Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The juice from the pineapple can be used in the cake batter in place of all or part of the water.

Serves 12

1/4 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 (20 oz) can pineapple rings

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple

1 package yellow or pineapple cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread the butter in teh bottom of a 9x13 pan or a 10-inch round pan. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Place pineapple rings over the brown sugar. Sprinkle crushed pineapple crushed pineapple over pineapple rings.

2. Prepare cake batter according to directions, except use 3 eggs, 1 cup of mayonnaise for the oil and only 1 cup water. Pour batter into pan. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes forth clean. Place a serving dish over pan and carefully flip pan. Tap pan a few times with a knife. Carefully life off pan.

Adapted from Rosine's Cuisine by Renee M Davi

Ritzy Broccoli Casserole

Makes 8 Servings

Large package of frozen broccoli, cooked

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can of cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1 egg

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup grated cheddar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 cups fine ritz cracker crumbs (31 crackers)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place broccoli in 8x8 pan.

2. In a bowl combine the mushroom soup, mayonnaise, egg, onion, cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over broccoli.

3. Melt the butter ina medium saucepan over low heat. Add the crumbs and cook for a minute or so, being careful not to scorch the crumbs, stirring continuously. Sprinkle crumbs over mushroom soup mixture.

4. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.

From Rosine's Cuisine by Renee Davi.

Lasagne

Serves 8 People

2 pounds (4 cups) ricotta cheese

4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk

6 1/2 cups Karen's Infamous Spaghetti Sauce with 1 cup of water added

16 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups jack cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a food processor or blender beat the ricotta and milk or cream until smooth.

3. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam and then spread thin layer of sauce. Arrange noodles on sauce slightly overlapping to make a solid layer of pasta. Spread half of the ricotta over noodles, then sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of jack and half the Parmesan cheese. Spread a layer of sauce over the cheese, then place another layer of noodles over sauce this time place the noodles in the opposite direction as the first layer. Spread the remaining ricotta over noodles, then sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the jack and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Spread a layer of sauce over cheese then another layer of noodles and finally all the remaining sauce.

4. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and jack cheese. Return lasagna back to oven and bake until cheese melts and is bubbly.

5. Remove from oven and allow at least 15 minutes for lasagna to set before cutting. Serve with lots of garlic bread and a salad made with red lettuce and lost of Italian dressing.

---It is not necessary to pre-cook the lasagna noodles if the sauce is watery enough which is why I add a cup of water to the sauce. I told my witless friend, Cheryl Gaskin, this well known Italian trick (which I learned from my mother-in-law) and she decided to try it, only freezing the uncooked lasagna, with uncooked pasta and it turned out badly. Now, did she ASK me if she could freeze it it uncooked??? No, not at all!!! But I know she still remembers what happened and blames me for it. Personally, I blame HER for being totally and completely WITLESS!!!! If you want to freeze this lasagna, either cook the pasta first or bake the lasagna and then freeze it.

Adapted from Rosine's Cuisine by Renee Davi.

Karen's Infamous Spaghetti Sauce

Makes Approximately 8 Quarts

3 onions, chopped

2 cups of carrots, chopped

4 Tablespoons of minced garlic

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 pound Jimmy Dean's pork sausage with sage

1 pound sweet Italian Sausage cut in pieces

5 (14 1/2 ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes

4 (15 ounce) cans of tomato sauce

2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

3 teaspoons sweet basil

1/3 cup oregano

1/3 cup of dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

2-5 Tablespoons sugar (or cranberry sauce), depending on tartness of tomatoes

1. Preheat oil in heavy pot and cook onions, carrots and garlic until translucent, about 15 minutes.

2. Add ground pork and sausage and cook until browned.

3. Add canned tomato products, stirring well.

4. Add basil, oregano, salt, pepper and 2 Tablespoons of the sugar. Adjust for flavor. Simmer additional 15 minutes.

5. Serve over whole wheat spaghetti with French rolls or Garlic Bread.

This recipe started with Rosine's Cuisine's Rosine's Infamous Spaghetti Sauce but I changed the meat to ground pork and Italian sausage, the stewed tomatoes became crushed tomatoes because I was too lazy to break the tomatoes up with my fingers....

Paradise Pumpkin Pie

Makes 2 9-inch Pies

Cream Cheese Filling:

16 ounces cream cheese, soft

2 eggs

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pie Shells:

2 Pillsbury pie shells

Pumpkin Filling:

4 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 (29 ounce) can Libby pumpkin

Topping:

1 1/2 cups maple syrup

1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

whipped cream (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cream cheese filling by whipping cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Continue to beat until creamy, wiping sides of bowl frequently. Spread in the bottom of unbaked pie shells.

To prepare the pumpkin pie filling, beat the eggs until light and lemon colored. Add salt, cinnamon, ginger, evaporated milk, cloves, sugar, and pumpkin, mixing well. Carefully pour over cream cheese mixture (cream cheese may rise to the top). Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes forth clean. Pour maple syrup over pies while still warm. Sprinkle with pecan if using. Served chilled with a large dollop of whipped cream.

