving "mountain dew") ... SO ... I guess it sounded interesting to him ... thus the request. She came across a couple of recipes and decided to combine, rearrange and ... viola! A new recipe! She actually did the whole process for me ... steps, pictures, etc... and the taste part too! =0) So her "family rating" will be at the bottom.

Mountain Dew Cake

ingredients:

cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup Mountain Dew

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup oil

glaze:

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Mountain Dew

1/2 tsp. lemon extract

1/2 tsp. coconut extract

directions:

Step 1 - preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 2 - grease and flour bundt/tube pan

Step 3 - pour cake mix and instant vanilla pudding into mixer

step 4 - add 1/2 cup oil

Step 5 - add 1/2 cup Mountain Dew

step 6 - add 1/2 cup water

step 7 - add 4 eggs

step 8 - mix well and pour into greased pan.

step 9 - bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

step 10 - prepare the glaze - in a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt and slightly brown 1 stick of butter



step 11 - add 1 cup sugar

step 12 - add 1/2 tsp. coconut extract

step 13 - add 1/2 tsp. lemon extract

step 15 - add 1/2 cup Mountain Dew

step 16 - simmer for 5 minutes

step 17 - pour glaze over cake immediately out of the oven

step 18 - cool completely

step 19 - flip onto cake plate

comments: It was SO good that it was gone in one day. I prepared this cake a day ahead of time before serving, which allowed for the cake to become completely saturated with the glaze. Thomas asked for another one to be made today and all three children shoved squash into their mouths in a quest to claim the last piece at dinner. I will definitely make this recipe again!

rating: Thomas - 4.7, Renee - 5.0, kids - 5.0

Water With Lemon Please ...

Most of you who know me well ... know that I LOVE my Diet Coke!!! I "try" to order "water with lemon" when dining out ... BUT ... after watching this ... I think I've just changed my mind! Happy Watching ... and BEWARE!!!!

... tammy

Dump Cake

This recipe is Mom's Dump Cake recipe that she has been making for years. I needed a quick dessert for dinner this evening and this was easy enough to have ready in about 40 minutes!



Dump Cake



Ingredients:


1 yellow butter cake mix
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can of pineapple chunks (in syrup)
2 cups of pecans (in pieces)
2 sticks of butter




Directions:


1. preheat oven to 350 degrees


2. pour pineapple chunks, along with the syrup/juice in a 9x13 pyrex dish

3. pour cherry pie filling on top of pineapple

4. spread cake mix evenly over fruit




5. pour pecans over cake mix




6. chip up 2 sticks of butter over entire dish


7. bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes



8. serve warm




comments: Yummy fruit dessert!!!! I have used this recipe alot for church functions, etc. It's a great quick dessert dish. Thanks Mom!


rating: 4

Apple Dump Cake

Talk about easy ... this is a 3 ingredient recipe and I just had to try it! So easy to throw it together ... the only thing not fast about it is the cooking time. A great dessert recipe to throw in the oven right before you sit down to dinner ... then voila! A warm dessert to serve with ice cream or whipped topping fresh out of the oven after dinner is over!




Apple Dump Cake



ingredients:


1 - yellow cake mix
1 - 21 oz can apple pie filling
1 stick of butter, melted





directions:



1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. grease a 9x13 inch pan/dish.


3. dump 1/2 of cake mix evenly into bottom of pan/dish.




4. spread pie filling evenly over cake mix.



5. cover with remaining cake mix.




6. drizzle melted butter over top. (do NOT mix)




7. bake 47-52 minutes or until light golden brown.



8. serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.





comments: Wow! it's like apple cobbler! Yummy!!!! My only recommendation would be to use apple pie filling that is NOT 'more fruit' ... I had to add more butter about 15 minutues before it was done because there was not enough filling to make it all mix together properly. But, adding the butter worked - I just chipped some up on top and then cooked the remaining 15 minutes. I will definitely make this again. It was very tasty.


rating: 3