Red wine- Beef Stroganoff with Fideo

Red wine- Beef Stroganoff with Fideo

I love the addition of red wine in this sauce, it really compliments the other ingredients.
I don't really care for packaged egg noodles, so I try a different pasta, every time I make this dish, trying to find the perfect one. Still looking.

Ingredients:
2lbs. sirloin-sliced very thin
2tbl. oil
1 onion- diced
2tsp. minced garlic
8oz. fresh mushrooms- thin sliced- then cut
1/2cup dry red wine-like merlot or pinot noir
1/4tsp. black pepper
1tsp. salt
2cups beef broth
2Tbl. prepared mustard
2cups sour cream
1Tbl. cornstarch
1-1/2lbs. cooked pasta

Heat the oil, over a high flame, in a 4-quart pot.Add the onion and garlic, saute 1-2minutes.
Add the beef, and cook until it's a little browned, about 5-minutes.
Remove the beef from the pot, set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the pot, and cook in the pan juices, until they sweat.
Add the wine, salt, and pepper, cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add the beef, back to the pot, along with the beef broth and mustard. Stir to combine.
Cook over a high flame, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
This is when I start cooking the pasta.
Stir together the sour cream and cornstarch, and add it to the pot. Mix to combine.
Turn off the burner, and add the cooked pasta. Serve Hot.

It's easier to thin slice, if it's partially frozen.

Heat the oil, in a 4quart pot. Add the garlic and onion, saute 1-minute. Add the beef, and brown a few minutes.

Remove the beef, from the pan. Add the mushrooms, to the pan, and cook in the pan drippings, until they sweat.

Add the wine, salt, and pepper. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated.

Add the beef, back to the pot, along with the beef broth, and mustard.

Cook on a high flame, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir together, the sour cream and cornstarch.

Add it to the sauce. Stir to combine. turn off the heat, and add the cooked pasta. Serve hot.

Beef and Homemade Noodles

                                                Beef and Noodles
I've been in the mood for, good ol' country cooking lately. Rich and beefy, this makes a very full pot.

Ingredients:
1 chuck roast- whole or cut up (Cutting the roast, reduces cooking time)
1 diced onion
1Tbl. garlic powder
1tsp. salt
1/2tsp. pepper
2 envelopes brown gravy mix

Preparation:
Add everything, except the gravy mix to a 4quart pot. (Larger is better) fill 3/4 full with water, and cook until the beef is tender and falling apart, adding more water as needed. Cool.
After it has cooled, shred the beef. Before adding it back to the pan, whisk in the brown gravy mix, add the shredded beef. and add water to the pot until it's 3/4 full.
Make the noodles. bring the pot to a boil. Add the noodles, a few at a time, stirring gently after each addition.
Once you've added all the noodles, wait for the broth to come to a boil again. Turn the burner off, and serve.
It's great alone or with mashed potatoes, peas, and a roll.


Ingredients for noodles:
12 eggs
1tsp. baking powder
5-1/2 cups flour-plus more for rolling

 Whisk together, the eggs and baking powder, until well beaten.
Stir in 3cups of the flour, beating with a spoon until it looks like a batter.
Stir in as much of the 2-1/2cups remaining flour as you can, kneading in the rest, until you have a firm dough, that is still a bit sticky, in the center. Set aside 30 minutes, to let the dough cure. (This makes it easier to work with) Sprinkle 1/2cup of flour onto a flat surface, Split the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out 1 piece into a 1/8inch rectangle.( It doesn't have to be perfect) Add more flour to the top, and run your hand across it to distribute it evenly. ( This keeps it from sticking together, when you roll it.) Roll the dough like a jellyroll. cut.

 Whisk the eggs and baking powder, stir in 3cups of flour, and beat into a batter.

 Knead in as much of the remaining flour, as you can, to make a firm dough. Let it rest 30 minutes.

 Sprinkle1/2cup of flour onto a flat surface. (I use a large cookie sheet, easier to clean than a counter-top) Roll into an 1/8 inch rectangle. Sprinkle more flour on the surface, and use your hand to distribute it across the dough.

Begin rolling one of the longer sides, toward the center. Smooth more flour across the folded dough. It takes a lot of flour, to keep the noodles from sticking together.

                Continue rolling and smoothing more flour, after each roll.

