Lasagna...tested and approved by the cops I cook for

I received a text message from an officer Sunday night asking for my lasagna recipe. The officer's birthday was the following day and her husband was making her birthday dinner. Asking for a recipe is the ultimate compliment for any cook, and an extra special compliment that my lasagna was birthday dinner-worthy.   

It took a little doing to pull the entire recipe together because the sauce recipe is in one place and the filling is in another. Not to mention explaining the 'building' of lasagna...that, in itself, is a big production. 

I don't have good picture of the lasagna on a plate, but I will next month and I will update this post.  

The sauce recipe is the Pioneer Woman's recipe (from the Food Network) and it makes a bunch! As written, it will make (3) 13x9" pans of  lasagna, or one large chafing tin (pictured below), but since it is somewhat time-consuming to make, I go ahead and make it as written, and then I can enjoy it during the week with spaghetti or freeze it.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Click here for the original Pioneer Woman's recipe 

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Ground Beef or Ground Round (I Used Ground Round)
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole large Yellow Onion, Diced 
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced  
• 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup White Wine OR Low Sodium Beef Broth if you prefer (I used the beef broth since I'm cooking for the Po-Po)
• 2 cans 28 Ounce Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Crushed Tomatoes  (14 oz cans are sometimes hard to find so you might have to buy 3 28 oz cans (instead of 2) and only use half of the 3rd can
• 1 can (small, 4-ounce) Tomato Paste
• 1 jar good store-bought Marinara Sauce (I used Ragu Traditional, but you use your favorite)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 2 tablespoons Sugar (I used a little more than 2 tablespoons - it's tart)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

Instructions

Pioneer Woman's step-by-step photos and instructions, click here.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Set aside.  

Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot. Drizzle in olive oil. When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Stir it around for 1-1/2 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an additional minute. *Note: dicing the onion, green pepper, and garlic the night before is a huge time-saver.

Pour in the wine (or beef broth) and allow it to bubble up and reduce for about 1-1/2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, and salt. Stir, then add cooked ground beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 

LASAGNA FILLING AND LAYERING

40 years ago, the Mueller's Lasagna Noodle box had a recipe on the box called 'Classic Lasagna' and it was made with Cottage Cheese (not Ricotta). Being newly married at the time and an inexperienced cook, I followed the recipe as written and have been making it with Cottage Cheese ever since. If your preference is Ricotta, use that instead and I'm sure it will be delicious! 

This filling is for one (1) 13x9" pan of lasagna:

1 16 oz  Breakstone's Small Curd 4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese (or Ricotta)

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese (be careful not to use low fat -- it won't melt right)

1/2 cup Parmesan

2 eggs, lightly beaten
* Buy 2 packages of Mozzarella so you have two full cups left over to sprinkle on top (see below).

In a large mixing bowl add 2 cups (16 oz) cottage cheese (or ricotta), 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Add lightly beaten eggs and mix well.  

After the sauce is ready, spray the bottom of the lasagna pan with spray PAM.

• Spread one cup of meat sauce to the bottom of the lasagna pan.
• Add three COOKED lasagna noodles lengthwise on top of sauce. Spread about 1/3 of cheese    mix on top of noodles. I do little even scoops, then try to spread it the best you can. Top with meat sauce (it's more than a cup - maybe 1-1/2 cups?) You want to make sure the noodles are covered well each time, but not so much you lose the filling.
• Repeat layers twice -- noodles - cheese mixture - sauce.
• After the last layer of cheese and sauce, add your last layer of noodles and top with meat sauce.  Make sure the ends are covered well with sauce so they don't burn.
• Cover lasagna with tin foil and bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Take a peek at 50 minutes and see how it looks. If it looks really hot, remove foil and spread 1-2 cups of mozzarella on top and return to oven until melted and golden.

PHOTOS FROM MY OCTOBER 27th DINNER FOR CMPD METRO DIVISION:

As you can see, I haven't mastered the 'panoramic' photo feature on my phone.

Every officer signed this card that night with their own little message. I didn't include all the special comments in this photo. 

 

Spaghetti night at AHOP.....

Spaghetti night at AHOP was earlier this month.

I have made lasagna several times in the past year, but it has been a while since I made spaghetti. I love my lasagna (and my friends love it too), but it was a welcome change not doing the whole 'production' that lasagna brings. And anyone who has made lasagna knows what I'm talking about it. And when I make it, it's like x 4!  

11 officers stopped by that night. 

When the first officer arrived, he took a picture of the food and sent a text message out to a few officers on his shift. One reply came back almost immediately. It said '17', which means 'en route'. The second officer hugged me when he arrived and said it 'made his day' when the message went out that I was cooking dinner, and that's always nice to hear. 

Another officer was fixing his plate when a call came in on his ear piece and he said 'I gotta go'! So I quickly got a To-Go box and threw all of his food in there and he was on his way (the life of a police officer). 

Several officers came that night who had never been to my home before. I love it when an officer comes for the first time. I think they're taken aback at how comfortable they feel right from the get-go....or at least I think they do. I try to make it their 'safe place' -- no photos (except for the food); no strangers; and they can enjoy a hot meal at a table and conversation with the other officers. 

The last three officers left at 10:20 pm. I loaded the dishwasher with as many dishes as it would hold, soaked the dishes that wouldn't fit, and the old girl went to bed! 

I love doing this so much!   ♥

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My spaghetti sauce recipe is a modified version of The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond (the Food Network). The recipe below is with my modifications, for example -- I only added one large onion instead of two; and only one green pepper instead of two. I know not everyone cares for onions and/or green peppers, so I try to take this into consideration when I'm cooking for others.

And an FYI...I use this sauce when making lasagna. One pot makes three (3) 13x9 inch lasagna pans.

Please be sure to review the complete unmodified version of this recipe by Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman.  Click HERE!

Spaghetti Sauce 
Servings:  18 servings
IMPORTANT: This recipe can easily be halved!

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Ground Beef or Ground Round (I Used Ground Round)
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole large Yellow Onion, Diced 
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced  
• 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup White Wine OR Low Sodium Beef Broth if you prefer (I used the beef broth since I was cooking for the Po-Po)
• 2 cans 28 Ounce Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (small, 4-ounce) Tomato Paste
• 1 jar good store-bought Marinara Sauce (I used Ragu Traditional, but you use your favorite)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 2 tablespoons Sugar (I used a little more than 2 tablespoons -- it was tart)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 2 pounds Spaghetti, Cooked Al Dente And Tossed With Olive Oil

Instructions
(Read Ree Drummond's instructions. She has step-by-step photos and instructions. click HERE.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Set aside.  

Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot. Drizzle in olive oil. When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Stir it around for 1-1/2 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an additional minute. *Note: dicing the onion, green pepper, and garlic the night before is a huge time-saver.

Pour in the wine (or beef broth) and allow it to bubble up and reduce for about 1-1/2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, and salt. Stir, then add cooked ground beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or more beef broth if it needs more liquid.

Before serving, drizzle olive oil on the cooked/drained spaghetti noodles and toss. Serve with a nice salad and a big piece of garlic bread. 

This before and after picture is a terrific testimonial of how terrific The Pioneer Woman's spaghetti sauce recipe is!

 

♥

Old friends and cream puffs....

I met two long-time friends for lunch today. One friend I get together with every couple of months, and the other I haven't seen in at least 15 years - maybe more. We all used to attend the same church at one time. Lunch was at McKoy's Smokehouse and Saloon off Old Pineville Road. They have to-die-for macaroni and cheese. BBQ and some good conversation among old friends is like the perfect Saturday. 

I don't think either friend has had my cream puffs before, so last night I whipped up a small batch of 18. I gave each friend a polka-dot box of 5 cream puffs. The waitress managed to lift one from each box with her sweet personality and kindness, and she was willing to forfeit her tip for another. Wait....what? Now, that's a pretty good review right there! For the record, we weren't about to let her do that. Anyway, that left 8 cream puffs. 

I ate one as soon as I got home. So now we're down to 7 cream puffs. 

I sent a text message to three officers to see if they were working hoping I could pass off a box to them. One officer was off, one detective was off but on call, and one officer was home sick with strep throat. 

I had to go to the grocery store for a few things and pass a shopping center along the way that almost always has an off-duty officer in the middle of the parking lot, so on a whim, I fixed another polka-dot box and took it with me, and I was right. 

