Sausage & Turkey Lasagna

This is one of those dishes that came about by accident. I had planned to make lasagna for dinner thinking that I had ground beef in the freezer. The ground beef turned out to be ground turkey and scrounging around I found half a pack of hot sausage meat. I decided to be creative and combine the two. I said not a word to anyone and that night Sarah took a bite, looked at me and said "Mom, whatever you've done differently to this lasagna, I like it. I'll eat it again." The "I'll eat it again" is Sarah's seal of approval.

1 lb. Italian hot sausage

1/2 lb ground turkey

1 can (24 oz) Garlic & Herb Spaghetti sauce

8 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese

16 oz. part skim Ricotta cheese

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

9 sheets Lasagna noodles

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook lasagna noodled for 18 - 20 minutes until soft. Remove from water and let cool on a platter.

2. In a large pot heat a tablespoon of oil, add sausage and turkey meats and cook until all pink has disappeared from the meat.

3. When meat is browned, drain oil and then return pan to heat. Add spaghetti sauce and heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. In a 13 x 9 x2-inch pan, spoon enough sauce to just cover the bottom of the pan lightly. Arrange three sheets of lasagna noodles over this layer of sauce. Spoon enough sauce to cover the lasagna noodles generously remembering that you will have to do this another two times.

5. Using a teaspoon drop Ricotta cheese over the sauce. Divide the Mozzarella cheese into thirds and spread one third over the sauce and Ricotta cheese.

6. Place another layer of lasagna noodles over; spoon sauce over; add Ricotta cheese and then Mozzarella cheese.

7. Repeat process for a third time. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top layer.

8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 - 40 minutes until all the cheese is melted and mixture is bubbling.

Lemonade Pie

We know summer is here when the lemonade pie, potato salad and devilled eggs start appearing! This pie is very easy to make. The creaminess of the vanilla ice cream and the tang of lemon is wonderful on a hot summer day.

1 can (6 fl. oz) lemonade frozen concentrate

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

3 1/2 cups (8 oz) thawed Cool Whip topping

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

1. Place concentrate in a large mixing bowl and beat about 30 seconds.

2. Gradually add ice cream and blend well. When you soften the ice cream make sure that you get it to the point where you are just able to mix through it. You do not want it too soft that it is liquid.

3. Fold in whipped topping. Pile mixture into the graham cracker crust and freeze until firm for at least four hours or overnight.

Note: If you use the store bought graham cracker crust, save the plastic top and use that as a cover for your pie when you place it in the freezer.

Nanny Williams' Potato Salad

Or as John puts it ... Dead Nanny's Potato Salad. Nanny Williams is Mildred Williams whose O'Malley family came from Ireland in the early part of the 1900s. Half of her family was born in Ireland and the other half was born in the US. Sarah is named for Nanny Williams' mother. Whenever we make this potato salad we always think about Nan and we still laugh at how she always mixed and stored it in a particular bowl. It had to be just that one bowl. You did not mess with that bowl when it was potato salad making time!

6 medium to large red potatoes

1 stalk celery, diced

2 Tbsp. onion, diced

1 cup Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Salt & Pepper

1. Do not peel potatoes. Cut in half if the potatoes are large. Place in a large pot with enough water to cover the tops of the potatoes and boil potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain the pot and rinse potatoes with cold water.

2. When potatoes are cool enough to handle but are still warm, peel them. Run potatoes through a wire french fry cutter, cutting through the tops of the potato as it comes through the wires. You want the potatoes to have some chunks but are not too large or distinct in shape. Most of the potato will crumble as you work them through the french fry cutter.

3. Add the celery and onion to the potato and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Mix in the Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise and blend well. Add the vinegar and mix well.

5. Place in a covered container and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.

Makes 4 - 6 side servings.

Note: You can adjust any of these ingredients depending on what you like. I have been known to add a mashed hard boiled egg to this recipe but only when no one is watching.

Cut the tops off the potato as they come through the french fry cutter wires