Goetta

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
8 cups water
2 ½ cups pinhead oats (steel cut)
1 large onion-chopped
2 bay leaves
3 teaspoons salt
pinch (or more) of pepper

Add salt-pepper & oats to boiling water.  Cook covered 2 hours over low heat-stirring often.  Add meat-onion and bay leaves – mix well.  Cook 1 hour stirring often.  Pour into loaf pans to cool.  Refrigerate – keeps for days- or freeze.  To serve-slice-flour & fry until brown.  Slow Cooker Method- same ingredients as above-use only 6 cups water.  Put water-salt & pepper into cooker.  Cover and heat on high 20 minutes.  Stir in oats-cover and cook on high 1 ½ hours.  Add meat-onion and bay leaves.  Mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.  Cook uncovered longer if not thick enough-stir often. Proceed as above by pouring into loaf pans.

_________________________________________________

Our nephew won the Chef’s Challenge competition in Bloomington, IN last fall, with peppers as their required ingredient. The timed contest is similar to the Iron Chef on TV and tests the very best chefs, and also, raises money for the needy in Bloomington. His winning menu included cheesy grits with jalapenos. He then prepared a large pot for family as a Thanksgiving side dish. Jason’s tip for extra creamy grits – stir, stir, stir! I was inspired! This recipe combines an old favorite with my new favorite to make a meal that stretches an expensive item like shrimp to earn a place on the weeknight menu list.

Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Melt butter in heavy pan, sauté onions and celery until softened. Add other ingredients, except shrimp and sausage, and simmer over medium low heat uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sausage and shrimp. Continue simmering until shrimp is cooked, and sausage is heated through, 5-6 minutes. Cover and turn off heat.

Prepare the grits:

Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil. Stir in 1 tsp chicken base and 1 cup quick cooking grits. Lower heat and continue stirring for about 7 minutes until grits have absorbed the broth and are thickened. Add 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1 Tbls diced jalapeno. Stir until cheese is melted and mixed into the grits.

Spoon grits into serving bowls and spoon the shrimp mixture over the top. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired.

Spices, Liquid Smoke, jalapenos, chicken base, and grits are available at Pat’s Bulk Food!

---

Mom’s Spaghetti Chicken Casserole
3 1/2 cups cooked and drained spaghetti (about 8 oz. dry pasta)
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped or 1 tsp minced garlic spice
2 tablespoons of butter
28 oz. can undrained stewed tomatoes (or two 14.5 oz cans)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of sugar
Pinch of cayenne
1 1/4 cups sliced mushrooms
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. sharp shredded cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups)
Directions :
Place spaghetti in a greased casserole, set aside.
Sauté the mushrooms, onion and garlic in the butter over low heat until limp, then add the stewed tomatoes, salt & pepper, sugar and cayenne. Heat to boiling, then lower the heat and add the chicken. Heat through. Pour over the spaghetti and toss with 2 forks, adding 6 oz. (3/4 cup) of sharp cheddar and the 1 cup parmesan cheese until well mixed.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar cheese and bake in a 350 degrees oven until heated through and the cheese is lightly browned. (serves 4-6) Serving suggestion: add a tossed salad and garlic toast

---

Cowboy Caviar

In small saucepan bring to boil:

Set aside while preparing the vegetables.

Drain:

Drain and rinse:

Dice:

Mix all together in a large bowl. Refrigerate until serving, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips or scoop chips. This ‘caviar’ is good served over grilled chicken or fish, too!

---

Aunt Shirley’s SPINACH BALLS

Combine all ingredients. Mix and shape into walnut size balls. Bake 350 degrees on ungreased sheet for 20-25 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before serving. Can also freeze on cookie sheets and then pack into bags until ready to use. Thaw one hour and reheat at 325 for about 10 minutes.

---

Hanky Pankies Appetizers

Brown 1# lean ground beef with 1# pork sausage, Drain if needed. Add 1# Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes. After cheese melts, spread on cocktail rye. At this point you can refrigerate or freeze for later. Bake at 350 on ungreased cookie sheet until heated through. Makes about 50 appetizers.

---

Soy Crumbles (Textured Vegetable Protein) CHILI 

A 1/4 CUP SERVING OF SOY TVP HAS 80 CALORIES, 0 GRAMS FAT, 7 GRAMS CARBOHYDRATE (4 GRAMS FIBER, 3 GRAMS SUGARS), 12 GRAMS PROTEIN. 15 PERCENT OF YOUR DAILY IRON VALUE

Instructions: In large saucepan, bring broth to a low boil, add soy sauce, Liquid Smoke, olive oil. Stir, remove from heat and rapidly stir in Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), combining completely. Wait 2-3 minutes for it to hydrate. Stir in remaining ingredients and return to heat. Keep on low simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Garnish with shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream, oyster crackers.