 Cut the dough, unroll the noodle, and toss it in the flour on the rolling surface. Continue cutting and tossing them in flour.

 I've found, the best knife to use, is a sharp bread knife, dipped in flour. As long as it has short "teeth?" Let the knife do the work, If you press too hard, it will crush the dough, and the noodle will stick together. Now they are ready to go into the boiling broth.

Stuffed Shells in Rich Mushroom Sauce

Stuffed Shells in Rich Mushroom Sauce. I prefer cheese stuffed shells, but these are good too.

Ingredients:
1lb. jumbo shell pasta
4oz. shredded mozzarella
1/4cup grated Parmesan

For the stuffing:
1lb. ground chuck
2Tbl. oil
4oz. fresh mushrooms-chopped
2Tbl. minced onion
1/2tsp. minced garlic
2tsp. dried parsley
1/4tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4tsp. salt
1/4tsp. black pepper
1/4tsp. cracked fennel
1egg-to bind the filling
1/4cup grated Parmesan cheese
2Tbl. of the shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown and chop the beef. Set aside in a colander to drain very well.
In a 2quart pot, heat the oil, add the mushrooms and cook until they sweat.
Add the onion and garlic, cook until the onion softens.
Put the drained beef in the pot, along with the herbs. Mix well to thoroughly combine.
Beat the egg, add it to the pot, along with the cheeses.
Cook stirring constantly, until the eggs set, and the mixture starts to bind, a bit.
Set aside, to cool completely.

For the sauce: This is a chunky sauce, if you prefer a smooth sauce, replace the diced tomato, with a 29oz. can of tomato sauce.
2Tbl. oil
4oz fresh mushrooms-chopped
1Tbl. minced onion
1tsp. minced garlic
29oz.can of petite diced tomatoes
1/2 of a 6oz can of tomato paste
1tsp. salt
3/4tsp. sugar
1/4tsp. pepper
1/2tsp. oregano
1/4tsp. nutmeg
1/4tsp. cracked fennel
1tbl. dried parsley
pinch of celery seed

Heat the oil, in a 2quart pot. Add the mushrooms, and cook until they become golden brown, and almost crispy.
Add the onion and garlic, cook until the onion softens.
Add all other ingredients, and mix well to combine.
Simmer on the lowest flame, for 1 hour.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. (Al dente, cooked- but not mushy)
Drain the pasta, and run cold water over them until completely cooled.
Drain, and stuff them, with about 1Tbl. of the stuffing, re-roll, and place them in a 13x9x2inch baking pan.
Spread the sauce over the shells, top with the mozzarella and 1/4cup grated Parmesan.
Bake at 375* until the cheese melts and begins to brown. Serve Hot.

Stuff the shells wit 1Tbl. of filling. I don't use all of the shells, just whatever fits into a lasagna pan.

Cover them with the sauce. If you prefer a thinner sauce, just add a bit of water to it first.

Cover it with mozzarella then sprinkle on the Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.


 


 

Pasta Primavera with Shrimp and Feta Cheese

my Rating: liked it.

                      Pasta Primavera with Shrimp and Feta Cheese
Try as I might, Men will not eat a meal without meat!
I'm not finger pointing, it's a simple fact of life. To be fair, I'll add- a woman will not check the tire pressure. These are just little things, we learn to tolerate, about each other. So making Pasta Premavera in it's classic form, is out. I like to top it with a shrimp and feta dish, that I think goes really well with it. I cook the shrimp last, since it only takes a few minutes.

Ingredients:

For the Shrimp:
2lbs. raw medium shrimp-peeled and de-veined
1Tbl. minced garlic
1Tbl. balsamic vinegar
2Tbl. butter
 6oz. crumbled feta cheese

For the pasta: You can use any vegetable you like.

1lb. any pasta- I like to use small shells
2Tbl.olive oil
6 sliced spring onions-white part, only
10 asparagus-diagonally sliced
1 bell pepper-quartered and julienne sliced
1 zucchini -sliced in half horizontally, and thin sliced
1/2cup shredded carrot
1Tbl.. minced garlic
1Tb. parsley
salt and pepper to taste
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 1/2 lemon
2Tbl. balsamic vinegar
4oz. fresh mushrooms-sliced
1/4cup grated Romano cheese

Preparation:
Marinate the shrimp, in the garlic and balsamic vinegar, while you are cutting the vegetables.
Next begin cooking the pasta, according to package directions.
Preheat the oven to broil.
Heat the olive oil, in a skillet.
Add everything except the mushrooms and Romano cheese. saute until the peppers are crisp tender.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms sweat. Turn off the burner.
Drain the pasta, add the vegetables and Romano. Toss to combine.
The shrimp only takes a few minutes to cook, so I wait until now.
Heat the 2Tbl. butter in a skillet, add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp begins to turn pink.
Sprinkle the Feta over the shrimp, and put the skillet in the broiler, for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese browns a bit.
Serve the shrimp over the pasta.

