E-Z -UNIVERSAL 4-LAYER CASSEROLE

 ITS SO E-Z AND YOU CAN USE WHATEVER YOU HAVE ON HAND AND GET A NICE MEAL FROM IT.

THIS ONE IS 4 LAYERS OF GOODNESS. THIS RECIPE IS FOR AN 8 BY 8 OR  9 BY 9 DISH.  FOR THE LARGER 9 BY 13 DISH, DOUBLE THE INGREDIENTS. 

INGREDIENTS...

BUTTER OR SPRAY YOUR DISH.

LAYER ONE:

MEAT

1/2 TO 3/4 LB. YOUR CHOICE OF PRE-COOKED MEAT.  BROWN GROUND BEEF WITH ONION AND BELL PEPPER IF YOU DESIRE.  THE SAME FOR GROUND SAUSAGE MEAT.  BE SURE TO DRAIN IT.  DICE COOKED CHICKEN BREAST OR THIGHS AND TURKEY OR COUNTRY SPARE RIBS OR PORK CHOPS WHICH WILL WORK TOO.  YOU WANT ENOUGH TO COVER THE BOTTOM OF YOUR DISH.

LAYER TWO: 

YOUR STARCH

6 OZ. EGG NOODLES OR  8 OZ PASTA AS IN ELBOWS OR SHELLS.  PRE-COOK THEM TO AL DENTE STAGE AND DRAIN.  YOU CAN ALSO PRECOOK 2-3 DICED POTATOES, ADDING SOME MELTED BUTTER AFTER THEY'RE COOKED AND DRAINED. JUST POUR THE POTATOES OVER THE MEAT IN YOUR DISH. 

LAYER THREE:

YOUR LIQUID MIXTURE

IN A SMALL BOWL, CHOOSE 1 CAN OF CREAM SOUP AS IN CREAM OF CELERY, CHICKEN, OR MUSHROOM SOUP.  ADD 1/2 CAN MILK OR BROTH.  AN ADDED OPTION:  ADD 4 OZ. SOUR CREAM TO ADD TEXTURE AND CREAMINESS.  STIR TOGETHER.  POUR OVER THE NOODLES EVENLY. 

ATOP THIS LAYER ADD YOUR SEASONINGS AS DESIRED.  SOME GARLIC AND ONION POWDER, SALT, BLACK PEPPER, AND EVEN PAPRIKA.  WHATEVER YOU PREFER.

LAYER FOUR:

YOUR CHEESE TOPPING.

4-6 OZ. SHREDDED CHEDDAR, COLBY, MONTEREY JACK OR MOZZARELLA.  YOU WANT A GOOD MELTING CHEESE.  IF NONE ARE ON HAND, YOU CAN EVEN USE AMERICAN CHEESE SLICES.  BREAK THEM INTO THIRDS AND LAY THE SLICES ACROSS THE DISH EVENLY.

BAKE IN PREHEATED 350-DEGREE OVEN FOR 25 TO 30 MINS. OR UNTIL CHEESE IS MELTED.

OPTIONS:

YOU WANT VEGETABLES?  YOU CAN ADD DEFROSTED FROZEN AND DRAINED AND RINSED (TO WASH OUT EXCESS SALT) OR CANNED VEGETABLES LIKE PEAS, CARROTS, CORN NIBLETS, OR GREEN BEANS.  JUST POUR SOME OVER YOUR STARCH LAYER.

I USED CHICKEN, EGG NOODLES, CREAM OF CELERY SOUP,   AND CHEDDAR CHEESE FOR MINE.  IT WAS DECLARED EXCELLENT BY 2 NEIGHBORS WHO TESTED IT.

AN OPTION:  INSTEAD OF CREAM SOUP ADD A 14 OZ CAN OF DICED TOMATOES.  

THE BEST THING IS YOU CAN TWEAK THIS ANY WAY YOU DESIRE.  AND ITS EASY TO MAKE.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR CASSEROLE.

