| I really enjoy eating at nice restaurants. | | | | |
| Not because I don't enjoy cooking, but more | | | | Spread 1•1/4 c of the Ricotta mix |
| to the point, I enjoy good food. I was | | | | evenly over thestrips. Top with 8 c of veggie |
| working in a small Oregon town for a while | | | | mix and spread outevenly. Lay out 9 of the |
| and found myself hard pressed for someplace | | | | mozzarella slices to cover theveggie layer. |
| really good to eat. There were plenty of | | | | Repeat this layering. Top the secondlayer of |
| restaurants in town, just very few with food | | | | mozzarella slices with lasagna strips |
| I would consider really delicious. This same | | | | andspread them evenly with 1•1/4 c |
| situation can be found in many small towns | | | | ricotta cheese mix tofinish. |
| all over America. | | | | |
| | | | COOKING: Spray a sheet of foil with vegetable |
| When I'm getting together with friends, or | | | | sprayand cover the baking dish tightly with |
| friend as the case my be, it's always nice to | | | | the foil, sprayedside down. Bake in a |
| eat dinnner at my house. I am then in | | | | preheated 375F oven for aboutan hour or until |
| control of the evening. No rushing to be in | | | | the internal temp is 165F. Removefrom the |
| time for my reservation at the restaurant. | | | | oven and allow to sit for a few |
| We are able to enjoy whatever music we find | | | | minutes,covered, before cutting and serving. |
| enjoyable. There is no waiter hovering for | | | | Immediately priorto serving, heat the |
| his tip. I especially enjoy when the waiter | | | | reserved portion of Alfredo Sauceand ladle |
| wants to ask about the meal and my mouth if | | | | the hot sauce over each slice of lasagna asit |
| full of food. | | | | is served. |
| | | | |
| There is nobody standing around waiting for | | | | An appetizer is always nice to get the |
| my table. I know the food will be good | | | | evening started. |
| because I know exactly what went into it. We | | | | |
| can stay seated at the table for as long as | | | | Olive Gardens Fried Mozzarella |
| we want or better yet, move the party into | | | | |
| the living room. (Even better on a rainy | | | | 1 pound block of mozzarella cheese |
| night) | | | | |
| | | | 2 eggs, beaten |
| I thought it would be fun to pass along the | | | | |
| makings of a truly great dinner, assuming | | | | 1/4 cup water |
| Italian is a meal of choice. Whatever you | | | | |
| do, don't cheapskate on the ingredients. | | | | 1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs |
| Start with a nice green salad. Have perhaps | | | | |
| two dressings available. Again, don't | | | | 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic |
| cheapskate. A bottle of nice wine is always | | | | |
| good. Have your dealer assist you with the | | | | 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano |
| selection. Also, be sure to have coffee | | | | |
| available. Perhaps more then one flavor. | | | | 1/2 teaspoon dried basil |
| Now let's get to the heart of the situation. | | | | |
| | | | 2/3 cup flour |
| Olive Garden Lasagna | | | | |
| | | | 1/3 cup corn starch |
| Alfredo Sauce: | | | | |
| | | | Slice the block of cheese lengthwise into |
| 1/2 lb. sweet or salted butter | | | | about 1/2 inchsections. Cut each section in |
| | | | half. |
| 12 oz. heavy cream | | | | |
| | | | Beat the eggs with water and set aside. Mix |
| Fresh ground white pepper | | | | the bread crumbs,garlic, oregano, and basil |
| | | | and set aside. Blend the flour withcorn |
| 1 1/2 cups fresh Parmesan, grated | | | | starch and set aside. |
| | | | |
| Ricotta Cheese Mix: | | | | Heat vegetable oil for deep frying to 350F. |
| | | | Dip cheese in flourthen in egg wash and then |
| 1 pint Ricotta cheese | | | | coat with bread crumbs. Place carefullyin hot |
