ADELE'S BEEFY CHEESY LASAGNA

Who said that lasagna is not healthy? Cottage cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses not only provide a creamy texture to this dish, but lots of calcium, protein and vitamin A. It is delicious and satisfying at the same time.

1 1/2 lbs. ground round
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
20 oz. tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. crushed fennel seeds (don't leave this part out if you can help it-I also use it in my spaghetti and meatballs)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (more to sprinkle over the top)
1 9oz. pkg. Barilla Oven-Ready lasagna noodles or the old stand-by noodles that you boil
1 (12oz.) carton cottage cheese (large curd)
8 oz. sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese (the good kind, not that stuff in the cans, at least the shredded in the bags)

Cook beef, onion and green pepper in a large skillet until meat is browned, stirring to crumble...as if you didn't know that. Duh. Add tomato sauce through the 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so, stirring every now and then.

If you are using the noodles that you have to boil, do that, omitting the salt that is called for on the package; drain.

Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese; mix to a smooth consistency. Grease a large (13X9) casserole dish. Spread 1/2 cup or a little more of the meat sauce over the bottom of the dish. Layer half each of noodles, cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce and mozzarella. Repeat layers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Top dish with more chopped fresh parsley...not that dried stuff, it has its place but its place is not here! Bake for 30 minutes; and now for the most important step in the whole recipe, ALLOW TO REST ON THE STOVE FOR AT LEAST 12 TO 15 MINUTES before you go cutting into it. I realize that you are going to be very impatient at this point, BUT, I am watching you.....this allows the juices to settle down, mingle and marry, you know what I am talking about!

Now, get out your prettiest serving plates, red ones are best, toss the salad that's been chilling in the fridge, and take the garlic toast out of the oven. Pull up a chair, say a lil' prayer, and dig in.

"I have partaken of alot of different lasagnas through the years and I never met one that I didn't like."~Adele Forbes

TACO PIE by Deliah Johnson (Mrs. Glenn Johnson) of Newland, NC

While pilfering through the basket of cookbooks that my dear cousin and friend, Martha Jo Hicks gave me yesterday, I found one entitled "Country Classics Special Delivery" from the North Carolina Rural Letter Carrier Auxiliary. I was flipping through it and the name of a local town caught my eye and lo and behold the recipe had been submitted by Deliah Johnson (Mrs. Glenn Johnson) of Newland, NC where I was raised. Here is her version of a Taco Pie that will be resting on my counter later sometime today. It's a small world 'they' say.....

1 pkg. hotroll mix or crescent dinner rolls
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
4 to 8 oz. sour cream
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
crushed corn chips

Brown meat and onion; drain excess fat. Add taco seasoning and water. Spread meat mixture over dough. Spread sour cream over meat. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and then add chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

COOKS NOTE: Top this off with FORBES SUMMER SALSA and you will be so glad you did! Thanks Deliah for this wonderful recipe and thank you Glenn for being such a thoughtful and special letter carrier for so many years.

SMASHED YUKON GOLD POTATOES with CARAMELIZED ONIONS & GOAT CHEESE

The most common variety of yellow-fleshed potatoes, Yukon Golds have the perfect balance of starchiness and waxiness. While this makes them quite versatile, remember that the flesh has too much moisture and starch for roasting, therefore the skins won't get crisp, and the insides will be mushy. Be sure and use them when possible with all other methods of potato cooking, their buttery flesh will make you glad that you did!

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons water
2 1/2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 5 medium)
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1 (4oz.) pkg. goat cheese, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits after each addition. Remove from heat and set aside.

While onion cooks, place potatos in Dutch oven, add water to cover. Bring to a boil: reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to pan.

Place milk in a 1-cup glass measure. Microwave at MEDIUM (50% power) 30 seconds or until warm.

Add cheese to potato in pan. Mash potato mixture with a potato masher 3 or 4 times or until cheese melts. Add milk, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper; mash to desired consistency. Stir in reserved onion, and serve immediately.

Serves 10

HONEY MUSTARD KIELBASA & POTATOES

The flavors of this dish are wonderful. Use two red potatoes and two sweet potatoes if you would like as opposed to all red potatoes.

3/4 cup beer, chicken broth, or dry white wine
1/4 cup Grey Poupon Savory Honey Mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 l. kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, sliced


Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 3 ingredients until well blended. Combine remaining ingredients in roasting pan Drizzle with wine mixture; toss to coat. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
Serves 6

1 potato 2 potato 3 potato 4

CREAMY COCKTAIL SAUCE

Seafood and fresh raw veggies love taking a dip in this sauce.....

1/4 cup light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine mayonnaise and sour cream, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth. Add ketchup and remaining ingredients.

Serves 8; 2 tablespoons each equals 1 WW point

"I never met a cocktail of any kind that I didn't like."~Adele Forbes

BLUEBERRY-APPLE JAM

When winter winds howl, bring out a jar of this jam at breakfast....very nice with pancakes and waffles.

6 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 cups blueberries (2 pints)
3 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped (1 lb.)

Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a heavy pot. Heat to boiling. Stir in blueberries and apple. Cook, stirring constantly, until jam tests for set, about 15 minutes. Seal in hot sterilized jars.

Yield: 8 8-oz. jars

"There was a young man of Calcutta Who had a most terrible stutter. He said, "Pass the ham, And the j...j...j...jam, And the b...b...b...b...b...b....butter."~Anon

BLUEBERRY JAM

Spread it on French Toast or top vanilla ice cream with it...either way...you'll be glad you did!

6 cups blueberries (3 pints)
1 lemon, rind and juice
7 cups sugar

Combine all ingredients in heavy pot. Heat VERY SLOWLY to a boil, mashing some of the berries with the back of a wooden spoon to make more juice.

Boil rapidly until jam tests for set, about 5 minutes. Seal in hot sterilized 8-oz. jars.

Yield: 6 8-oz. jars

Jean Baudrillard: "Terror is as much a part of the concept of truth as runniness is of the concept of jam. We wouldn't like jam if it didn't, by its very nature, ooze. We wouldn't like truth if it wasn't sticky, if, from time to time, it didn't ooze blood."