All American

It's All American Night!

Janice:

Main Dish: All American Lasagna

Time: 1 hour 45 mintues

Source: Taste of Home, Comfort Food Cookbook

Comments:  I have never even attempted to make anything like this before.  Fortunately, I had picked a very easy lasagna recipe.  When I started looking I couldn't believe how many different variations there were.  I was also concerned with the number of calories (which some were very very high in).  The recipe called for ground beef and I substituted ground turkey.  I really liked this recipe.  It was not heavy but very light and had much less calories due to using cottage cheese and mozarrella cheese.  I will try this again and it was a simple recipe to make.  I just takes a while to cook (about 1-1/2 hours).

Comments from Melissa: I don't usually eat lasagna - not quite sure why, maybe it's because everyone in the world loves it and I just have to be different, haha.  But I saw the ingredients Mom was using and I was a little worried that it called for cottage cheese LOL - I kept asking her if she read the recipe right =)  But it turned out yummy! I ate my whole slice that night and another slice the next day.  Good job Mom  - but I probably wont eat it next time if you cook it - 1st time's a charm ;)

Comments from Tammy:  Ok, don't let Mom fool you.  She used ground turkey, because she kind of had too.  I don't eat red meat.  I know Mom thinks that I am a little difficult to cook for because of that, but look at what a great substitute ground turkey is for ground beef.  I really liked this recipe. It looked pretty easy, definitely easier than traditional lasagna.  I would definitely make this for my family.  I think this is one that even the kids will enjoy.  Go Mom, Go Mom!!!!

Tammy
Side Dish: All American Corn Bread
Source: GroupRecipes.com
Time: 30 minutes

Comments:  I have to admit that this recepie was too easy for one of our cooking nights.  But, my justification is that I have never made a cornbread before.  Therefore I am going to let my self off the hook on this one :)  As far as the recipe and how it turned out?  Well, it couldn't have been any easier and it was so yummy!  Let me tell you, I have had a lot of dry cornbread in my day..... but not here. Not even close!  It was so moist and fluffy and I impressed Lissa with this one.  If I can impress Lissa then the recipe is definitely a keeper.   :)

Comments from Janice:  Our theme as you can tell was All American due to the 4th being so close to our cooking date.  The cornbread was yummy.  It was a very sweet cornbread as there are so many different kinds of cornbread.  The other difference was that this called for full kernals of corn.  The bread was sooo moist and soft and it is good hot with butter or very cold just out of the refrigerator or room temperature.

Comments from Melissa: I looooved this cornbread!  It was sooo tasty all warm and fresh from the oven - a perfect compliment to any meal and looked super easy =)  Great job Sis!  I even had a piece the next day, cold without butter and it was yuuuumy!



Melissa
Dessert: All American Apple Pie
Source: Allrecipes.com
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes


Comments: Woo Hoo!!! Go me! =) I can't believe I actually made an apple pie from scratch! I think it's something that every cook should know how to throw together (and I'm sure most of you do) but I had never attempted anything like this, especially not the crust too, and it turned out sooo tasty.  I poured just a little bit of carmel on top and served it warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream mmm mmm!  This is a definite winner!  Especially if I perfected it haha

Comments from Janice:  Yeh, Lissa.  This pie was yummy.  I will say that I am not a pie person, but I LOVED this one.  It was very sweet and tasty.  The only thing that might make it even better is to cut the apple slices even smaller, because they were a little crunchy.  Even so, great job.

Comments from Tammy:  My baby sister, who, this time last year, could not boil noodles, is making apple pie.    WHAT???????  I am very proud of you Sista!    This was a really yummy recipe and very doable.  I have made some pies with complicated crust recipes, but this crust was fairly easy.  It didn't quite stretch far enough so that Lissa could crimp the edges, but that didn't matter.  It was pretty and very delicious.  Good Job Lis!   Are you turning into a cook?  Could that be?  You go girl!

Recipes

American Lasagna:

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 small onion, chopped

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 3/4 cups water

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups (16 oz) fat free cottage cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, cook the turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain. Stir in tomatoes, water, tomato paste, and spaghetti mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. In a small bowl, combine the egg, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spread 2 cups meat sauce in a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with three noodles, half of cottage cheese mixture and half of reamining meat sauce. Repeat layers.

3. cover and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Cornbread:

Ingredients:

2 cups biscuit baking mix

1 cup butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs fork beaten

1, 11 oz can of sweet corn kernals, drained

Directions:

1. Warm half and half with butter to melt butter and when warm, add to remaining combined ingredients (except eggs and corn).

2. Blend well then stir in eggs and corn.

3. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes or tested done and golden.

4. Let cool then serve.

All American Apple Pie:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cold milk

1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6 fuji apples, cored and sliced

3/4 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. To make crust: In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, oil, milk 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and salt until evenly blended. Pat mixture into a 9 inch pie pan, spreading dough evenly over the bottom and up sides. Crimp edges of the dough around perimeter.

3. To make filling: Mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over apples and toss to coat. Spread evenly into unbaked pie shell.

4. To make topping; Using a pastry cutter, mix together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar and butter until evenly distributed and crumbly in texture. Sprinkle over apples.

