Day 360: Classic Lasagna and Links to Others

I've made a few different lasagnas over the past year, but never a real classic lasagna.  (I'll include the links to the others at the end of this post.)  Lasagna is a pretty basic, traditional dish, which is why I think I never found a recipe for classic lasagna in all of my searching through my recipe books.  Chefs these days are always trying to do something different with lasagna.  Maybe I was a little scared to make my own lasagna in the beginning of this blog.  I knew I could probably make one and it would be good, but I wanted it to be GREAT.  I wanted to make the best lasagna that my Italian husband had ever tasted.  That was a tall order.  When Randy was a bachelor, you could pretty much make him any homemade meal and he would rave about it.  He and his brother didn't eat a lot of home-cooking when they were living in a condo on their own.  But now he's been married to an aspiring home-chef for about 5 years and he's had a lot of good home-cooked meals.  If I was going to make him THE BEST classic lasagna he had ever had, I needed to use everything I've learned so far about really good cooking.  And tonight, I think I accomplished that.  Without going too crazy or over-the-top, just trying to keep it basic, I give you THE BEST Classic Lasagna...

Classic Lasagna

1 box oven-ready lasagna noodles
2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
half of 1 large carrot, grated
1 TB dried basil leaves
1 TB dried oregano leaves
dried parsley
salt, pepper
1/2 cup red wine
3-4 cups traditional homemade spaghetti sauce (or jarred marinara sauce)
32 oz ricotta cheese
2 TB grated Asiago cheese (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 TB fresh basil, chopped
1 egg
8-10 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

LASAGNA NOODLES: TO BOIL OR NOT TO BOIL?  That is the question.  So, when buying lasagna noodles you have some choices out there.  You have to boil your lasagna noodles unless the box says "Oven Ready."  So it seems like the obvious choice to buy "oven ready" noodles so you can skip the step of pre-cooking your pasta.  But you have to be careful because if you buy "oven ready" noodles, that means they are going in the lasagna hard.  You have to be sure that each and every part of each and every noodle is covered by enough sauce liquid so that it softens in the oven, otherwise you'll be crunching down on your lasagna and end up with hard pasta stuck in your teeth!  So if you don't like a lot of sauce in your lasagna, you're probably better off boiling your noodles ahead of time.  In fact, some lasagna recipes out there call for "oven ready" noodles but you have to soak them in hot water first anyway.  Huh?  If you're going to do that, then I say just boil them!
THE SAUCE: The noodles may be the structural part of the lasagna, but I really do believe that the sauce is the foundation.  My husband loves marinara sauce.  I use my own homemade sauce (see link above) because I know it's delicious and we both love it.  If you don't have homemade sauce on hand, you can easily concoct your own the night you make the lasagna.  When you're cooking the meat and it comes to the step to add the sauce, you can either add a jarred marinara sauce, or a simple canned tomato sauce and add your own seasonings to it.  If you want a chunky sauce, opt for a can of crushed tomatoes and put in some dry Italian seasonings.  But what if you're not really a marinara sauce kind of person?  No problem.  Instead of adding sauce, just add a little tomato paste for flavor.  You also may want to add some beef broth for a depth of flavor and so the meat doesn't dry out in the oven.

Now, on to the recipe...

Preheat the oven to 375*.  In a large skillet over medium heat, begin browning the ground beef.  I use 80/20 meat because the fat adds more flavor and then you don't have to use oil in the pan.  When the meat is almost completely brown, add the onion and garlic.  Season with the dried basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Then add the shaved carrot.  This adds a nice sweetness to the meat.  Cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Pour in the red wine and cook another minute.  Now add the sauce (homemade, jarred, tomato paste, whatever you want to use.)  Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer then turn off the heat.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of parmesan, the Asiago cheese (if using, I happened to have some on hand, which is why I used it), the egg, fresh basil, and salt and pepper.  Mix well.
In a 13 x 9 pan, spread out a thin layer of meat sauce.  (Remember, I used "oven ready" noodles, so I want them completely surrounded by moisture in the oven.)  Then top the sauce with the noodles.  Spread a layer of the ricotta (half your mixture) on the noodles and top with more meat sauce.  Continue the pattern: noodles, ricotta, meat sauce one more time.  I had more noodles and sauce so I did one more layer of noodles, then a final layer of sauce on the top.  So I started with sauce and ended with sauce.  On top of the sauce, I sprinkled my mozzarella cheese, combined with the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan.  Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the fresh parsley on top for garnish.
Serve with salad and crusty bread.

