Liver and Onion

INGREDIENTS

* 2 pounds sliced beef liver
* 1 1/2 cups milk, or as needed
* 1/4 cup butter, divided
* 2 large Vidalia onions, sliced into rings
* 2 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Gently rinse liver slices under cold water, and place in a medium bowl. Pour in enough milk to cover. Let stand while preparing onions.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Separate onion rings, and saute them in butter until soft. Remove onions, and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Season the flour with salt and pepper, and put it in a shallow dish or on a plate. Drain milk from liver, and coat slices in the flour mixture.
3. When the butter has melted, turn the heat up to medium-high, and place the coated liver slices in the pan. Cook until nice and brown on the bottom. Turn, and cook on the other side until browned. Add onions, and reduce heat to medium. Cook a bit longer to taste.

Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Fresh Broccoli salad

INGREDIENTS

• 2 heads fresh broccoli
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 pound bacon
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Cool and crumble.
2. Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces and cut the onion into thin bite-size slices. Combine with the bacon, raisins, your favorite nuts and mix well.
3. To prepare the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

Blueberry Muffin

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups blueberries
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional
• Topping:
• 1 teaspoon sugar mixed with 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375°. In large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and lemon until light, about 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mash 1/4 cup of the blueberries and beat into batter. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
Fold dry ingredients into batter, a little at a time, alternating with milk. Fold in remaining 1 cup blueberries and the pecans, if using. Spoon into 8 paper lined muffin cups.
Sprinkle each muffin with the sugar and spice mixture.
Bake until muffins spring back when lightly touched, about 20 to 25 minutes.

sour cream potato salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 medium potatoes, about 2 pounds
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cooked ham
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

PREPARATION:

Cook potatoes, covered, in boiling salted water for 25 to 30 minutes or just until tender, Peel and slice potatoes to make about 6 cups. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ham, onion, green pepper, and celery in butter or margarine until tender; drain off fat.
Stir in sour cream, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Heat through but do not boil. Combine sour cream mixture and potatoes in a large serving bowl. Serve potato salad right away.
Sour cream potato salad serves 8.