Apple Upside Down Cake Mom's Recipe

Apples just shout out fall to me. This made me want to get cozy by the fireplace with a nice cup of cocoa and watch an old time movie. Making this reminded me of my childhood with my mom peeling bags of apples and coming up with several cake, pies and new way to use them. She used any kind of fruit with this cake batter she had on hand. 
I have tried her recipe with pineapple, peaches and blueberries. I even used fresh cherries this year for the first time. Can't make up my mind which one I like better. Served warmed is best. 

Apple Upside Down Cake Mom's Recipe

Bottom layer

1 stick butter or margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Melt butter add the cinnamon, then sugar, mix together and pour onto a brownie size pan and parchment lined 

Slice two large apples or (two cups of other fruit of your choice) place on top of this sugar butter mixture.

Batter:

1 stick butter, margarine or use 1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg

 In a medium mixing bowl blend sugar, butter together for 2 minutes until well blended. Add all other dry ingredients except milk, alternately with the milk and vanilla last into that mixture.  Spread this thick batter over the  sugary apple mixture.

Bake on a preheated oven on 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until set in the middle.

Cook and serve slightly warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice. cream.

Poor Man's Lasagna Recipe

I love the ease of this recipe. All the same ingredients as a real lasagna but quick and easy layered with your regular favorite pasta, cheeses and meat sauce! When we were growing up mom called it poor man's lasagna because it was all thrown in one pan with less expensive ingredients. Lots of times she would use leftover sauce and meatballs from our 
Traditional Sunday Sauce meal.

Poor Man's Lasagna

Poor Man's Lasagna Recipe
(All highlighted below will lead you to those recipes) 1 box of your favorite pasta cooked to package instructions and drained (I used medium sized shells)
2 lbs of Homemade Ricotta
2 pounds ground sirloin or beef or use leftover meatballs and sausage crushed if you have any
3 - cans 28 ounce size crushed tomatoes or make homemade sauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon granulated garlic 
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried parsley
salt, pepper to taste
grated cheese
shredded mozzarella the more the better!

In a medium size fry pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves minced garlic and hamburger or choice and fry till all pink is gone. 
Add 3 cans 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes to the pan. Cook on low simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix the Ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup grated cheese,  granulated garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl set aside.

Cook and drain pasta. 

In a large lasagna pan, layer pasta, top with Ricotta, sprinkle with mozzarella, grated cheese,  add the meat sauce all over the top, Repeat ending with sauce and mozzarella to top. Bake until hot and browned top of mozzarella under the broiler for a few minutes.