If you are tired of Christmas turkey or ham, I would recommend that you try this recipe. I found it on a delightful blog written by a woman and her daughters. The casserole is similar to lasagna, but easier to put together, in my opinion. I have made it a couple of times and we have really enjoyed it.

I have changed the recipe just slightly, so I will post my version here. Do go read Leila's original post to find out why she calls it Egyptian Lasagna.

Egyptian Lasagna

6 oz. medium egg noodles
2 cups cottage cheese
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
dash of garlic powder
dash of black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. ground beef

Cook noodles, drain, and place in greased 2 quart casserole dish. Brown and then drain ground beef. In food processor process cottage cheese, cornstarch, and about 1/2 cup of the cheese. Spread the cottage cheese mixture on the noodles. Add a layer of meat and the spaghetti sauce, seasonings and then top with the remaining cheddar.Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Let rest for 10-15 minutes and then serve. Can make ahead and refrigerate or freeze. Can add cooked spinach. This amount serves 5-6.

Here are a couple of pictures of the process:

Spreading the cheese mixture on the cooked noodles:

Adding the sauce:

Becka

We celebrated three birthdays while we were all together. Here Jim and Megan are celebrating at a birthday party for Topher:

Here is Drew:

Nora and Topher are planning to be married in April, so some wedding planning was going on during the visit. Here they are while we were waiting for lunch at Hubba Hubba Barbecue in Flat Rock, NC:

Mark and Katie were waiting for their lunch there too. They are also awaiting the birth of their first child in April. We are thrilled that we will have another little grandchild.

And, finally, here's a picture of Rob and me during the birthday celebration:

While everybody was here I baked a ham. We had a couple of meals from it with the family and now Rob and I are finishing up the leftovers. I made this casserole with a portion of it. It is sort of like a cheese souffle, but much less fussy. It will "fall" after you remove it from the oven and let it sit for any length of time, but it still tastes good and the leftovers can be reheated in the microwave. I cut the recipe in half for the two of us.

Cheese Puff

6 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever you like and have on hand)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup cubed or ground ham

Beat eggs. Add flour and baking powder, then milk. Beat until smooth and then fold in the cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, and ham. Pour into a greased two quart casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the mixture is set. If you insert a knife in the middle of the dish it should come out clean. Serve immediately.

We usually have this for supper, but it would work for a breakfast or brunch if your family is apt to arrive at the table promptly.

Becka

Stir Fried Chicken and Noodles

3 Tbsps. honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
dash white pepper
2 tsps. cornstarch
1-1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or a couple of raw chicken breasts cubed and stir fried
2 tsps. cooking oil
3-4 cups frozen oriental vegetable blend (I used a stir fry blend from Aldi)
1-1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 heaping cup fine noodles (begin boiling these about the time you start the stir frying)

Whisk together the honey, water, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. Heat the oil in a large skillet and stir fry the oriental vegetables for 5-6 mins. Add the cabbage and stir fry for 3-5 mins. more. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Cook about two minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken and the cooked drained noodles. Heat through and enjoy!

I had never used fresh ginger until just a few years ago. It can be stored in the freezer and then grated frozen when you need it. I just wrap mine in plastic wrap and store it on my freezer door so I can find it easily.

You don't even need to peel it. Just grate the amount you need and use it to season whatever dish you are preparing. It adds a lot of flavor to many oriental dishes.

Becka

Crockpot Lasagna from Taste of Home magazine

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4-5 cups spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup water
7-8 no cook lasagna noodles (oven ready)
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic. Drain off any accumulated grease. Combine with spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning, and water. In a greased crockpot (mine is 5 quart size) spoon 1/4 of sauce. Layer in 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the cheeses. (I used two whole noodles and half a noodle for each layer. I broke the half noodle in half again and put a piece on each end.) Repeat the layers ending with sauce and cheeses. You can assemble this ahead and refrigerate overnight. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. My family really liked this.

Sorry there are no pictures, but you probably know what lasagna looks like. By the time I thought about taking a picture we had eaten about half of it and it didn't look very photogenic, as you can imagine. It does make a pretty good casserole and it's nice because you can assemble it ahead of time.

I bought this crockpot about a year ago and I really have enjoyed it.

You can program the time and after the cooking time it automatically switches to warm so your food does not get overdone. If you have an older crockpot without this feature I would highly recommend purchasing a new one. I still use my older one for soups, beans, etc., but this one works great on Sunday when I am often cooking meats or the occasional casserole.

I did try a new dessert from a recipe I found in the summer edition of Kraft Food and Family. It, too, was very tasty and is something that can be made ahead.
If you need a cool, refreshing dessert, keep this one in mind.

We have berries ripening in the backyard and we were discussing that this might be nice made with raspberry sherbet and fresh raspberries on top.

Becka

Green Bean and Turkey Casserole
2 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken
2 cups fresh or frozen cooked green beans
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup milk (plus additional for moistening mashed potatoes)
approximately 2 cups cooked mashed potatoes (make extra the day of your feast)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup French fried onions (from can or bag)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix turkey, green beans, soup, and milk. Pour into a two quart greased casserole dish. (If you have a little leftover stuffing you can add this too.) Moisten mashed potatoes with a little milk and whisk to fluff them up. Spread on top of turkey/green bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 25 mins. or until bubbly. Top with french fried onions and return to oven for about 5 more minutes. Enjoy!

I thought I'd post a picture of our grandson Drew that we took yesterday while our little guy was napping with his friend (Curious) George - who makes a great pillow!

Becka