Diva's Lasagna with home made Tomato Pasta Sauce

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Lasagna
Inspiration:  I use my own home made tomato pasta sauce recipe for this.  If you had frozen quart bags ahead of time like my recipe says, makes it even easier.
Ingredients: 12 uncooked lasagna noodles 1 24oz cottage cheese 1 16 oz ricotta cheese 2 large eggs beaten 2~1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 Qt's of my Home made Tomato Pasta Sauce Click here for recipe	Instructions:  Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Prepare noodles according to package directions.  Stir together in medium bowl; cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs and 1/4 cup pasta sauce.  Layer 4 equal parts in a 9x13 baking dish;  Tomato Pasta sauce, noodles,  cheese mixture and mozzarella cheese.
Variation: Serves 8 I sprinkle parsley and parmesan cheese over the top. You can use store bought pasta sauce, but not nearly as good.

Diva's Upside Down Apple Tart

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Upside Down Apple Tart
Inspiration:  We had a huge apple tree in the yard at the Zemanek farm.  Grandma would use a caste iron skillet to cook the apples in and also bake.
Ingredients: 1 cup cold butter, cut-up 2 cups flour pinch of salt 1~3/4 cups sugar, divided 1/2 cup ice water 3 lbs Granny Smith Apples, peeled and quartered 1/2 cup butter, cut-up	Instructions: Freeze 1 cup butter for 30 minutes.  Put cold butter, flour, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in food processor and pulse 8 times.  should resemble coarse meal.  Add 1/2 ice water, 1 TB at a time.  Pulse just until mixture comes together and forms a dough.  Turn dough out on a piece of plastic wrap & shape into a disk.  Chill 2-24 hours.   Gently stir together Apples, 1/2 cup butter and remaining sugar in a large bowl.  Put apple mixture into a 10 inch skillet.  (will be very full)  Cook over low heat for 1 hour or until liquid is reduced and thickened.  Put in a 10 inch baking dish. (I line the bottom with parchment paper). Pre-heat oven 425 degrees F.  Unwrap chilled dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll into 12 inch circle & place over apples tucking edges of dough around apples.  Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.  Invert on serving plate.
Variation:  Yields 8 servings Can add nuts before putting in the apples to baking dish.  I have also added cinnamon to the recipe for that added boast. wonderFUL with a scoop of Granddad's home made ice cream.

Diva's Marshmallow Meringue

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Marshmallow Meringue
Inspiration: Works on any pie.  A different twist to regular meringue.
Ingredients: 3 egg whites 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/8 tsp salt 1/4 cup sugar 1 7oz jar marshmallow cream	Instructions: Beat eggs and add vanilla and salt til foamy.  Add sugar 1 TB at a time and beat til stiff peaks form.  Beat in 1/4 marshmallow cream at a time until smooth.  Spread over recipe you are making. Bake meringue 400 degrees F for 7 minutes or until golden brown.
Variation: will top any 9-10 pie

One of My fondest Childhood memories; My summer's I spent in Reno, NV

Me at Aunt Polly & Uncle Howard's Penthouse apt
mid 70's

I loved my Aunt Polly and Uncle Howard.  I would spend my summers with them in Reno, NV, they would spoil me, teach me proper etiquette, take me golfing (which Aunt Polly would do the old fashion, I walk the course and fast) *Note:  she had a charm bracelet from guys she golfed with, Jack Benny, Bob Hope to name a few*, take me to all the upity parties to rub shoulders with the elite (There was a family by the name of Mapes who owned a lot of Reno. The Historical Mapes Hotel was spectacular but was imploded in the early 80's and we would go to parties at their home and ranch) They would buy my schools clothes and send me back home to Nebraska with memories of my childhood embedded in my mind forever.

Mapes Hotel
1947-1982

When I was 3 years old my parents took a trip to Reno to visit them.  Uncle Howard was a partner in the club Cal-Neva and one day my Aunt Polly took my parents out to tour down town Reno and gamble at the casino.  (Back in the 70's when I would visit I would wonder the streets alone. I am sure they don't these days.)  Well back to my story;  Uncle Howard got to baby sit me and we took a nap.  When I woke up he was looking at me with his sparkling eyes, huge gorgeous smile and asked me...

My little darling if there was anything in this world you wanted, what would it be...
I so contently without hesitation said, YOU!  I had his heart from that day.

Me wearing Aunt Polly's earrings in her penthouse apt
May 1963

Uncle Howard had a friend by the name of Ruby and he lived on the same floor they did in the apartment complex of the penthouse.  Aunt Polly always had to have security.  When she was younger they had their apartment across town broke in to a couple times.  Uncle Howard and Ruby would take me down to the Cal-Neva so I could watch the people from the balcony.  I love to watch people and imagine how they live. They would take me to shows and my very first one was to see Carol Channing.  Uncle Howard bought me my very first grown up gown and pearls to wear.  It was a magical night I will never forget.

