Cornbread-Stuffed Meatloaf

This is an interesting recipe...I forget where I got the original concept, but I made so many changes that now I consider it my own. Try it and tell me what you think!

Cornbread-Stuffed Meatloaf

STUFFING:
1 medium onion; finely chopped
2 c. fresh cornbread crumbs
1 c. fresh mushrooms, chopped

MEATLOAF:
2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs (regular)
2 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. marjoram
1/2 t. oregano

TOPPING:
1/2 c. parsley flakes
1 can tomato sauce
1 c. shredded cheese (any kind)

1. In large frying pan, sauté onion until tender. Remove from heat; stir in cornbread crumbs and mushrooms; mix well. Set aside to cool.
   
2. In large bowl, combine ground turkey, regular bread crumbs, eggs, and seasonings. Place meat mixture on greased sheet of aluminum foil and flatten into 10" square.
   
3. Heat oven to 350.
4. Spread parsley over center third of meat square to make a stripe down the middle. Gather together cornbread mixture and lightly press into a 10" log. Place over parsley-covered center of meat square.
5. Using foil, lift ends of meat together and seal meat to enclose cornbread mixture. Press loaf firmly and place, seam side down and still on foil, in shallow baking pan.
   
6. Pour tomato sauce over top. Cover top with foil. Bake 1 hour.
   
7. Uncover loaf, sprinkle cheese on top and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Big Game Appetizers

In looking for appetizer recipes which are relatively easy and typically received well by guests, I picked three things which may help you prepare for your party this Sunday...

Sausage-cheese balls

1 pkg. pork or turkey breakfast sausage (I use Bob Evans brand)
1 egg
2 T. dry Cream of Wheat cereal (or you can use bread crumbs, if they're more handy)
1/2 c. Parmesan
1/4 c. milk

1. Heat oven to 400˚
2. Mix all ingredients well, and form into 1-inch meatballs.
3. Place on baking sheet—not touching—and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

Another option is to make these in a mini muffin pan, which works just as well, and it is somewhat easier to portion the meatballs equally.


Easy Crab Rangoon

1 can (6 oz.) crab meat
4 oz. cream cheese
3 T. sour cream
dash of onion powder
dash of salt
12 wonton wrappers

1. Heat oven to 350˚.
2. DO NOT spray or otherwise grease pan—wontons will become soggy if you do!
3. Mix crab, cream cheese, sour cream, and seasonings.
4. Carefully place a wonton wrapper in min muffin pan well; fill with 1 teaspoon of crab mixture. Fold up ends to cover filling. Repeat to fill muffin pan.
5. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Watch for edges of wonton wrappers to become slightly browned.
6. Serve warm with sweet & sour sauce or soy sauce.
   

Bacon Cheddar Spread

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 T. milk
1 c. finely shredded sharp cheddar*
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 T. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, well-drained and chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 t. hot pepper sauce or more to taste
assorted bagel crisps or pita chips

1. Combine cream cheese and milk in a medium bowl; mix well.
2. Stir in cheddar, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, green onion and hot pepper sauce; mix well.
3. Transfer to serving dish. Serve with bagel crisps or pita chips.
   

*Smoked or plain gouda, Swiss, or muenster may be substituted for cheddar, if desired.

Recipe request — chili

People ask me for this recipe often; although, to me it is just very basic. I'm not a fan of food that sets your mouth on fire, so I put a generous hunk of brown sugar in my chili, and I think that may be what people enjoy most about it. You can adjust the seasoning to suit your taste, but please don't leave the brown sugar out! LOL!

Goldie's Chili

2 lbs. ground turkey
–OR- 4 chicken breasts, chopped into 1/4" chunks
1 very large sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced (I use a garlic press)
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 cans (15 oz.) navy or great northern beans*
1 c. carrots, shredded
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1 t. paprika
1 t. marjoram
1/2 t. oregano
dash of celery salt, to taste
dash of black pepper, to taste
3 T. brown sugar

1. Brown meat in large frying pan, using a splash of olive oil. Remove from pan.
2. Sautee onions in same pan; cook until opaque and beginning to brown.
3. Into large stock pot or Dutch oven, add meat and onions, plus all other ingredients; mix very well. Add water, a little at a time, if consistency is too thick. (I like a thicker chili, myself)
4. Simmer over medium heat, tasting and adjusting seasonings as you prefer, until carrots are soft and tender.
5. Serve with Tabasco on the side, for those who want a hotter chili.
   

