Busy Mom Lasagna

Busy Mom Lasagna
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion - diced
16 oz jar spaghetti sauce
4 oz cream cheese - softened
4 oz sour cream
12 oz pkg wide egg noodles - uncooked
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Brown beef with onion - drain. Add spaghetti sauce, cream cheese, and sour cream & mix well. Spray a 5 qt crock pot with PAM. Layer in the crock pot the noodles and beef mixture and cheeses. Repeat layers as necessary until cooker is full Cover and cook on high for 2 hrs. reduce heat to low for an additional 4 hrs.

30 Minute Taco Chicken Bake

30 Minute Taco Chicken Bake

1 1/2 pound chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 box taco dinner (tortillas, seasoning and taco sauce)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package (8 oz size) shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided

Cook and stir chicken pieces in oil in large skillet until cooked
through; drain. Add seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in sour
cream.

Spray 12x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line baking dish
with 5 of the tortillas; sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Spoon
chicken mixture over cheese; top with remaining tortillas. Drizzle
with taco sauce. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining
cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Smothered Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops

4-6 thick boneless pork chops
olive oil for frying
butter for frying

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 to 1 cup sour cream
2-3 shakes of worchestershire sauce

Fresh mushrooms, cleaned & sliced

Using cast iron skillet, fry chops in oil & butter until brown.

Mix cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and worchestershire. Pour over browned chops. Cover and simmer on low approximately 1 hour. Add mushrooms on top, cover and cook 15-30 minutes.

I love to serve with bow-tie pasta tossed in just a little bit of butter. However the gravy is also wonderful over mashed potatoes.

Traditional Pineapple Upside Down Cake using a cast iron skillet

People, Cast iron skillets are one pan that should be in every kitchen. The uses for it are endless. I especially like my Uncle Jim's recipe for cornbread made it in as well as for fried potatoes. Here is one recipe that I think would be enjoyable. I am actually going to make it this weekend. I will come back with pictures after its done.


Traditional Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
The upside-down cake, which was so popular in the '50s and '60s, is again gaining in popularity. No wonder - it's still wonderful!
Use your old cast-iron frying pan. The heavy pan keeps the butter from burning, and the handle makes it easy to flip the cake upside down when it is done.

Topping:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (1-pound, 4 ounce) can sliced pineapple
Maraschino cherries
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch cast-iron frying pan or a 9x2-inch cake pan over low heat, melt butter or margarine. Stir in brown sugar until blended. Remove from heat. Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons syrup. Arrange pineapple slices onto top of sugar mixture. Place a maraschino cherry in center of each slice. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, milk, and vegetable shortening; beat 2 minutes. Add reserved pineapple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; beat 2 minutes. Pour over pineapple slices in frying pan, spreading evenly. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen; cover with a cake plate and invert. Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.