Ham and Cheese Lasagna

This is a different take on a classic Italian recipe.

Ham and Cheese Lasagna

Cheese Sauce
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1 soup can filled with lowfat milk
1 can (14 1/2 0z) no-salt added diced tomatoes, drained, with large pieces cut up
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tub (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

12 uncooked, oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 bag (16 oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and pressed dry on paper towels
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
8 oz. thinkly sliced baked Virginia ham
1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, well drained and chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Cheese Sauce
Whisk ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan until blended. Heat, stirring with a whisk, until cheeses melt.

Mix ricotta, eggs, Parmesan cheese and the nutmeg in a bowl until thoroughly combined.

Layer lasagna in prepared baking dish as follows: Spread 1 cup cheese sauce over bottom, top with 4 overlapping noodles, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, the broccoli, 1 1/2 cups cheese sauce and 1/2 cup Cheddar sauce.

Finish with rest of noodles, cheese sauce and Cheddar cheese. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake 50 minutes or until sauce bubbles and noodles are tender. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Decadent Triple Layer Mud Pie

This recipe comes from the Jello folks. It's one of those that I tore out of a magazine a long time ago. Some of the best recipes come that way.

Decadent Triple Layer Mud Pie

3 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
1/4 cup canned sweetened condensed milk
1 Oreo Pie Crust (6 oz)
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans (optional)
2 cups milk
2 pkg (4-serving size each) Jell-o Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed

Mix chocolate and condensed milk until well blended. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with pecans, if desired.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.)

Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the pudding over pecans in crust. Add 1/2 of the whipped topping to remaining pudding. Stir with wire whisk until well blended. Spread over pudding in crust. Top with remaining whipped topping.

Refrigerate 3 hours.

Makes 10 servings.

Oreo Cheesecake

Raise your hand if you LOVE Oreo cookies. Just what I thought. Everyone loves Oreo cookies. Could an awesome cheesecake be far behind? Just be sure to make this dessert the day before you need it.

Oreo Cheesecake

Cookie Crust
1 1/4 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine cookie crumbs, brown sugar, dash of cinnamon and butter. Pat evenly into a 9-to-10-inch springform pan.

Cake
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

Place cream cheese in electric mixer. Beat on lowest speed until smooth. Add sugar and flour. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, and continue blending until smooth and liquid. This takes 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla and whipping cream.

Pour half of the batter into the pan, spreading over crust. Sprinkle with chopped cookie pieces. Top with remaining batter, smoothing evenly. Place pan on baking sheet and bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce oven heat to 225 degrees and 50 minutes more, or until lightly browned.

Assembly
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
12 Oreo cookie halves, for garnish
1 maraschino cheery, for garnish

Combine sour cream, sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread on cake and bake at 350 degrees until topping is set, about 8 minutes. Turn oven off. Open oven door and cool cake 1 hour in oven. Cover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make glaze, scald scream in small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around edges. Stir in chocolate to melt and blend. After 1 minute, remove from heat and stir in remaining vanilla. When cool, spread or pour glaze onto chilled cake. Arrange 12 Oreo cookie halves around outer perimeter (to look like a clock dial) and place cherry in center.

Makes to 12 to 16 servings.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Okay. I admit it. I'm all about easy. There are days when I want to just go all out and spend the day creating a huge meal. And there are times when I just want to hurry up and be done with it. Except I don't want anyone to know. This recipe comes from the Keebler Ready Crust people. It's easy but don't tell anybody.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1 (6 oz) Ready Crust Graham Cracker Pie Crust
2 packages (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini milk chocolate chips (semi-sweet can be substituted)
1 teaspoon flour
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With mixer, beat cream cheese until it's fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until it is smooth.

Add egg and vanilla. Mix well. Toss chips with flour; stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust.

Bake 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool and top with glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup mini milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream

In small saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips and whipping cream. Stir until thickened and smooth. Immediately spread over pie.

Serve chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

Jello Dessert

I have no idea where this recipe came from. The name on it says Gloria. I don't know a Gloria. I don't think I ever have. So I obviously got it from someone who got it from someone. How far back it goes, probably nobody knows. That's the way of things in the South. Regardless, it's a quick and easy recipe. It's also perfect for those times when you need to take a covered dish but need to fix it ahead of time.

Jello Dessert

12 oz light whipped cream cheese
20 oz can crushed pineapple
can of Reddiwhip whipped topping
bag of mini marshmallows
4 oz package gelatin, any flavor
chopped pecans (optional)

Put cream cheese in bowl. Squirt in Reddiwhip and blend the two together. Add gelatin and mix. Add pineapple with juice and chopped pecans. Mix. Add 1/4 of the bag of marshmallows and mix well.

Place in refrigerator for at least one hour. Serve chilled.

Lemon Dream Bars

This recipe comes from the ReaLemon Lemon Juice folks. I love lemon. I love simple. This fits both.

Lemon Dream Bars

3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg, plus 3 egg yolks
1 (14-oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/2 cup ReaLemon Juice from concentrate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, butter and lightly beaten egg until combined. Reserve one cup of the mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly toasted.

With mixer or wire whisk, beat 3 eggs together. Add Eagle Brand milk, then lemon juice. Spread over pressed crumb mixture. Top with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 25 minutes longer or until set. Cool. Refrigerate 2 hours. Cut into bars. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Cake

I got this recipe years ago from Elizabeth Grayson's website. She got it from someone, who got it from someone, who got it from someone. And they're not even Southern!

Pumpkin Cake

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 whole eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin (plain, not pie filling)
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Blend together by hand the oil, sugar, eggs and pumpkin.

Sift together remaining ingredients separately. Actually, don't sift. Put all the ingredients together and use your whisk. It's a lot easier, makes less of a mess and does the same thing as sifting.

Add dry mixture to wet. Stir only until moistened.

Bake in greased bundt pan on the lowest rack in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Oven temperatures vary so make adjustments as necessary.

Remove cake from pan when partially cooled. Lightly dust with powdered sugar.

You can also use this recipe to make muffins.