Pop-Pop’s lamb stew

Ingredients:
1 pound of lamb stew meat.
1 large Vidalia onion
3 tsp’s minced garlic
1 pint beef broth (3 small cans)
1 can tomatoes (6 in 1 best choice or diced from local store)
1/2 cup red wine
Seasoning: Salt (1 tsp), pepper (1tsp), marjoram (1tsp), and parsley (a handful of fresh or 3 tbsp of dry)
Vegetables: cut to bite size (this is especially important with the rutabaga as it will give considerably more flavor) – cut to bite size
1 cup each – celery, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°
Add to the pot: chopped vidalia onion and garlic – saute until the onion is transparent.
Add: beef broth, tomatoes, and wine and then the lamb stew meat.
Add seasoning
Bake covered for 1 hour.
Add vegetables
Bake additional 45 to 60 minutes
Vegetables should now be tender. It may require additional oven time depending upon your oven.
Serve and enjoy. This is definitely one of my all time favorites. It tastes best with lamb stew meat, but you can also use beef stew meat cut up at your local grocery store as a cheaper replacement for the lamb meat. When Pop-pop’s lamb stew is being cooked the smell in the house from this is intoxicating and everyone will want to try it before it is done cooking. Just try it and see for yourself. This will probably be one of your favorite dishes.

This is a recipe from my late father-in-law, Phil Maillie. He loved to make this for his grand children during the spring and hot summers here in North Carolina. Everyone loved these smoothies – they were just so good! It’s not truly a sole blueberry smoothie recipe as it has other fruits in it like bananas, but you will love it nontheless.  Here is this cherished recipe! I guarantee you will love it.

Ultimate Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 Cup of fresh bluberries

1 whole banana (peeled of course)

Splash of orange juice

3/4 Cup of ice

1 container of plain yogurt (8 oz.)

3 tsp of sugar

Directions:

This is the simple part – put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Serve and enjoy.  You can garnish the smoothie with mint leaves in a fan shape or some sliced fruit like strawberrys, cherries, orange slices, etc. to acieve that look of perfection.

Homemade garlic balls - don't they look delicious?

My mother made these garlic balls for every occasion, birthday, get-togethers and holidays. She also made these as a side dish for dinner. My kids absolutely love this garlic balls recipe.

Mom’s garlic balls

Ingredients:

1 bag of dough

1/4 – 1/2 cup of olive oil

1 TBL garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 TBL oregano

Directions:

Use a ball of Italian dough and let it raise for at least a half an hour.  Get flour on your counter to sprinkle all over the dough so it’s no longer sticky. Pull the dough with one hand and cut with the other.  In this recipe you don’t play with the dough.  You get a greased cookie sheet and put them on there and let them raise for 10 to 15 minutes.  Then put them in the oven at 325° for about 10 minutes.  Don’t let them get brown.

These garlic balls are easy to make and super tasty!

In the meantime get a big bowl and put in it olive oil, garlic powder, salt and oregano.  Do this to your own taste and when the balls come out you toss them while hot in the bowl of oil.  Mix with a spoon gently being sure to cover and saturate.  Then add Parmesan cheese to taste.  Serve and enjoy.  These garlic balls are great served with chicken parmesan and my super delicious vodka riggies.

My mother taught me how to make this great lasagna.  It is an authentic Italian recipe and I’ve been making this lasagna for as long as I can remember.  It’s definitely a family favorite and its special enough to be served even for Christmas day! 

Mom’s Lasagna

My homemade Italian sauce

15 no boil lasagna noodles

1 lb. hamburger

1 lb. Italian hot sausage

1 container of ricotta Cheese (28 oz. size)

2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

3 TBL parsley

1 TBS garlic powder

salt & pepper

Directions:

Drizzle the olive oil in a pan and fry the 1 pound of hot sausage.  First be sure and take off the casing or skin of the sausage as it will be easier to break and crumble up for the lasagna.  Then cook the sausage until done and put aside in a bowl.  Use the same pan to fry the hamburger in and cook until done.  Then drain any oil and juices from the meat.

Here is a photo of the ricotta mix

While the meat is cooking get a separate bowl to put the ricotta cheese, eggs, parsley, garlic, 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese and the salt and pepper in.  In a 9 x 13″ dish put the sausage on the bottom and layer the hard lasagna (no boil) noodles.  Place for a cross and one down the side to cover.  Spread half of the cheese mixture (the ricotta mix you made above).  Then take half of the hamburger and sausage and spread it over the top.  Then add mozzarella cheese about 1 cup.  Then add the sauce. 

Here is the lasagna straight out of the oven.