5. Put pie in the oven on a cookie sheet to catch the juices that may spill over. Bake 45 minutes.

Fat churros

IT'S MEXICAN THEME NIGHT!

Melissa

Main Dish: Mexican Chicken Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

Source: Cooks.com

Ready in: 40 minutes

Comments:  This wasn't truly a Mexican pizza, I don't think because it was missing beans and rice =)  But overall it was an easy recipe with lots of yummy ingredients and I loved the taste.  Super yummy and I think it would satisfy all ages. 

Comments from Janice:  I really loved this pizza (although a special corner of it was made just for ME.  I am not a fan of cilantro or bell peppers, so it was left off of my piece.  It was funny though because the dough did not behave itself.  The recipe called for kneeding and Lissa did it with her hands.  We thought the dough was not going to happen because it stuck to her hands.  I stated that I thought more flour was needed, but she was afraid it would take away from the recipe.  She put it back in the mixer to kneed and then took it out again to try and do manually.  It STUCK again.  She finally worked it out and we had a pizza crust.  Those are some of the things we learn with trying different things.

Comments from Tammy:  A little comedy is always called for on our cooking nights and Lissa provided it for us this time.  I mean really, how do you knead a dough that won't come off of your fingers, even when extra flour is added.  I thought for sure this dough was going to be too hard to eat.  But, actually it turned out soft and really yummy.  I don't think I have ever had a mexican pizza.  So for a first timer, I really liked it.  I do have to agree that we needed beans, rice and Don Jose salsa to make it feel complete.  Next time we will be sure to do that.   :)  Good job Lis!

Janice
Side Dish: Sweet Corn Cake
Source: Allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour


Comments:  This recipe was different than anything that I have every tried.  It was a very simple one.  I thought these little squares were very delicious and I would try it again.  It does always compliment the Spanish cuisene.


Comments from Melissa: The corncakes were very tasty.  I've always like the ones they used to serve at El Torrito and I think this was even better!  Good job mom, even though it was easy =)  But definitely one I would cook over and over with any meal. 


Comments from Tammy:  Super easy and really yummy.  Very moist and sweet.  I make something similar to this on Christmas Eve and it is always a big hit.  Made from scratch and super easy?  You can't go wrong with that, right?  Good Job, Mom.




Tammy:
Dessert: Churros
Source: Allrecipes.com

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes


Comments:  I have to say "boooo" to the churro.  I don't know, this one just did not work out like I wanted it to.  And I had high hopes.  The dough was simple enough to make, but you were supposed to put it in the pastry bag (or in my case, ziploc) while it was still warm.  Yet even after letting it cool it was still too hot for the bag and too hot to touch.  I had three bags burst on me.  Then, the recipe just said to let cook till golden brown, which I did, but the inside wasn't really cooked.   Even after putting them back in the oil to cook longer the inside was just too doughy.  I don't like a recipe that isn't specific.  Just tell me how long to cook the thing for goodness sake!  I would dump this recipe and try a new one.   It just wasn't worth all the effort.  I love the challenge though :)

Comments from Melissa: These were funny to watch Sis make.  She was second guessing the recipe the whole time and a little stressed that they wouldn't turn out.  I think they did turn out pretty well although they were short and fat - so looked kind of funny LOL.  But good try with these Sis, I thought overall the taste was perfect with the sugar - not sure how you could have made these cook better.  I'm definitely not the person to ask about that haha

Comments from Janice:  I thought the churros were very tasty.  There was a little trouble with getting them to cook all the way through.  We weren't sure whether it was caused by the oil being too hot or not.  Anyway, Tammy cooked them longer than the recipe called for and the outside was a little toastier.  They were good anyway even if some of the centers were a little doughy.

RECIPES

Janice:

Sweet Corn Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup masa harina

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. In medium bowl beat butter until it is creamy. Add the Mexican corn flour and water and beat until well mixed.

2. Using a food processor, process thawed corn, but leave chunky. Stir into the butter mixture.

3. In a seperate bowl, mix cornmeal, sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder. Add to corn flour mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8 inch baking pan. Smooth batter and cover with aluminum foil. Place pan into a 9x13 inch baking dish that is filled a third of the way with water.

4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes. allow to cool for 10 minutes. use an ice cream scoop for easy removal from pan.

Melissa:

Mexican Chicken Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)

3/4 cup warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

additional cornmeal

2 cups mexican cheese blend (8oz)

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 can (14.5 oz) organic fire roasted diced tomatoes or plain diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees

2. In medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup of the flour, the sugar, yeast and salt. Stir in warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high spead 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup cornmeal and remaining 3/4 cup flour to make a soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. cover and let rest 10 minutes.

3. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with additional cornmeal. Press dough into 14x10-inch rectangle on cookie sheet; prick with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn brown. sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese blend. Top with chicken, tomatoes and bell pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with green onion and cilantro.

Tammy:

Churros

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegatble oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

16 cups oil for frying

1 cup white sugar, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour until mixture forms a ball.

2. Heat oil for frying in deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees. Pipe strips of dough into hot oil using a pastry bag. Fry until golden; drain on paper towels.

3. combing 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture.