Lasagna Night

 This is a dish my family loves, no one leaves the table hungry. Lasagna with salad and garlic bread on the side. This is a simple and quick way to have a homemade meal. Lasagna is an easy meal you can add and take away ingredients to your liking.

-Boil 12 to 13 noodles or entire box (as some will tear)of lasagna noodles until soft add 2 tsps. salt to the   water, drain.
-brown 2 pounds burger and drain... to that add
-half a big jar of prego spaghetti sauce (any spaghetti sauce will do we just prefer prego it's the best)
- sprinkle meat and sauce mixture with a handful of fresh shredded parmesan cheese  and stir
-in a 9 by 13 or larger baking pan add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce from jar then add a layer of noodles
-add half the meat mixture and spread over noodle layer
-add another layer of noodles
-spread a layer of ricotta cheese over the top of the noodles how ever much you like
-poor some spaghetti sauce over the ricotta cheese
-put another layer of noodles
-rest of meat mixture
-noodles-smooth sauce over this layer then add
-shredded mozzarella cheese over the entire top and sprinkle with some shredded parmesan add as much cheese as you like
-bake at 350 for 30 minutes and enjoy serve with your favorite sides

                                      Add half the jar of sauce to the meat and a handful of parmesan cheese

                                         add some sauce to bottom of pan

                                        add a layer of noodles, torn noodles can be used

                                           ricotta

                                         sauce over ricotta

                                           another of meat then more noodles then cheeses

                                              Bake at 350 for half an hour or until cheese is melted and lightly golden
                                        unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it after baking it was attacked as soon as I
                                         sat it on the table
                                        

New York Style Cheesecake

I am writing this blog in memory of my father (John Hamilton) whom was one of the best men I ever knew,he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on Dec. 27th 2009 at age 57, he was from a HUGE family he was one of 16 brothers and sisters and his father a Baptist preacher and if it's one thing that brings a big family together, it's GREAT food. My father could cook a mean meal, him and my step mother and many,many, others have taught me through my 36 years of life how to cook, My sisters are GREAT cooks and holidays are great. It helps I married into a large family whom has many great cooks as well,My husbands sisters can bake a mouth watering treat that will make you beg for more. I was told by my grandmother..."If you can read, you can cook, do what the recipe says, and learn as you go, from your disasters... to your master pieces...if you want it to taste good you have to enjoy cookin". And she is ever so right. I want to share with you some recipes and ideas and have fun doing so...so get ready for some fun and some great recipes with photos and even some videos. I'm a hometown girl with a big heart and lots of ideas in the kitchen for that craving. the orange kitchen is the name because when we got this old house we had to remodel it before moving in and we painted the kitchen a VERY bright orange, and as we were painting we smelled oranges and found it strange the paint wasn't scented and then realized it was an air freshener gel that was scented orange in the window seal is what we were smelling, so every since then it has the name, The Orange Kitchen. We love cooking, and having people come over and enjoy good food and good company. Please share your recipes as well we would love to try them.I am going to start this blog with my fathers favorite dessert I make , a cherry New York Cheesecake, a very thick and rich dessert that will leave you pleased.

New York Style Cheesecake

-16 crushed graham crackers
-half cup butter melted

mix the two and press into a sprayed with cooking spray 9 inch springform pan

-4 (8 ounce)packages of cream cheese softened
  beat this until creamy then add
-1 and a half cups sugar then beat again
-add 4 eggs one at a time
-add 1 cup sour cream beat then add
-1 tbs vanilla extract then beat in
-one forth cup of flour just half of this then add
-3 fourths cup of milk just half of this then add the other half of flour beat then add the rest of milk and beat   until  smooth

poor into crust and bake in preheated oven at 350 for one hour or until lightly golden brown, then turn oven off and let cheesecake set in oven for 2 to 3 hours, then put in the fridge, this prevents bad cracking, add any topping and enjoy.