Symphony on a plate!

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Lasagna Classic Flavor Recipe

Quote For The Day:

"My perfect last meal would be: shrimp cocktail, lasagna, steak, creamed spinach, salad with bleu cheese dressing, onion rings, garlic bread, and a dessert of strawberry shortcake." - Joan Rivers

Food For Thought:

Jalapeno Ranch Nacho Fries - Taco Bell

Being a lover of all things food, I was out and about and decided to drive through the Taco Bell for a quick bite. I have never tried their Jalapeno Ranch Nacho Fries and it looked good on the menu. I know some people never eat "fast food" but I must admit it has been a part of my lifestyle. I don't eat all fast food by a weakness for me is Taco Bell. Do you eat Taco Bell?

I remember being a kid and watching a futuristic Stallone movie. In the movie there was one restaurant that survived the "Fast Food Wars" and it was Taco Bell. I imagine it was a product placement in a movie but at the time I thought it was humorous.

If you frequent Taco Bell and you haven't tried the Jalapeno Ranch Nacho Fries, I would recommend you try them. They are pretty tasty!

This is for the Taco Bell fan. If you enjoy Taco Bell and would like to make your own Taco Bell food, you might enjoy this Taco Bell Copycat Cookbook. Let me know what you think of it.

A Few Questions For You:

• How do you feel about lasagna?
• What is your favorite part about lasagna?
• Do you like bread with your lasagna?
• Have you cooked your own lasagna before?
• Do you remember the first time you tasted lasagna? Please share your memory with me. I would love to hear from you about it.
• Did you see the recipe I shared yesterday? It is called Twinkies Jello Cake No Bake Easy Recipe. Have you ever tasted anything like it?

More Information For You:

Lasagna comes from Naples Italy. It was a special event recipe during the 14th century that was very popular. In the 1800s lasagna came to America and was embraced with open mouths. Learn more about the evolution and history of lasagna by visiting Tasting Table.

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Thoughts On Lasagna Classic Flavor Recipe:

Imagine a visual symphony of textures and flavors. Wide ribbons of lasagna noodles, their edges softened but still toothsome, lie nestled in a rich, tomatoey embrace. This isn't your average tomato sauce; it's a slow-simmered masterpiece, seasoned with herbs and flecked with ground meat, simmered to a deep, savory perfection.

Blanketing the sauce is a creamy, luxurious layer of ricotta cheese, studded with whispers of black pepper and the sharp tang of parmesan. Then comes the crowning glory: a generous showering of molten mozzarella, its golden peaks catching the light, promising a symphony of cheesy indulgence in every bite. This, my friend, is the essence of classic lasagna - a comforting, soul-warming dish where every element plays its part in creating a masterpiece.

I enjoy store-bought lasagna and it is easy to put it in the oven and eat it. There is something special about making it myself. I find a different and better flavor. I don't know if it is the placebo or not but it does taste better homemade.

I have a special memory of my mom cooking lasagna when I was a child. I enjoyed it every time she made it and it was always a special dinner. It seems to me that childhood food memories are fun to recall. Do you have a special memory of lasagna? Maybe you have a family recipe you would like to share with me. I would be more than happy to share your recipe and link back to you.

Lasagna Classic Flavor Recipe - (Italian Food)
serves 8-10 people

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Italian pork sausage
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon whole basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (for the meat)
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 can tomatoes (1 pound)
• 2 cans tomato paste (6 ounces)
• lasagna noodles (10 ounces)
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups fresh Ricotta or cream-style cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese (grated)
• 2 tablespoons parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt (for the noodles)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound Mozzarella cheese (sliced very thin)

Instructions:

1. Brown the meat slowly and spoon off the excess fat.
2. Add the next 6 ingredients.
3. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes and stir it occasionally.
4. Cook the noodles in a large amount of boiling salted water until they are tender.
5. Drain the noodles and rinse them.
6. Beat the eggs and add the remaining ingredients except the Mozzarella.
7. Layer half of the noodles in a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
8. Spread half of the Ricotta filling over the noodles, half of the Mozzarella cheese, and half of the meat sauce. Repeat this process.
9. Bake the lasagna at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
10. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

You can assemble this dish early and refrigerate it. If you do this, bake it for 45 minutes.

Keep on cooking!
-The Recipe Guy

*Amazon Associate links are included in this blog post.

 

Pizza is better homemade!

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Homemade Pizza Dough And Sauce Recipe

Quote For The Day:

"Every pizza is a personal pizza if you try hard and believe in yourself." - Bill Murray

Food For Thought:

Deer and babies

Have you tried venison before? I was born and raised in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri. Here in Missouri, it is common to hunt and eat deer. It is a very sporting part of the country. We live close to Springfield, Missouri. The original Bass Pro is located in Springfield. If you get a chance to visit Springfield, you will enjoy the Bass Pro store.

