MEAT-LESS SPAGHETTI

My picky-picky husband is a "meat and potatoes" man through and through. If a meal doesn't center around meat.....well, he doesn't call it a real meal. 

That's why I came up with this "Meat-less Spaghetti" (for myself) to counter hubby's "steak night". It is total COMFORT FOOD !!!

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium sweet onion (chopped)

(2) 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes (Italian style)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)

pinch of cayenne pepper  (see note below)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (see note below)

2 teaspoons dry basil leaves

1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seed (grind in mortar & pestle)

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces button mushrooms

1 small red bell pepper (small dice)
black olives are a nice addition 
Any other veggies you like (small dice)

12 ounces spaghetti noodles

Saute chopped onion and red bell pepper in the olive oil until the onion looks sort of transparent and smells "sweet-ish". Put in (do not drain the olive oil) into a large Crockpot (I think mine is a 6 quart size?). Add the diced Italian style tomatoes, garlic powder, cayenne, basil, fennel seed, kosher salt, black pepper and sugar; mix well. Cook on high for about 3 hours.

After 3 hours, slice the mushroom (nice and thick), then put them in the sauce to cook for about 30 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, boil the spaghetti noodles (in salted water) until they are only HALF WAY COOKED (important).

Strain the partially cooked noodles and turn the Crockpot down to LOW. Add the noodles to the sauce and continue cooking for about 30 more minutes. Stir and serve.

I like mine with 

lots of Parmesan!!

ENJOY !!!

NOTE: Remember, kosher salt measures differently than table salt because the tiny grains (in table salt) pack together much closer. The measurement in this recipe is for kosher salt. If you only have table salt......use less.

NOTE: I'm pretty "spice shy", so if you like heat, add more cayenne.

NOTE: Make sure you only boil the spaghetti noodles half way. This is an important step since they pick up a ton of flavor from the sauce as they cook the rest of the way in the Crockpot.

NOTE: Cut this recipe in half if you only have a small Crockpot.

COLEEN's PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

I've made these cookies (literally) a ba-jillion times over the past 50+ years. They are my families all-time favorite AND they are very easy to make. 

1/2 cup "Butter Flavored Crisco" (see note below)
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use Jiff)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/4 cups flour 

In a stand mixer, cream together the Butter Flavored Crisco + Peanut Butter + brown sugar + granulated sugar. Beat until it is light and fluffy (takes just a minute or so).

Add the egg and vanilla and beat till smooth...set aside.

To measure the flour, spoon it into a measuring cup and level off the top of the cup with the edge of a knife (do not dip the cup into the flour cannister...that will give you a false measurement). 

In a bowl stir together the measured flour + salt + baking soda. Add this dry mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until well mixed.  

Tip: If the cookie dough seems a little dry or crumbly, add a tablespoon of water and mix a few more seconds.

Roll the cookie dough into balls about the size of a small walnut and then roll the balls in granulated sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet (about 3" apart) and flatten a little with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.

Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 10-11 minutes or until edges of the cookie are light golden. Let cookies cool (on the cookie sheet) for about a minute, then gently transfer them to a cooling rack (or waxed paper) to cool completely. The cookies will crisp up as they cool off.

NOTE: Cooking time depends on how large you make these cookies. Dough balls about the size of a small walnut, bake for 11 minutes in my electric oven.

NOTE: Do not be tempted to use butter in this recipe. The Butter Flavored Crisco makes a light and tender cookie. Butter will give you a very dense and heavy cookie.

ENJOY !!!

ORANGE JELLY

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This light and sunny orange jelly is not only great for your morning toast, but it is a good glaze for baked chicken.

I still remember the first time I bought marmalade for my family...they hated it. Well, they hated the "chunks" (and so did I), although the jam in between the chunks was tasty (does that make sense?). That is when I decided to create an orange jelly that had "no chunks"...this is it.

4 medium oranges
2 medium lemons
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
5 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch Sure Jell liquid fruit pectin

Wash and dry the oranges and lemons. Using a very fine zester, remove (just the colored part of the peeling) making sure you don't go deep into the skin or you will get the white pith, which is bitter. Set the zest aside.

After you zest the fruit, peel and cut up the peeled oranges and lemons, then pulse them in the food processor until they look like this, then set them aside.

Put the orange and lemon ZEST into a heavy bottomed saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of water and the baking soda. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it DOWN TO A SIMMER, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 20 minutes.

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After 20 minutes, add the chopped oranges and lemons and simmer for another 10 minutes.

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Press the cooked fruit-zest mixture through a strainer and measure off 3 cups of the juice.

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Place exactly 3 cups of strained juice into a large heavy bottomed saucepan and add the sugar. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in liquid pectin and return to a full rolling boil for exactly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

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Immediately pour into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8" of the top. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids and screw bands. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

NOTE: Because this is a citrus jam, it can take up to a week to full set, but it is SO worth the wait.

ENJOY !!!