Viki's Baklava!!

1 lb Filo dough
1 lb very finely chopped walnuts (can use pecans)
1 Tbsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 to 3/4 lb butter

Blend walnuts, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Use one sheet of filo dough at a time and sprinkle it with nut mixture in the middle and spread (very carefully) to the edges. You only need to cover about the first 2/3 of the filo dough. Using a 1/2 inch diameter dowel, roll up each layer and crimp the sides so that it scrunches into the middle. Place in a buttered pan with the (dough) seal on the bottom. (Work quickly as the filo dries out very fast)

Pour butter with a spoon over each piece and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Should be golden brown. Remove from oven and pour syrup over the top and allow to soak a few minutes. Drain on baking rack over night. (Although we ate it when it was still warm and it was very delicious!)

Syrup
5 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups water
few drops lemon
2-3 tsp cinnamon

Bring sugar, water and cinnamon to a boil. Add lemon juice and boil for 3-4 minutes still syrup begins to form a string. It is best to make this while the baklave is baking and set aside until ready to use.

Denise's Lasagna and Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti sauce used for Spahetti with pasta or Lasagna Sauce....

1.5 lb. ground beef
1.0 lb ground sausage (Jimmy Dean Sage flavor works best) brown all meat till no longer pink.

Add:
1 can tomato soup
1 can stewed tomatoes
Tomato sauce (2 cans of large Hunts, or 2 bottles of Prego, Ragu,etc.)
Add frozen spinach leaves (1 bag or 1 box)
Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms
Simmer for an hour.

If making Lasagna, slice 1 zucchini and add to the layers of lasagna with ricotta cheese or cottage cheese and Mozzarela cheese, sauce and pasta noodles) You can freeze till ready to bake, defrost then bake for 45min to 1 hour at 350*.

Lisa's Pizza!!

This recipe is from "Simply Recipes" I always double this and it fits fine in my mixing bowl.

1 1/2 c. warm water ( 105 - 115 )

1pk. ( 2 1/4 teaspoons ) of active dry yeast

3 1/2 c. bread flour ( you can use all purpose flour )

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 teas. salt

2 teas. sugar

1. In large mixer bowl add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes

2. Mix in olive oil, flour, salt,and sugar on low speed for about a minute. The knead using the mixer and dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If dough seems a little too wet sprinkle on a bit more flour.

3. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm doubles in size about 1 1/2 hours. Several hours longer, a longer rise will improve flavor. At this point you can freeze or put dough in fridge over night until needed. If you are chilling the dough, make sure you give your self time for the dough to warm and rise again before you need to use it.

Remove the dough and punch down. Divide to form two balls. Place each in into own oiled bowl, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.

Prepare toppings

Roll out dough, lightly sprinkle pizza peel or flat baking sheet with corn meal add pizza dough and add toppings. If you are cooking in an oven, use a pizza stone and cook at 450 to 475. Heat stone before adding pizza take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook the pizza

Fun Pizza ideas

MeditarianPizza: Olive oil, garlic, feta olives, red onions, fresh basil, tomatoes, feta cheese

White Pizza: Cream Fresh or Alfredo sauce, garlic, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese

Traditional: Marinara sauce, pepperoni, sausage, olives, bell peppers, mozzarella cheese

BBQ Chicken: BBQ sauce, chicken, pepper chines, mozzarella cheese

Vegi: Olive oil, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, onions, artichoke hearts, olives, fresh basil

Lebanese White Bean Salad

Contributed by Lisa Nelson

2 c. cooked white beans

2 c. shredded red cabbage

1 c. shredded carrots

Dressing

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 cloves crushed garlic

1/4 t. oregano

1/2 t. salt

1/3 olive oil

1/3 lemon juice

Mix dressing and cooked beans for a couple of hours or over night. Then spread cabbage over the bottom of a plate, top with carrots and pour beans over the top.

Cannoli

You can buy the shells at AJ's or make them yourself if you have the forms. But once you have shells, here is a great filling for them. The recipe comes from Maggiano's in Scottsdale. Thank you to Carolyn Denham for being the brave one to make and bring them to the club meeting.

1 cup Ricotta Cheese

½ cup sugar or honey

1 TBS of fresh squeezed orange juice

1 Tsp of orange zest

¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix by hand, rather than a machine, to keep the texture thicker. Also, you can eliminate the fresh squeezed orange juice and add 1 tsp of orange flavoring (or another kind if you prefer)

You may also want to melt some additional chocolate chips and dip the ends of your cannoli shells in it. Use any leftover chocolate to drizzle on the filled shells.

Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Contributed by Connie P.

½ cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tsp. vegetable oil

2 T. corn syrup or sugar

2 T. parmesan cheese

2 T. Romano cheese (or just use more parmesan cheese)

¼ tsp. garlic salt

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. parsley flakes

1 T. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little tart add a little extra sugar.

Add this dressing to your Olive Garden salad which has sliced red onions, tomatoes, peperoncini, sliced olives, parmesan cheese, Croutons, and iceberg salad mix with a added romaine lettuce.

Connie's Spinach Manicotti

1 carton (15 ounces) low fat ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

½ cup reduced-fat sour cream

¼ cup dry bread crumbs

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 large jar or can of spaghetti sauce

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, spinach, sour cream, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well and stuff into the uncooked manicotti.

Pour 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan. Then, arrange manicotti on top of the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti. Cover and bake at *350 for 55 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minute longer or until noodles are tender. Yields: 7 servings.

Nutrition facts:

2 stuffed manicotti equals: 345 calories

8 g fat (5g saturated fat)

34mg cholesterol

782 mg sodium

45 g carbohydrate

4 g fiber

22 g protein