The above picture was taken yesterday with my phone. I couldn't get a clear picture because the deer were far away. It was a doe and her two babies. They were in the city and in that area it is common to see deer often.

Some people have never tried venison. Those who have eaten deer meat either like it or don't. Venison has a gamey taste but is healthier than beef because it is lean. Deer eat acorn and wild vegetation and that caused the gamey flavor.

Would you be interested in venison recipes? I have some I can share with you. Please let me know in the comment section below. The most common way to cook venison in my area is to fry it in oil. I grew up watching my grandmother and mother batter and fry deer meat in a skillet on top of the stove. You can tenderize deer meat.

A Few Questions For You:

• Have you made completely homemade pizza before?
• What is your favorite pizza to eat?
• Do you like anchovies?
• When you buy cooked pizza, what is your favorite place to purchase pizza?
• Did you see my recipe from yesterday? It is called Fudge Bake Happiness Recipe. It would go well with pizza for dessert. Take a look and let me know what you think about it.

More Information For You:

Rumor has it that pizza comes from Italy. Farmers would cook pizza in outdoor wood-fired ovens. They topped their pizzas with cheese. Pizza dates back to the 18th century. The first pizza store opened in America in 1905 in New York City. Since then, pizza has gained popularity among Americans. To learn more history and facts about pizza, visit Pete's Brewhouse.

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Thoughts On Homemade Pizza:

Homemade pizza tastes better than storebought pizza, and better than frozen pizza for sure. Homemade pizza gives me the opportunity to make it exactly how I want it. I can make the dough, add the amount of sauce I want, and put the toppings of my choice.

I have made pizza from the box and it was good but making homemade pizza from scratch has a different taste. It is more satisfying too because I know I made the whole pizzy myself. Kids love the making process of pizza and it gives them an opportunity to create a food that they normally see the pizza already made for them.

This recipe is categorized under Italian Food but it is very American. Most people in America love pizza and it works well for any fun occasion because it is easy to eat.

Homemade Pizza Dough And Sauce Recipe - (Italian Food)

I have had a pizza oven for many years. It cooks great! I have cooked jalapeno pepper poppers, french fries, and even chicken wings on my pizza oven. It is electric and works great. You might be interested in having your own electric pizza oven.

*This recipe is for a basic pork sausage pizza. You can use different toppings you like.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork sausage (lean)
• 1 pound Mozzerella cheese (shredded)

Instructions:

1. Cook the ground pork in a skillet and set aside on a towel to drain the grease.
2. Shred the Mozzerella cheese. You can use package shredded cheese.

Dough

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 package dry yeast (dissolved in the warm water)

Instructions:

1. Mix the ingredients together and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Knead all the flour you can work into it, and let it rise until it is ready for use, or at least 1/2 hour.
3. Roll the dough out thin. It should be enough for 3 pizza pans.

Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 can tomato sauce (6 ounces)
• 1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon oregeno
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Mix the ingredients well in a bowl and set to the side. You can warm the sauce in a pan if you want the oregeno to stand out more.
2. Divide the sauce and spread evenly over the pizza dough.
3. Place the sausage pieces evenly over the sauce and then top with shredded cheese.
4. Bake the pizza at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.

Keep on cooking!
-The Recipe Guy

*Amazon Associate links are included in this blog post.

 

Baked Italian dish!

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Spaghetti Pie Recipe

Quote For The Day:

"For me, the thought of spaghetti and meatballs conjures up the image of that scene where "Lady and the Tramp" gaze into each other's eyes as they slurp a strand of pasta into a fateful kiss." - Kathie Lee

Food For Thought:

Homemade sweet rolls

My teenage daughter is camera shy and I wish she would let me get a picture of her to post here. She is such a sweetie and she makes the BEST sweet rolls I have ever tasted. If you have read some of my previous posts you recall me bragging about her baking skills. I am not just saying this because I am her dad. She may not read this post so I am not just bragging to be nice. I have many sweet rolls in my life and her rolls are the greatest. I am blessed to be able to get them fresh out of the oven.

I started sharing my recipes not very long ago. Today is the 90th recipe I have shared. I love creating cooking content and sharing it with you. I enjoy all aspects of it. I blog recipes for myself as much as I do for you. I have always liked computer technology, business, art, writing, marketing, and food. All of these blended together make a perfect passion for me.

Have you ever thought about starting a blog? Maybe you already have a blog. Blogging can be enjoyable. If you have a hobby you can blog about it and offer valuable information on the subject. You can even earn money from your blog. It can be a part-time income or even a full-time income. Many people earn a full-time living from their blogs.