                      Broil the shrimp, until the cheese begins to brown.

Shrimp Scampi and Vegetable Tossed Linguini

                        Shrimp Scampi and Vegetable Tossed Linguini
The photo does not do this dish justice.
I have tried lots of scampi recipes, over the years, in search of the right combination. This is the best one I have every tasted. It's a variation of the Barefoot Contessa's recipe. I cut back on the butter, and changed the herbs to suit my taste. I serve this with a vegetable tossed pasta, that reflects the flavor of the scampi.
I prepare the scampi, earlier in the day, then refrigerate, uncooked. I cook it when the pasta is almost ready. I like to bake it in a skillet. It's the perfect size, and is easy to transfer from the oven to the broiler. I bake the bread, just before I begin the pasta. I'm not much of a wine drinker, but a glass of pinot grigio was amazing with this.

Ingredients:
For the Scampi
2lbs. raw, medium shrimp-peeled and deveined
salt and pepper-to taste
3Tbl. dry white wine- I used pinot  grigio
1/2stick softened butter
2Tbl. minced garlic
1very small onion-minced
1Tbl. parsley
1/8tsp. cracked fennel
1/8tsp. basil
1/4tsp. pepper flakes
zest of 1 small lemon
juice from 1/2 of a lemon- I use the other half for the pasta dish

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425*
Put the shrimp in a bowl. Salt and pepper, to taste, then add the wine and toss.
Let it marinate while you're making the herb butter.
Combine the rest of the ingredients, to make an herb butter.
Arrange the shrimp in the skillet.( photo below), and pour the remaining marinade over them.
Crumble the herb butter over the shrimp.
Bake 12 minutes, then transfer it to the broiler. Broil 1 or 2  minutes to brown lightly.

For the Vegetable tossed pasta:
1lb. fettuccine
1/2 stick of butter
1tsp. minced garlic
1/4tsp. cracked fennel
1/4tsp. basil
1Tbl. dried parsley
juice from half of a lemon
I green bell pepper- thin sliced, then halve the slices
1red onion- thin sliced, then halve the slices
2 portabella mushrooms-cut up
2Tbl. dry white wine
salt and pepper-to taste
1/4cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Begin cooking the pasta, according to package directions.
Once you have added the pasta to the boiling water, cook the vegetables.
In a skillet, melt the butter, add the garlic, herbs, and lemon juice.
Add the bell pepper and onion, and saute until the peppers are beginning to soften.
This is when I start cooking the scampi.
Add the mushrooms, and saute until they sweat.
Add the wine and cook 1 minute more. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn the burner off.
Drain the pasta. Add the Parmesan to the vegetables, toss. Add the drained pasta, and toss well, to coat.

For the Soft herbed mini loaves
1 recipe of soft parmesan garlic sourdough bread
Allow the dough to rise until double, shape into 14 mini loaves, smother with the herb butter, let rise again, and bake until lightly browned.

     Salt and pepper the shrimp, add the wine and marinate a few minutes.

                                       Combine the herb butter.

   Arrange the shrimp in a skillet, pour the remaining marinade over them.

Crumble the herb butter, over the shrimp, refrigerate until ready to bake.

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

                                   Linguini with White Clam Sauce

Living in a small town, in the Midwest, It's hard to find fresh seafood. When you do... You had better be prepared to pay for it. My grandparents lived on the west coast, just a hop, and a skip from, the ocean, for many years. That was what they missed the most, when they decided to move here. They dug their own clams. But, you can whip up some pretty good chow, using canned shellfish too. This isn't one of 'my' favorites, but Mom and My Grandparents, really loved this.

