Homemade HH

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Pepper
3 Tbsp margarine or butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups milk
1 cup water
2 cups elbow or shell pasta noodles
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In large skillet, brown ground beef with chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves. Season with pepper. Once fully cooked, drain and rinse ground beef. Do not return beef to the skillet. Yet.
2. In same skillet, add margarine or butter. Once melted, whisk in flour to form a paste. Quickly whisk in milk until no clumps remain. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, until sauce starts to bubble and thicken.
3. Once sauce starts to thicken, add 1 cup of water and 2 cups of pasta shells. Stir through. Add 1 lb. of meat and mix together. Cover and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, or until pasta shells have cooked through. Stir often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken slightly after removing from heat.

Cheesy Cauliflower

For family reunion:

1 cauliflower head, broken into small pieces (I'm going to try frozen cauliflower)
2 cups cottage cheese
3 T flour
1/2 t salt and pepper
1 cup shredded cheese

1. Cook cauliflower in steamer or microwave.
2. In bowl, mix flour, cottage cheese, S/P. Add cooked cauliflower and mix together.
3. Place mixture in 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over top.
4. Bake 20 minutes at 350, until cheese turns golden brown.

Fruit and Veggie Muffins

1 cup flour
3 T canola oil **
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup mashed or grated fruit or veggie ***See ideas below!
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. In bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar and mashed fruit or veggie. Whisk. Mix well.
3. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix until it forms into batter. I use my hand mixer beaters. Add nuts if you like.
4. Pour into muffin cups like this.
5. Mini muffins: Bake 8-10 minutes. Regular muffins: Bake 15-2o minutes. Tops will turn golden. 6. Cool on cooling rack and then serve to hungry little people!

**Oil: If I double the recipe, then I will use 3 Tbsp applesauce and 3 Tbsp canola oil instead of 6 Tbsp canola oil.
***Fruits and Veggies: 1 cup mashed banana, 1 cup grated apple, 1 cup squash and 1 cup grated apple (double the recipe), 1 cup grated carrots (add 1/2 cup raisins if you like), 1 cup peeled and grated zucchini, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup bananas and 1 cup strawberries (double the recipe)…or 1 cup of any other veggie you like…just mash or grate them up!
Note: These freeze beautifully! Thaw in just 10 seconds in the microwave, or in a few minutes on the counter.

Pudding Frosting!!!

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding, any flavor
1 cup cold milk
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
Beat pudding mix, milk and sugar in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP.
SPREAD onto cupcakes immediately or store frosting covered in refrigerator up to 24 hours.

Chicken Parmigiana my way

6 Breaded chicken pieces from bag in freezer, thawed
1/2 cup Oil
32 oz spaghetti sauce
2 Tablespoons Butter (or margarine)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
8 ounces Mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded

Heat oil in skillet until hot, quickly brown chicken on both sides, remove to shallow baking dishes. Simmer spaghetti sauce in same skillet for 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in butter. Pour over chicken, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, cover with mozzarella cheese, and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer.
I like to serve this meal over cooked spaghetti noodles.

Hammy Cheese

1lb. Smoked Ham (find these by the bacon), dice
2 lb. pasta (shells & rotini are a few faves)
16 oz. Shredded Cheese, we like Jack & Cheddar
1/4 cup milk
Salt
Pepper
Season-All (or Old Bay seasoning if you are from the Mid-Atlantic/East Coast)
2-4 TBsp. butter
1/4 cup (homemade) bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta until just tender. Drain. Dice ham, add to pasta & mix in large bowl. Butter the bottom of baking dish. Mix cheese & milk in a bowl, pour over pasta & ham. Mix in salt & pepper to taste. Place mixture into buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with season-all (or old bay), then bread crumbs & finally a pat or 2 of the butter.Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes depending on your oven. This makes enough for 2 dinners for 4 people.

Ham & Hashbrown Bake

1 lg. bag frozen hashbrowns (approx 2 lbs)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 8-oz carton of sour cream
2 cups diced ham

Mix all ingredients together, reserving 1 cup of cheese to the side. Pour into greased 13x9 inch casserole dish; cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 90 minutes.