2 lbs ground chuck

1 lb bulk Italian sausage (Bob Evans)

1 lg onion, chopped

1 T. minced garlic (jar)

1 48 oz jar Prego, any flavor

3 15 oz cans Italian tomato sauce (Contadina)

1 16 oz can Italian recipe ready diced tomatoes

Fresh or canned sliced mushrooms (optional)

1 c. water (rinse out jars and cans)

1 T. dried oregano

1 T. dried basil

2 T. dried parsley

1 t. sugar

Brown meat, onion, and garlic.  Drain off fat.  Combine remaining ingredients in large pot or crockpot and cook low for a minimum of 4 hours. 

Refrigerate over night and package in 1 qt containers to freeze.  This sauce is ALWAYS better the next day.

We enjoy this sauce with cheese ravioli, spaghetti, as part of lasagna, and even on cheesy garlic bread.

Today we’re hosting a Super Bowl party at the cottage.  Some friends and family are coming over to watch the game on our wide screen TV.

We’ve been working hard on the cottage since the end of August when we bought it from the bank.  It was run down and needed a lot of TLC.  We painted every square inch of the walls and ceilings and put in all new floors.

Tom has been busy replacing the toilets, sinks, faucets and a new tub surround.  I have been busy decorating and organizing.  We are finally ready to show the (mostly) finished cottage to our friends.

The menu includes Buffalo wings with ranch and blue cheese dressing.  I got the recipe from the Pioneer Woman blog which I like a lot.

For some comfort food I made my own recipe of chili.  I put ground beef, sausage, black beans, kidney beans and corn to warm everybody up on this cold day.

My sister, Lisa is bringing white chicken chili that we are dying to try.

I will be using my new quesadilla maker to make steak and chicken quesadillas.

For snack food we have chips and salsa, veggies and dip.

After all that we will enjoy some Paula Dean’s Orange Brownies and milk chocolate brownies with Andes Mints and pecans.

We will wash everything down with soft drinks, beer and daiquiris.

I don’t know much about football but I think maybe the Cardinals will win.

If you want a recipe for any of our Super Bowl favorites just write me and I will send it to you.

Have a great Super Bowl!

Amy

I just got a new Kitchen Aid mixer - it’s RED!  My only reason for wanting it was the color - I know that’s shameless.  My old white KA which has served me well over the past 12 years has been handed down to my daughter, Megan.  She also has my KA white food processor that was replaced with a red one a few months ago.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mashed bananas (3 frozen)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange cupcake liners in pans (I used foil liners).
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium size bowl.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add brown sugar, sugar, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon; beat until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix well. Add the sour cream; mix well. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients; mix well. Add half of the bananas; mix well. Repeat with remaining 1/3 of the dry ingredients and remaining bananas. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake until cake tests done, about 17 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then turn onto wire rack to cool. Frost with Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting.
5. I got 22 cupcakes out of this.  This recipe can also be baked in 2  9″ square pans for 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

·     1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

·     1/3 cup butter, softened

·     3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

·     4 cups confectioners’ sugar

·     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·     2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese, butter, and allspice. Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and milk until the mixture is spreadable.

2. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Refrigerate cupcakes

Speed the chilling of the dough by placing the rolls in the freezer; then just slice and bake.

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 lg egg
1 t. vanilla
2 3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 (16 oz)jar marashino cherries, drained and finely chopped (I used 10 oz and chopped in food processor)
1 c. finely chopped pecans (I used 1/2 c)
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)
red decorator sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Beat butter until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating well.  Add egg and vanilla, beating well.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture, beating well.
3. Stir in well drained cherries, nuts, and chocolate chips. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
4. Shape dough into 2 1 1/2″-diameter, 8″ long rolls.  Roll in colored sugar, if desired.  Wrap rolls in wax paper and freeze until firm.
5. Unwrap frozen dough and slice into 1/4″ slices, using a sharp knife.  Place on lightly greased cookie sheets.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden.  Let cool 1 minute on cookie sheets.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

This is a friend’s recipe from college.  Trudi brought this to a dinner I was having and everyone raved about it.  Even people who don’t like broccoli really love this casserole.

Ingredients:

• 2 - 10 oz boxes of chopped broccoli
• sprinkle of dried onions
• seasoned stuffing cubes
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 stick of melted butter

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Thaw frozen broccoli and drain.  Place in a greased 2 quart casserole.  Sprinkle on the dehydrated onion.  Top with stuffing cubes.  Combine soups and cover stuffing.  Pour melted butter over all.  Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 30 minutes.

When we were growing up my Dad handled all the barbecuing in our backyard.  His favorite sauce was not the traditional red sauce but a more tangy sauce that you can’t find in stores anywhere.

This recipe originally appeared on a Wesson oil label and Daddy tried it and a family legend was born.  Every family get together includes some of Daddy’s sauce.

Daddy passed away in September of 1988.  His memory lives on with his girls, grandchildren and his famous barbecue sauce.

I always double or triple the recipe and keep it in the refrigerator for grilling season.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. ketchup
3/4 c. water
1/3 c. lemon juice
3 T. sugar
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. prepared mustard
2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown onions in oil until soft.  Add remaining ingredients and cook slow until thick.

Welcome to my Cooking With Amy Blog.

I’ve loved to cook for many years.

I hope you’re going to enjoy this blog and the recipes posted here.

Bon Apetite!