Ingredients:
1Tbl. butter
1Tbl. olive oil
1Tbl. minced garlic
2Tbl. minced onion
canned flat anchovies filets ( I use 4 filets) I promise, you wont know they are there
1/2cup dry white wine ( I use pinot grigio)
juice of 1/2 a  lemon
1tsp. basil
1Tbl. parsley
1/4tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 can- minced or baby clams (both work equally well, it's just a matter of taste)
1/4cup Grated Parmesan cheese-plus more for topping.
12-16oz. linguini

Preparation:
Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet, on medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic, and anchovies, and cook until the onion softens. The anchovies will dissolve, and become part of the sauce.
Add the wine and lemon juice, cook on medium, about 5 minutes, or until you no longer smell the alcohol.
Add the basil, parsley, pepper, chicken broth, and the juice from the can of clams. Turn the flame to high, and continue to cook, until the sauce is reduced, to the consistency of the photo below.
Meanwhile, start cooking the pasta, according to package directions.
Once the sauce has  reduced, add the clams and cook a few minuted longer to heat through. turn the burner off.
Drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.
Stir the 1/4cup Parmesan into the sauce. Add the sauce to the pasta, and toss to coat.
Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese.

   The sauce should be reduced to this consistency, before adding the clams.

Linguini with Garlic Shrimp

                                       Linguini with Garlic Shrimp

This is a variation of one of Chef Curtis Stone's recipes. It's super-fast to throw together, and makes for a very light tasting meal.
It tastes like an expensive dish, that took hours to cook.

Ingredients:
1lb. linguini
1lb. raw, small to medium shrimp- peeled, de-veined and thawed
2Tbl. olive oil
1Tbl. minced garlic
2Tbl. prepared pesto
Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Prepare pasta according to package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the garlic and shrimp and cook a few minutes, until the shrimp is beginning to turn pink.
Add the pesto, Cook stirring a minute longer. Turn off the burner.
The pasta should be done, by this point, place a colander, over a bowl, and drain the pasta, reserving the cooking liquid.
Return the pasta back to the pan, add the shrimp and sauce.
Toss very quickly, and thoroughly, to coat, adding as much of the reserved liquid as needed, to moisten.
Serve topped with lots of Parmesan cheese. It's great with garlic bread and salad.
We've served this topped with salsa cruda too, really good contrast.

Lemon Chicken Scaloppine

                                       Lemon Chicken Scaloppine


I used to cook Lemon chicken piccata, once in a while, until a few years ago I discovered this recipe, it is a much better version of that dish, but very easy to make.This recipe calls for pancetta but, I just sprinkle bacon, with  a tiny amount of fennel, nutmeg, black pepper and garlic powder, voila! "ghetto" pancetta. I picked up the ghetto phrase, from my sons, when they were teenagers, they would whip up something in the kitchen, and every dish they created, had ghetto for a prefix : "Ghetto peanut butter fudge" The funny thing is, we live in the country, out on the prairie, I guess, prairie pancetta would be more fitting. This recipe is supposed to be a copycat of TGI Friday's dish, but I've never had it, so I can't comment on that. I cook the pasta last, so it doesn't become overcooked or cold. Angel hair pasta cooks really fast. It also gets cold and sticky, really fast. I add a little water, when reheating leftovers, do re-hydrate it.

Ingredients:

For the scaloppine 
4 boneless chicken breasts- sliced into 2 thinner pieces and pounded flat.
1cup flour
1tsp. salt
1/4tsp. pepper
2 slices of bacon
oil for frying

For the sauce:
2 slices of bacon- diced
1Tbl. butter
2Tbl. capers
8oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1small onion-minced
1tsp. minced garlic
juice of two lemons
1cups-dry white wine (I use pinot grigio)
3cups heavy cream with 1tsp. cornstarch dissolved in it
1can of artichoke hearts-chopped
1 lemon-sliced into wedges
1tsp.salt-actually I think I use more
1/4tsp. pepper

You'll also need:
12oz. angel hair pasta

Preparation:
For the scaloppine, Whisk together the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, leaving the drippings in the pan. add about 1/2inch of oil to the drippings. Heat on medium.
Dredge the chicken through the flour, shaking off any excess, and fry until golden brown, on both sides. (Cover and keep warm) Make the sauce.