Then layer the noodles again for cross and one down to cover.  Then repeat again with the ricotta mix and the rest of the hamburger and sausage.  Then cover again with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and sauce to cover.  Then repeat the noodles for cross and one down the side.  Apply sauce to cover the noodles.  Cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to completely cover the dish and spray the underside of a foil before covering to prevent sticking (use Pam or some non stick spray vegetable oil).

Here it is showing the layers. Doesn't it make you hungry?

Bake in the oven at 350° for approximately one hour.  For the last 15 minutes take off the foil and sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Don’t let the cheese Brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Serve and enjoy – you are sure to please everyone with this great lasagna recipe from my mom.

This is a recipe that is both a family favorite and a tradition.  My husband originally got it from an elderly and very sweet lady at his church.  Through the years we have played with it a little here and there by changing a few of the ingredients and the respective amounts of each and have come out with what might just be the best rum cake recipe you will ever come across! Just try it and you will see!

Dave’s Rum Cake

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or almonds

4 large eggs (I have to say this because in one of my other recipes someone asked me what size eggs to add and it is a legitimate question because when you go to the grocery store there are small, medium, large, extra large and even jumbo eggs.  For this recipe and for all the others will assume large sized eggs).

1 package of yellow cake mix

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (use the real vanilla not the imitation as there is a big difference in flavor and taste).

1 package of vanilla instant pudding mix

1/4 Cup of olive or vegetable oil

1 Cup of dark rum (some recipes call for rum syrup – to make a really good rum cake there is no substitute for the real thing and you can add more than a cup depending on how strong of a rum flavor you want to have).

1/2 Cup of water

1/2 Cup of sugar

1/2 Cup of brown sugar

Mix the cake ingredients together (sans the nuts, butter, water, sugars and half of the rum – these will be used for the delicious frosting).  If you or a member of your family are allergic to nuts you do not have to include the chopped walnuts or almonds in this recipe.  Else placed the nuts sporadically across the bottom of the pan.  Be sure and cover the bottom of the pan equally – else one slice will get all the nuts and other one won’t).  Next fill-in with the mixed ingredients. 

You can also opt to change the consistency of your rum cake by putting the nuts in with the mixed ingredients so instead of them being on the bottom of the cake they’re mixed throughout the cake.  And if you really like nuts this way you can add more to the recipe.

Bake the ingredients at 350° 55 to 60 minutes.  Now keep in mind everyone of them is a little bit different so this may differ a little with your oven.  For instance, this rum cake recipe may come out better at 325° or maybe even at 375°.  You may also have to extend or reduce the baking time a little bit.  But, as a general rule used 350° for 55 to 60 minutes.  Then let cool.

Invert the cake onto serving plate you’ll be using.  Then take the ingredients that you have not used (the sans ingrediants I listed above) and mix them together to make the frosting or glaze some people refer to it as.  You will melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in water and the sugars.  Boil for about 5 or  minutes and stir well  The remove from the heat source and add the rum.  Pour frosting or glaze all over the top of the rum cake.  Be sure and do this uniformly and evenly so it looks good.  Let cool. Serve and enjoy!

This rum cake recipe is excellent for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Some people prefer to serve this rum cake without the frosting or glaze (sans frosting ingredients above) and preferinstead to add the full amount of rum into the mix prior to baking for a stronger taste.  I, myself, prefer it just the way it is above.  Try it yourself and see…

This recipe came from my sister-in-law Hilary.  It is one of my personal favorites.  It’s quick and easy yet elegant enough to serve to company and it’s just delicious.  I guarantee if you like shrimp scampi you’ll definitely like this recipe.

Delicious Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 cup of olive oil

2 cloves of crushed garlic

1/3 cup of onion (I prefer sweet onions for this recipe)

1/3 cup of white wine

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 lb. of angel hair spaghetti

2 bags medium-size shrimp (40 – 50 shrimp in each bag)

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put the olive oil and butter in a pan and sauté the onions. 

Sauteing the onions

Then add garlic and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.  Then add the white wine, parsley, salt and pepper and cook for two minutes.  Add the shrimp last and then cook an additional five minutes.

After adding the shrimp, white wine and parsley.

Meanwhile boil the angel hair spaghetti following the directions on the box drain very well.  Then add the spaghetti to the pan and stir together.

After adding the angel hair spaghetti

Add the 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and put in a pretty serving bowl. 

Here is the completed shrimp scampi ready to eat - doesn't it look delicious?

Serve the shrimp scampi with white wine, garlic bread and a nice salad.  You will definitely impress your guests with this dish.