* a mix of different beans can change the recipe visually, without really tampering with the flavor—sometimes I use a can of black beans with a can of black-eyed peas. Or you could go with traditional red kidney beans and add a can of butter beans for a different texture.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

"The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein

When reading this, you can actually believe that the story is told from the point of view of a dog. It really does capture your imagination, and your heart, too.

Enzo, the main character, is a dog of lab and terrier mix, who aspires to be good enough in this life to return as a human in his next life. Funny to think of a dog philosophizing like that, but the way it is written, you get totally wrapped up in the character of Enzo the dog. He lives with a family that goes through a lot of turmoil, and he perseveres along with them. You end up loving this dog!

The title comes from another main character, Denny, who has hopes of becoming the next great Formula One driver. He and Enzo watch video tapes together, and the dog commits a great amount of detail to memory, and explains why these things are important as he narrates the story.

Really amazing book, and a bit of a tear-jerker, I admit. Definitely recommend.
(Parental discretion advised, due to some bad language, however.)


Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Crafter's Choice

A Summer Favorite!

Right now, it is the dead of winter; but, I'm thinking summery thoughts as I look through some of my favorite recipes. One thing my husband and I both love is this great summer salad--you can either put it on bread, in a pita pocket, or just eat it out of a bowl. Auntie D can leave the raisins out... *wink*

Chicken Waldorf Salad

1 can white chicken meat
1/3 c. mayo
1/3 c. sour cream
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. honey
1 RED apple, cored and cut into wedges, then diced
1 GREEN apple, cored and cut into wedges, then diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 c. RED grapes, sliced (or diced)
1 c. GREEN grapes, sliced (or diced)
1/3 c. raisins
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

1. In medium bowl, blend: mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, honey.
2. Stir in other ingredients.
3. Eat.

NOTES: It really is necessary to use both red and green apples, and both red and green grapes. I have tried this recipe in various mixtures, but this complete one is your best option, honestly. Otherwise, it seems unbalanced to me.
I have also tried it with chopped pecans instead of walnuts, and either way, we liked it just as well.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

If you enjoy great cookie satisfaction with as little effort as possible, then THIS is the cookie recipe for YOU! I forget where this originally came from, but it's a holiday staple for me now, because it's so flippin' easy, and everyone loves it.

Peanut Butter Shortbread

1 can cream cheese frosting; divided
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. flour
1 egg
optional: 1 c. chopped peanuts

1. Heat oven to 325.
2. Grease and flour 15x10 jellyroll pan. (i.e. the thing you call your "large" cookie sheet)
   
3. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of frosting with other ingredients.
4. Press into pan.
5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Spread remaining frosting on warm cookies. Allow to cool, then cut into bars.

NOTE: At times, I have forgone the frosting on top--WHAT?!--and dipped the cut bars into melted chocolate chips. After all, you really can't go wrong with anything dipped in chocolate, right?

Coffee...

For those of you who know me well, you could probably say that you've rarely seen me without a cup of coffee in my hand. Not for long, anyhow. My one vice, I suppose.

I'm always open to trying new brands and roasts of coffee, and although I don't consider myself a true aficionado, I know what I like. Here is a list of some of my favorite coffees, in no particular order:

• Lavaza
• Intenso
• Dolce
• Qualita Oro
• Caribou
  
• Fireside
• Caribou Blend
• Sumatra
• Mahogany
• Obsidian
• Cafe Kimbo Espresso Napoletano
• Brewed Awakenings Kenya
  
• Gevalia
  
• Cafe Sperl
• Royal Vinter (seasonal)
• Stockholm Roast
• Costa Rica Peaberry
• Traditional Roast
• Eight O'Clock Coffee
  
• Costco's Sumatra (no, really, it's good!)
• Coffee Beanery Breakfast Blend
  
• Newman's Own Organics Special Blend Extra Bold
  
• Green Mountain Coffee
  
• Dark Magic Extra Bold
• Nantucket Blend
• French Roast
• Tully's Kona
  
• Illy Espresso
  
• Löfbergslila Mellanrost
• Emeril's Coffee Big Easy Blend
  
  

Gripe Of The Day

YOU!

