Noodle Casserole for Your Sinful Cake to Sit on 9/13/12

I didn’t really think it was possible for it to rain more than 15 minutes at a time until Friday evening.  My youngest granddaughter was a member of the Homecoming Queen Court at Adams Central High School, at  Decatur. Of course it would have been impossible to not have a Sanders cheering section. According to family tradition we were a few minutes late leaving Edgerton. This made us a few minutes late arriving at my son’s home where his wife had prepared a chili and snacks buffet. You know what happens to the best laid plans of mice and men!  We were more minutes late getting started to the football field.  But our guardian angels were on duty and we had a full five minutes after we were seated before the festivities began.

We tried to not notice a few heavy dark clouds to our right.  Our pick of the six senior girls who were court delegates was not chosen as the queen, but we took consolation in the fact that her escort was chosen as king!  As the football game began, we were more interested in chatting with relatives, but near the end of the second quarter it began to rain. A large number of people scampered down the bleachers seeking shelter as it began to rain harder.  My daughter-in-law shared her umbrella with me as my son scampered to his truck, which he drove as close to us as he could get in order to transport me to where we had parked.  In the meantime, my daughter came back to be certain that someone was looking after “mom”.

Aubrie

Did you ever see an 88 year old grandmother try to get in a pickup truck in the rain?  It wasn’t pretty but I made it. We had agreed to just go back to Keith and Mari’s home and finish off the chili. Rather than get me out of the truck and into another vehicle we just went back to their home in the truck. After indulging in an array of food, we decided to play cards. Our exchange student went with us and she had never played cards, but I was amazed at how quickly she followed our less than expert directions. Good job, Elsie. During our card game, I noticed a few lightning flashes. It apparently had not stopped raining all of that time.  We arrived home after midnight and it rained all the way home.  Too bad that we couldn’t have been in line for some earlier in the summer.   I talked to one of my farmer friends recently and he said, ”We will make it though.  Next year we will be right back out there planning another crop”.

On Thursday I tested my stamina and went to an all day meeting in Lagrange County followed by the DeKalb County Annual Farm Bureau Meeting. This included two catered meals. This was easier than me getting into that truck! The speaker was the Indiana State President. He made two comments that stuck with me. He stated that in Knox County (that is in the south western part of the state along the Wabash river and includes Vincennes) the average yield of corn this fall is between 4 and 25 bushels per acre! He pointed out a bright spot in all of this. A lot of our urban and city friends will learn where their food comes from, since the problem is nearly nationwide. That reminds me of my youthful days when our city cousins visited our home and one of them told me she did not like our milk from our cows. She wanted hers from the grocery store!

That makes a good entry into the food area. I was scanning a box of cook books that I had decided to part with.  I took one last look, as if I were deserting an old friend, and selected today’s recipes.
Hope these find some interested cooks.  I received comments from a reader about the ham and cabbage recipe (her husband approved and he likes very few vegetables).  One made the Rosy Apple Cobbler for a finicky friend’s birthday and it was a success. I have a delicious sounding chocolate cake recipe, but as I try to convince my grandkids that you have to have something healthy for the desserts to sit on, I will start with a healthy casserole.
                  
HAMBURGER NOODLE CASSEROLE
1 ½ pounds of hamburger
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small can creamed corn
1 can mushrooms
1 can tomato sauce
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 package noodles
There is no size mentioned of the size of the cans nor the bag of noodles. If you use a big bag of noodles. I would use a larger can of tomato sauce. Likewise, if you like a lot of mushrooms in a casserole, choose a larger size.

Brown hamburger, green pepper, and celery. (I would probably put in some onion, too.) Add corn, mushrooms and tomato sauce. Simmer for a few minutes. Cook noodles according to package Directions. Add noodles and cheese to hamburger mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
                              
SINFUL CAKE
1 package German chocolate cake mix
1 package (14 oz.) Kraft caramels
½ cup evaporated milk
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour ½ of the batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Set remaining batter aside. Bake batter in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18 minutes. Meanwhile, melt caramels, milk and butter. Stir pecans into caramel mixture. Pour over cake.  Sprinkle with chocolate bits and pour remaining batter over top. Bake for 20 minutes until cake springs back when pressed with finger tips. Cool on a wire rack.  (Do not think about the number of calories, just think how fantastic this will taste).Do you think that would need a dip of ice cream or maybe whipped topping?

Oh yes, I should mention my two new great grandsons! The oldest, about 6-7 weeks, Juda Leo Sanders in South Bend and brand new, Luke Michael Digan in Ft. Wayne. They happen to be cousins. Don’t think I am to thirty greats yet but am over 25.  Need to “recalculate”.

Juda Leo at 6 weeks