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…

I got this recipe from my mother who in turn got it from a good friend of hers.  It was her personal favorite and I have been making this very same banana bread recipe for 13 years now.  Ever since I have looked to make banana bread has been the one recipe I turn to every time.  This recipe makes two loaves and I usually add nuts to one and the other one I leave without the nuts due to the fact that I have a son with nut allergies.  I personally prefer walnuts in my banana bread, but you can make it either way to your own taste desires.

Best Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

3 bananas

1 tablespoon of water

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of Crisco (I use butter sometimes instead)

2 eggs

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of nuts

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:

Mash the bananas, water, sugar and other ingredients listed above.  Let this mixture stand for 15 minutes (be sure to use brown bananas as that will give better flavor to the banana bread).

Doesn't the banana bread from this recipe look delicious?

Then bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes at 350°.  Be sure and turn on your own like to watch when they’re ready because every oven is old different and some cook faster than others and if you don’t watch it you could burn the outside or the underside of the banana bread very easily.  Let cool then slice and serve.  You can also dress it up a little by garnishing it with a little confectionary sugar.

Here is the banana bread garnished with confectionary sugar.

This banana bread is great in the morning with coffee, at lunchtime, dinnertime or as a quick snack.  Kids love this recipe.  It is also a big hit at Christmas time and the holidays!

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.

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.

Although I find myself using my mother’s recipe quite often because it makes me feel as though she made it.  It brings back many great memories of family around the table eating and enjoying each other’s company.  I like to experiment a bit and made my own sauce and this is the recipe for that sauce.  This does a little tricky with the spices because I do everything by taste in this one.  So be forewarned this one is a little harder than most other recipes on this website but the results are an awesome sauce unlike any other.  You will definitely want to give this one a try. 

Melissa’s Best Italian Sauce

Ingredients:

3 large cans (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce (28 oz.)

1 can tomato paste (6 oz.) or more if you like thicker sauce

extra virgin olive oil

Hot Italian sausage (hockey is key for flavor here)

2-3 tsp sugar (start with 2 then taste)

3-4 fresh garlic cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Approximately 1 table spoon or more of the following to taste:

       parsley

       oregano

       basil

       Italian seasoning

1 cup of red wine (merlot is my preference)

Directions:

in a large saucepan or extra virgin olive oil and make sure it’s enough to cover the entire bottom of the pan.  Crush the garlic clothes and add them to the pan and fry them.  Be sure not to let them get too brown.  In a separate frying pan fry down the hot sausage.  Be sure and put a dab of oil in the pan first.  I have found that if I cook the sausage a bit lengthwise more juice comes out and it also fries faster. 

While that’s frying and your garlic is done put all three cans of crushed tomatoes and one can of sauce in next.  Start today at your seasonings.  After the sausage is done put it in the sauce.  Be sure and save the sausage juice as you will add it to the paste.  I fry the paste in the sausage juice for a few minutes.  Then poured that into the sauce for added flavor.  This is a key step here as a really makes this recipe and sauce stand out miles above anything else you’ve ever had.

Doesn't this sauce just make your mouth water? It tastes even better than it looks!

After this I add the wine.  I have found my experience that Merlot works best for me, but feel free to try other red wines if you like.  Next cook the sauce on low for several hours with a lid on it.  The longer you cook it for the better it will end up tasting.  Then serve and enjoy.  You will definitely not be disappointed with this recipe!

Cherry Bon – Bon’s

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soft butter

3/4 cup sifted confectionary sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

20-25 maraschino cherries

Directions:

Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla.  Then blend in the flour and salt.  If this mixture is dry add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.  Mix well all the ingredients.

Here is the actual recipe and it is at least 30 years old!

Drain the cherries.  Press 1 tablespoon of dough around a well drained cherry making sure to cover the whole cherry.  Repeat this for all the cherries.  Then bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. 

You can make an icing with confectionary sugar and a teaspoon or two of water till you get a liquid consistency or just powder it on if you prefer it that way.  Serve and enjoy.

Here is my Mom's original recipe for these sweetheart cookies that she wrote out over 30 years ago!

I suppose they could also be a Valentine’s Day cookie as well.  Being it’s a short bread cookie with red jelly it would be easy to make it very festive.  You would just need to try and make it look like hearts instead of a circular hole with the jelly.  Find a heart shaped plastic or metal object that you could use to press into the cookie dough and make a heart shape impression (you could also use other shaped objects like Christmas trees, smiley faces, etc… to change for the season or occasion).

I also found instead of jelly that using preserves works and tastes better.  You can use strawberry, raspberry or blueberry preserves.  I have done the first two, just be sure for the raspberry preserves that you buy seedless preserves – the seeds may be an added texture that most will find undesireable in a cookie.

Sweetheart cookies with jelly

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 + 1/2 cup flour

dash of salt

jelly – any kind

Directions:

Add all the above ingredients except the jelly in a bowl and mix well with an electric mixer.  Chill the dough for one hour.  Form the dough into small balls with your hands and then place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Make an impression with your thumb or fingers and then fill this hole with the preserves.  If you are going to be using this cookie recipe for Valentine’s Day instead then find a heart shaped object you can press into the dough to leave a heart-shaped hole (as I stated above there is no limit to the types and shapes of impressions you can use. Just find objects shaped like Christmas trees, 4 leaf clovers – St. Patricks Day, a star, etc…).

Bake at 350° until very light brown.  Keep in mind that ovens do vary in their temperatures and cooking times so keep a close eye on the cookies so they don’t get too brown.  Remember they are a short bread cookie so you want them to be light in color and not too hard.  As a general guide I have found you should bake them for about eight minutes or so.  This recipe makes around 30 cookies depending on the size of the balls of cookie dough that you use prior to baking (obviously, you can make the cookies bigger or smaller based on this).  I always double the recipe so there are plenty of these great sweetheart shortbread cookies to go around.

To  add a Valentines Day touch you can always, after baking, place a candy heart (you know the ones that say I love you, will you be my Valentine?, etc.) in the middle of the jelly.  For Christmas use a tree or star shaped object.  Let cool and then serve and enjoy.

Vanilla pudding cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box vanilla pudding

1 box vanilla cake mix

Confectionery sugar for garnishing

Cupcake wrappers

Directions:

these are pretty easy to make, basically you just follow the cake mix directions that come on the cake mix box and you also follow the pudding mix directions on the pudding box.  Be sure and mix these in two separate bowls – one for the cake mix and one for the pudding mix.  Then pour the cake batter into the cupcake wrappers in a cupcake tin.

For baking simply follow the directions on the boxes.  When cooled cut out a small circular top from the cupcakes and save the top – you will use this in a second as the lid.  Pour the pudding mix in the whole and top off the cupcake with its hat or the top you just removed earlier.  Then sprinkle the top with confectionery sugar and enjoy. 

Don't they just look wonderful?

These cupcakes look great and taste great too.  As an alternative, instead of confectionery sugar, you can use a chocolate sauce or syrup like Hershey’s and this will give it more of a Boston cream type of effect.  Both ways they taste great.  And I guarantee your kids will love them too.