STOP IT!

Stop sending me these damn bad luck emails!

"If you don't forward this to ten people, then you'll have bad luck, blah, blah, blah..."


What the %$#@ is that all about? Here was my last (humorous) reply to a friend who sent me a bad luck email today:

"Thanks for wishing bad luck on me. Appreciate that. Why the BLEEP do people send this kind of BLEEP out to begin with?! What the BLEEP is wrong with you people?!?!?!?!?!?!

GRRRRRRRRR...... BLEEPBLEEPBLEEPBLEEPITY-BLEEP....

Oh, by the way, if you don't forward this to 8,561,992 people in the next nanosecond, your BLEEPs will fall off and seven people you work with will all lose at least one limb and a portion of genitalia in a horrific workplace accident which will end with an explosion of raw sewage covering a 2-square-mile area, fire, and widespread hysteria. And you'll run out of COFFEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And toilet paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have A Wonderful Day!!"



Okay. I'm done now. *takes a bow*


P.S.
You may use the "comment" section of this post to reference any of the new features I've recently put on the site. *smirk*

I love veggies...

This recipe was originally given to me by a high school boyfriend's step-mom. She also made the most amazing cheesecake...I never got that recipe from Gail, however... But, I love vegetables and this is one great use for fresh garden zucchini.

Zucchini Casserole

2 lbs. zucchini, diced into cubes
1/2 a small onion, minced
1 c. carrots, grated
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 box Stove Top Stuffing
1 c. sour cream

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Butter the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. (or other large casserole dish)
3. In a large bowl, microwave zucchini, carrots and onion for 5 minutes on high to pre-cook them.
4. Mix sour cream and soup into vegetables. Set aside.
   
5. In separate bowl, melt butter in microwave; stir in stuffing crumbs.
6. Spread HALF of the stuffing crumbs in an even layer on bottom of baking dish.
7. Layer all of the vegetable mixture on crumbs.
8. Top with remaining stuffing crumbs.
9. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until sides are bubbly.

NOTE: Options include using a different flavor of soup; adding more veggies (I love fresh mushrooms!); topping with shredded cheese. I suppose if you were to add some type of meat to this, it could be served as a main course.

No more Hamburger Helper! *barf*

This topic could probably be filed under the heading of "child abuse"...frightening childhood memories of being forced to eat Hamburger Helper. My mom subscribed to the "tough love" method of cooking, whereby she would begin a dinner, only to walk away and get comfortable on the couch; letting dinner fend for itself. Can't tell you how many times I heard from behind a newspaper, "something's burning...I hope it's not your dinner...!" Which was mom-code for, "hey, somebody should go stir that pot/pan." Passive-aggressive anger expressed via Hamburger Helper. Still makes me cringe. Here, try this, it's much better than that pre-packaged, high-sodium, nightmare-inducing garbage....

Beef 'N' Barley Dinner

2 lbs. ground beef/turkey
1/2 c. chopped celery (1 stalk)
1 small onion, minced
2 c. water
1 can (16oz.) tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 T. sugar (I use brown sugar...mmmm...)
3/4 c. pearled barley

1. In large skillet, brown the meat. Drain grease. (if you're using ground turkey, there won't be any grease!!!)
   
2. Add onion and garlic; sautee until onion becomes opaque.
   
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover.
5. Simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, until barley is tender, stirring occasionally.
   

Easy Side Dish

This is an old recipe, recalled from my childhood, and something I always enjoyed. It used to be promoted, I think, by both Campbell's Soup and Minute Rice, on the back of the labels--that kind of thing. You can make it with your choice of soup, so it can really be any flavor of rice that you want.

Souped-Up Minute Rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk
1 soup can + 1 handful of Minute Rice

Mix all ingredients in a 2 quart casserole dish, and microwave for 4 minutes. Stir well. Cook another minute, testing rice to make sure it is done.

You can substitute whatever soup you like, such as: cheddar cheese, cream of chicken, cream of shrimp, beef consume, etc. Any additions, such as a can of mushrooms or other veggies, should be added at the 4-minute mark.

