Angie's Pasta Salad

 This recipe is from our friend, Angie...Mom's hairdresser for 30 years. This was one of Mom's favorite pasta salads.

Angie's Pasta Salad

3 Cheese Tortellini

Asparagus, cut in pieces 

1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

Grape Tomatoes, cut in half

Feta Cheese

Black Olives

Kalamata Olives

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Salt and Pepper

Cook pasta and cool. Saute asparagus pieces in olive oil. Then season with garlic powder and onion powder. Cool. Mix all ingredients together, in desired amounts to taste.

Lasagna

Lasagna

4 strips bacon, sliced

1 c. chopped onions

1 lb. hamburger

4 garlic cloves

1 tsp. salt

¼. Tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. chili pepper

1 can (14.5) diced tomatoes

1 can tomato soup

2 cans tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium carrot, sliced

3 Tbsp. parsley, diced

Crisp bacon in a saucepan, remove from pan and set aside. Keep the bacon grease and add onions and hamburger to brown. Add garlic, seasonings, tomato cans, and vegetables. Let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If you can let it simmer longer, it will be even better!

Lasagna noodles (cooked or uncooked according to your favorite method)

16 oz. cottage cheese

1 lb. grated mozzarella cheese

In a greased 9x13 pan, layer lasagna noodles, sauce, cottage cheese, grated mozzarella, repeat layers one more time. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until cheese just begins to brown.

Henri's Cheese Bread Spread

Yum!! This is a recipe that we got a million years ago, or at least, a very long time ago, when I worked at Henri's, a restaurant in Longview, WA that is no longer in business.  But, their cheese bread lives on!

Henri’s Cheese Bread Spread

5 oz. romano cheese, grated

5 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 lb. butter, softened

1 t. Garlic powder (or to taste)

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients together. Store in refrigerator.

To serve: Bring to room temperature, spread on French bread. Broil until golden.

OR- It is now sold already made for you! It is available at CheeseButta. Yum!

Recipe shared by Robin.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Photo and recipe courtesy of Our Best Bites. Original post found here.

This is the best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever had. It's very fresh with lots of diced tomatoes and onions. Although we've never done this, we think it would be awesome if you want to make it meatless and just add sauteed mushrooms.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Italian Meatballs:

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage (some of my kids don’t like this, so I now just use all ground beef)
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or the canned stuff is fine, but of course not as good as fresh)
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt

Turn on the oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. 

Gently combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape the meat mixture into meatballs. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. 

Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the meatballs are becoming brown and fragrant. If you’re going to be simmering the meatballs in soup or sauce, it’s best to cook them until they’re just brown so they can finish cooking in the sauce or soup and release some of their flavor into the cooking liquid. 

Sauce:

1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-2 Tbs Olive oil
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of baking soda (to help neutralize the acid)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached–about 25-30 minutes for a sauce that’s of medium consistency. Serves 8-10. 

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare meatballs as directed, but divide the meatballs among two freezer-safe containers. Prepare sauce through adding all ingredients to the pan, but don’t simmer; rather, divide the sauce among the two containers. Freeze until ready to use. When ready to use, place in slow cooker and cook on low for about 5-6 hours, although you’ll want to keep an eye on the sauce and make sure it’s not burning if you go for the whole 6 hours.

Recipe shared by Carolyn.