Good Meatballs for Spaghetti

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1 1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp dry parsley
1 tsp garlic puree
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix all together. It’s sometimes easier to mix this with your hands,but can be really cold! Form small balls and fry in a little olive oil. Add to spaghetti sauce and serve over pasta.

I sometimes make my meatballs into little meat patties because I’m too impatient to wait and cook them on all sides. Tastes just the same and cooks quicker.

You can also just drop them into the spaghetti sauce without frying them and let them cook in the sauce.  Just make them really small. (My friend Connie’s Mom, Mary used to make meatballs that way and she is Italian – so it must be legit.)

Banana Bread

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banana-bread

My grandmother used to make amazing banana bread and this is a version of her recipe. She always mashed the bananas and left them out on the counter for a little while so they darkened up a bit, leaving lovely little brown streaks in the baked bread. She loved to bake and always brought several dozen cookies with her in coffee cans when she would come to visit.(Coffee cans were the container of choice before tupperware.)

My mother, who was a wise and kind woman, would then let us kids sit at the breakfast table with glasses of milk and eat as many cookies as we wanted. I suppose she let us get it our of our systems, which would cut down on begging for cookies later on. Thanks, Mom! Just one more way you were the best mother in the world.

One time when I was 16, Grandma asked me if I wanted cookies, and I said no, I’d better not – too much sugar and fat for me. She was stunned and said with complete sincerity, “Oh, no – cookies are good for you!”   Yes, Grandma they were.

1/4 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas, very ripe, mashed with a fork
1 1/2 tbsp sour cream or plain yoghurt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Mix very well in a big bowl.

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Blend in a small bowl and gently stir into banana mixture. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if you like.

Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans, or one larger baking pan (shown above). Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. If the middle of the bread is still very liquidy bake a little longer.

My notes say, Ali loves this – he ate one whole loaf himself !- 2-16-01 (He was 13.)

Good Tuna Casserole

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Does anyone ever make this anymore? It was a food group when we were growing up!

But with 7 people in the family, it was a quick, delicious casserole that fed a lot of people. Recipes like this that called for a can of mushroom soup are legendary, and they often included a packet of Lipton’s onion soup mix.  But they were tasty!

1 9-oz bag wide egg noodles
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 can tuna in spring water, drained
1 can Campbell’s golden mushroom soup
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 barista (fried onions) In this case you could use french fried onions.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook noodles in salted water according to package directions, adding peas for the last minute of cooking. Drain. In an ovenproof skillet, mix everything else, and heat for five minutes until warmed through. Add the noodles and peas and gently mix. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Can top with extra onions before baking.

Now let’s go watch “The Waltons!”

Chicken Qorma

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Chicken Qorma is like Chicken Curry.  Ali and I made this several times and perfected the recipe on 9-12-04.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, and 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 onions, very thinly sliced, or 2/3 cup barista (Pre-fried onions)
1/4 cup or 2 Tbsp oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp crushed ginger
1 1/2 cup plain yoghurt, stirred very well
3/4 cup water

Mix all spices with the 2 Tbsp water and set aside. If you are using fresh onions, add the oil to a dutch oven and fry onions until golden brown. Then follow recipe as shown below. (You don’t need to add more oil.)

If you are using Barista, heat 2 Tbsp oil in a dutch oven, and saute garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the spice mix in water and fry for a couple more minutes. Add the barista (if you are using fresh onions, they will already be in the pan.) Add the chicken and stir to coat it with flavoring. Then add yoghurt and water and stir well. Cook 20 – 30 more minutes until chicken is done. Serve over rice cooked with peas.

This dish is even better the second day. It may seem like a lot of oil, but the all the good flavor of the spices is soaked into the oil and you won’t want to miss a drop!  Barista is onions that are already fried, and have quite a bit of oil in them already. They are not french-fried onions – rather they are just onions fried to a very gold brown.

Pumpkin Bread

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3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup apple cider or water
2 cups (1 smaller can) of pumpkin
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix flour and baking soda in a small bowl. Mix everything else in a large bowl and then gently add flour mix. Do not over mix. Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake at 350 for one hour. If you use a baking dish, just keep an eye on the time – since it will bake more quickly.

Easy & Good Lasagna

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1 box uncooked lasagna noodles
2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce. I like Prego’s Traditional for this.
1 lb. hamburger, browned
1 container ricotta cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 packages of mozzarella cheese – hold back 1 cup for topping
1 tsp salt
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano

Mix hamburger and spaghetti sauce. Mix ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and spices in a bowl. Pour a generous amount of sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer lasagna noodles across the bottom, breaking noodles to fit. Layer half of the cheese on the noodles. Add a layer of spaghetti sauce and a layer of lasagna noodles. Repeat one more time, and then pour the last of the spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle mozzarella on the top and baked at 350 for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Good Tuna Salad

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1 can tuna, drained or a 7 oz. pouch
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 Miracle Whip
2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
1 hard-boiled egg, diced
2 tsp lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all and use for sandwiches.

