KIELBASA/PASTA DISH (a fave of my Michiganders)

 1 box of Rotini pasta

1 rope of turkey kielbasa

1 small onion, chopped &1 green and 1 red pepper chopped or sliced

1 clove of minced garlic, olive oil,2 tbsp Italian dressing

1/2 cup shredded chees (mozzarella)

Parmesan cheese to serve

Bring 5 qts of water to a boil, add salt to season, add pasta, 11 min

add 2 tbsps OO to large skillet, cut kielbasa into rounds and brown slightly, remove from pan and add onion, peppers and garlic

Drain pasta saving 1 cup of water or use a spyder to place past directly into skillet, return kielbasa to skillet, add Italian dressing and mozzarella cheese, Mix well and season to taste with S & P

Add pasta water if needed, stir all well and add to large serving bowl

serve in pasta bowls or plates and garnish with Parmesan

HOMEMADE ROLLS

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp mayo

1/2 cup milk

Grease muffin pans

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together and place in muffin tin 

Bake for 15 minutes (makes 5) 

TOFFEE TIRAMISU TORTE ( my daughter Kim;s birthday cake)

Ingredients for cake are:

1 box white cake mix &1 cup strong black coffee

4 egg whites & 4 mini Heath candy bars, chopped fine

Mix cake and pour into 2 9 inch pans which are sprayed and dusted 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes, move to a wire rack and cool. When cooled remove and slice each layer in half to make 4

Frosting: 4 oz. cream cheese softened and 2/3 cup sugar

  1/3 cup choc. syrup and 2 tsps vanilla

   2 cups heavy whipping cream  & Heath candy bars

   2 tbsps strong coffee mixed with 1/4 cup Kahlua, brush each layer     with this mixture

Mix cream cheese, sugar and syrup, add vanilla

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form and then add to cream cheese mixture folding together

Frost each layer and up sides then frost top and add chopped Heath bars to top

MOUNTAIN DEW CAKE (courtesy of my son Tim)

 

1 box lemon cake mix

1 3/4 oz box of lemon instant pudding

1 12 oz can of mountain dew

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 lg eggs

Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray

mix all ingredients well with elec mixer

pour into pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool

Dust with powdered sugar or make a glaze

SAVANNAH TIRAMISU

9 inch springform pan

Ingredients: 

2 dozen crumbled chocolate macaroons, crumbled

1/2 cup rum or bourbon

1/2 lb butter

1 cup sugar

6 separated eggs

2 oz. melted unsweet chocolate

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional but better with)

1 dozen double separated in half ladyfingers

3/4 cup whipped cream & 3 tbps sugar (I like powdered)

Soak macaroons in bourbon or rum

with elec mixer, cream butter & sugar until fluffy. Beat in slightly beaten egg yolks then add melted chocolate, vanilla, nuts and macaroons. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and fold into chocolate mixture.

Grease pan and line bottom with separated ladyfingers, then alternate layers of choc mixture and ladyfingers. Chill over night, remove from pan and decorate top with whipped cream and dust with cocoa powder

(You can substitute the rum/bourbon with Kahlua and coffee mixed if desired)

If you are allergic to uncooked eggs do not eat

No Knead: ARTISAN BREAD

 3 cups flour, all purpose, wheat or bread-1/4 tsp yeast (I used instant)

1 tsp salt, stir well to combine, make a well in bottom of bowl

Add 1/1/2 cups hot water (105)

using a dough whisk or the handle end of a wooden spoon stir until mixed, it will be sticky, place dough and cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave on counter for 3 hours to rise

After 3 hours dough will be "jiggly" so add some flour to a board and dump dough out onto board, add a couple tbsps of flour on top of dough and using a scraper, move dough around until you have formed a ball. using parchment paper in another another bowl place dough and cover with a towel for 30 minutes. 

while dough is resting turn on oven to 450 degrees and add your pot (dutch oven if possible with a non plastic lid/handle.) After 30 minutes remove pot, place dough in pot using parchment paper and leave in oven for 30 minutes, remove lid after and leave pot in oven for about 10 minutes to make top crackle

Let rest a few minutes before slicing. 

LEMON DUMP CAKE

 8x8 pan (lightly butter)

1 can lemon pie filling

1 box lemon cake mix

4 oz cream cheese (cut into cubes)

1/2 stick butter (thinly sliced)

Place pie filling in pan

add 1/2 pkg of cake mix, spreading over filling

add cream cheese over top of mix

pour balance of cake mix over cream cheese

place butter slices evenly over top of mix

bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes 

(optional, serve with whipped cream)