Paula Deen's Baked Spaghetti (A re-post from September 10, 2010)

Here's another make ahead dish for my canning days. Because our kitchen is so small, I really do take up the entire kitchen and every inch of space in it, and then some, for my canning projects. Except I leave a small, clear path to the microwave. So when Pritchard Parker comes home from work hungry, it is easy to get him a meal quickly.

I do the same thing in December when I turn my kitchen into a bakery. I would take a picture of it but I would be too embarrassed for you to see it. It would remind you of one of those hoarders you see on TV. (Maybe I exaggerate a little).

I made only slight changes to the recipe you can find on Paula Deen's website, the main one being the fact that I did not use her branded seasoning concoctions, of which she calls for three. Also I altered the sauce cooking instructions slightly.

Paula Deen's Baked Spaghetti
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 - 3 cloves minced garlic
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water (I sloshed the tomato cans with water to make this amount)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 small bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 oz. thin spaghetti
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

In a large pot, brown hamburger meat, stirring and breaking up, until no longer pink. Drain away excess fat. Add onions and bell pepper to the meat, cooking and stirring until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds longer.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and the water to the meat mixture and stir well. Add in all the herbs and spices. Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grate the cheeses and cook the pasta according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble, cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with sauce. Add a layer of pasta and a little less than half each of the cheeses. Repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake for 30 minutes. Top the spaghetti with the remaining cheese and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Fancy Cheese Platter for Dinner

I used to make cheese platters, or whatever you want to call it, for dinner on a fairly regular basis--a couple times a month or so. When my children were young, I would call it "snacks". I would serve it as a meal on Friday night when I was too tired to cook. We would eat in front of the TV and they got to stay up late, since there was no school the next day.

Of course, for the children, I didn't use the fancy cheeses and smoked fish. Their style was celery sticks with peanut butter, popcorn, chips and dip, orange wedges, and peanuts. We would have cheese and crackers, but they were Cracker Barrel and saltines. Fun night and fond memories, gathered around the coffee table to eat.

On a recent evening, I made a fancy platter for just the the two of us, husband and me.  We enjoyed it sitting on the sofa together and eating from the coffee table. We weren't watching TV because we cancelled our cable. We were having conversation!

Fancy Cheese Platter
Extra Sharp Cheddar
Baby Swiss
Saga Blue
Parmigiano Reggiano
Camembert
Smoked Salmon
Fresh Pears
Pimiento Stuffed Olives
Grape Tomatoes
Homemade Mango Chutney
Smoked Almonds
Dates
French Baguette and Assorted Crackers

Arrange as you please and serve.

Sesame Tofu

 

 

 

This tofu was exemplary! I could have sat down with the whole bowlful and happily eaten every morsel. As it  I stood, it was very difficult to walk away without taking another bite. After all, this recipe makes plenty of tofu for four servings.

I have cooked and eaten a lot of tofu--it is so versatile; this is officially my new favorite way to prepare it. And I will be experimenting with different sauces. I can't wait to try it with barbecue sauce.

I fried the tofu in peanut oil which imparts a very flavorful crunch all its own. If seasoned well before coating, these cubes would be lovely to add protein to a green salad.

 

 

 

Sesame Tofu

1 (one pound) package extra firm tofu

1/4 cup cornstarch

Oil for frying

1/3 cup honey

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. (or more) red pepper flakes

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

4 scallions, finely sliced

 

Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels. Place on a cutting board and top with another board or a plate. Top with a can or something rather heavy, to press much of the water out of the tofu. Let sit for about 30 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, stir together in a small saucepan, the honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper, sesame oil, and vinegar. Simmer gently until ready to use. 

 

Unwrap the tofu, dry off, cut into bite sized cubes, and toss with the cornstarch to coat. Fry in about 1-inch of oil, which has been heated to 350 degrees, stirring and flipping until it is golden brown all over. Drain on paper towels.

 

Place the golden tofu cubes in a serving bowl. Pour over the sauce and add in the scallions and sesame seeds. Toss well but gently until all the tofu pieces are coated. Serve right away.

 

 



Toast with Blue Cheese, Figs & Honey

Spread some blue cheese on a slice of toast. Add a few slices of fresh fig and drizzle with honey. Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to heat the fig, bringing out the juiciness, and to melt the cheese. 

Ambrosial.

 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Glaze, Raspberry Smoothies & Raspberry-Smoothie Pops

 The family princess turned 4 years old. I asked her to help me make a cake and did she want a big cake or cupcakes. The answer was a resounding, "CUPCAKES"! I knew she wanted chocolate (is there any other flavor) but I asked if she wanted chocolate frosting or pink. The answer was pink.

She was very helpful in making the little cakes and also made it so much fun. I measured, she sifted and poured. She cracked the eggs and turned the mixer off and on. She placed the muffin papers in the pans and helped pour the batter.

Later, she decorated them all by herself! Aren't they pretty?

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Beat well.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

I decided on using the same cream cheese frosting I had recently used for another cake because Princess liked it very much.  However, this time I used raspberry puree in the place of milk in the recipe to flavor it and also to tint it pink. (I don't use commercial food colorings).

To remove the seeds from the raspberries, place them in the blender with a very small amount of water. Process into a puree and then press through a fine mesh strainer.

With the extra raspberry puree, we made delicious Raspberry Smoothies.

 

 

And with some intentionally leftover smoothie, we made Smoothie-Pops!