Irish Soda Bread

Many years ago, my grandma enjoyed shopping at the bakery in the basement level of Marshall Field's. There was always a sale table where day-old breads, cakes and pasteries were displayed, and Grandma loved their Irish soda bread. It had a cake-like texture, and definitely a considerable amount of sugar. I've tried many times to recreate it. This is as close as I got:

Irish Soda Bread by Goldie

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1 cup golden raisins

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
   
2. Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
3. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
   
4. Add the eggs, sour cream and raisins and mix until just combined.
   
5. Distribute batter evenly between the two pans.
6. Bake loaves at 325˚ for 1 hour.
   

NOTE: You could also bake these in two round casserole dishes, for more traditional-shaped loaves.

Missing old friends

Tony is a good friend of ours who moved back to New Jersey, where most of his family lives. He comes to visit occasionally and either stays with us or other friends in Chicago. I have a lot of very funny friends, but, man, I gotta tell you, other than my husband, Tony is the funniest guy I know (sorry, JST!). Not just funny, but also a very good cook. Miss you terribly, Bean Curd...this one's for you...

Tony's Goat Cheese Dip

2 4-oz packages of goat cheese
salt (to taste)
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup of chopped pistachios
1/2 stick of butter
optional: fresh cut chives, minced

1. Let the cheese and butter soften at room temp. Whip together with a fork, blending well.
2. Take a fairly large garlic clove and chop into little pieces. add a teaspoon of salt to the garlic, and with the back of spoon smush together until it makes a paste.
   
3. Add the garlic-salt paste to the cheese-butter mix and whip that together.
4. Add the pistachios and chopped up chives (the chives are really optional).
5. Heat at 10-second intervals in the microwave, stirring frequently, until the texture "loosens up" but is not too hot.
   
6. Serve with melba rounds, pita chips, or crackers.
7. Prepare to find it irresistible and gain ten pounds.

[NOTE: I sometimes stretch this recipe out by adding a block of cream cheese, which also tames down the flavor of the goat cheese, because it can be overwhelming if you've never tried it before.]

True Devotion - A Fan's Story

I had actually written this story a few years ago...okay, maybe it was ten years ago...and it still tells well. My husband and I are huge Chicago Blackhawks fans. Huge. Rabid. As in, you probably wouldn't want to sit in front of me at a game, unless you like your ears bleeding from someone screaming behind you. But, anyway, this story is completely true....

It was a dark and stormy night…. (ha, ha!)

Actually, it had been snowing for a good part of the day and into the evening. Not a heavy snow; just a lot of big, fluffy snowflakes falling continuously.

My husband was working late and I was home from work—I forget why—doing things around the house and running a few errands.

At about 6pm, he called to tell me that he would be home around 8pm, and asked me to set up the TiVo to record the game that night. I can't recall whether the game was in Buffalo or Boston, but I quickly realized it was going to be on an hour earlier that I had originally anticipated, so I thanked him for the reminder and went downstairs to turn on the tv.

Pixelation. Then, that little blue bar at the bottom of the screen: No satellite signal

NO! How could this happen? It wasn't snowing all that hard, and it was a light, fluffy snow. Not the kind of snow that sticks to your satellite dish and disrupts your feed!

I went outside to evaluate the situation. Our house had what is called a "hip roof"; meaning it's high and pointy. Only the edge of the dish was visible from where I stood in the back yard. Still, I picked up a handful of snow, crushed it together, and threw the snowball at the dish in hopes of clearing the layer of snow off.

I missed. Completely.

So I stepped back about five feet, gathered more snow and threw another one. I couldn't tell where that one landed. Another five feet back and the branches of a huge tree were in the path of the next hopeful snowball.

Back inside to check the picture. Nothing. Damn it. Back outside.

'How in the world am I going to….?' I pondered as I stood on the back step; then I spotted the garden hose, still on its reel, not put away for the winter. Ah, good—that'll work!

Silently thanking my lazy husband, I turned on the faucet. Water sprayed me in the face. I shut off the faucet and looked at the sprayer nozzle. Cracked. The metal had split when the water inside the nozzle froze and expanded.

Silently cursing my lazy husband, I went to the garage to look for the other sprayer nozzle. Gone. Nowhere to be found. Ran in the house and checked the utility room. Nothing. Black electrical tape sitting on a shelf caught my eye. Good deal.

Now noticing the cold outside, I unscrewed the nozzle and took it into the basement to apply the electrical tape. Back outside.