The officer rolled down his window as I pulled up and I introduced myself. I told him I was a volunteer with CMPD. I gave him my name and told him I was also The Cream Puff Lady. He was very nice. He smiled and said he would love a cream puff. He seemed pleased to finally get to try one, and that always makes me happy. He said, 'maybe another officer will pass by and I can share with them'. I said, I hope so, and with that, I wished him a good night.  

The two puffs diminished to one, and now there are none.  :)

♥

Daydreams and food trucks....

I've been thinkin' again.

When I found myself at a career crossroads in 2016, I had already promised a cream puff drop to the nice officers in the CMPD North Division. So two days after losing my job, I kept my promise and delivered two boxes of cream puffs.

It was nice walking in there, not rushed for a change. In a conversation with the kind lieutenant, I told him what happened and that I was enjoying my time off. With a cream puff in-hand, it didn't take the lieutenant long to say...."Miss Ann, I think you should start selling your cream puffs. You're sitting on a GOLD MINE!"

As lovely as that thought it is - and I think about it a lot - the regulations are very strict. For example....some people bake cakes at home and sell them for profit, but it's not that easy for my cream puffs.

According to the Dept. of Agriculture (weird that this would fall under their department), I cannot make cream puffs at home (for profit) and the first two reasons that nixed it for me were:

1. I have a pet - my darlin' Clementine. No pets allowed inside the home if you're making food for profit. At least that's the rule for NC.
2. The puffs must be refrigerated.

I'm sure there are many more reasons, but these were the first two road blocks.    

I haven't closed the door on this dream completely. I checked into renting a professional kitchen. The idea sounds easy enough, but it's expensive and the puff filling needs to chill overnight which means I would need a refrigerator (with a lock). I would have to leave the filling there in a strange, unattended refrigerator. That creates a whole other problem and, well, that's just not going to happen. I need a locked refrigerator if I can't keep my eye on it.

My other idea was to turn my garage into a kitchen. Now wouldn't that be amazing! It would be pet-free. No doubt an expensive investment just to make cream puffs.

My friends tell me all the time....'you need to open a bakery', which inspired this post. Not so much a bakery, because I want to concentrate on what I do well and what my friends behind the badge like most....and that's my Cream Puffs.  

What I envision is a mobile truck/trailer, bee-bopping around the city of Charlotte selling only cream puffs and coffee, and soft drinks. With retro signage that screams "The Cream Puff Lady!" 

With retirement five years on the horizon, it gives me some time to try to figure it all out.

Here are a few ideas that keep my dream alive. Each one has its own unique personality. I love them all!

'La CREPERIE de MARIONE' -- this adorable food camper resides in Barcelona. Click here.

1962 SANTE FE VINTAGE CAMPER converted into a super cute mobile food truck -- click here.

I love this, although the window doesn't seem very secure. Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about safety first!

I would need about 3 of these refrigerators.  :)

MARGUERITE du PRE is a cute little yogurt truck, somewhere in France.  Click here.

SWEET LUCIE'S ORGANIC ICE CREAM resides in Mar Vista, CA. This 1959 International Harvester Metro was a functioning ice cream truck for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA. It was in a serious state of repair when Sweet Lucie's acquired it in 2009. After a four year restoration, it was brought back to it's original glory. Super cute, eh? I love the white-wall tires and the red rims. Click here.

Love the white wall tires and red rims.

COMBI COFFEE in Porto, Portugal. Click here.

CAROLINAS in Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil (a sweet shop)

I just LOVE this one! I could definitely see myself selling my cream puffs in this.
Enough room for coffee, and an adorable sign that reads....'The Cream Puff Lady'.

PINTEREST

♥

A class act....

A story popped up in my Twitter feed the other day that took me by surprise. 

Did you know that the New York Yankees -- yes, the baseball Yankees -- quietly sends flowers to the families and police departments of fallen officers killed in the line of duty?

Well, I never knew that.

'With Our Deepest Sympathies,
From the New York Yankees'

The story shared on Twitter can be found here, written by David Waldstein, writer for The New York Times.

As David Waldstein wrote..."For the past three years, the Yankees have been quietly sending flowers to the families and police departments of slain law enforcement officers across the country."

I can't recall a kinder and more humble gesture.

♥

John and Andy....

