christmas jam

Strawberry Kiwi Christmas Jam
I make this jam with the little fuzzless hardy kiwi I grow in my garden. I call it Christmas jam because you can make it two-tone red and green if you make each fruit separately and then pour in layers. You can also easily mix the two together. So if you want to do it separately, divide everything in half (half of the sugar to each pot etc) or just mix it all. You can use regular store bought brown kiwi if you don’t grow or can’t find the smaller green hardy kiwi, but peel them.

1.5 pounds hardy kiwi, stems removed
.1.5 pounds strawberries, cleaned and green bits cut off.
4 cups of sugar
1 packet of “Ball’s No Sugar Needed Pectin”
3 tablespoons lemon juice.


Cook fruit and juice together until liquid and boiling, mash with potato masher, cook a few minutes more, add sugar and pectin, stir frequently until everything has combined. Check taste with spoon, smile, it is good.
Prepare your jars for canning as above, ladle and process as above. Makes about 10 jars.

Beef and Broccoli

1/3 cup oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup beef borth
1 tsp soy sauce
2 TBPS brown sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 pound steask, 1/8-inch thick strips
3 tbps olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 pound of broccoli

1. Whisk together the oyster sauce, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the steak pieces into a shallow bowl, pour the oyster sauce mixture over the meat, stir to coat well, and marinate for at least 30 minutes in refrigerator.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, garlic. Let them sizzle in the hot oil for about 1 minute to flavor the oil, then remove and discard. Stir in the broccoli, and toss and stir in the hot oil until bright green and almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the wok, and set aside.

3. Pour a little more oil into the wok, if needed, and stir and toss the beef with the marinade until the sauce forms a glaze on the beef, and the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Return the cooked broccoli to the wok, and stir until the meat and broccoli are heated through, about 3 minutes.

Lara's Famous Hamburger Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
3-4 cups of water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes or one quart of my homemade stewed tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce or 1 pint of homemade canned tomato sauce
2 med. size red potatoes, diced 1 inch cubes
4 carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon worcestershire Sauce

1. Brown beef, onions, and bell peppers.
2. Put all of the ingredients into the crockpot.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours~!

Lara's French Onion Soup

This is my recipe:

1/2 c. butter
4 large sweet onions, sliced thinly
1/2 c. sugar
2 TPBS flour
2 cans Beef Borth 14.5 oz each
2 cans Condensed French Onion Soup
2 cups water
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
french bread sliced
mozzarella cheese

In a dutch oven over med-high heat, melt butter. Add onions: saute until tender. Add sugar: cook and stir until lightly brown. Stir in flour until blended: gradually add the broth, soup, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduced heat and cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in Parmensan cheese.

Melt cheese ontop of bread slices in the oven. It should take 2 minutes.

baked ziti

Baked Ziti
adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 pound 1% cottage cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 ounces grated parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 pound ziti or other similar pasta (like penne)
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 medium garlic cloves, finely minced (about 5 teaspoons)
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil (use 1/2 cup fresh basil if you have it but add it to the sauce after it has simmered and you take it off the heat)
1 teaspoon sugar
Black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (or substitute whole milk but increase the amount of cornstarch to 2 teaspoons and the cooking time in step 3 by 1 to 2 minutes)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the cottage cheese, eggs and 1 cup of the paremsan cheese together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, about 7 minutes (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain pasta and leave in colander. Do not wash the large pot.

While the pasta is cooking, heat oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, basil and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Take off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir cornstarch into heavy cream and transfer mixture to the now-empty large pot the pasta cooked in. Set the pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and 3/4 cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.

Transfer mixture to a 9X13-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese over the top. Cover the baking dish with foil that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve.

*Freezable Meal: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. To bake, increase baking time to about 1 hour. If baking from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.

French Bread

3 hours 2½ hours prep
SERVES 30 , 15 slices per loaf
2 packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups water (105F to 115 F)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon melted margarine or butter
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cold water
Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl.
Add salt, butter, and flour.
Attach bowl& dough hook to mixer, turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute or until well blended.
Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.
Dough will be sticky.
Put dough in large greased bowl, turning to coat.
Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down and divide in half.
Roll each half into 12" x 15" rectangle.
Roll dough tightly, from longest side, tapering ends, if needed/wanted.
Put loaves on greased baking sheets that have been dusted with cornmeal.
Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
With sharp knife, make 4 diagonal cuts on top of each loaf.
Bake at 450F for 25 minutes, then remove from oven.
Beat egg white and water together and brush each loaf with this mix.
Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer.
Immediately remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
Serve with your favorite spread such as herbed butter, garlic bread topping, etc

Dinner Menu

1. Coconut Chicken Curry served over rice

2. Glazed mini meatloafs served with oven roasted potatoes

3. Classic baked ziti served with homemade french bread

4. Ham and pasta skillet dinner

5. Leftovers

6. Chicken stirfry

7. Leftovers