| | | | oil and fry until golden brown. This should |
| 2 oz. Romano, grated | | | | only take amatter of seconds, so you need to |
| | | | watch them closely. |
| 3 oz. Mozzarella, shredded | | | | |
| | | | Drain on brown paper bags and serve with your |
| 2 tbls. green onions, sliced | | | | favorite pastasauce that has been warmed. |
| | | | |
| 2 teas. fresh parsley, chopped | | | | No truly great dinner is complete without a |
| | | | totally decadent dessert. Try this on for |
| 1/2 teas. salt | | | | size. |
| | | | |
| 1/8 teas. black pepper | | | | Cracker Barrel Cherry Chocolate Cobbler |
| | | | |
| 1/4 teas. dried basil | | | | 1•1/2 cups flour |
| | | | |
| 1/4 teas. dried oregano | | | | 1/2 cups sugar |
| | | | |
| 1 1/4 cups Alfredo sauce, cooled | | | | 2 teaspoons baking powder |
| | | | |
| Vegetable Mix: | | | | 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| | | | |
| 4 cups broccoli florets | | | | 1/4 cups butter |
| | | | |
| 2 cups carrots, sliced 1/4" | | | | 1 (6 oz.) pkg. Nestle's semi•sweet |
| | | | chocolate morsels |
| 4 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/4" | | | | |
| | | | 1/4 cups milk |
| 2 cups red bell peppers, diced | | | | |
| | | | 1 egg |
| 1 cup green bell pepper, diced | | | | |
| | | | 1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling |
| 1 cup yellow onion, diced | | | | |
| | | | 1/2 cups nuts, finely chopped |
| 2 cups zucchini, sliced | | | | |
| | | | Preheat oven to 350F. In large bowl, combine |
| Lasagna noodles | | | | flour, sugar, bakingpowder, salt and butter; |
| | | | cut with pastry blender until crumbs aresize |
| 18 slices Mozzarella cheese, 1/2 oz. each | | | | of large peas. Melt over hot (not boiling) |
| | | | water, Nestle'ssemi•sweet chocolate |
| Lay out enough dry lasagna strips in a 9x13 | | | | morsels. Remove from heat and cool slightlyat |
| pan toensure you have enough to make 3 full | | | | room temperature (about 5 minutes). Add milk |
| layers, withvery little overlap on each | | | | and egg to meltedchocolate and mix well. |
| layer. Remove the drystrips and cook | | | | Blend chocolate into flour mixture. |
| according to package instructions untilbarely | | | | Spreadcherry pie filling in bottom of 2 quart |
| "al dente" and drain. | | | | casserole. Drop chocolatebatter randomly over |
| | | | cherries. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. |
| ALFREDO SAUCE: Heat water to a boil in the | | | | |
| bottom ofa double boiler. Add butter, cream | | | | Bake at 350 F for 40 • 45 minutes. |
| and pepper to thetop pot and heat until | | | | Serve warm with heavy cream. |
| butter is completely melted,then stir in | | | | |
| Parmesan until melted and blended. | | | | It is best to have several wheetbarrows |
| | | | available to transport you from the table to |
| Remove top pot and set aside to cool. Divide | | | | the couch. Also, have a prepared statement |
| thesauce into 2 equal portions. Refrigerate 1 | | | | already written where-by you swear to go on a |
| portion foruse later. | | | | diet the very next day. |
| | | | |
| RICOTTA CHEESE MIX: Combine all ingredients | | | | These recipes come from a fun cookbook I was |
| in abowl and blend thoroughly with a rubber | | | | sent by an internet marketer friend of mine. |
| spatula. Setaside at room temp. | | | | If you would enjoy a PDF copy, totally FREE |
| | | | of charge, check out this web site: |
| VEGETABLES: Combine all veggies and mix well. | | | | |
| | | | Be sure to include the word 'cookbook' on |
| ASSEMBLY: Coat the bottom and sides of a | | | | the subject line when you send off for it. |
| 9x13baking dish with vegetable spray. Lay out | | | | Thank you for spending a few minutes with me |
| cookedlasagna strips (about 4) to cover | | | | in the kitchen. |
| entire bottom. | | | | |