On a side note, my son and I don’t particularly care for the term “wheelhouse” so of course he will get the reference to this title right away. It is the little things we share with our families and the joys of home cooking that mean so very much, in this woman’s humble opinion! ♥

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta of your choice according to package directions. I always add a palm full of kosher salt to the boiling water I do believe it adds taste and if I need the pasta water to loosen up the sauce at times it is already pre-seasoned.

   

2. Chop up your onions and shred your cheese.

   

3. Now we can get this party started! In a nice big cast iron pot or whatever oven safe pot you got, melt 4 tablespoons of the whipped butter on medium heat. Add the flour, one tablespoon at a time, whisking with each addition to combine the flour and butter to make a roux (sauce thickener). Now add the milk one cup at a time as well, whisking again with each addition. Now the arm workout comes in. We want a smooth sauce so keep on whisking until you achieve a no lump sauce. When you are lump free, add the mustard powder, cinnamon, bay leaf and onion. Stir those ingredients together, turn the heat up a smidge and boil for about 2-3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. After you have boiled the sauce to thicken it, lower the heat to medium-low and add that glorious cheese, stir to melt and simmer for about 5 more minutes.

   

   

   

4. In the meantime, melt the remaining whipped butter in a pan and add the breadcrumbs. Coat all of the breadcrumbs.
5. Remove the bay leaf from your sauce. Take your drained macaroni and add it to the beautiful bechamel cheese sauce and combine them together coating all of your macaroni. Sprinkle the breadcrumb and whipped butter mixture evenly over your macaroni and sauce and do the same with the parmesan cheese. Bake in your preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Turn the oven off and set your broiler to high, broil the topping for about 2-3 minutes until it is nice and golden brown.

   

   

   

6. Remove from the oven and let your bubbly, delish goodness rest for about 5 minutes (if you can restrain yourself  😉 ) Plate and Enjoy!!  😀

   

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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

1. In a crockpot or slow cooker (whichever term you prefer) place your ground beef. Add the jar of spaghetti sauce, bay leaves, dried oregano, garlic powder, pepper, onion and 3 whole cloves of garlic.
2. Mix all the ingredients together and set the timer to cook for 4-6 hours. Stir every hour or so if you are home. The garlic will start to soften and just permeate the sauce.

   

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   Garlic Breadcrumb Topping

   1. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and bring it to a sizzle about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, add the breadcrumbs and combine, coating all of the breadcrumbs.

   

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Faux Lasagna Assembly

1. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions.
2. Layer the bottom of an oven safe baking dish with enough noodles to cover the bottom.
3. Layer a cup or so of the crockpot spaghetti sauce over the noodles.
4. Add half of the mozzarella cheese and spread to cover the sauce.
5. Add half of the garlic breadcrumb topping, spread out over the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle this layer with some parmesan cheese.
6. REPEAT the layers and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and a little olive oil over the top to add a golden color when baking.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!  😛

   

   

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. In an oven proof good sized fry pan, on medium heat, add the center cut bacon and fry to your desired crispness. Remove the bacon to a paper toweled plate to drain. Keep the bacon drippings in the pan.
2. Add the olive oil to the bacon drippings. Sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes and add the gnocchi. Stir to combine. Sauté all together for 5 minutes.
3. Add the marinara sauce, mustard powder, paprika, 1/2 the parsley flakes and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add half the mozzarella cheese to the gnocchi and combine.
5. Spread the rest of the mozzarella on top with the rest of the parsley. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the top OR mix half in with the gnocchi and sprinkle the remaining on top. Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!  😀

   

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**Be VERY careful when removing the pan from the oven, the handle will be HOT.

As a visual reminder I always put an oven mitt over the handle in addition to using a pot holder.**

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. In a pan over medium heat add your oil and whipped butter. When your butter has melted add the chopped onion and sautee for 3-5 minutes. Add your flour to combine and coat the onions. When the onions are all coated add your beef stock and whisk everything to combine and remove any lumps from the flour. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce. Stir often. Reduce heat and add your chicken, frozen brussel sprouts, cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste. Combine and let simmer for 5 minutes while you prepare your baking dish.

   

2. In a baking dish, line the bottom and as much of the sides as you can with one of the pie crusts. Add the filling evenly. Place the next pie crust on top covering as much of the pie filling as you can. In a bowl, beat an egg with a little water or milk to make an egg wash for the crust. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on top of the crust in a nice even layer. This helps to really brown the crust and add a nice richness. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pot pie and turn the broiler on the oven to high. Brown the top to your desired color and crispness but watch it closely so it does not burn. Remove from the oven and let it set for 5 minutes.

   

3. Last but not least, serve a nice bowl full and Enjoy!!!  😀