With cold hands, I happily unwound the hose and dragged it over to the other side of the house where the dish sits atop the high roof. Piece of cake.

I ran to the driveway and turned on the water again, then ran back around to pick up the hose. As far as I could estimate, I was aiming the water at the dish, but it was hard to tell, and I was getting cold real fast. So I went back to the faucet and shut it off, then went downstairs to check the tv.

Nothing. No picture. Damn it!

Back outside. Turned the water on. Ran back to the hose at the side of the house.

'If only I could see a little better…' I mumbled to myself. Water was beginning to get past the tape—the sprayer was dripping. An idea hit me: the ladder!

From the garage, I managed to drag our long aluminum extension ladder through the snow and over to the side of the house. The sprayer handle was dripping more and more—black electrical tape was never intended to be water-proof—so I tried to hurry up and get the ladder against the side of the house.

I went about four rungs up, dragging the heavy hose, which was dripping and becoming clumped with snow from the ground. Saying a prayer, "please let this work, please let this work," I held the hose up and pressed the sprayer handle with my half-frozen hand. The jet of water wasn't going far enough, so I went up two more rungs on the ladder and sprayed again.

Dropping the hose and my wet glove to the ground, I muttered, "Well, that ought to do it," and climbed down, with a feeling of accomplishment. Back inside.

Nothing. No picture. Damn it!!!

Back outside. Another pair of gloves. Up the ladder, higher this time, aim for the dish. Sprayer nozzle speckling my glasses so that I can't see. Water dripping down my arm, soaking my jacket. One more rung. Leaning, leaning…

I can't see. I'm cold. I'm getting soaked. I REALLY want to see this game now, and I'm not going to give up until I do! Back inside.

Not a thing. No Hawks. Damn it!!!

Back outside. Wet glasses off—can't see. Take off wet jacket and wrap it around the hand that's holding the now badly-leaking sprayer nozzle. Loudly curse the pathetic electrical tape that isn't holding. Back up ladder, up to edge of roof this time. Anger makes me bold. Aim hose, hold on to gutter, lean farther, spray water….

And then I heard it: thunder.

Only twice before in my life have I heard thunder and seen lightning in a snow storm.

Thunder, hmmm. So here I am on a high extension ladder, holding onto a metal gutter, spraying water into the air…

"Aw, man, this ain't right…." I say aloud as I continue spraying water over the roof, as well as drenching myself with the broken, taped nozzle. "That's GOT to do it…." Back inside.

The first period is just ending. I have tv again. I got my Hawks.

"#@$%, yeah!!!" I yelled to no one in particular.


NOTE: As far as I can recall, the Hawks won this game.

Irish Stew

Grandpa Dorton was Irish-Apache, and the Irish in him was a big fan of soups and stews. I used to cook a lot of soup for grandma and grandpa later in their lives, and I usually made or bought bread to accompany the soup, because after all, what good is soup without bread to sop up the broth? Irish stew is meant to be served with a hearty wheat bread, oat muffins, or a nice baguette.

Irish Stew

2 lbs. stew meat, cubed generously (This may be a chuck roast, or meat purchased under the somewhat ambiguous title "stew meat.")
1 very large onion—diced into big chunks
8 to 10 small new red potatoes; peeled & cut into chunks
2 or 3 medium carrots; peeled and cut into large chunks
2 stalks of celery, each cut into 3 pieces
6 cups of water

SEASONINGS:
4 beef bouillon cubes
4 garlic cloves, pressed (or 2 tsp. crushed garlic from a jar)
2 tsp. marjoram
2 Tblsp. parsley flakes
1 squirt of ketchup (no, seriously)

DESTRUCTIONS:

