Penne Pasta with Home made Sauce and Home made Meatballs

Penne Pasta with
Homemade Meat Sauce with Homemade Meatballs

Works well with Spaghetti too....

Making your Meatballs --- You will need...

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 slices bread, Dried and Crumbled
3 pounds Lean Ground Beef   ( 2 lbs Separated )
1/2 cup finely Chopped Onion
3 Stalks of Fine Chopped Celery
2 tablespoons Chopped Parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Mix and Spread 2 lbs of the Ground Beef around in a Large mixing bowl...
   ( Set the Left Over pound of beef aside in the Fridge ) ..
add the 2 eggs slightly beaten, Bread Crumbs, Milk.. Mix gently until blended..
add the onion and celery Mix in gently as well mix until blended..
add the Parsley, Garlic, Sea Salt, and Pepper.. Mix well..

Now, Get a 9 x 11 Baking Pan and preheat oven to 400 degrees.. Put Foil over the Baking
Pan and spray with your NON stick spray..

Pinch off pieces of the beef mixture and roll into 2 inch Meatballs ...
Place the Meatballs into the 9 x 11 Baking Pan about a 1/2 inch apart until the mixture
is gone.. You may have 20 ..

Place the baking Pan in the oven ( Uncovered ) for 20 minutes.. They should brown nicely..
Take them out and set them aside once again...

If you have ANY Meatball mixture left, Mix it with the remaining Pound of Beef and Brown it
in a Non Stick Skillet with just a dash of Minced Garlic.. Drain and set aside.. As they Cool,  

Lets Make the Sauce.. You will need


3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion Ring Sliced
5 or 6 large fresh Mushrooms (Sliced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried Chopped oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried Chopped basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning if you prefer...
1 large can (28 to 36 ounces total) Hunts Crushed Italian tomatoes
2 large cans of Hunts Tomato Sauce
1 large can of Hunts Tomato Puree
1   8 oz Cans of Hunts Tomato Paste  ( for thicker Sauce use 2 )
A Large SAUCE Pot


Start by Placing the Large Can of Hunts Crushed Tomato's, 2 Cans of Hunts Tomato Sauce,
Hunts Tomato Puree and Hunts Tomato Paste into the Large Sauce Pot... Stir Well...
Add the Olive Oil, Onion, Garlic, Sugar, Salt, And Stir in well..
Add the Oregano, Basil, Pepper, Italian Seasoning and Mushrooms... Stir well again..
Stir in the Meat from the Skillet and then add the Meatballs.. Bring this to a boil and
Reduce to Low.. Let this cook for 3 hours on low.. Stir Twice an Hour to blend..

When ready, You will need 2 lbs of Muller's Penne Pasta.. So with that said..

In a Large Pot, add water with 1 table spoon of salt and 2 table spoons of Olive Oil...
Bring to a Rolling Boil..
Add the Penne Pasta and Cook according to package..

Serve above with Hot Garlic Bread...

Now you know the Recipe to the Best
Homemade Italian ( GRAVY ) Sauce in the United States..
Enjoy.. Oh Yeah and ,,,    Ciao

Baked Chicken N Taters " Redneck Style " ...

Had this Last night for Supper.. Darn Good too..

You're going to need

9 x 11 baking Pan
6    Chicken Breasts ( Maybe a 3 lb Package )
1    Large or 2 Small Cans of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
1    Large or 2 Small Cans of Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup
1    Small Jar of Heinz Chicken Gravy
1    Large Onion Wedge cut
10  Baby Carrots Sliced Longways
3    chopped Celery Stalks
5    Large Russet Potatoes Sliced in 1 inch slices
Fresh Broccoli  ( Just the Tops )
1/2 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Basil
1/2 Tablespoon of Dried Oregano
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees

Pour The Cream of Mushroom Soup into the 9 x 11 Pan
Add the Potatoes in layers and then add the Wedge cut Onions
Add the Carrots and Celery on top of all that and spread it out..
Add the fresh Broccoli then
Pour the Cream of Chicken Soup over this  (do not Stir this in)

Lay the Chicken Breasts over top of the Soup in the 9 x 11 Pan
Sprinkle the Chicken with Garlic Powder...

In a Medium size bowl add the small Jar Heinz Chicken Gravy..
Add the Minced Garlic, Basil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Dried Basil,Oregano
and Worcestershire Sauce... Stir this all Together until Blended..
Pour this Gravy over the Chicken, Smooth it out on top... Cover with
Aluminum Foil...

Place in oven and Bake for 2 Hours..
Uncover , Check the Potatoes to see if they are done ... Careful this will be HOT !!

If the Potatoes are NOT done, cover and cook for another 30 minutes..
as Ovens do Vary...

If Potatoes ARE done and you did not burn yer fingers,  Then all is well ..

