homemade lasagna

Ingredients

• 12 whole wheat lasagna noodles (uncooked)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 (25 ounce) jars tomato-basil pasta sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the ground beef into a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook the meat, chopping it into small chunks as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease.
3. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese until thoroughly combined.
4. Place 4 noodles side by side into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan; top with a layer of the tomato-basil sauce, a layer of ground beef mixture, and a layer of the cottage cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice more, ending with a layer of sauce; sprinkle top with the mozzarella cheese. Pour 1.5 cups of water into the pan (this will cook the noodles). Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese has begun to brown, about 10 more minutes. Allow to stand at least 10 minutes before serving. 
   
   
   
   
   

homemade pumpkin pie

I am looking forward to the fall, and not just because college football season starts on September 1st (36 days from now), but because this summer heat is really getting to me.  I mostly don't like it because it is not conducive for running.  I like to wake up early (7am to be precise) and go running in the cool of the day.  However, summer does not allow me to do this because even if I wake up before the sun has risen, it is already 80 degrees outside.  I am looking forward to fall because I want cooler weather to run in.  I also really like fall because I enjoy the typical foods and festivities (pumpkins and leaves changing colors) that come along with September and October.  Last fall, I had the unique, first time experience of making a pumpkin pie completely from scratch.  I realized I never posted the recipe, directions and pictures and thought I would do so now to get excited about the coming fall.

Equipment
     -a sharp, large serrated knife
     -an ice cream scoop
     -a large microwaveable bowl or large pot
     -1 large (10 inch) deep-dish pie plate and pie crust (crust can be homemade, or mine came from the Pillsbury dough boy)

Ingredients
     -a pie pumpkin (you can get these from the grocery store when they're in season or some pumpkin patches will have them too)
     -1 cup sugar
     -1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     -1 teaspoon ground cloves
      -1 teaspoon ground allspice
     -1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
     -1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
     -4 large eggs
     -3 cups pumpkin glop (otherwise known as "sieved, cooked pumpkin")
     -1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk (I use the nonfat version) for best results

Directions
Step 1: Get Your Pie Pumpkin
"Pie pumpkins" are smaller, sweeter, less grainy textured pumpkins than the usual jack-o-lantern types.  Grocery stores usually carry them in late September through December in the U.S.  TIP: If you're in a pinch and can't find a pie pumpkin, here's a tip: butternut squash taste almost the same!  Commercial canned pumpkin is from a variety of butternut, not true pumpkins! If you insist on using a regular Jack O' Lantern type pumpkin, you may need to add about 25% more sugar and run the cooked pumpkin through a blender or food processor to help smooth it out.
Just like selecting any squash, look for one that is firm, no bruises or soft spots, and a good orange color. One 6" pie pumpkin usually makes one 10 inch deep dish pie and a bit extra; or two 9 inch shallow pies! If you have extra goop, you can always pour it into greased baking pans and make a crust-less mini pie with the excess (and the cooked pies do freeze well!)

Step 2: Prepare the pumpkin for cooking
Wash the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap.
Cut the pumpkin in half.  A serrated knife and a sawing motion works best - a smooth knife is more likely to slip and hurt you!

Step 3: Scoop out the seeds
And scrape the insides.  You want to get out that stringy, dangly stuff that coats the inside surface.  I find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for this.

Note: SAVE THE SEEDS: Once they're washed, cleansed of any pumpkin residue, and dried on a paper towel, you can pour melted butter over them and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar over them and toast them in the oven for a few minutes. Delicious!

Step 4: Cook the pumpkin

There are several ways to cook the pumpkin;  just choose use your preferred method.  Most people have microwaves and a stove, so I'll describe both of those methods here. 

Bake it in the oven

You can bake the prepared pumpkin in the oven, just like a butternut squash.  This method takes the longest. Basically, you cut and scoop out the pumpkin as for the other methods, place it cut side down into a covered oven container. Cover the ovenproof container (with a lid), and pop it in an 350 F oven. It normally takes about 45 minutes to 90 minutes (it can vary a lot!); just test it periodically by sticking it with a fork to see if it is soft!

Stovetop

You can also cook it on the stovetop; it takes about the same length of time in a steamer (20 to 30 minutes).  I use a double pot steamer, but you could use an ordinary large pot with a steamer basket inside it!

