Boneless Country Style BBQ Pork Ribs

 Ingredients:

• 4-5 pounds country style boneless pork ribs
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's; I may have used more because I had a large bottle of sauce!) 
• 1  onion, chopped (optional)
• salt and pepper, to taste
  
  
  Place all ingredients in crock pot.
  Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours
  This is so tender and flavorful but oh so easy!  You will be smiling.
  *You can also shred the pork and make sandwiches, either the first time around or for the next day's left-overs!

Cream Cheese Lemon Bars

I just joined Pinterest and found this recipe almost immediately.  Of course I pinned it to my recipe board!  I made it this past weekend and these are most definitely yummy! 

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. lemon cake mix
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
•  
• 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar

Instructions

• Combine cake mix, vegetable oil and 1 egg until crumbly. Reserve one cup of crumble mixture and set aside. Spread remainder of crumbs in a 9x13 pan (sprayed with Pam) and pat down to form a crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until crust is lightly golden brown. Place remaining ingredients in a bowl; whip until fluffy and light. Spread over baked crumb mixture and crumble the reserved cup of crumbs over the top. Return to oven and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool and cut. Delicious!

Quick & Easy Ravioli Florentine Lasagna

Though I've been researching my roots on Ancestry.com I haven't found any Italian ancestors.  They must be there though because my favorite food in the entire world is Italian!  I was craving it yesterday so I made this super easy lasagna using mostly pantry staples.  You don't have to cook the ravioli.. just get the refrigerated (not frozen) package and your "lasagna noodles" are done!  

Quick and easy to assemble in about 10 minutes!  Ken declared it worthy of company!  Serve with crusty Italian bread and a tossed green salad and you have Sunday Supper!

24 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I used DeLallo Tomato & Basil)

1 can petite diced tomatoes with juice

1 pound extra lean ground beef*

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 large bag ravioli (I used refrigerated Buitoni 4 cheese ravioli)

10 oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained well**

8 oz mozzarella, shredded (I was liberal...may have used a bit more)

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Caramelize the onions in a small amount of olive oil.  Add the ground beef and brown it completely until it sizzles.  Be sure to break it up into tiny crumbles (using a potato masher to do this makes it easy).  Add the pasta sauce and diced tomatoes.  Season with fresh ground pepper and let simmer about 15 minutes.

Spray a baking dish with “Pam”.  Spread a layer of the sauce mixture and top this with a layer of ravioli. Drop half of the spinach over the ravioli and then a layer of mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers… sauce, ravioli, spinach, cheese and end with a layer of sauce on top.  Sprinkle top with cheese.

Bake, covered, at 350 for 30-45 minutes until bubbly and the cheese has melted.

*If you prefer a vegetarian option, omit the beef.  This is also excellent made with ground Italian sausage instead of ground beef or half sausage/half beef.  If you want it to be more cheesy, add some freshly grated Parmesan.

** You can also use fresh spinach.  If using frozen, be sure it is well drained… thaw and squeeze out the water. 

American Chop Suey, New England Style

American Chop Suey

There’s a great debate going on about this dish!  In the west it’s called Chili Mac.  But we call it American Chop Suey because it’s one of Ken’s favorite dishes from his childhood in New England! You can feed the masses with this comfort food dish & it's economical.  Based on my googling research, it may have begun as a depression era dinner.  The leftovers are almost more yummy than the first time around!

Here’s a version from Cook’s Country (one of my most favorite cooking magazines) that we have modified slightly to meet Ken’s criteria!

Serves 6 to 8

Our favorite elbow macaroni is made by Barilla. Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes are our taste-test winner. Spice up your chop suey by serving it with hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces elbow macaroni
•   Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds 90 percent lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
• 2 celery ribs, chopped fine
• 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 can tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese grated (1/2 cup), plus extra for serving

Instructions

• 1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook pasta until al dente, according to pasta directions.. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Drain again and set aside. 
• 2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, about 15 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl.
• 3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until rust-colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomatoes, water, and cooked ground beef. Bring to simmer and cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes.
• 4. Off heat, stir in reserved pasta, cover, and let sit until warm, about 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately. 
•  
• Patti's Notes:  Add more tomato sauce if needed. If peppers & onions aren't your cup of tea, omit them. I usually also add some basil and oregano. For the ground beef, I like it to be in really fine individual pieces so I use my Mom's technique of using a potato masher!  

Oh So Yummy Frozen Key Lime Pie

Here's a favorite dessert for spring and summer!  Note that instead of limeade you can use lemonade, pink lemonade, pina colada mix, or orange juice.  (the orange juice version with a chocolate crust is a favorite too!)

• 2  (9 inch) prepared shortbread, graham cracker or oreo crumb crusts
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Bake crust in oven for 8 to 10 minutes until light brown. Allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix until creamy the ice cream, limeade and whipped topping. Spread mixture into pie crust, then place in freezer. Serve pie after it has set, about 30 minutes.

Notes:  You can use the crust without baking if you wish.  You can make a frozen lemon pie by substituting frozen lemonade concentrate for the limeade concentrate.  Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a slice of lime (or lemon). 

Back in the Saddle Again

I am sorry that I haven't been as prompt in blogging but I think I'm ready to be "back in the saddle" again. Everyone tells me that time will heal my grief so we shall see.  I hope that's true.  I miss my Mom and will continue to dedicate my recipes to her.  She would want me to continue to smile, sing, and cook... and eat, pray, and love!  I shall!