NOW uncover the Pan and if ya want to....

Put Oven on broil for 15 minutes to brown the Chicken... Or Serve as Is... !!

Git cha a BIG spoon and GET CHA SOME...

Italian Salad Dressing

Gotta Try this  !!
You can also use this as a Rub or Marinade for Meats !!

Italian Salad Dressing

I ran across this Recipe while Making Baked Chicken the other day
and thought maybe someone would like to make it.. This is the best
Italian Dressing Recipes I have ever made... Try it ya may just like it !

1      Cup of White Vinegar
1 1/3 Cup Virgin Olive Oil
2      Table Spoons of Water
1/2   Table Spoon of Garlic Salt
1/2   Table Spoon of Granulated Sugar
1      Table Spoon of Oregano
1/2   Tea Spoon of Fresh Black Pepper
1/4   Tea Spoon of Thyme
1/2   Tea Spoon of Dry Basil
1/2   Table Spoon Chopped Parsley
1/2   Table Spoon of Italian Seasoning
1/2   Table Spoon of Morton Sea Salt

Add All Ingredients to a Large Bottle Shake well for about 1 full minute..
Refrigerate... Shake well before each use..

Peanut Butter Cookies " Gotta Love Em "

First of all, this is one a my favorite Cookies to eat.. Next to Several others that is.. But Shhhh !
I won't be a Name Dropper like some Folks I know...

Oh ! and just so ya know.. I'm no Betty Crocker and
I have never Baked a Cookie until today... hmmmmmmm

OK !..  Lets get Started... Shall We ?

You Will Need ;

A Large Mixing Bowl and of course a Wooden Spoon to stir with...

1 cup of Granulated Sugar
1 (packed) cup of  "Dixie Land"  Dark Brown Sugar
1 cup of "Jiff " Peanut butter, ( Creamy or Crunchy)
1 cup of Soft Margarine
2 large Eggs
2 1/2 cups of Pillsbury All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of Baking Soda
1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
Large cookie sheet for baking..

So what you do is, Pour in the Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar, Jiff Peanut Nut Butter and Eggs,
into the large Mixing Bowl.. Mix well..  NOW, slowly Stir in the Flour, Baking Soda, Baking
Powder,Sea Salt and Vanilla Extract until its mixed well and all the flour is blended in...

REFRIGERATE for 2 Hours until the mixture is firm.. No less really .. Let it blend..

Heat Oven to 375 Degrees...

Shape the Firm Cookie Dough into no smaller then 1 inch Balls.. Place the balls of Cookie
Dough onto an UN-greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten Cookie Dough in a Cris Cross
Pattern, Sprinkle with a Little Granulated Sugar and Place in the Preheated oven for 9 to 10
Minutes OR until the Cookies are golden Brown in color.. Depends on your Oven I'm sure,
(So, You may want to watch them closely). Take the Cookies out of the Oven and let cool for
5 minutes.. Then...Transfer Cookies to a Plate for Cooling... (May want to use a Spatula to do
this as the Cookies will be HOT) Then....Set up another batch and do it all Again...
You Should get at least 75 cookies from this recipe, using 1 inch Balls of Cookie Dough you

just made.. I did ...  Hope ya Like Peanut Butter Cookies...

For all you Italian Redneck Cooks out there...

Smoked Sausage Penne  Pasta in Mozzarella Cheese Sauce..

Ingredients:

16 ounces of Muller's Mini Penne Pasta or Really your choice of  any Muller's Pasta..
12 to 16 ounces Hill Shire Farms Smoked Sausage, thinly sliced..
1 Large Sweet Onion-- Wedge cut
1 cup fresh sliced Mushrooms
1 Sliced Red or Green bell pepper, or both your choice..
4 tablespoons butter --- Divided...
1 Tea spoon Mince Garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup of water
2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese... Pizza Style...
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 to 1 cup soft Home made bread crumbs tossed with 2 Teaspoons of the divided melted butter

Preparation:

Cook pasta following package directions, drain, rinse, and set aside. Then
In a large sauce pan or skillet, cook the Hill Shire Farms Smoked Sausage with Onion and Bell
Pepper, 2 Tablespoons of butter, Mushrooms and Garlic.. Cook till slightly translucent.
Add 1 cup of water and mix well..  Now Remove the Sausage mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Heat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 Baking Dish or Pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same sauce pan or skillet, over medium heat, stir in flour until
blended. Gradually add the Milk and Creole seasoning. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Add the cheese and stir until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed..

NOW,  Add sausage mixture into the cooked Pasta. Mix well..
Then, Spoon the cheese Mixture Over the prepared Pasta. Spread with floured wooden spoon..
Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the casserole and Place into the oven...

Bake for 30 minutes, or until topping is browned and Pasta is bubbly.
Should serve 6, less yer real hungry...