In a large saucepan, fry the diced bacon, on medium, until crisp. Add the butter and capers and fry 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Fry until the bottom of the pan, begins to brown, quickly add the wine and lemon juice, to de-glaze the pan.
Cook until the wine has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add the cream, lemon wedges and artichokes. Salt and pepper to taste, You'll need quite a bit to offset the lemon. Cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
I prefer to dip the chicken in the sauce, and set aside, then add the remainder of the sauce to the pasta.
Or you could Serve the pasta, topped with the sauce  place the chicken on top adding a bit more sauce if you like. I've also cut up the chicken, then added it to the sauce.

        I slice the partially frozen chicken in half, to make two thinner slices.

Once it's thawed, pound it flat between two pieces of plastic. I've found, a gallon storage bag works best, less messy too.

                           Fry until golden brown. Cover and keep warm.

Fry the bacon, butter and capers. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Fry until the liquid has evaporated, and the bottom of the pan begins to form a brown glaze. Quickly add the wine and lemon juice. Cook until the wine has nearly evaporated. Add the cream, lemon wedges and artichokes.

Cook until the sauce thickens a bit. About 5 minutes. Cook the pasta. I dip the chicken in the sauce, then add the remainder of the sauce to the pasta, and serve the chicken on top. But You could serve it any way you prefer.

I chased my 1year old grandson Shaun, out of the kitchen, several times. I was making the sauce, and turned around, to find him sleeping on the floor behind me. Poor little guy, I guess I was taking too long. He's sleeping on an inflated plastic toy, it must have been comfy.









 

Grandma's Sweet Pickle-Celery Seed Pasta Salad

                      Grandma's Sweet Pickle-Celery Seed Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1lb cooked rotini -also called skroodles
6 hard boiled eggs-peeled and chopped ( save one to slice)
1 cup thin sliced sweet pickles
1/4 cup pickle juice
1/2tsp. celery seeds-plus more to sprinkle on top
1-1/2cups miracle whip or mayo

Preparation:
Combine everything in a large bowl.
Garnish with egg slices and more celery seeds
Chill before serving.

My Favorite Pasta Salad

  I love this with Fried Chicken and Biscuits, or Bavarian Ham sandwiches.

Now that the heatwave is over, I'm craving pasta salad and oatmeal cookies. So I'm making both this week. I'm working on an oatmeal pie idea, if it turns out well I'll post it later.
There are 2 pasta salads my family makes. One is my Mothers, The other is my Dad's Mother's. Both are really good, but his is my favorite. I'll post the other, later in the week. Whenever I take this to a potluck, I'm bombarded with requests for Mom's recipe.
I like to chop everything as small as I can get it, so it's dispersed throughout the salad, and you get a little of everything, in every bite. While it's chilling, the processed cheese dissolves somewhat and becomes part of the base. Stir before serving.

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs- peeled and chopped
1 green bell pepper- minced
3Tbl. minced onion- I use yellow
2 cups minced roma tomatoes- about 5
1-1/2 cups processed cheese-cubed (the kind in a box such as Velveeta, but I prefer generic)
1Tbl. sugar
1tsp. salt
1/2tsp. pepper
2-3cups Miracle Whip-(to taste)
1/2 cup water (the macaroni will absorb this)
2lbs macaroni- cooked and chilled under cold running water.

Preparation:
Combine everything except the macaroni, mix well.
Add the macaroni, mix and chill. Stir before serving.

I cook the macaroni first, drain it, and let cold water run into the colander, until the macaroni is cold.
Put the colander in a pan and fill it with cold water. Then I begin chopping.

Add everything except the macaroni to a very large bowl, mix well to combine.

Drain the macaroni and add it to the bowl, mix well, cover and chill. I usually make this the night before, but 1or2 hrs. would be enough to combine the flavors. If it becomes dry, stir in a little water to moisten.

Creamy Tuna and Noodles- The One Pan Wonder

                           Creamy Tuna and Noodles-with fettuccine.

It wasn't until I was 10 years old that I realized Mom was a really good cook.
I spent 2 months in the hospital, (most of it in traction) starving on their so called "food". The first thing I asked for, when I came home, was this dish.  So, I guess this fits into the comfort food category.
Mom used egg noodles, but I prefer the thicker texture of fettuccine and kluski noodles instead.
I've always planned to make this dish from scratch using celery, mushrooms and homemade noodles, I'll get around to it someday. Besides, it's nice to have meals like this, that you can throw together quickly.