Officers Andy Nobles and John Burnette

With National Police Week just around the corner, I have been working on the final edits to this year's memorial video. I turned to Google searching for a better resolution photo of Officer Burnette, one of 39 fallen officers being remembered next week for their service and sacrifice. I found the photo I was looking for and so much more.

What I found was a wonderful and moving film by Kathryn Frye that shows the young officers, Andy Nobles and John Burnette, full of life, walking their beat in the Adam 2 District, and enjoying the interaction with the community. The film talks about their enthusiasm on the job and their desire to want to make a difference.

It was the very first time, albeit on film, I had seen of any of the fallen officers alive, and it was quite overwhelming for me to say the least.        

What an honor it would be to shake their hand and say thank you -- an honor that will never come.

That fateful night -- Tuesday, October 5, 1993

"Officers John Burnette and Andy Nobles responded to what appeared to be a routine call the night of Tuesday, October 5, 1993.

Someone had reported a suspicious vehicle and persons at Boulevard Homes, a public housing complex that was part of the officers’ Adam Two Patrol District. But when the officers arrived and started talking to a suspect, he ran. Nobles and Burnette chased the suspect into a nearby wooded area. A few minutes later, shots rang out. Nobles, 26, and Burnette, 25, were each shot in the head. 

When they were pronounced dead at Carolinas Medical Center, the recently consolidated Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department recorded its first slaying of an officer. It was also the first time in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County history that two officers died in a single incident.
The deaths sparked public outrage. Thousands attended their funerals. Radio and television programs bristled with calls from citizens demanding that something be done about the growing violent crime problems. Memorial services were held, and monuments dedicated. Since the officers died, the very streets where they lost their lives have been named after them." ~ CMPD memorial page

"John and Andy"....a glimpse into the lives of two of CMPD's finest. 

Photo/Film Credits

• "John and Andy" is a production of the North Carolina Center for Educational Films, by Kathryn Frye, in association with the GOV Channel.
• WBTV-Channel 3
• WCNC-TV Channel 36

The sweet friends in my life....

When I host a big dinner for my friends - especially like the one I did during CIAA - many times my 'regular folk' friends will call or text the next day or the following week to see how everything went. Not only are they interested in what I do for my friends, they genuinely care about me and enjoy seeing me so happy.

I have one neighbor who has been so supportive and encouraging since my very first dinner 8-1/2 years ago. The week following my big lasagna dinner for CIAA, I found an envelope in my mailbox from my sweet friend and neighbor.

It was so thoughtful and unexpected. I will tuck it away in a safe place for the next dinner.  ♥

Table for 25-ish please....

A few months ago, I ran into a detective downtown and he said my name had come in conversation (I love it when that happens), and he asked if I would consider cooking for them one night during CIAA. They asked me again when they came for dinner in January and I told them I would love to.

So March 3rd was the big day and another first in the wonderful world of AHOP.  I had the pleasure of cooking dinner for 25+ law enforcement officers -- the most ever at one time! I initially thought dinner would be for 12 ABC Unit detectives (Alcohol Beverage Control) with the CMPD, but then the list grew to 22, then to 25-ish, to include ALE special agents (Alcohol Law Enforcement), and two from the Charlotte Fire Department. All were assisting with the CIAA and, once again, I have no pictures to show for my monumental dinner!

My ONLY photo....a boring picture of two EMPTY pans. 

I thought lasagna would be the easiest to transport, so that's what I made. The officers funded the entire meal which consisted of two giant 20" pans of lasagna (that's a lot of lasagna), salad, rolls, banana pudding, my cream puffs, and two gallons of sweet tea. The event got too big to host the dinner at my home, so we moved it to the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) Lodge. I have always wanted to see where it was, so I was glad about that. 

As if making lasagna isn't a big enough production (and anyone who has made lasagna knows what I'm talking about), there were major kitchen snafus where, at one point during the day, I thought I would lose my mind...really! But I managed to pull everything off. My cook-top is going out and each pot of water I put on to boil for the noodles, took a minimum of 30 minutes to even resemble a slow boil. It was very stressful. The afternoon was ticking away and I had to be out the door at a certain time. I have the utmost respect for anyone in the catering profession. But these guys are very sweet to me. Even when they come to my home for a meal, they know not to ring the door bell early. I can get a lot done in two minutes and sometimes it's down to the last minute. I am not a professional cook by any means and I learn something new every time I host a dinner.  

