Mission Standards

These recipes formed the foundation of what I learned to cook in Italy. And as such, they have no real names.

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Tomato & Mozzarella

1/2  box penne pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 Roma--or similarly sized--tomatoes, diced
1 ball fresh mozzarella, diced

Boil penne pasta in generously salted water until cooked. Drain.

Meanwhile, olive oil and minced garlic in skillet. Add diced tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Cook until saucy & simmering. Sprinkle with basil a minute or two before finished cooking. Add cooked pasta and cubed mozzarella.

*Do not add the mozzarella until just before serving, otherwise it will form a big glob in the bottom of the pan!


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Peppers & Eggplant

1 eggplant
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 onion

Prepare eggplant by slicing of top & bottom, as well as vertically slicing of a few stips of the bitter skin. Slice into 1/2 in rounds. Fill large bowl with water and dissolve 1/2 cup or so of salt. Soak eggplant in saltwater. Drain & rinse eggplant. Cut rounds into strips.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add sliced onions. Cook until softened. Add eggplant, sliced peppers, and salt. Add more oil to pan, if neccessary. Cook, covered, until vegetables are soft. Let cook uncovered for a few minutes before serving.

Goes well with crusty bread, also good over pasta.

Mom's Block Party Favorites

I remember these at all Fourth of July block parties, church potlucks, and other family get-togethers.

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Apple Cake

4cups apples, chunked
3cups flour
3 eggs
2cups sugar
1cup oil
2tsp cinnamon
2tsp vanilla
1tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
1cup nuts/raisins (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into 9x13 cake pan. Bake at 350F for 1 hour.
*Also works well for muffins!
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Tomato & Pepper Salad

4 tomatoes
2 green peppers
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic salt

Slice tomatoes and peppers. Mix together in bowl or square baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well. Place a few ice cubes on top and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Dad's Bachelor Food

Easy recipes that I remember my dad making a lot when I was a kid. Featuring Egg Noodles.
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Kielbasa & Noodles

1 pkg Kelbasa, sliced into 1/2 in diagonal segments
1 pkg egg noodles
1 can cream of chicken condensed soup
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped

Boil egg noodles in salted water until cooked. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a little bit of olive oil, sautee onion and green pepper until softened. Add kielbasa and condensed soup until heated through.

Add drained noodles to condensed soup mix.

Done.

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Tuna Noodle Casserole

1/2 pkg egg noodles
2 cans tuna
2 cans cream of mushroom OR cream of celery condensed soup
Frozen peas (full or half package, depends on your preference)
1 1/2 cups Grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350F.
Boil egg noodles in salted water until cooked. Drain.

Put the noodles in a 9x13 baking dish. Plop in your tuna and condensed soup. Sprinkle in 1/2 of the parmesan and the frozen peas. Mix it all together. Top with remaining parmesan and bread crumbs.

Bake at 350F for 30 min. (until heated through and top layer of noodles are getting crisp at the edges.)

Done.