_______________________________________________

Travelling past Metamora, IN with its horse drawn canal boat reminded me of how my grandparents met in a simpler day. When Cincinnati still had canals, young men would wait for young ladies to get off work at the shops near the canal. The girls would have to lift their long skirts to step onto the canal boat. Apparently Grandma had very pretty ankles and the rest is family history! It is hard to find a restaurant in the German areas of Indiana that doesn’t serve Pork Tenderloin sandwiches or have Mock Turtle as Soup of the Day. Pick up some delicious breaded Indiana Pork tenderloin patties from Pat’s and enjoy with hearty homemade soup.

Uncle Jim’s Mock Turtle Soup

Add meat to the water and break up with a fork or masher. Add the other ingredients. Simmer for 2 hours, covered. Then crumble 15 large gingersnaps (or about 30 small) and mix in a little water to make a paste. Stir into soup to thicken it. Salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped hardboiled egg to garnish.

Spices, gingersnaps, Indiana pork products, and more recipes are all available at Pat’s Bulk Food

---

Homemade Ricotta Cheese (from the Barefoot Contessa TV show)

This is delicious in Lasagna and amazing as a sweet, creamy spread on bagels! And it is far superior to any store-bought ricotta.

Ingredients

Directions

Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.

Pour the milk and cream into a stainless-steel or enameled pot. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scalding. It must be a full rolling boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).

Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. (I tend to like mine on the thicker side, but some prefer it moister.) Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.

---

Mom’s Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs (can be doubled)

Sauce:

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until onion looks limp. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meatballs:

Mix well – 3 slices bread softened with water, 1 small onion diced, 1 Tbls parsley, 1# ground beef, 3 Tbls parmesan cheese, 1 beaten egg, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper

Shape into 12 meatballs. Brown in a little oil in a deep skillet (or bake for 30 minutes at 350). Then lift meatballs into sauce. Continue cooking over low heat, uncovered, for 1 hour. Placing a wooden spoon over the sauce will keep it from boiling over or splattering. Serve over cooked spaghetti or your favorite pasta. The wooden spoon over the pasta water keeps it from boiling over, too.

---

Shillito’s Tea Room Ground Beef Sandwich

---

Porcupine Meatballs

Mix together: 1 1/2# Lean Ground Beef, 1 cup uncooked long grain rice, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp ground Thyme. Form into 2” size meatballs. Place in deep pan and add 1 ¾ cup water. Bring to steady simmer and cover for 20 minutes. Remove meatballs. To the cooking water: add 2 cans condensed tomato soup, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ¼ tsp thyme, ½ tsp chopped parsley. Return meatballs to the pan and spoon sauce over them. Cover pan again and simmer for additional 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Turn meatballs occasionally. You can remove the cover for the last few minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Serve over cooked rice. Tip – to prevent rice from sticking, rinse it before cooking to remove the starch caused by the milling.

---

Pizza Dip

Ingredients
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried oregano
10 slices pepperoni, divided
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped olives
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Italian blend cheese
1 ¼ cups prepared Mrs. Wages® Pizza Sauce
1 loaf (16 oz.) baguette bread, sliced and toasted
Directions
1Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
2Coat a 9-in. pie plate with cooking spray.
3In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic, basil, thyme and oregano. Spread onto the bottom of prepared pie plate. Finely chop 5 slices of pepperoni; sprinkle over top. Top with ¼ cup green pepper, 2 Tbsp. olives and 1 cup cheese. Gently spread prepared Mrs. Wages® Pizza Sauce over cheese. Top with remaining cheese, green pepper, olives and pepperoni.
Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve with toasted baguette slices.
Cook’s Note: Make the pizza sauce from fresh tomatoes and Mrs. Wages® Pizza Sauce Tomato Mix or buy prepared pizza sauce at the store to save time.

---

Low Carb Pizza Casserole – Gluten Free
A delicious pizza casserole that will be enjoyed by all. The gluten free crust is made with a simple mix of eggs, cheese, and cream. You won’t believe it isn’t your regular crisp & chewy pizza crust!
Servings 8 slices
Ingredients
• 4 oz. cream cheese softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup grated favorite hard cheese -Parmesan, Asiago or Romano cheese or a combination
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese full fat
• 1/2 cup LaRosa’s pizza sauce (fat free, low carb)
• Pizza toppings optional
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°Grease 13×9 inch baking pan.
2. In food processor or with electric mixer, combine cream cheese and eggs until smooth. Add the cream, Parmesan, garlic and oregano. Blend until ingredients are well combined.
3. Sprinkle the Asiago (or Parmesan or Romano) cheese and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese in the bottom of the greased baking pan. Pour egg mixture over the cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes then remove from oven.
5. Spread with the pizza sauce. Add pizza toppings over top if desired. Cover with remaining 1 ½ cup mozzarella.
6. Using oven broiler on high, broil a few inches from the heat elements until top is brown and bubbly. Watch closely to avoid burning.
7. Let sit for a few minutes before cutting.
Makes 8 slices