Three wishes yield family favorites

By ANNE LONG

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 27, 2000

Delores Ross' three wishes have been granted, thanks to readers who share their families' favorite recipes for lasagna, beefaroni and beef stroganoff. These dishes are welcome family fare and are also appropriate for covered dish dinners.

Have you ever tasted pickled garlic? Judy Coor's recipe is for a sweet and sour one. She has tried peeling the garlic cloves and not peeling them and prefers the results of the unpeeled cloves.

The original recipe says the cloves will keep for 10 years! They do get better with age but are too good to last that long.

The basis of Linda Hinton's pickled garlic recipe is oil, lemon juice and vinegar. Linda adds that the recipe is from Frugal Gourmet Cookbook and that the garlic is delicious as is or chopped and used in salads.

For: Delores Ross of St. Petersburg.

From: Marilyn Bradow of Bradenton.

Recipe: Classic lasagna, the birthday dinner request of Marilyn's four children.

Classic Lasagna

1/2 of a 1-pound package of lasagna noodles

1 pound bulk Italian sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce, divided

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

11/2 cups hot water

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves

1 15- or 16-ounce container ricotta cheese

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained (Marilyn squeezes the spinach in a clean dish towel to remove as much liquid as possible)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups shredded Muenster cheese

Prepare the noodles according to directions; drain.

In a medium skillet, combine sausage, onion and garlic. Cook until sausage is no longer pink, stirring often to break sausage apart. Drain.

Reserve 2/3 cup tomato sauce. Stir remaining tomato sauce, the tomato paste, water, basil, oregano and marjoram into meat mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

In medium bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, eggs, Parmesan cheese and salt; mix well.

In a 9- by 13-inch pan, spread 1/3 of the reserved tomato sauce. Layer 1/3 each lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, meat mixture, mozzarella and Muenster cheeses. Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly, 40-50 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting. Makes 12 servings.

From: Matt Heald of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Beefaroni, a family recipe that is quick and easy.

Beefaroni

3/4 pound elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 pound ground turkey or ground lean beef

3/4 cup brown gravy OR 1 can or jar of brown gravy

1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Cook pasta according to directions; drain well.

Saute vegetables in olive oil. Add ground turkey or ground beef; brown. Add drained pasta and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low heat 45 minutes to 1 hour.

From: Patricia Trubey of Clearwater.

Recipe: One-pan beef stroganoff.

One-Pan Beef Stroganoff

1 pound ground chuck

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 3-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drain, reserve liquid

1 101/2-ounce can beef broth

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 ounces uncooked egg noodles

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons snipped parsley

Saute beef, onion and garlic until meat is browned. Drain off fat. Add liquid from mushrooms, beef broth, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in uncooked noodles.

Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes until noodles are tender. Stir in mushrooms and sour cream; stir until heated through. Do not boil. Top with parsley. Serves 4.

For: Evelyn Killion of St. Petersburg.

From: Judie Coor of Largo.

Recipe: Sweet and sour pickled garlic.

Sweet and Sour Pickled Garlic

4 heads garlic, cloves separated and left unpeeled

2 cups red wine vinegar

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

6 whole cloves (the spice)

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

Place all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Reduce heat to moderate and cook 5 minutes more.

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer to clean glass jar. Tightly seal and refrigerate for 1 month before serving. Cloves improve with age.

From: Linda Hinton of Palm Harbor.

Recipe: Oil-and-vinegar pickled garlic, from the Frugal Gourmet Cookbook.

Oil-and-Vinegar-Pickled Garlic

30 cloves of garlic, cleaned and peeled (gently press garlic with blade of large knife, and peel will slip off)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional

Blanch whole small cloves of garlic for 5 minutes (large cloves about 8 minutes) in boiling water. Remove and plunge into cold water. Drain; mix with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for 5 days before serving.

Can be served as is or chopped and used in salads.

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