Welcome to My Kitchen

School is back in session for most area schools. Sports practice and games are in full swing, and the late summer, community fairs are wrapping up. Schedules are full, and “what are we going to have for dinner?” is a common question.

Go Odessa Summer Recreation, Cooking With Laura, finished out the summer sessions by making Spaghetti Pie. The recipe was formulated by Mahki Carroll, and she states the changes she made in the original recipe make it ideal for quick preparation on a busy day. Dinner can be on the table in under an hour.

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Crust:

6 ounces uncooked spaghetti

2 Tbsp butter or margarine

2 eggs

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Cheese Layer:

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried basil

Meat Sauce:

1 pound ground beef

1 Tbsp dried chopped onion or 1/2 cup chopped fresh onion

2 cups spaghetti sauce

Topping:

1 cup grated

mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep-dish pie pan or a 9 inch square pan and set aside.

Bring a large kettle of water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook 9 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. Drain spaghetti in colander and return to kettle. Add butter and toss with spaghetti until melted. Add eggs and parmesan cheese, mixing until well combined.

Press spaghetti mixture into prepared pan, working up the sides to form crust.

While spaghetti is cooking, brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain any excess fat from skillet, then stir in spaghetti sauce. Simmer 5-10 minutes until thickened.

Combine ricotta cheese, parsley and basil in a medium bowl, mixing until smooth and creamy. Spread mixture over spaghetti crust, then top with thickened meat sauce. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake 5 more minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing. Yield 5-6 servings.

Note: this recipe is easy to double and make an extra pie to freeze for later use.

Youth in the class learned 6 ounces of spaghetti is about the size of a quarter when held in your fist. They saw how to use an emergency field can opener when the kitchen can opener failed. And, if you forget which layer comes first, the cheese layer and meat sauce can be interchanged.

Place an extra full cup of cottage cheese in a mesh strainer for several hours to drain, then blend with a mixer to make a less expensive alternative to the ricotta cheese was another tip.

Spanish Chicken and Rice takes a little longer to bake, but you prep in less than 20 minutes, then oversee homework or other evening chores while it bakes. If you cook the rice ahead of time, you can speed up dinner time preparation.

Spanish Chicken

and Rice

2/3 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup sliced fresh or 1 can (8 ounces) mushrooms, drained

2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil

2 cups tomato or V8 juice

1 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp chili powder

6– 10 chicken thighs, browned

In a large skillet sauté onion and mushrooms until softened. Remove to a plate or bowl while your brown chicken pieces and season with your favorite seasoning. (I use taco seasoning)

Meanwhile, prepare rice. 1/2 cup uncooked rice will yield about 1 1/2 cups cooked rice. I prefer boiling the rice 18 minutes in salted water, then draining, but you may use your favorite method.

Combine cooked rice, tomato juice, chicken broth, chili powder and the sautéed onions and mushrooms, and place in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Arrange browned chicken thighs on top of the rice, pressing in gently. Cover loosely and bake 1 hour, removing cover during the last 10 minutes of baking time. Yield: 6 to 10 servings.

Note: other chicken pieces or an assortment may be used in this recipe, just be sure they are similar sizes.

Beef alternative in this recipe, mix 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef with 1 to 2 tablespoons taco seasoning and form into small, but thick, oval patties, brown and place them as you would the chicken and bake as directed. You may top these with cheese slices if desired.

Some area food banks received a large donation of drinkable yogurt, and the Cotton Candy flavor was not a favorite of most. You can find a recipe for just about anything on the internet. The following is a version I came up with that fit my 3 criteria. Fill a 9 x 13 pan, use the whole container of yogurt and liked by the kids. They scarfed the first pan so fast I had to make another pan just to try them.

Cotton Candy

Yogurt Brownies

1 Family Size box fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

2 containers (3.1 ounces each) drinkable yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees if using a dark coated pan) Grease or spray with cooking spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until just combined. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan then cut into squares. Yield: 24 brownies.

Note: yogurt replaces the oil in this recipe.

Share your favorite quick to fix recipes, or your favorite using what you got recipes, with your fellow readers by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Record Times, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA, 99159, or email therecord@odessaoffice.com.

I am searching for a new location for the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin as the Odessa office is not open often. Meanwhile, local folks can leave recipes in the granite canner on my front porch and Davenport folks may leave recipes at the Davenport office. They will get to me.

Gardens and flower beds still needing constant watering, but take care to remove late season dropping foliage from under plants, especially tomatoes, to prevent fruit and stem rot.