Links to previous lasagna recipes:

1. My own Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Lasagna: http://bethanysmeals365.blogspot.com/2014/06/day-142-chicken-broccoli-alfredo-lasagna.html

2. Vegetarian Lasagna: http://bethanysmeals365.blogspot.com/2014/02/day-23-red-green-vegetarian-lasagna.html

3. Turkey Sausage Lasagna: http://bethanysmeals365.blogspot.com/2014/04/day-74-turkey-sausage-lasagna.html

4. Two-Sauce Pasta (like a lasagna, deconstructed): http://bethanysmeals365.blogspot.com/2014/06/two-sauce-pasta-days-134-138.html

5. Swiss-Chard Manicotti (manicotti reminds me of lasagna noodles, which is why I included this one): http://bethanysmeals365.blogspot.com/2015/01/day-358-swiss-chard-manicotti.html

Day 358: Swiss Chard Manicotti

Happy Meatless Monday!!!  I planned another special Italian (meatless) meal for Randy's week of "birthday" meals.  It was almost for nothing since Randy had a late site visit today and would have to go right to his second job afterward.  Luckily he decided to come home during the late afternoon in the time he had between site visits and we had an early supper.  I'm so glad we did that because not only did Randy LOVE the meal and not stop talking about it, but it was so nice to have all of our evening routines over and done with by 6 pm!  As of 6:01 the dishes were done, the kids were bathed, the kitchen was clean, and the kids and I were sitting in the living room watching "Peter Rabbit."  If only all nights could be that easy...

While this meal has no meat in it, it is VERY hearty and flavorful.  And if you're looking for a new way to get green veggies into your kids, just try coating them with 2 pounds of cheese! :)  Try this amazing recipe.  Trust me, you'll love it!

Swiss Chard & Pea Manicotti (Giada De Laurentiis)
1 box of manicotti (usually 12-14 pasta shells)
1 bunch of Swiss chard (green or red--I used red), stems removed and chopped
olive oil

1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
15 oz ricotta cheese
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped basil
salt, pepper
Fontina Sauce:
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 oz grated fontina cheese
2 TB grated parmesan cheese
2 TB chopped basil
6 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for 6 to 8 minutes.  Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.  Preheat the oven to 400*. 
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion.  Cook for a few minutes, until soft.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.  Then add the Swiss chard and cook for a few minutes until wilted.  Cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the ricotta, peas, mozzarella, parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper.  Add the Swiss chard mixture.  Pulse until smooth.  Place the filling in a large Ziploc bag and snip off the corner.  Pipe the filling into each manicotti and place in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. 
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and heavy cream to a simmer.  Add the shredded fontina cheese and whisk slowly until smooth.  Add the parmesan and basil and slowly incorporate until smooth.  Pour the sauce over the manicotti.  Top everything with the shredded mozzarella.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
I served it with an arugula salad: arugula, shaved pecorino cheese, freshly cracked pepper, and balsamic vinaigrette.  It added a fresh touch and the acid helped cut through all the cheese of the manicotti dish.  Delicious!  

Day 353: Baked Orzo with Chicken

It's funny how you go through different moods for things--different moods for movies, music, food, and for me, cooking styles.  In my heart of hearts, I will always be the Pioneer Woman's number one fan.  The problem is, we don't live on a farm and aren't doing hard, physical labor all day everyday.  If we ate only the types of food she writes about all the time, my family would be huge!
Giada De Laurentis makes very healthy, flavorful Italian recipes.  Her recipes are crisp, clean, and fresh and she makes tons of vegetarian options, too.  I only have one of her recipe books, because, I confess, her style is not my style.  I like the more rustic, hearty looking food--food that will fill you up and warm your soul.  But, as I said before, sometimes I get into different moods for different foods.  And as I was searching for some new ideas for Randy's birthday meal(s), (see yesterday's post) I picked almost all of them from Giada's cookbook. Maybe it's because Randy's Italian?  Remember that chicken tetrazzini dish I shared back in November?  I had a story that went with it about how I saved the recipe especially for Randy because it stood out to me as something he would love, even though we weren't together at the time I found it.  That was a Giada recipe, and so is this baked orzo, and they are very similar.  In Giada's original recipe for the orzo, there is no meat.  I added some shredded chicken to mine, but the dish is delicious either way.  So here is dish #2 of Randy's birthday week of meals!