I tried these for Christmas as an appetizer.  They were very easy to make and they went over very well - everyone liked them.  They are addicting.  Also, if you don’t feel like making the whole thing just roll out what you want to bake and put the rest in a Tupperware container in the fridge for later.

My Tasty Sausage Balls

Ingredients:

1 pound of hot sausage

1 pound of mild sausage

12 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese

12 ounces of mild cheddar cheese

4 cups of Bisquick

1 cup of chopped sweet onions (I have found Vidalia onions make for the tastiest sausage balls)

They are very easy to make and are great appetizers!

Directions:

mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then squeeze them into large meatball sized round balls.  Place them on a baking she allowing 2to 3 inches in between each of them.  Bake in the oven at 400° for 10 to 12 minutes.  This recipe will make quite a few of these sausage balls depending upon how large you make each of the balls.  Let cool and then serve and enjoy.

This recipe was from an old neighbor of mine from Utica New York, Toni, whom I have known just about all my life.  These vodka riggies (or rigatoni as some may refer to it as) are the quickest to make when you’re expecting company and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking, but it will look and taste like you did!  Everyone loves this recipe.  This is the one I am constantly being asked for almost on a daily basis.

Vodka Riggies (Rigatoni)

Ingredients:

1 shot of vodka or two

1 pound of riggies (rigatoni)

1 half pint of heavy cream

1 to 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce

1 medium onion chopped

1/4 pound prosciutto

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 1/2 cups of grated Romano cheese

Directions:

While you boil the riggies (rigatoni), make the sauce.  In a large pan add the oil and sauté the onions on low to medium heat until the onion softens.  Then add the prosciutto.  Season with garlic powder, salt and basil.  Add the riggies (rigatoni) after you have drained them really well (making sure they are al dente). 

These are amazing and taste every bit as good as they look!

Next add the vodka and sauté over low heat for a couple of minutes.  Then add the sauce and heavy cream and stir thoroughly over low heat for three minutes.  Add the grated cheese and stir.  After this step I like to set one or two handfuls of shredded Parmesan cheese melted on top.  You can do this to your liking.  This is the way my husband and children prefer it and its the way I’ve been making it for years.  Place the vodka riggies in a nice dish, serve and enjoy.  You are sure to impress everyone with this dish – I guarantee it.

This is a great appetizer that everyone will love.  It is super easy to make and everyone will surely rave over these and how great they taste!  This recipe came from my sister-in-law Hilary.  I watched her make it and I was extremely surprised at how flavorful they were. 

Stuffed Sausage Mushroom Caps

Ingredients:

1 package of mild breakfast sausage

1 package of cream cheese

2 containers of whole mushrooms

Directions:

Fry the sausage in a pan first then add in the cream cheese.  While that’s cooking down clean and the stem the mushrooms.  The stem of the mushrooms will come off easily. Then you stuff the mushroom with the sausage and cream cheese mix where you took the stem off.  Place the stuffed mushrooms on a 9 x 13″ dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 325°.

As I told you these are super easy to make and be sure and tell everyone you plan on serving this dish to that you got it on Hotcookingrecipes.com so they can try it and the other great recipes here also.  This is also a great recipe for finding another tasty way to get your kids to eat their vegetables – hint, hint!

I don’t know if my mom actually made this recipe up or if she got it from her mother.  All I know is – I love it! She made this cherry crunch pie recipe a lot.  It’s easy to make and it’s definitely been a family favorite for years.  Both kids and adults will love this pie recipe.

Mom’s Cherry Crunch Pie

Ingredients:

1 jar of pitted cherries in water (16 oz.)

1 box of yellow cake mix

1/2 cup of crushed walnuts

5 tablespoons of butter

Directions:

Butter the pie plate or spray it.  Put the whole jar of pitted cherries in with a squirt of lemon juice.  Next add dry cake mix in a bowl.  Mix with a fork and add the 5 tablespoons of hot melted butter and 1/2 cup crushed walnuts.  Mix the ingredients in the bowl with a fork and then pour over the cherries in the pie plate.  Be sure and start in the middle and then go outdoors towards the edges as you fill the pie plate.  Bake for 30 minutes at 300° in the oven.

Doesn't it look delicious? It tastes far better then it looks - Wait until you try it!

This is such a delicious recipe that when I’m in the mood to make this cherry crunch pie I almost can’t wait for it to finish baking.  I serve it with a little Cool Whip on top of each slice.  This could also be a great idea for a delicious dessert to top off a wonderful Valentine’s Day meal – husbands love this!  As they say the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach and it doesn’t get much better than my Mom’s Cherry crunch pie.  Enjoy.