Robert Ames (.com!)

Sloppy Lasagna

A modification of my family recipe for Lasagna for when you’re feeling lazy and presentation doesn’t matter. Meat is optional and can be used as a regular meatball recipe if you desire. This is a great chance to use up all your old random pasta noodles or you can be fancy and buy all of one kind.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 4 tbsp milk
• 2 whole eggs, slightly beaten
• 6 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

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• 1 lb ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozarella cheese, grated
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 whole egg

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• 1 lb misc fun noodles (spiral, elbows, colors, etc)
• 48 oz spaghetti sauce (1-2 large jars)
• 1 cup mozarella cheese, grated

Mix all meat, brown in frying pan.

Mix all cheese, mix into cooked meat mixture.

Boil noodles in salted water per package directions (make sure to stagger adding noodles, putting in longest-cooking ones first).

Drain noodles, place in baking dish.

Add half sauce, mix well to coat noodles, sprinkle meat and cheese mixture throughout.

Pour over remaining sauce, top with sauce and cheese.

21:33 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Cajun Baked Salmon

• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp paprika powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

This is an excellent dry rub for salmon.

Make up a big batch some time and keep it in a jar.

Rub spices into all sides of the salmon (remove skin!).

Bake salmon at 325F for 12-14 minutes on foil-lined baking pan.

I usually elevate the salmon by cooking it over sliced onions or partially cooked green beans.

For an elegant, no effort meal:

• Partially microwave fresh green beans while rubbing salmon with spices.
• Place green beans on baking pan, place salmon over green beans, bake 325F for 12 minutes.
• Mix 1 cup boiling water, 1 tsp chicken boullion, 1 cup cous-cous and cover for 5 minutes.

Done. 15 minutes out the door, healthy, elegant, and near impossible to mess up.

09:47 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Pan Fried Catfish

This always turns out great for me. Sometimes you can use frozen “Swai” fish, which is basically asian catfish.

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp fresh parsely, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper

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• 2 eggs, lightly scrambled

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• 4 fillets white fish (catfish, flounder)

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• Vegetable oil

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• Lemon

Mix dry ingredients in a wide, shallow pie plate.

Dip fillet in egg then dredge in bread crumb mixture.

Heat oil over medium/medium-high heat.

Cook 3 minutes one side, flip, 2 minutes other side.

For thicker fish, fry then bake in preheated oven, 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

14:25 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Snickerdoodles

• 16 tablespoons (226 grams or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

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• 2 1/2 cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour (we use Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour)
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Cream wet ingredients, whipping until fluffy.

Blend in eggs, one at a time.

Sift together dry ingredients.

Add by thirds to wet mixture.

Wrap in plastic and cool in fridge (~30m) so dough is slightly hard and can be formed into balls.

Form into balls, roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

I used less cinnamon, but dusted the cookies with more cinnamon halfway through baking

Bake at 400 degrees for ~10 minutes.

00:53 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Strawberry Island Cookies

• 1.5 cups flour, sifted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

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• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2+ tbsp pineapple juice
• 1 egg yolk (reserve egg white)

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• 1 cup rolled oats

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• 1 egg white
• misc sugar
• 2/3 cup strawberry jam
• 1/2 cup cut pineapple squares

Sift flour, soda, salt, sugar in a large bowl.

Blend in shortening, egg, pineapple juice.

Dough will be crumbly, try mashing with hands.

Add in rolled oats.

If too dry, slowly add more pineapple juice.

Grease cookie sheet with shortening.

Form dough into balls, press onto cookie sheet forming shallow bowls.

Glaze with egg, sprinkle in sugar, spoon in jam, top with pineaple.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Makes ~2 dozen.

13:40 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Award Winning Chili

• 4 lbs Beef, Ground
• 4 cups Onions, Chopped

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• 3 x (1lb,12oz) large cans of Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 x (15oz) cans of Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Chilies
• 1 x (15oz) can of Tomato Sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 4 tsp salt

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• 4 x (15oz) cans of Kidney Beans, Drained, Reserve Liquid

Brown beef and onions in large bot until beef is brown and onions are transparent.

Add all liquids and seasonings (add reserved kidney bean liquid too!)

Simmer uncovered 1h30m.

Add Beans, simmer 30m.

Serve with raw chopped white onion, cheddar cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, optionally over fritos.

23:36 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Spaghetti Carbonara (fixed)

• 1 lb bacon, fried, crumbled, reserve fat

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• 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
• 2 egg yolks (lightly beaten)
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella, shredded/cubed
• ~1/4 tsp salt
• ~3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (to taste)

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• 1 lb spaghetti

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• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (steaming)

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• 2-4 tbsp bacon grease
• 1 tbsp flour

don’t let the steps fool you, this is an easy recipe to make, but like all cream-sauces requires a few minutes of frantic movement

Blend milk, eggs, yolks, salt, pepper in a bowl or large mixing cup.

set aside so it can come close to room-temperature (this is your “Chegg”, Cheese + Egg)

Saute bacon until crispy (or cook in oven at 400° for 15-20 minutes)..

reserve at least 2 tbsp bacon drippings / grease

Season water for spaghetti with salted water, chunks of onion, cloves of peeled garlic to taste.

Boil Spaghetti according to package directions.

Just before draining pasta RESERVE 1 CUP PASTA WATER in a glass measuring cup (scoop out / reserve).

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IMPORTANT PREP STEP: From this point forward, everything has to be done quickly so that the cheese / egg mixture gets all the heat and comes to a safe temperature and the cheese melts.

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Put on the counter, in order, all in the same area:

• Drained Spaghetti (hot/covered)
• Cheese / Egg mixture
• Bacon
• Reserved Pasta Water
• Spaghetti Pot

Drain and set spaghetti aside in serving / mixing bowl.

In the same pot you cooked the spaghetti, heat bacon drippings and whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute, whisking rapidly.

this is basically a roux, it should begin to darken and turn brown

Remove pot from heat and quickly perform the following steps.

Dump in Drained Spaghetti, Toss with the bacon drippings mixture.

Dump in Cheese / Egg mixture, Stir.

Dump in Bacon, Stir.

Slowly add some reserved pasta water, Stir.

you want to go from sticky and cheesy here to slightly creamy by adding hot water

Cover the pot with a lid for ~5 minutes (to let egg come to temperature and cheese melt).

Transfer pasta to serving bowl or serve from the pot.

23:20 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Sangria, Red

Starting from this recipe as a base, basically add fruity stuff to red wine until it tastes good / different / better.

• 1 bottle dry red wine (750ml)
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup triple sec

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• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 1/3 cup lemonade
• 1/3 cup orange juice

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• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1 lime, sliced into rounds
• 1 apple, sliced into cubes

Mix liquid ingredients.

Chop fruit.

Mix fruit with liquid and let sit in fridge.

To make simple syrup, add 1 cup white sugar to one cup boiling water, and continue heat until clear.

13:14 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Summer Slaw

• 4 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup carrots, shredded
• 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced

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• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp mayonaise

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• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper ground

These are rough guidelines.

Taste and season to your liking.

Mix, chill, drain, serve alone or on top of tacos.

22:47 CST | category / entries / recipes
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Banana Nut Bread

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 whole eggs

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• 1 3/4 cup flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

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• 1 cup over-ripe (brown) banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Cream shortening and sugar.

Add eggs one at a time and beat well.

Sift dry ingredients.

Alternate adding flour mixture and mashed banana to shortening mixture.

Fold in walnuts.

Bake at 350 in a greased loaf-pan.

22:01 CST | category / entries / recipes
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