Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Icing

My dad's favorite cake. And he's NOT a cake person. He yammers for it incessantly when I ask the family what I should bake. It's SO moist and yummy. Super easy cake. Just mix and bake!

1 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the oats and boiling water while preparing the rest of the cake. Cream margarine and the sugars, and mix in the eggs. Sift in dry ingredients, then mix into a creamed mixture. Stir in oatmeal and vanilla. Mix well. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350'.

Frost when cool with caramel icing:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar

Melt butter; stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Add milk slowly, stirring until mixture boils again. Remove from heat and cool. Add powdered sugar, beating until creamy. Add dashes of hot water if the icing is too stiff (chances are it is.)

Note: make sure the brown sugar doesn't have lumps or else you'll find nasty crunchies in your frosting...

College Lasagna Casserole

I actually altered this recipe from my ancient foods class in high school to fit what I had in the fridge. Seriously guys? This took me 15 minutes flat. If you already have the noodles cooked, then 10. See the layers?!

1/2 lb ground beef
2 cups spaghetti sauce
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella- grated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup uncooked (or so) noodles (I use Pene)

Bring a pot of water to a boil and start those noodles cooking ASAP until they're al dente. Brown ground beef and drain off the fat. Meanwhile, combine cottage cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese. When the meat is done, mix in spaghetti sauce. Spread the bottom of a glass casserole pan with a tiny thin layer of meat/spaghetti sauce mix, and then start layering the noodles, cottage cheese mix, and more spaghetti mix. When you're done (aka when everything has run out), spread the top with the rest of your mozzarella. Broil for about 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey.

Easy French Bread

Oh my goodness. 1) These will be the biggest loaves of bread you will ever create. 2) They will be the most moist, succulent loaves of French bread ever to touch your lips. Spread thick with butter and honey and enjoy!

1/2 cup warm water
2 TBSP yeast
2 cups hot water
1/3 cup shortening (melted)
3 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP salt
6 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400'. Dissolve yeast into warm water. Combine remaining ingredients, using only 3 cups of flour and beat well. Add yeast and beat well. Add remaining flour to make a soft dough that can still be mixed with a wooden spoon, then allow to rest 10 minutes. Stir down batter, let rest again. Repeat process of stirring dough followed by 10 minute rests until it has been done 5 times.

Turn dough out onto floured board. Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled, then divide into 2 parts. Roll each part of dough into a 9x12 rectangle and roll like a jellyroll. Make sure the sides and ends are well pinched and smoothed. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg whites. Cut diagonally across the top about 3 times and let rise until double. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown!

YIELD: 2 HUGE loaves

Tomato Basil Fettuccine

Today was the first time I've ever made this. I was in the mood for Italian, but something new... It was a classic, simple Italian dish fresh with tomatoes and basil, but the Parmesan gave it the bite and evaporated milk gave it the consistency. Of course I didn't have fresh basil, so I substituted dried, and (although not as fresh and vague) it was SO good. Happy stomach. :)

8 oz cooked fettuccine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 TBSP butter
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup fat free evaporated milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (1 TBSP + 1 tsp dried)
3 TBSP grated Parmesan

Saute the onion and red pepper flakes in butter until tender. Make sure they brown nicely. Add tomatoes and salt; cook over medium high heat until liquid is mostly evaporated. About 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let sit for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Add basil Parmesan cheese and tomato mixture to pasta.

Yield 4 servings