Tonight's Dinner

Meatball Hoagies, Salad, chips, strawberry cake and milk...

Meatball Sandwiches

Recipe By :Cherylann
Categories : Sandwiches

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 big can tomato juice
14 ounces tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 jar spaghetti sauce
3 cloves garlic
2 1/2 pounds hamburger -- divided; 1 1/2 pounds for sauce, 1 pound for meatballs
garlic salt -- to taste
1 shake oregano
1 pinch dried parsley
1 big pack submarine rolls
1 package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup bread -- crumbled
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk -- may need a little more

Season 1.5 pounds hamburger with one clove of garlic, and however much garlic salt you like. Brown, then drain.

In a big old sauce pan pour in all the tomato stuff and spaghetti sauce. Add rest of garlic and some more garlic salt, oregano and parsley. Then add the hamburger. Allow to simmer on low for about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix the rest of the hamburger, eggs, bread and milk (season to taste). Pack it in a square cake pan or 11x13" the best you can. Bake for about 40 minutes (until juices run clear). After it's done cut it into squares (these are square meatballs) just as you would a cake.

Put the spaghetti sauce in the crockpot and throw in the meatballs. Then scoop it in a bun, top with mozzarella and broil or not that's up to you (to melt cheese).

NOTES : This sauce can be adapted so that you're cooking a lot of things at once. Use it for lasagne, layer mostacolli noddles sauce and pepperoni and cheese and bake, use it in meatloaf, use it in chilli, make a pizza, freeze it for plain old spaghetti later. Use your imagination! Enjoy!


Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe By :Cherylann
Serving Size : 16
Categories : Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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Cake:
vegetable shortening -- for greasing the pans
flour -- for dusting the pans
1 package white cake mix
1 package strawberry gelatin powder
1 cup mashed fresh strawberries with juice -- (1 1/2 cups whole berries)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 cup frozen unsweetened grated coconut -- thawed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese -- at room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter -- at room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar -- sifted
3/4 cup fresh strawberries -- rinsed, capped and mashed to make 1/2 cup
1/2 cup frozen unsweetened grated coconut -- thawed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
16 pecan halves

Cake:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°.

Lightly grease 4-9" cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out excess flour, set the pans aside.

Place the cake mix, strawberry gelatin, mashed strawberries and juice, oil, milk and eggs in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.

Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed.

The strawberries should be well blended into the batter. Fold in the coconut and pecans.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and place them in the oven; rotate the pans on the top rack to the bottom & vice versa halfway through baking.

Bake cakes until they are light brown and just start to pull away from the sides of the pans, 22-28 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the layers on the highest oven rack.

Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

Frosting:

While cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the sugar and strawberries.

Blend the frosting on low until the sugar has been incorporated. Raise the speed to medium and mix the frosting another minute or until the frosting lightens and is well combined.

To assemble, place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Add another cake layer, right side up and frost the top. Repeat this process with the third and fourth layers and frost the top. Use the remaining frosting to frost the sides, working with clean, smooth strokes.

Top with the coconut and then the chopped pecans. Place the 16 pecan halves as a cutting guide for the cake. Can garnish with strawberries and whipped cream. Chill for at least an hour for frosting to set.

NOTES : Place the cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. Cover the cake with waxed paper and store, in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.