I haven't made this but it's from the American Century cookbook & sounds really good: TAMALE PIE (serves 6) Cornmeal Crust: 4 cups water 3/4 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 2 TBL butter or lard (not shortening) Filling: 2 TBL bacon drippings or vegetable oil 1 medium yellow onion, peeled & chopped 1 small green bell pepepr, cored, seeded, chopped 1 1/4 lbs lean ground chuck 1 TBL chili powder 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (I'd use Ro-Tel) 1/2 cup beef broth 3/4 tsp salt or to taste For the crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 1/2 qt casserole; set aside. Bring water & salt to boiling in a medium heavy saucepan over high heat. Whisking vigorously, add cormeal gradually & continue beating until thick & smooth; beat in butter. Spoon 3/4 of mixture into casserole & with spoon, press over bottom & up the sides. Set aside. Keep remaining cornmeal mixture covered until ready to use. FILLING: Heat drippings in large heavy skillet over moderate heat 1 minute, add onion, green pepper & garlic & stir-fry until limp, about 5 minutes. Add beef, chili powder & cumin & cook, breaking up lumps until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth & salt & cook & stir 5 minutes. Taste for salt & adjust as needed. Spoon meat mixture into cornmeal "crust" & cover with remaining cornmeal mush. Bake uncovered until browned & bubbly, 30-35 minutes.~~

Here's a couple of my go-to, no-fail, everybody loves it recipes. With the pasta I would serve Woodie's fabulous garlic bread and a salad - I like Caesar, but maybe something with a simple vinaigrette would be good too. With the scampi I'd serve warm sourdough for sopping up the sauce along with a salad and either pasta or a baked potato. And naturally copious amounts of decent wine no matter what you're serving LOL. I also like to serve pot roast to dinner guests - either beef or pork along with gravy, mashed potatoes and some sort of vegie. But that may be a little heavy for this time of year. Personally, I like to stick with fairly simple dishes when I entertain. I don't think most people really expect elaborate meals, and as long as whatever you're serving is well-prepared I'm sure it will be enjoyed. Becky * Exported from MasterCook * PENNE IN CREAM SAUCE WITH SAUSAGE Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Pasta Tested and Approved Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion -- thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves -- minced 1 pound sweet Italian sausage -- casings removed 2/3 cup dry white wine 1 can diced peeled tomatoes with juices -- (14 1/2 ounce) 1 cup whipping cream 6 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley 1 pound penne pasta 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sautuntil golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess drippings from skillet. Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer 3 minutes. Add cream and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl. Bring sauce to simmer. Pour sauce over pasta. Add 3/4 cup cheese and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley. Serves 6. Source: "Bon Appétit February 1997 Landini Brothers Restaurant Alexandria, Virginia" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Shrimp Scampi Bake Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 cup butter 2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 pounds medium raw shrimp -- shelled, deveined with tails attached 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). 2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. When the butter melts completely, remove from heat. 3. Arrange shrimp in a shallow baking dish. Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. www.allrecipes.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * GILROY GARLIC BREAD Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3/4 cup butter -- (1 1/2 sticks) room temp 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces) 6 tablespoons mayonnaise 3 large garlic cloves -- minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano -- (generous) crumbled 1 1 pound loaf French bread -- halved lengthwise Thoroughly combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Refrigerate. Bring to room temp before continuing.) Preheat oven to 375*. Spread garlic butter on cut side of bread, wrap each half in foil. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate.) Place bread on baking sheet cut side up. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil from bread. Preheat broiler. Broil cut side up until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Source: "Woodie - www.thathomesite.com" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : I think this spread is enough for two loaves of bread, and I prefer to bake uncovered at 400F for about 10 minutes, then broil for a couple more to get it crispy on top.

I thought I had one like it but didn't, so I looked for over a hour and found this one. You can change it a bit and maybe it will work out. Overnight Chicken noodle CASSEROLE: 2 cups cubed cooked chicken 1 (9 oz) pkg frozen mixed vegetables, slightly thawed 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (or noodles) 4 oz (1 cup) shredded American cheese 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 2 cups water (or broth) TOPPING: 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs 2 tablespoons margairine or butter, melted 1 In large bowl, combine all casserole ingredients; mix well. Pour into ungreased 8-inch square (1-1/2 quart) baking dish. Cover tightly; refrigerate 8 hours. 2 Heat oven to 350 F. In small bowl, combine topping ingredients; mix well. Stir casserole; sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350 F. for 45 to 55 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Hope this works for you, I may try it myself :)

Green beans are not on my list of favorites so I always have to dress them up for myself. Here are some of my favorite recipes but I don't have any casserole recipes! Haricots Verts With Goat Cheese And Warm Bacon Dressing 3 lb haricots verts (or regular green beans), trimmed 1/2 lb bacon slices, cut into thin strips 1/2 c chopped shallots (about 3) 2 garlic cloves,chopped 1/4 c Sherry wine vinegar 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 cup olive oil 1 c crumbled soft fresh goat-cheese (about 4 ounces) 1/2 c fresh pomegranate seeds (optional) Cook beans in water until tender crisp. Cook bacon until crisp. Saute shallots and garlic in drippings until soft. Add vinegar and mustard. Whisk in oil. Toss beans with dressing top with cheese and bacon. NOTE: I prefer this without the goat cheese and I also leave out the pomegranate seeds. Make-Ahead Garlic Green Beans Blanching the beans in salted boiling water and then shocking them in ice water (to stop the cooking process) proved to be the most consistent method of evenly cooking the beans. Cooked green beans can be held in the refrigerator for up to two days and then quickly reheated with a little water in a covered skillet when ready to use. We tossed the green beans with dry-roasted garlic and softened butter, with delicious results. Gardenlad's Green Beans with Poppy Seed Dressing 1 1/2 lbs green beans, tipped, tailed, and stringed if necessary. 2 tsp poppy seeds 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tbls white wine vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp honey 2 tbls minced shallot Salt & pepper to taste. Lightly steam beans until just tender. Set aside. Heat small skillet over medium low heat. Add poppy seeds and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add the oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, shallot, shat & pepper to the poppy seeds. Whisk until well blended. Warm dressing in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beans and toss to coat. Cook until beans are warmed through. from: Eating Well GREEN BEAN, PECAN, AND FETA SALAD (CindyMac) 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed 1 small purple onion, thinly sliced 2-3 ounces crumbled feta cheese 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste CUT green beans into thirds, and arrange in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 5-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process; drain and pat dry. TOSS together green beans, onion, cheese, and pecans in a large bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour. WHISK together olive oil and next 5 ingredients; cover and chill 1 hour. POUR vinaigrette over green bean mixture, and chill 1 hour; toss just before serving. ~adapted from Southern Living magazine