PIZZA BAKED SPAGHETTI

This dish has ended up being more or less my signature dish for company. Most people like spaghetti and pizza, so the combination should be a hit. My daughter came home from a restaurant and talked about the Pizza Baked Spaghetti she had. Looked in my cookbooks and found a recipe. Of course, I've made some revisions to suite our tastes.

PIZZA BAKED SPAGHETTI

Prep time: 30-40 minutes

1 (28 oz) jar Ragu spaghetti sauce

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (1 lb) pkg very thin spaghetti noodles

4-5 oz pepperoni slices

1 (8oz) pkg Mozzarella cheese slices (I usually use shredded)

1 cup shredded Mozzarella

1 stick margarine or butter

1-1/2 cups Parmesan cheese

Optional ingredients: any toppings you like on your pizza - Italian sausage, mushrooms, etc.

Spray 9x13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cook spaghetti as package directs (do not break noodles). While spaghetti is cooking, boil the pepperoni in small amount of water. After 10 minutes, drain pepperoni. If desired, heat Ragu and tomato sauce.

Drain spaghetti and place in large bowl with stick of margarine. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over spaghetti. Mix quickly and thoroughly. Pour spaghetti into prepared 9x13 pan and pat down (I use waxed paper). Pour Ragu sauce over spaghetti. Top with cheese slices. Place pepperoni slices as next layer. (Add any additional cooked toppings at this point.) Sprinkle shredded Mozzarella over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. Serves 8-12.

If making 1/2 recipe for 8x8 pan, use a small jar of Ragu and omit the tomato sauce.

Recipe adapted from cookbook.

Notes: I usually cut the margarine or butter in slices. It melts easier this way.

You can make this dish a day ahead, but it just doesn't get bubbly like the fresh and warmer ingredients. Make sure and cook until the edges start to get brown.

Grandma's Coffee Cake

Wouldn't you know that having two girls, they have different tastes. One likes pickles, one doesn't. One likes barbeque sauce, one doesn't. I could go on and on, but I'll spare you. My sister and I were picky eaters growing up and my parents didn't make us eat what we didn't like. Therefore, when I had kids, whatever we had for lunch or dinner was made the way both girls would like it. All this to say that I also make two different coffee cakes. One likes this one better, the other one likes the other better. This one is sweeter. I'll post the other at a later time.

Grandma's Coffee Cake

1 Jiffy yellow cake mix

1 large pkg French Vanilla instant pudding

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup water

2 eggs

Beat 5 minutes and pour into greased and floured (or Baker's Joy) 8x8 pan.

Mix together:

1/2 tsp cocoa

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup nuts

Sprinkle over batter and marblize with a spatula or knife. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until done.

Double recipe for a 9x13 pan. May have to adjust cooking time.

Recipe from: Faye Whitfield (Grandma)

Notes: You can mix the dry ingredients together the night before to save time in the morning.

Sanny's Strawberry Cake

Also known as "Strawberry Poke Cake" but with a little different frosting. I gave it my niece's name after she raved about it. This cake is light and cool, so it's very refreshing on a hot day or after a heavy meal.

Sanny's Strawberry Cake

1 pkg (18 1/4 oz) white cake mix

2 pkgs (3 oz each) strawberry jello

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup cold water

TOPPING:

1 cup cold milk
1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 carton (8 oz) cool whip, thawed

Sprinkles

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a greased 9x13 pan. Cool for 1 hour. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water and set aside.

With a meat fork or wooden skewer (I use a small handle of a wooden spoon), poke holes about 2 inches apart into cooled cake. Slowly pour gelatin over cake; refrigerate. In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake. Decorate with sprinkles. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serves: 12-15

Recipe revised from a magazine.

Notes: You can use any flavor of Jello gelatin to go with holidays or color themes. (The granddaughter put a strawberry on her piece of cake and took the picture.)

Chicken w/Soy Sauce & Seasoned Salt

Some friends made some pork chops fixed this way probably 20 years ago. A few years ago, we thought it should be good on chicken too. Then we took it a step further and made hearty sandwiches! Here goes:

Chicken w/Soy Sauce & Seasoned Salt

chicken breasts - however many you need to cook

soy sauce

seasoned salt

optional: shredded cheese (we prefer colby/jack)

Brush the soy sauce on the chicken breasts and sprinkle with seasoned (or seasoning) salt. Either grill or broil on both sides until cooked through (clear juices running).

Optional part: Add shredded cheese on top and stick back in oven just long enough for the cheese to melt. Serve on a hearty bun. These are really good with mayonnaise (miracle whip here), lettuce and tomato.

Notes: I still like to kind of stab my chicken in several places to help the flavor get down in the chicken and to help it cook through quicker.