I FINALLY STARTED A COUPLE OF WALLHANGINGS.

 YES, I AM BEGINNING TO SEW AGAIN.  SO FAR I HAVE CHOSEN FABRICS AND STARTED TACKING TWO OF MY PROJECTS.

THIS IS A CARDINAL A NEIGHBOR WANTS AS A GIFT FOR HER FRIEND.  SHE WANTED TO COMMISION THE ITEM BUT I DO NOT DO COMMISSIONS.  TOO MANY IFS ANDS AND BUTS WHEN ONE PAYS FOR A WORK.  THEY DON'T LIKE THIS OR THEY WANT TO CHANGE THAT.  I TOLD HER I WOULD MAKE A CARDINAL FOR HER AND SHE COULD TAKE IT OR NOT.  MY GIFT TO HER.  I HAVE GIVEN OTHERS AWAY TO FRIENDS AND RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS HERE.  I DON'T MIND WHEN I HAVE THE TIME AND THE ENERGY.  NO PROMISES.

THIS IS FOR ME, AN EASTER EGG TREE.  LUCKILY EASTER ISN'T UNTIL APRIL 20TH THIS YEAR SO I HAVE TIME TO MAKE IT.  THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT SMALL-PATTERNED EGGS HANGING FROM THE BRANCHES, SORT OF A DRESDEN PLATE LOOK.

I HAVE ANOTHER, WATERNG CAN OF TULIPS WITH A BUNNY BESIDE THEM BUT THAT CAN WAIT.  ITS A GOOD ONE FOR SPRING AND I HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO USE IT FOR THAT PURPOSE.

THAT'S IT FRIENDS.  WISH ME LUCK GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF SEWING AGAIN.  

SNOW, SNOW, AND MORE SNOW

ITS FEBRUARY.   WE HAVE BEEN GETTING MORE SNOW.  THIS YEAR IT SEEMS THAT TWICE A WEEK WE GET FROM 2 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW HERE IN SOUTHERN MAINE.

LAST YEAR IT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY WITH ONLY ABOUT 3 STORMS OVER 3 INCHES.  WHAT A CHANGE.

I HAVE BEEN IDLE FOR THE MOST PART.  I COOK EVERY WEEK AND ENJOY SHARING MY CASSEROLES WITH MY NEIGHBORS.  BUT AS FOR SEWING, ITS BEEN ON HOLD FOR A LONG WHILE NOW.  I JUST DO NOT HAVE THE URGE TO SEW LATELY.  I HAVE 3 PROJECTS ON THE DRAWING BOARD FOR SPRING, BUT HAVE YET TO START THEM BEYOND THEIR SKETCHES.

THAT'S IF FROM ME TODAY.  I HOPE TO POST MORE SOON.  HAVE A GOOD DAY. 

LATEST QUILT DESIGN IS A BLUEBIRD

SPRING IS COMING.  I NEED TO GET SOME SPRING WALL HANGINGS DONE.  FOR THIS PURPOSE I AM DRAWING SOME BIRDS.

THIS IS BY BLUEBIRD SKETCH....

I WILL BE CHOOSING SUITABLE FABRICS FOR THIS ONE.

I ALSO DREW A RED CARDINAL .

MAY WAIT FOR FALL TO WORK ON THAT ONE.  ITS MORE A WINTER ONE.

I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED.

ENJOY YOUR DAY.

YES, I'M STILL HERE.

 I KNOW IT'S BEEN AGES SINCE I POSTED.

I HOPE TO POST MORE OFTEN IN FUTURE.  MY POSTS THESE DAYS WILL BE LIMITED TO RECIPES AND QUILTING.

AND YES I AM POSTING IN CAPS, NOT TO YELL, BUT FOR A FEW OF MY FRIENDS WITH VISION ISSUES.  THE CAPS MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO READ MY BLOG.