Microwave (this is how I did it)

Remove the stem, and put the pumpkin into a microwaveable bowl. You may need to cut the pumpkin further to make it fit.  The fewer the number of pieces, the easier it will to scoop out the cooked pumpkin afterwards.

Put a couple of inches of water in the bowl, cover it, and put in the microwave.  I cooked it on high until it is soft.  That may take 20 minutes or more, so like anything else, try 15 minutes, see how much it is softened, then do 5 minute increments until it is soft.

**Whichever method you use, cook the pumpkin until it is soft and will separate from the skin.

Step 5: Scoop the cooked pumpkin
Whether you cook the pumpkin on the stove, microwave, or even the oven, once it is cooked until it is soft, it is easy to scoop out the guts with a broad, smooth spoon, (such as a tablespoon).  Use the spoon to gently lift and scoop the cooked pumpkin out of the skin.  It should separate easily an in fairly large chucks, if the pumpkin is cooked enough.
Many times the skin or rind will simply lift off with your fingers.  I'll bet you didn't realize making your own pumpkin glop... err, "puree" was this easy!


Step 6: Puree the pumpkin
Use whatever method you find best: hand mixer, food processor, regular blender, etc.

Step 7: Done with the pumpkin, now for the rest of the ingredients, add in the order listed above.

Once combined, mix well.

Step 8: Pour into the pie crust.

Some people like to bake the pie crust in the oven for 3 minutes before filling it.  I don't and the pies turn out great! I like a deep, full pie, so I fill it right up to about one quarter to one half inch from the very top.

Don't be surprised if the mixture is very runny!  It may start as a soupy liquid, but it will firm up nicely in the oven!

Step 9: Bake at 425 F for the first 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 F and bake another 45 to 60 minutes, until a clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 10: And enjoy! Warm or chilled, with whipped cream , ice cream or nothing at all - it's great!

You can even freeze the pie after cooking it.  I just lay a piece of plastic wrap (cling film) tight on the pie, after it cools down, then pop it in the freezer.  Later, I take the frozen pie out of the freezer, put it in the fridge for about 24 hours, and then either heat it in the oven (350 F for about 15 minutes; just to warm it up) or the microwave for a few minutes.

7/4/12: AMERICA's cookie cake

In honor of our nation's 236's birthday, our college ministry group threw a cook-out complete with hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelon, coleslaw, and a COOKIE CAKE decorated as an American flag (cause what else would you have on Independence Day)!  Here's the recipe in case you'd like to make your own for next year (or use your creativity with the fruit and you can have the cake for any occasion, not just July 4th)! 

Sugar Cookie Cake
Ingredients:
     -2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
     -1 tsp. baking soda
     -1/2 tsp. baking powder
     -1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
     -1 1/2 cups white sugar
     -1 egg
     -1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
     -8oz cream cheese, softened
     -1/3 cup powdered sugar
     -1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions for cake:
     1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
     2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.
     3. Pour out all the dough onto a greased and floured cookie sheet (I recommend using one with edges) and spread the dough over the entire surface of the sheet making the thickness as even as possible.
     4. Bake about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let cool before frosting.

Directions for frosting:
     1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer.
     2. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

     3. After all the ingredients have been well combined, pour all the frosting onto the cooled cake and smooth over the entire surface.  

*After the cake has been frosted, arrange preferred fruit in desired manner (blueberries and strawberries as seen above).  Store in fridge until ready to eat.

Eggless Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredient list

1¼ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter (1 stick)

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup unsweetened applesauce*

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt); set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add the sugar and beat until well combined.  Add the peanut butter and beat until “fluffy.”  Add applesauce and vanilla.  Finally, add the dry ingredients set aside from earlier.  After mixing everything together with the electric mixer, add the chocolate chips (optional) and mix those in by hand.

Spoon the batter onto a greased cookie sheet, about one inch apart from each other.  Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar.  Bake in a 375-degree oven for 8-10 minutes, just until the tops of the cookies start becoming golden brown!  (Get ready for your house to smell delicious)  Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about 2-3 minutes before scrapping them off onto a rack to finishing cooling.  I recommend eating while still warm with a tall glass of milk!

*note: because there are no eggs (applesauce is the substitute), these cookies will be a little more crumbly than usual, but I promise, they taste simply delightful!