1. Ahead of time, you may want to put meat tenderizer on the beef, but you don't have to—the longer you let the stew simmer, the more tender the meat will get.
2. Brown meat in large pot or Dutch oven with a dab of olive oil. To sear meat, put pot on stove and allow to heat well (toss a small piece of meat in and listen for the "SSSSS!"—then, it's hot).
3. Chop onion into large chunks and add to meat. Mix around to distribute for even cooking. (most of the onion will disintegrate as it cooks, anyways)
4. Add garlic, marjoram, and parsley flakes; stir well. Let cook a while to blend the flavor of the seasonings.
5. Meanwhile, start peeling your potatoes. Cut them into cubes as large or small as you like. Add to meat in pot. Stir.
6. Cut your celery into chunks; usually about 3" long or so. Add to pot as well. Give it another stir.
7. Peel your carrots and chop them into chunks as large or small as you prefer. Give the pot another big stir.
8. Now you can add your bouillon cubes and water. The water should be enough to cover all of the meat and vegetables; if not, add more water 1/2 cup at a time.
9. Add the 'squirt' of catsup/ketchup. How much? Not so much that the stew turns red. Probably about 2 tablespoons.
10. Bring ingredients to a good boil—uncovered. Leave at a medium boil for 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning on the bottom (it helps if you have a non-stick pot).
    
11. Taste it! If it needs anything like salt, this would be the time to add it!
12. Turn heat way down and place lid on at a slight angle, so that it's not sealed. Let simmer for at least an hour. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.

Creamy Shell Soup

I first made this a few weeks ago...okay, it might have been November, I can't remember...and my husband absolutely loved it. It's easy enough to make, even if you do let the pasta get over-cooked.

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 small onion, diced
1 can navy beans
1 (large) can mushrooms, drained (I had actually used fresh ones, because I had some)
6 c. water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
spices: poultry seasoning, chives, coriander, parsley flakes, salt, & pepper.
2 c. uncooked pasta shells (small or medium; either is fine)

Roux: 4 T. butter w/ 4 T. flour & +/- 4 c. milk

1. Dice chicken into 1/2 – 1/4 inch cubes; mince onion; put into stock pot with 6 cups of water. Add seasonings and bouillon cubes.
   
2. Bring to a boil, and add mushrooms and navy beans.
   
3. Once boiling again, add pasta & begin making roux by melting butter in small sauce pan.
   
4. Stir four into melted butter, and cook, adding milk slowly.
   
5. Bring to a boil and watch for it to thicken to a nice rich consistency, then add to stock pot. Stir well to blend.
   

Goldie's Baked Mostaccioli

2 pounds lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/2 of a large sweet onion, minced
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (from jar)
Spices: parsley flakes, oregano, marjoram, tarragon, sage, black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 box (16 oz.) mostaccioli
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 cup (4 oz.) mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. In large frying pan, sauté onion until lightly browned; remove from pan and set aside.
2. Brown ground beef/turkey; drain grease. Remove from heat.
3. Add onions back in; add pasta sauce, garlic, tomatoes, mushrooms, brown sugar and spices. Mix well.
4. In large stockpot, bring salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente. Drain pasta very well and put back into pot.
5. Mix meat sauce into pasta; stir well.
6. Pour into large baking/casserole dish; top with Romano and mozzarella.
7. Bake—covered—at 350˚ for 20 minutes. Remove lid/foil and bake 10 minutes more.
   

Grandpa Dorton and chocolate cake

In the year 1918, an epidemic of influenza* spread through the United States—about 28% of the population suffered, and 500,000 to 675,000 died. My great grandmother was one of those who did not survive. My grandfather was only six years old when his mother died, and his best memory of her was the cakes she made: devil's food chocolate cake with white [marshmallow] frosting and coconut on top. This recipe is dedicated to the memory of my grandpa…


Devil's Food Cake with Coconut Frosting

3/4 c. cocoa
2/3 c. boiling water
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter, softened
4 eggs
1 c. fresh buttermilk
2 1/2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

1. Preheat oven to 325˚. Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan.
2. Stir cocoa into boiling water until dissolved; set aside.
   
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, butter and eggs until very light and fluffy.
   
4. Add buttermilk; mix well. Add all remaining ingredients, including dissolved cocoa; mix well. Pour into prepared Bundt pan.
5. Bake at 325˚ for 65 to 75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan; cool on rack.
   

Marshmallow Frosting

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine or butter, softened
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk, divided
1 pkg. shredded coconut flakes

1. Place margarine, marshmallow creme and vanilla in small bowl; beat on medium speed until well blended.
   
2. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until well blended.
3. Blend in 1 Tbsp. of the milk. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. milk if necessary for desired spreading consistency.
   
4. Press shredded coconut onto top and sides of frosted cake.
   

*references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/influenza-epidemic/