It may seem I am trying to sell you on working all the time because blogging can take a lot of time. I post every day right now and I also work a full-time job and own a home, I'm a husband, grandfather, and father of a very sweet teenager. My older daughters are grown and I have 3 grandchildren. It's the grass-cutting season. You can say I am very busy. I still love to blog.

You can blog as often as you want to. Once a month, every two weeks, once a week, or once a day. I will say that blogging every day is time-consuming and a sacrifice. If you are interested in learning more about blogging and how to make it a side hustle you might be interested in this book that gives you the ins and outs of the hobby. It also shares how you can have a blog and make a profit from it.

A Few Questions For You:

• Do you like spaghetti pie?
• Have you ever baked spaghetti pia before?
• Do you like having bread with your spaghetti pie? I would like to read your feedback on this recipe.
• Did you read my recipe from yesterday? It is called Perfect Donuts Recipe. They are light and fluffy and there's a process in the recipe to make them taste delightful.

More Information For You:

Eggs are in spaghetti pie and it helps hold it together in the baking process so you can cut a slice of the baked pasta pie. It is filled with tomato sauce and other ingredients so you don't have to worry about tasting eggs a lot. Spaghetti pie was first created in America in the early 1900s. It is easy to make and requires very little ingredients. There are many variations of this recipe for you to enjoy. You can visit Chef Part Time and read more facts about Spaghetti Pie and see similar recipes like Spaghetti Pie.

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Thoughts On Spaghetti Pie:

This tasty Italian style recipe is very easy to make. I am a big pasta fan. Spaghetti noodles are my favorite pasta. I like ground beef in my pasta sauce when I eat spaghetti. Just regular sauce with no meat doesn't do it for me. I also like sausage in my spaghetti sauce.

I enjoy making spaghetti and I enjoy eating spaghetti pie. My perfect spaghetti pie meal cutting a slice and having garlic bread with it. This recipe has cottage cheese in it so it will almost make you think of lasagna in the flavor without the lasagna pasta.

Ok, I want to share this recipe with you now. I know you will enjoy making this dish almost as much as you will enjoy eating it. Please leave a comment below in the comment section to let me know your thoughts on Spaghetti Pie.

Spaghetti Pie Recipe - (Italian Food) 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 pound ground beef (lean)
• 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
• 1/4 cup green pepper (seeded and chopped)
• 1 can tomatoes (8 ounces, cut up with liquid)
• 1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon oregeno
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Instructions:

1. Cook the spaghetti and drain it well.
2. Stir the butter, Parmesan cheese, and eggs into the hot spaghetti.
3. Form it into a crust in a buttered 10-inch deep-dish pie pan and set aside.
4. Cook the beef, onion, and green pepper in a large skillet. Drain the excess fat.
5. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, and garlic salt.
6. Spread the cottage cheese over the spaghetti crust.
7. Top with the beef mixture.
8. Bake it at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
9. Top with Mozzarella cheese and bake it an additional 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Keep on cooking!
-The Recipe Guy

*Amazon Associate links are included in this blog post.

Italian Meatballs Easy Recipe And The Taco Food Truck

 

Goes great with the pasta of your choice!

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Italian Meatballs Easy Recipe - (Italian Food)

Ingredients:  - (Meatball Mix)

1 pound round steak

1/2 pound lean pork (ground fine)

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup cheese (shredded fine)

1 small onion (grated)

2 eggs (slightly beaten)

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon ground sage (optional)

Sauce:

1 small can tomatoes (mashed)

1 cup water

1 onion (diced)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Mix all ingredients for meatballs thoroughly and form into small balls. Roll in flour and put into the pan. Mix all ingredients for the sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Pour sauce over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Thoughts On Italian Meatballs:

Meatballs automatically go with pasta of some kind right? This easy Italian Meatball recipe is one you will enjoy eating for sure. The sauce is out of this world too. You might have noticed in the recipe that ground sage is optional. I love the taste of sage but if you don't like it as much you can easily leave it out. I like spaghetti noodles when I eat meatballs because that is what I am used to and it is most traditional here in America. I would say that any pasta will do.

Extra Information:

It is commonly thought that meatballs were invented by Italians and they brought the recipe to America when they immigrated in the late 1880's and early 1900's. According to history, the earliest known origin of meatballs comes from Rome. You can learn more about the meatballs by visiting Escoffier's post on Bringing Spaghetti And Meatballs To America.

A Question For You:

Do you like pasta with your meatballs? What kind of past do you like? Do you like grated cheese on top? Every time I visit Olive Garden I love to watch the server grate the cheese over the pasta. Also, did you miss my last recipe? It has beef and pasta in it. It is called Beef Stroganoff Biscuit Casserole in case you missed it.