Strawberry Trifle

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Trifle, which is a dish somewhat unfamiliar to most Americans, is a dangerous, dangerous dessert.

It starts off all pretty and shiny in a clear glass trifle dish, with bits of cake and strawberries creating a lovely layered display and a rich yellow custard and white fluffy whipped cream on top.  Soon though, it’s served and forms a rather untidy, gloppy serving of sheer heaven.  You have it once and think, I don’t have a trifle problem. Me? No – I can take it or leave it.  But then you see some strawberries with whipped cream nearby and suddenly you can taste the custard and cake, too.  There’s no getting away from it.

I’ve made trifle for years and it’s one of the most often requested birthday “cakes” from my family.  My recipe is a little different, but it’s what we like and what I find easiest to make.  You can substitute different fruits or liqueurs, and it is still wonderful. The most delightful part is the Rich Custard, but if you really must you can substitute vanilla pudding. Just add a bit more vanilla extract.

Ingredients:

Angel Food Cake, cut into 1″ thick slices
2 pints of fresh or frozen strawberries, halved and tumbled with 1/4 cup sugar for 15 minutes. (Or 1 large container of strawberries in syrup, thawed.)
Generous splash of brandy or sherry – say 2 Tbsp?  I’ve used Cognac in a pinch, too.
Whipped Cream (Home made Whipped Cream is easy.)
Slivered almonds, toasted in an oven for a few minutes.
Rich Custard (recipe below)

In a large, clear glass bowl, line bottom and sides with angel food cake slices.

Mix the brandy and sugar with the strawberries, and place the strawberries on the sides and on the bottom of the dish. You want the strawberries to provide a pop of red color. Pour any remaining liquid evenly over the bottom.

Pour cooled rich custard over the cake and strawberries, and top with whipped cream and slivered almonds. Serve immediately. If you have to wait to serve, refrigerate it and just hold off on the whipped cream and almonds until right before serving.

Rich Custard:

1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
5 cups whole milk
4 eggs, well beaten in a medium sized bowl
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla

Blend sugar, salt, cornstarch and whole milk in a large saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil stirring constantly. Once the custard reaches the boil, remove from heat and add 1 cup to the eggs in the bowl, stirring vigorously so the eggs don’t cook. Add another cup of milk mix to the eggs, and continue stirring.

Return the whole thing to the saucepan and put back on medium/low heat. Heat for 1-2 minutes until the custard is just starting to bubble a little. Don’t leave it for a second at this point or it will curdle. Remove from heat and add in vanilla. Let cool before adding to trifle dish.  It will thicken as it cools

This recipe also makes a lovely pouring custard. Just add another cup of milk. We don’t eat pouring custard much in the US, but it’s delicious dessert sauce. Just a bowl of fresh fruit with pouring custard poured over – it’s simple and wonderful.

For a party, use nice clear wide plastic glasses and build the trifle in them. Just before serving add the whipped cream and almonds – it’s so easy and looks really pretty

There are so many wonderful kinds of trifle.  Here are a couple of my favorites.

Mango Cardamom Trifle

Variation:  Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

Make chocolate custard:  skip the Vanilla, add a generous 1/3 cup cocoa to the sugar and cornstarch, and pour in a little of the milk. Stir well until the cocoa is completely mixed in.  We didn’t increase the sugar and it tasted fine.

Use slices of unfrosted chocolate cake and fresh or frozen raspberries, and top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips.

I’ve made both of these for a large graduation party – see my tips here:

A TALE OF TWO TRIFLES FOR A GRADUATION PARTY

Blanc Mange

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From Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book.  A crazy simple pudding that I used to make in Karachi when Kumy and I were hungry for a treat.  For some reason it became our go-to treat when we were watching movies.

2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups milk

Mix well in a saucepan, then bring to a boil on medium heat. Stir constantly, and watch or it will scorch!

Boil gently for one minute, then remove from heat and add

3 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter

Yum.

Chicken Cacciatore

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From 1-4-2000.  Kumy loves this and so do I. When I made this when the kids were little, I would make it in two stages: the kid version and the grownup version. Now we just make it all together – and serve it over pasta.

1st Stage – Kids

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs, cut into slices
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
water (1/4 to 1/2 cup?)

Heat oil in a large pot and saute chicken. Remove chicken and add onions, cooking until translucent. Add garlic and saute a couple more minutes. Add everything else and cook together for 30 minutes or more.

Stop here for the kid’s version and serve over pasta.

2nd Stage – Grownups

1 package button mushroom, halved
1 tsp butter
dash salt and pepper
1/2 cup merlot or dry red wine

Saute mushrooms in melted butter for several minutes until they release their water. Keep cooking until most of the water evaporates. Add salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with red wine, and add to chicken mixture. Heat through and serve over pasta.