Like this....

Did you know that if you put plastic wrap over your cooked lasagna before adding the tin foil (if you need to transport it or keep it warm), the cheese won't stick? Seems logical, doesn't it, like it would be something you would think of on your own, but I never thought of this! I learned this helpful tip from Chef's Catering. They have catered a few events for my work, and a few weeks ago one of the cooks actually delivered the meal himself, so don't you know I was asking a bunch of questions! That's when I learned about the plastic wrap. I have transported lasagna several times to three different CMPD divisions (Metro, South, and Steele Creek) and never thought about this before, not to mention how many times I have kept lasagna warm on my own stove, only to have all the cheese stick to the foil. You can also spray PAM cooking spray to the foil, but I like the plastic wrap tip the best. 

One of the highlights of the entire evening (for me) was that I got to stay for roll call. One detective invited me to do a ride-along with them one night which I thought was very sweet. Comments like that make me feel accepted into a big family that's not so easy to get into unless you work there. I will have to complete all the necessary paperwork to do the ride-along, but I am already looking forward to it. 

A big thank you to my neighbor, Sheilah, who cleared one shelf in her refrigerator to store my banana pudding. It was a huge help and she even delivered it back to me. You can find this delicious recipe here in a previous post.

And another thank you to Chef's Catering, who gave me an unbelievable deal on tablecloth rentals. We ended up not using them after all, but I appreciated their kindness and support of what I do.

Three things I know for sure before another officer sits at my table for a meal is 1) my 25-year-old cook-top is on its last leg and I'll have to replace it, and 2) a second refrigerator for the garage is a must-have, and 3) I will designate a picture-taker!

The day following this big meal was Sunday, and the old girl rested. It was a wonderful weekend!

FOP Lodge #9 (notice the Thin Blue Line across the door - I love that!)

♥

Not all angels have wings....some wear a badge

An angel in 'blue’ left a care package on my front porch very early this cold morning knowing I have been sick the past four days. The officer sent me a quick text message so I would know to look for it when I woke up. “I know you have been missing your sweet tea”, the message said. And with the tea was a sausage biscuit. 

Once again I am reminded what Clarence the angel said in the movie 'It’s a Wonderful Life'...."No man is a failure who has friends."

Thank you, my friend.

♥

Happy New Year!

2017 was filled with all kinds of challenges. Some things I didn't handle very well, like house repairs. Expensive and major house repairs. But some very good things happened too, and God's grace, once again, reminds me just how much He cares for me. His grace definitely helped to outweigh the bad.

• January:  On January 24, 2017 after serving my friends for eight years, I delivered cream puffs one night to the Westover Division officers and they were happy to give me a picture. My first! It was definitely a bright spot in my year. I'm sure that sounds kind of silly to be so excited over a picture, but it was important to me and I had waited so long. When the officers are at my home, they enjoy a hot meal and conversation in peace and privacy. Except for taking pictures of the food, there are no pictures.
• February:  I started a new job. I thoroughly enjoyed my nice little paid break after losing my job in July 2016, and then it was nothing short of divine intervention that I was able to return to the company I left 12 years earlier.
• June:  I was honored to be recognized in CMPD's 2016 Annual Report. I think everyone has their 'moment in the sun' at least once in their lifetime, and I guess you could say this was mine. Thank you CMPD!
• July:  My 56-year-old house started falling apart. Major moisture issues plagued my crawlspace and, unfortunately, the remedy was very expensive. But it had to be done. The moisture damaged a wall in the den and it had to be replaced (twice) after the first handyman botched up the job.   
• September:  I found an awesome handyman to redo the wall the first handyman botched up. Super glad to have this behind me so I can get back to doing the things that I love. 

Like this....

Finally, after literally months of dealing with house repairs, I was able to invite my friends over for a holiday lunch.

I made these candy bar wrappers for the occasion and personalized them for the South Division.

Wishing everyone a Safe and Prosperous New Year

"May your troubles all be small ones, 

And your fortunes ten times ten,
May the good Lord bless and keep you, 

Til we meet again."

~ Meredith Willson