French Dressing

Ingredients:
1cup ketchup
1/4cup vinegar
2tsp. chopped garlic
1/4cup sugar
1tbl. chopped onion
1tsp. Worcestershire
1tsp. paprika
1/4tsp. celery salt
1tsp. soy sauce
1/2cup salad oil
Preparation:
To a blender add everything except the oil.
Blend on the lowest setting for about 1 minute, then slowly add the oil.
Place the lid, and blend on high for 5 minutes. Chill. Makes 1-1/2 cups.

Away From The Kitchen- Bath Bomb Fizzies

                    Handmade soap, soy fragrance tarts, perfume and bath bombs

Instead of baking today I decided to make a batch of bath bombs . A bath bomb in action. Drop one in the tub and inhale.
These are so easy, and you can make them in your favorite scents.
I made this batch using "OMG Olive" from Natures Garden. A soft citrus-vanilla-musk blend.

Recipe: and  Tutorial
3cups baking soda
1cup citric acid
1/2oz. fragrance oil
a few drops of food coloring
a spray bottle of water (I don't use witch hazel)
This made 17 -half sized -bombs
I get my fragrance oils from Natures Garden  and  Daystar
the citric acid from  http://stores.ebay.com/essentialdepot

Mix together baking soda and citric acid. Blend in fragrance and color. moisten with water until it begins to stick together, like wet sand.

Press into any mold (I Make mine into only 1/2 bombs) and dry overnight. Keep them in storage bags. You can use them the next day.

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.

Mochomos Burrito

Mochomos is a dish from the Chihuahua region of Mexico.
What is unique, is the practice of frying shredded bits of pork or beef, until it looks like spun glass.
Shredded, fried Mochomos
Mochomos can also be diced bits of precooked meat, that are fried until they are crispy on the outside and juicy inside. That is the way I make them, but both are great.

Ingredients:
1 pork loin roast-cubed
1 onion-diced
3cups water
Salt and pepper ( if desired)
2tbl. oil
flour tortillas
1 cup green chilli sauce
Burrito toppings of your choice such as: Diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sour cream, cheese,
guacamole, re-fried beans.

Preparation:
Add pork, onion and water to a 4quart pot. Boil until the water has evaporated, (20 min) Cool completely.
Heat the oil in a skillet. The oil needs to be very hot. (almost smoking) Add the pork and fry until it becomes brown and crispy on the outside. (don't stir fry, allow the meat to brown before turning) Add green chili sauce to the meat. Stir to combine.
Place the unopened tortillas in the microwave 45-60 second to soften. This makes them easier to roll.
Wrap meat and toppings burrito style. Serve. How To Fold A Burrito

                                            Boil pork, onion and water                                
         

                             Fry until the outside becomes nice and crispy

                                                           Toppings

                             Wrap mochomos and toppings in a flour tortilla