Ingredients:
2 packages noodles-12-16oz. each
2Tbl. butter
4 cans of tuna in water
2 cans cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of sweet peas
1 can evaporated milk

Preparation:
Cook the noodles according to package directions.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Stir in  the tuna (including the water)butter, soups and milk.
Heat until it almost comes to a boil.
Stir in the peas (including the water) and heat another minute or two to heat through.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with dinner rolls.

Taco Spaghetti Sauce

             Taco Spaghetti Sauce- tastes similar to Steak 'n Shake's Chili 3-way

Mom made spaghetti once a week. Weeek, after weeek, after week.
I vowed, once I became an adult, I would "Never eat spaghetti again!"
(That was my Scarlett O'Hara period, lucky I lived through it.)
Anyhow, here's a change of pace from the typical spaghetti sauce.


Ingredients:
1lb. ground chuck
1/2 to 1 envelope taco seasoning - (I double this recipe and use the entire envelope)
1-29oz. can tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1lb. cooked pasta

Preparation:
Brown and chop the ground beef.
Drain the meat dripping.
Add the beef back to the pot, along with the seasoning and tomato sauce.
Simmer 5 minutes. Add to cooked and drained pasta.
Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Grandpa's Chinese Noodles

                                      Grandpa's Chinese Noodles

My Grandparents were raising a family during the great depression. They told me stories about families getting together and creating soups out of whatever ingredients they could scrape together. Even entire neighborhoods would come together and cook soup to survive. There are a few that have become family traditions. This is one of those. Even the kids love this one. It tastes like wonton soup, but more filling. And that must have been the point during the great depression. Cheap, quick and filling.

Ingredients:
2lb. vermicelli
1 onion-diced
1lb. ground beef
1 bottle la-choy- type soy sauce
scallions-from about 10 green onions

Preparation:
In a 4quart pot bring 2quarts of water to boil.
Add diced onion
Pinch bite sized pieces of the ground beef and drop them into the boiling water.
Boil for a few minutes and add the vermicelli.
Cook until the pasta is cooked through, you may need to add more water to make it somewhat soup like.
Add scallions to the pot.
At this point you can add soy sauce to the pot (according to taste) or, do as I do, let everyone add it to their bowls according to taste. You really should try this, it's yummy ( as Ariel puts it)

Grandma's Lasagna

                      Pictured with Hillbilly Garlic Bread and Flaming Canoes


My Grandmother owned a restaurant years ago, and her biggest seller was her Lasagna.
To this day, I have never had it's equal in any restaurant. The dark, rich sauce is perfect.
When she gave me the recipe, I was surprised to learn that she used  Lawry's Spaghetti Sauce mix  It didn't taste like a mix to me.
But I discovered, it was the technique she used, of caramelizing the mushroom sauce that gave it a rich, unequaled flavor.
This is my most requested recipe, and easy to make. This will make 2 pans.
If you can't find Lawry's- look for a mix that includes mushrooms in the ingredients.

Ingredients:                                                                                    
2lbs. ground beef                                                                           
1lb lasagna noodles- cooked                                                          
2 packages Lawry's spaghetti sauce mix                                         
1-8oz. can of mushrooms-drained and chopped                             
2-29oz. cans tomato sauce                                                            
6oz. grated Parmesan cheese                                                         
16oz, shredded mozzarella                                                             

Preparation:
Brown the beef in a skillet and drain.
To a 4quart pan, add the beef, mushrooms and tomato sauce. Stir in the Lawry's mix.
Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. The sauce will thicken quickly.
This is where you will begin to caramelize the natural sugars in the sauce.
It will happen in the bottom of the pot.

There will be a brown glaze that begins to form. Scrape the bottom, and stir this into the sauce.
Wait about 5 minutes, and do it again. Don't let it get too brown or it will taste burnt.
As the sauce gets thicker you will have to scrape the bottom more frequently.

Keep repeating, until the sauce becomes a deep dark red. about 30 minutes more.
Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
In 2 Lasagna pans, place a layer of noodles, thin layer of sauce, noodles, etc. Until you have 3 layers of each. The last being, a heavy layer of sauce.
Top with mozzarella, and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to brown.
Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

  I tried to show the caramelized sauce in the bottom, but it came out too fuzzy.

The sauce went from the color of tomato sauce, to a thick, rich, deep red sauce.Smells great.

           Turn the burner off and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir and set aside.

         Layer and bake until the cheese just begins to brown. About 45 minutes.