We used regular, uncooked lasagna noodles and this turned out very well.
Lasagna (Frozen)
Lemon Lime Paprika
We found a spice mix on the clearance rack and then discovered we could not find it anymore! So Adrian spent some time experimenting and came up with a very similar blend. It is great on chicken or on popcorn.
Cajun Okra Rice
Recently we started helping at a farm share, we enjoy bringing home fresh, organic veggies! The first basket we received had many things in it, including okra, peppers, onions, celery leaves, and tomatoes.
We had never cooked with okra before, and so we were not sure what to do with it. We found several recipes on how to cook it, but we didn’t know what to pair it with. Adrian stayed home one morning when the rest of us went out and he surprised us with this mash-up of recipes he had found online. It is not spicy, but you can add more Cajun seasoning if you like the heat.
Gravy (and Biscuits)
This is a family favorite recipe. It is a very adaptable. Add cheese to the gravy if desired, adjust the amount of onions, use different seasonings if you wish. We usually enjoy it as written.
Use your favorite biscuit recipe, but we prefer it with large buttermilk biscuits. Since this is a heavy meal, a simple fruit salad served alongside is wonderful.
Daddy’s Pasties
Pasties are popular in Calument where Daddy spent a lot of time growing up. He said that Petila’s taxi in Calumet would often take his family to McLain park and then come back at a prearranged time to take them home. His grandmother made them also. There are many recipes for pasties, but all are similar.
Feel free to experiment with the basic recipe. We often make the pasties with cubed meat instead of ground. Be careful not to over stuff the crust, it is much better to have leftover filling! If you can find it, replace part–or all– of the carrots with rutabaga for a more traditional taste.
When serving, I like them best with a little extra butter. Some people serve them with gravy. My mom eats them with ketchup.
Venison Stew
I asked Mark what he wanted for dinner when he was home for Spring break. He really wanted a good stew. He gets it at school, but it is often salty and served with noodles.
Stew is a very flexible meal. Add more or less vegetables or add other favorites. Serve with a lettuce salad and maybe some bread, and you have an easy meal.
If you have frozen stew meat, you can still cook it in the crock pot. Skip browning the meat. Start cooking the stew on high in the morning and cook for 8 hours. We prefer to cook the frozen meat for 3 or 4 hours with pepper, garlic and onions, then add the remaining vegetables and spices for the last few hours of cooking.