I AM INTO EASY RECIPES WHICH MEAN A LOT IN CASSEROLES AND SOUPS.  I HAVE TRIED A FEW LATELY AND HAVE ADDED THEM TO MY RECIPE BOX.

THE NEXT TIME I TAKE PICTURES OF MY DISH, I WILL POST IT.

MAINLY I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT MOST OF MY BEST DISHES COME FROM YOUTUBE COOKS: THE HILLBILLY KITCHEN, MEME'S RECIPES, AND CATHERINE'S PLATES.  THEY DO GOOD WORK.  YOU SHOULD CHECK INTO THEIR SITES AND WATCH SOME OF THEIR RECIPES IN ACTION.  

I WILL BE SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.

SUMMER IS HERE

 Well we have finally reached the summer days.  Ours came in like a lion.  First the heat of a 2nd day in the 90sF and then abruptly around three pm the storm hit.  Furious, it was.  Thunder and lightning and pounding rain.  The good thing is the air cooled down immediately to 72 degrees.  We lost our cable but not our power which is a good thing.  I was able to make my big pot of mashed potatoes. I wanted enough leftovers to try a new recipe, Mashed Potato Cakes.  If it works like I hope it will, I won't have to grate potatoes to make my usual Lithuanian Belinkis which are potato pancakes.  The grating takes its toll on me so if I can find another way, I'll try it.  I will let you know soon.  

Have a wonderful summer my friends.

TATER TOT CASSEROLE

 Hello friends.  I know its been ages since I posted.  I have not been sewing lately.  Not really in the mood.  But I have been trying many new casseroles which I think you may like to try also.

TATER TOT CASSEROLE

9 BY 13 CASSEROLE DISH   PREHEATED 350* FOR 45-55 MINS.

INGREDIENTS:

1 LB SAUSAGE

32-OZ BAG FROZEN TATER TOTS

8 OZ SHREDDED SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE

8 LARGE EGGS

1 CUP MILK

SPICES: 1/4 teaspoon SALT, BLACK PEPPER

1 teaspoon ONION POWDER, DRY MUSTARD

1/2 teaspoon OREGANO

PREPARATION:

IN SKILLET: BROWN SAUSAGE.  SET ASIDE.

IN LARGE BOWL:

ADD BAG OF FROZEN TATER TOTS

ADD COOKED SAUSAGE MEAT AND HALF THE CHEDDAR CHEESE.  MIX TOGETHER.

IN ANOTHER BOWL:  ADD EGGS, MILK, AND ALL THE SPICES.  WHISK TOGETHER WELL.

SPRAY 9 BY 13 BAKING DISH.  ADD THE BOWL OF TOTS, SAUSAGE WITH HALF THE CHEESE MIXTURE.

OVER THIS POUR THE EGG MIXTURE EVENLY ACROSS.

TOP WITH THE OTHER HALF OF THE CHEDDAR CHEESE.

BAKE IN 350* PREHEATED OVEN FOR 45-55 MINS. TIL ITS BUBBLING AROUND THE EDGES AND EGGS ARE SET.

LET IT SIT 10 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.

THIS HAS BEEN A FAVORITE NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WITH MY FAMILY AND ALSO MY NEIGHBORS.  EVERYONE LOVES IT.

THE SAUSAGE YOU USE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.  I LIKE A BIT OF SPICE SO I LIKE THE JIMMY DEAN REGULAR SAUSAGE SINCE ITS SPICY ENOUGH WITHOUT BEING TOO HOT.  SOMETIMES I USE JIMMY DEAN'S SAGE OR MAPLE SAUSAGE WHEN SHARING WITH A FEW WHO DO NOT LIKE ANY SPICYNESS AT ALL. 

IF YOU REALLY LIKE CHEESE, YOU COULD SPRINKLE THE TOP LAYER WITH MORE THAN THE 4 OZ OF CHEESE YOU HAVE LEFT.  

ENJOY MY FRIENDS.  ITS REALLY EASY AND TASTY