Apple Dumplings

I tried these several years ago at a church dinner and they were delicious. Since then several different people have talked about making them and loving them. I have a few recipes, but when I decided to make them I ended up calling my best friend Shawna for her recipe. I fixed them while I was staying at my mom's. We were snowed in and Dewayne was fishing in Florida , where it was warm, sunny and the only state that didn't have snow on the ground.  He enjoyed his vacation with family, they caught a lot of fish, big fish (said it was their best trip yet) and Weston and I enjoyed spedning time with mom and Bige back home in Kentucky. Mom and I cooked and filled our bellies full all week, like I really needed to. I needed to be running up and down their hills and eating rice cakes with lots of water. Anyways, you only need a few ingredients and they are super easy to make. They are unbelievably delicious and just what we needed to warm us up on a cold, snowy day. They are great by themselves, but if you have any vanilla ice cream close by, you have to have a scoop with your warm apple dumplings.  These are most tasty right out of the oven, but we put the leftovers in the fridge and they were still yummy reheated in the microwave.

What you need...
-2 Granny Smith apples, peeled or not peeled (your preference)
-2 cans crescent rolls, (8 in each can)
-1 stick of butter
-1 c. sugar
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 can of Mountain Dew, Sprite or 7-Up

What you do...
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I peeled my apples, but you can leave the peel on if you prefer to do so. After peeling the apples, slice into 16 slices. Lay out and seperate your crescent rolls. Lay 1 slice of apple in each triangle and cover the apple slice, piching the edges together to seal. Place crescent wrapped apple slices in a 13 x 9- inch pan. Melt the butter in microwave and stir in the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, stir to mix well. Poor the mixture over your apple dumplings, distributing evenly. Pour the can of Mountain Dew (Shawna uses Sprite, just whichever you have on hand or prefer) over top. This wasn't in the recipe, but I raised each dunpling with a fork to make sure the liquid mixtures got underneath each one. I was afraid they may stick. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. I used the coking time from a different recipe and they turned out great for me and for my mother-in-law (who fixed them and loved them too). These are really, really good, can be thrown together really quick and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand. Oh by the way, this picture does not do Apple Dumplings justice. I was in such a hurry to eat mine straight out of the oven, I forgot to take a picture. I took this one the next day after heating them up in the microwave.

Garlic Cheese Bread

Another one I spotted on Pioneer Woman that looked so good I just had to try for myself... Garlic Cheese Bread. All I have to say is good stuff!! We had it with lasagna, I think it would be a great addition to any meal, but they are so flavorful and filling I think they would be better served alone with marinara or ranch, which is the way I plan to do the next time. Oh, by the way if you noticed. I do know my pan is all scraped up and looking kind of rough. I just can't bring myself to throw it out. Maybe next cleanout.

What you need..
*3-½ cups grated Cheddar cheese
*¾ cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
*½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
*½ cups (real) mayonnaise
*4 whole green onions, white & light green parts, minced
*1 dash salt
*1 loaf crusty French bread
*1 stick butter
*4 cloves garlic, finely minced

What you do...
Mix cheeses with the mayonnaise and the green onions. Add dash of salt to taste and set aside or keep in fridge until you need it.
Cut loaf of bread in half, then each half into half again.
Working 1/4 loaf at a time, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 1/4 of the minced garlic. Place 1 of the 1/4 loaves face down in the skillet, swirling it to soak up the butter and garlic. Allow bread to toast in the skillet, removing garlic if it starts to get too brown.
Repeat with remaining butter, garlic, and bread.
Spread cheese mixture on warm loaves and bake in a 425 degree oven until cheese is hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.

The Best Lasagna Ever

Pioneer Woman had a recipe for lasagna listed on her site titled Best Lasagna Ever.  Dewayne loves lasagna, well not the lasagna I have fixed before, but good lasagna fixed right. The first time I fixed and the first time I had ever eaten lasagna was the evening before I went into labor with Weston. I fixed lasagna and made sweet tea. I wasn't crazy over either, but fixed it for Dewayne. Having never had lasagna or contractions before, I thought the pain was from eating the lasagna. Silly me. Well, I fixed the lasagna on Thursday and I was in the hospital early the next morning and Weston came Monday evening. You might think I would never want to fix or eat lasagna again, but nah Dewayne likes it and I have been trying to find a good lasagna recipe that he will actually give his stamp of approval on. Over the years I have grown to like lasagna.. Unlike my better half, I am not a picky eater, I can eat about anything made anyway and be fine with it. I have tried several lasagna recipes over the last 9 years. Dewayne hasn't been thrilled with any of them and the last time I fixed I think he had given up on me ever making good lasagna, he said he really didn't like lasagna anymore. When I found this recipe I had to try it, afterall it was titled The Best Lasagna ever. I'll go ahead and tell you, this lasagna is titled right and Dewayne even gave his stamp of approval, he said it was the best lasagna he had ever eaten ever (even in restaurants which included our local Italian Dino's and the ever famous Olive Garden). We both loved it and I think I will keep this as my regular lasagna recipe.

What you need...
*1-½ pound Ground Beef
*1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
*2 cloves Garlic, Minced
*2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
*2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
*2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
*2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
*1 teaspoon Salt
*3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
*2 whole Beaten Eggs
*½ cups Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
*2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
*1 teaspoon Salt
*1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
*1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles (my friend used the no cook noodles & they worked just fine)
*(add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)

What you do...
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:

Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.