From Rosine's Cuisine by Renee Davi

Mystery Pecan Pie

Makes 1 9-Inch Pie

Filling:

8 ounces of cream cheese, soft

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Pillsbury pie shell

1 1/4 cups pecans, toasted, chopped

Topping:

3 eggs

1/4 cups sugar

1 cup grade B maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On medium speed of mixer, prepare the filling by creaming together the cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla, and egg until smooth, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Spread in bottom of unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle pecans over cream cheese mixture.

Prepare the topping by beating together the eggs, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Gently pour over pecans. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until center is firm. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cold topped with whipped cream.

From Rosine's Cuisine by Renee Davi

Lamb Roast & Simply Divine Lamb Gravy

Makes 8 Simply Divine Servings

5-7 pounds rolled, boneless leg of lamb, wrapped in netting, trimmed of all visible fat

10-15 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoon rosemary

Preheat over to 325 degrees. Cut small shallow slits into the roast and place garlic cloves into slits. Rub salt & pepper onto roast. Place roast fat side up on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Sprinkle with rosemary. Insert a mean thermometer into the thickest part of the roast. Roast in oven until thermometer in the thickest part of the roast. Roast in oven until thermometer reads 140 degrees for rare: Approximately 20 minutes per pound for rare. Reserve the drippings to make Simply Divine Lamb Gravy.

Allow roast to set at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. Use this time to prepare the Gravy

Simply Divine Lamb Gravy

Makes about 2 Cups

2 cups of strained lamb drippings, if drippings don't amount to 2 cups, make the difference up with water

15 cooked garlic cloves

1 Tablespoon Poupon mustard

1/3 cup white wine

1/8 teaspoon each salt & pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons flour

Bring the lamb drippings to a boil. Squeeze garlic cloves through a fine mash strainer into the boiling drippings. Add the mustard, white wine and salt & pepper. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, melt the butter. Slowly add the flour to make a roux. Add the roux to the drippings while wisking with a wire whip. If gravy becomes too thick, thin down with a little water. Taste for flavor and adjust salt, pepper and mustard if necessary.

From Rosine's Cuisine by Renee Davi

Chicken Baked with Rosemary

1 whole chicken, cut up

salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons rosemary

5 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken then pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle underside with salt and pepper and less than half the rosemary. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Sprinkle skins with lots of salt and pepper and the remaining rosemary. Dot with butter. Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Serve with Basmati brown rice.

Adapted from Rosine's Cuisine by Renee M Davi

Potato Leek Soup

1/4 pound raw bacon, finely chopped
2-4 Tablespoons butter
3 leeks, white parts and 3 inches of green, chopped in 1-inch sections, rinsed well
1/3 cup flour
4 cups red potatoes, diced and peeled or not peeled
3 cups strong chicken stock or 3 chicken bouillon cubes + 3 cups of water
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups half & half

1. In Dutch oven, cook the bacon in the butter until done. Add leeks and cook 15-20 minutes until leeks are soft but not browned. Sprinkle flour over leeks and stir to coat evenly; cook until flour dissolves, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to high; whisking constantly, gradually add stock. Add potatoes; cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add half & half. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Can be served pureed or not.

Adapted from Rosine's Cuisine by Renee Davi

Hearty Beef Stew

2 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of flour seasoned with salt and pepper
5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups onions, sliced
1 cup of carrots, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce (Hunts is best)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 Tablespoon sugar
8 medium Yukon potatoes, cut in large pieces
1 cup of frozen peas
1 cup of frozen pearl onions

1. Toss meat with flour mixture and brown in 5 Tablespoons oil in Dutch oven. When meat is browned, add onion and carrots and cook on low for about 30 minutes.
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
3. Add to Dutch oven tomato sauce, tomato paste, minced garlic, water, salt, pepper, bay leaves, basil, oregano and sugar. Bring to simmer, cover, transfer to oven, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Take pot out of oven and skim excess fat off. Remove bay leaves and then add potatoes, peas, and pearl onions and return to oven for 45 minutes until potatoes and vegetables are tender.

Serve with buttered noodles, green salad, and crusty French bread or rolls.

Adapted from Rosine's Cuisine by Renee Davi and the Cooks Illustrated website

Taco Soup

2 cups onion, finely chopped
1 cup bell peppers, finely chopped or sliced
1/2 - 1 can chopped Ortega green chilies
1/2 cup olive oil
1 pound ground beef or turkey or 3 cups of chicken
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
2 Tablespoons cumin
1 package Lawry's Taco Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons Lawry's Seasoning Salt
4 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
1 (14.5 oz ) can stewed or crushed tomatoes
2 cans of corn
1 can sliced black olives
4 cups water
2 cubes Knorr’s beef bouillon
Sour Cream
Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Saute onions, bell peppers and green chilies in oil over medium heat for about five minutes.

2. Add ground beef and cook until brown.

3. Add garlic powder, cumin, Lawry's Taco seasoning packet and seasoning salt and cook for a few minutes. While this is cooking, start opening the cans.

4. Add kidney beans, tomatoes, corn, olives, beef bouillon and water. Bring to a slow boil and simmer 10 minutes.

5. Serve topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

From Rosine's Cuisine by Renee M. Davi