Me and Uncle Howard on our Magical Night

Aunt Polly would teach me how to cook, how to properly set a table, and most important treat people with love and respect.  I can remember I was setting the dinning room table when the news cast came on when President Nixon resigned.  Aunt Polly made me practice the piano daily in her gorgeous penthouse, let me swim in the pool that was 1 floor up, and made sure I did my chores.  She had a lady come in to help clean by the name of Chocolate Drop.  What an awesome lady.  She would take me to her house to play with her grandkids and I kept in contact with her for years.  She would teach me how to clean Aunt Polly's collection of Czechoslovakian crystal she loved, rake the fringe on the wool rugs that were all over Aunt Polly's apartment, and teach me we were all are equal in God's eyes.  I saw her many years later when Uncle Howard passed away in 1985 and she still loved me.

Aunt Polly, a friend of her's, and Chocolate Drop
1985

Aunt Polly was my maternal Grandma Sarah's older sister.  She was awesome. She taught me there was a place for everything and everything has its place.  When she would come home for family reunions she would hand out $100 dollar bills to the kids.  The kids did not know the awesome lady that I knew... kind, gentle, loving.  Not many people did.  Aunt Polly and I would spend our time talking while we walked briskly (and OMG she could walk fast) by the Truckee River and park. Aunt Polly passed in 1995 at the age of 102 and not how most people would think someone that age would pass away at.  She was driving by Las Vegas on the freeway and went off the road.  Not long before she passed she was pulled over by a state trouper for going 95 mph.  When the trouper asked her why she was in such a hurry... her with her beautiful smile said, " I am trying to catch up with my age"  I am sure he laughed and will never forget that.  I still chuckle.

The summer's I spent with her and Uncle Howard were amazing and I was the lucky one in the family to spend quality time with her.  Something I won't ever forget is when we would go to the grocery store, she was just as frugal as the next person, but when we bought a carton of ice cream; the first thing we did when we brought the groceries in was to take the top off the carton and eat what had melted on the top.  Then we would put the groceries away.

Aunt Polly also taught me to always care for my skin (the skin is the largest organ of the body~ it protects us) and that even just the cheapest stuff at the drug store is better than not putting anything on at all.  She taught me that inner beauty was just important as what was on the outside.  A lesson many people forget.  Look deep inside and find the good in all but most important find the good in yourself.  I have found through the years that people will try and make you feel so low that your looking up from the gutter and it is not worth it.  Look to your past and ask yourself what is my most childhood memory.  I have 2 and my time spent in Reno with these wonderful people is 1 of them.  Also look towards your future...Someone will come along again and put that sparkle back in your eyes and make you feel whole again. Make you feel loved. Make you see you have a future and the people from your past are what make you stronger.

Thank God I have both...

The Truckee River taken from the balcony of Aunt Polly's Balcony

Diva's Green Beans with Garlic and Bacon

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Green Beans w/Garlic n Bacon
Inspiration:  I loved sitting out on the porch snapping fresh green beans with grandma.  We always had huge gardens and raised our own livestock. This is my favorite vegetable.  It brings back warm memories of the farm, the hot sun and conversations with Grandma.  The best advice came from Grandma on the porch.
Ingredients: 3 lbs Green beans, ends snapped off 1 garlic clove, minced 2 TB olive oil 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled salt & pepper to taste	Instructions: Steam Green beans until tender.  Cook garlic in oil in a large pan over medium heat for 1 minute or until golden.  Add beans and salt and pepper. Add bacon and cook for 3 minutes.  Serve
Variation:  Yields 10 servings Green beans are low in carbs, great for diabetics like me

Diva's Double-Chocolate Cheesecake

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Double chocolate Cheesecake
Inspiration: I love chocolate, what can I say:)
Ingredients: 18 creme-filled chocolate cookies, crushed 2 TB buter 4 pkgs 8oz each 1 cup sugar 2 TB flour 1 tsp vanilla 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips melted, slightly cooled. 4 eggs	Instructions: Pre-heat oven 325 degrees F.  Mix cookie crumbs and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.  Bake 10 mins.  Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla until well mixed.  Add eggs 1 at a time until well blended on low.  Pour over cooled crust and Bake 55 mins-1 hour or until set.  Remove from pan and cool in refrigerator 4 hours before serving.
Variation:  Yields 16 servings.  Can be served with your choice of fruit on the top, drizzled with chocolate or nuts.  I have even made Ganache topping:  Ganache Chocolate topping 3/4 cup whipping cream 1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels 1 (6-ounce) package milk chocolate morsels

Diva's Red Velvet Brownies for the one you Love

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Red Velvet Brownies
Inspiration: this recipe was given to me by one of my co-workers at Delphi.
Ingredients: 1 4oz bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped 3/4 cup butter 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1~1/2 cups flour 1 1oz bottle red liquid food coloring 1~1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla 1/8 tsp salt cream cheese icing: 1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened 3 TB butter, softened 1~1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/8 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla	Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large micro safe bowl; high 1~1/2-2 minutes or until melted; stirring every 30 seconds.  Whisk in sugar; add eggs 1 at a time until blended.  Gently stir in flour.  Add remaining ingredients; stir well.  Bake for 44-48 minutes.  Cool completely and frost with: beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add powdered sugar and salt.  Stir in vanilla.
Variation:  Yields 16 servings, Can be garnished with white chocolate curls.