Requested Recipes

I catered a wedding rehearsal dinner last week and had many requests for the recipe for my Lasagna al Forno. It's great for a crowd and makes delicious leftovers!

Lasagna al Forno

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

1 pound ground Italian sausage

1 onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground oregano

1 teaspoon ground basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano

2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese

1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmigianno-Reggiano

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

12 oven-ready lasagna noodles

2 (8-ounce) packages shredded mozzarella·

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.·

In a large saucepan, combine ground chuck, sausage onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.·

Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste.·

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.·

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs.·

Spoon ½ cup sauce into the bottom of a lasagna pan.

Place 4 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce.

Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.· Bake 45 minutes.

Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 

I made these cookies for a family Thanksgiving dinner and had a few requests for the recipe...get it quick, I only leave it posted for a few days.

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

(8 dozen)

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter

3 cups brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 cups semi-sweet (mini) chocolate chips

Cream butter until smooth; add sugars

 Beat in eggs and vanilla

Sift flour, salt and baking soda and beat into above mixture

 Add chocolate chips

Refrigerate until firm

 Use #60 scoop and evenly space 6 cookies per ½ sheet pan

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 9 minutes

This is a special request from Allison...these cookies are melt in your mouth delicious and were part of the 3 tiered cookie dessert platter at the rehearsal dinner

Orange Ball Cookies

(makes 4 1/2 dozen)

½ cup butter (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 can (6oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1box (12oz) vanilla wafers

4 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted)

1 cup finely chopped pecans

7 oz flaked coconut

Crush vanilla wafers until fine

Mix together the vanilla wafer crumbs, orange juice concentrate, 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, butter, chopped pecans and half the coconut

Use #60 scoop to make perfectly round balls - about the size of a walnut

Combine 2 half coconut and remaining half cup confectioners’ sugar

Roll balls in sugar/coconut

Store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator

These are great to freeze!

Re-coat in powdered sugar just before serving

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