Personal Thoughts For Today:

I wanted to share a food story from last Tuesday. It was a pretty good day as far as Tuesdays go. My employer rewarded us by feeding us lunch that day. As I work in a wood product manufacturing facility, we have a record of safety throughout the year. We have gone a whole year without any recordable incidents and that was cause for celebration.

I Love TACOS TAQUERIA food truck

Do you like food trucks? It seems that food trucks are really popular lately and there are many to choose from in our area. With the warmer weather, the restaurants really increase their revenue by going out into the communities and serving customers where they are. They may set up in retail parking lots, festivals, or even in front of their own restaurant location. Most of the trucks are decorated nicely and catch the eye with bright colors and graphics. I just love some of the catchy names these businesses have.

steak burrito with chips and salsa

We didn't have to pay for our food when the food truck came. Our company paid for the food and I was very happy to get it. I was hungry and I was craving Mexican food. I decided to get the steak burrito. You can tell from the picture I shared here that the burrito was really big. Look at it in comparison to the can of Dr Pepper. It was really good! The burrito came with chips and salsa. After I ate everything and I had to go back to work, It took me an hour or two to feel normal again. My feet felt like steak burritos. They were so heavy and all I wanted to do was take a nap. If my employer is reading this they will be happy to know I did not take a nap. I went back to work and worked very hard.

Share a link in the comments to your favorite food truck! 

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Steak Rollatini's Easy Recipe - Italian Food

 

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Steak Rollatini's Easy Recipe - (Italian Food)

Ingredients:

1 pound top or bottom round of beef per person, sliced very thin

Garlic salt

Salt

Pepper

Butter

Parmesan cheese

Chopped parsley

Bay leaves

Directions:

Cut strips of meat 3 inches wide. Place a little bit of each ingredient on each slice. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. Put bay leaves between rollatinis on toothpicks. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on charcoal or broiler. These freeze very well.

Thoughts On Steak Rollatini's:

You may notice when I listed the ingredients, I didn't give any measurements except for the amount of beef to use. There is a reason for this. This is a very intuitive recipe. When I wrote out the directions you may notice I said "Place a little bit of each ingredient" and that is to challenge you to feel your way while cooking the recipe. In doing this, hopefully, it will help you get in touch with your Italian side. 

Extra Information:

Rollatini is not a real Italian word. It just sounds very Italian and is a form of word invention for food branding. You can thank a smart marketer for that one. In Italy, the dish is called Involtini di melanzane. Rollatini actually means Italian Cooking. Rollatini is most commonly made with eggplant but it can be made with veal, chicken, or fish. For the recipe I shared, it is made with beef. You can decide what you would like to use. You can learn more about Rollatini by visiting Beef2Live.

Quick Question:

Have you ever tried cooking or eating Rollatini? If you have, would you care to share your experience with this food? Did you see my last easy recipe? See my Pumpkin Bread recipe if you missed it.

My Thoughts:

Frozen Deer Meat

In my previous posts, I shared about a young man who I used to work with. He is only 20 years old and quit working where I work to start his own fishing bait business. He has leased a shop in a downtown rural city right on the square. He makes plastic fishing lures as well as metal fishing lures. All handmade.

He doesn't have a website yet but he does have social media accounts. He is currently hiring someone to create his website for him so that he will be able to process orders through. I will share his Facebook business page link here with his business name. His Facebook business page is called Bubba Red's Bait Co.

His name is Cyris Helms. Cyris messaged me on Facebook today and wanted to know if I would like to come by his shop and take a look. He also wanted to share some frozen deer meat with me. He is trying to make room in his freezer for the next round of deer he kills for the bow hunting season. It starts this week and I thought to share some meat with me. I am glad to get it. I don't have much time for hunting but I do love to hunt and eat wild game.

I grew up eating deer meat and I just love the flavor of deer meat. Some people don't like it as much because it has a gamey taste to it. The gamey taste comes from the blood in the meat. You can get rid of the gamey taste by soaking the meat in cold water for a few days. You periodically replace the water and keep ice in the water too.

Have you ever tried deer meat? Here in the Ozarks, deer meat is very popular. Many people hunt for deer in this area. You can drive down rural roads and most likely you will see deer, turkey, or other wildlife. As a matter of fact, I was going home from Cyris's bait shop and had to slow down for a young deer on the side of the road. Thankfully I did not hit the deer with my car. People hitting deer happens so often around here.

Thank you so much for reading this recipe blog post. I hope you enjoyed it and I would love to hear from you what you think about this recipe or anything else I shared. Have a super day!

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