Baked Orzo (with chicken)
This makes a enough for a crowd.  I made it for our small family of four and there was so much leftover that I had Randy take the whole thing to work the next day and put it out for everyone.  When he went back at the end of the day to get the dish, the food was all gone.  I've found a new way to help get rid of leftovers! :)

2 chicken breasts, cooked with salt and pepper, and shredded
1 lb orzo
4 cups chicken broth
2-3 TB butter
1 onion, diced
8 oz small white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup marsala wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz fontina cheese, shredded
4 oz mozzarella cheese, small cubed
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried thyme

Start by baking your chicken or however you like to do it before shredding it.  I prefer chicken breasts with the skin and bone because they bake more flavorfully.  I seasoned them with oil, salt, and pepper and baked them until cooked through.  Then they cooled on a plate and I shredded them with my hands.  On to the baked orzo...
Boil the 4 cups of chicken broth in a stockpot and add the orzo.  Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the orzo thoroughly cooked.  Meanwhile, saute the onion and butter in a skillet over medium heat.  After about 3 minutes, add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the marsala wine and cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 7 minutes.
Transfer the shredded chicken, cooked orzo, and mushroom mixture into a large mixing bowl.  Add the peas, heavy cream, and cheeses.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and place in a baking dish (13 x 9 pan works, or a large round casserole dish).
In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and dried thyme.  Sprinkle over the orzo.  Bake in a 400* oven for about 20-25 minutes.
Serve!  I sprinkled pecorino cheese over each portion.

 

I haven't shared any pictures of Abby and I doing school for a while.  We took 2 weeks off for Christmas/New Year's and we're back at it this week with a new schedule.  Since Noah is no longer taking morning naps, it threw a wrench in our morning school time.  Now we do school in the afternoons with tea.  Abby's nap usually isn't as long as Noah's, so it's a nice way to transition from napping into that awful late afternoon time period that every mother dreads.  ;)  At this stage in the home school process, I feel like forming a good schedule and sticking to it is 75% of the battle!  

Although we do more "formal" school in the afternoon, we do lots of activities in the morning when we are home, and Noah can participate, too.  We've been into patterns lately.  Take a look...

 Finished!  She's at the silly face stage.  I can almost never get a NICE smile out of this girl.

Day 294: Chicken Tetrazzini and Mocha Brownies

We have life group every Sunday night and I feel so lucky to be a part of this group!  We always have such a wonderful time and each week is full of lots of laughs!  Of course, since I'm (yet again) a week behind in my posts, I'm actually writing about the week before last Sunday's gathering.  We had a "fellowship feast" and we all brought something to contribute to dinner. I made a chicken tetrazzini and mocha brownies.  Yum yum!

I love this chicken dish.  When Randy and I first met, we dated for a little while and ate together quite a bit.  I soon learned about his love of broccoli, pasta, and white sauces.  He ordered chicken and broccoli alfredo pretty much everywhere we went.  Well, Randy and I ended up taking some "time off" from dating and at the time, neither one of us imagined we'd ever end up married!  One day, I was watching Giada de Laurentis on the Food Network, back when her show was "Everyday Italian."  She made this dish and I instantly thought of Randy.  I actually went to my computer right away and printed the recipe so I'd have it on the off chance that we ever hung out again, much less I'd cook for him.  Of course we know how the story goes, we did end up getting married.  While we were engaged, I made this dish for him for the first time and he loved it!  It then became his signature birthday dinner for a few years.

Chicken Tetrazzini
This is the original recipe, which calls for linguine for the pasta.  I prefer to use penne or some shorter pasta because it makes for easier division of portions.  I also use only half an onion rather than a whole. :)  Also, you can easily make this recipe up ahead of time and stick it in the refrigerator until you need it.  Just be sure to let it come to room temperature before putting it in the oven.

9 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 pound white mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups whole milk, room temperature

1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature

1 cup chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

12 ounces linguine

3/4 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

Mocha Brownies
OK. Can Ree Drummond get any better than this???

Four 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate

2 sticks butter

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

 

Icing:

2 sticks butter, softened

5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 to 3/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick baking spray.
For the brownie batter: Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, being careful not to let it burn. Set it aside to cool slightly.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs. With the mixer on low speed, drizzle in the melted chocolate. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the flour to the bowl and mix just until combined; do not over mix.
Pour the batter in the prepared baking pan. Spread it to even out the surface. Bake until the center is no longer soft, 40 to 45 minutes. Set the brownies aside to cool completely before icing.
For the icing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla. Mix until slightly combined, then add 1/2 cup of the coffee. Whip until the icing is light and fluffy. If the icing is overly thick, add 1/4 cup more coffee. It should be very light and fluffy.
Ice the cooled brownies, spreading the icing on thick. Refrigerate until the icing is firm, and then slice the brownies into squares.

Days 269-270: Some old and some new...

So yesterday my poor wedding ring finger took a beating in the kitchen.  While slicing onions, I sliced the finger's tip, and then while removing an apple pie from the baking sheet it was sitting on, I burned the same finger right above my rings.  I definitely won't be getting those off for a while--at least not until the swelling goes down!  So please excuse my slow typing... ;) (I crack myself up!)

Around this time of year, I start bringing back recipes we haven't had since last winter.  Some are served almost exactly the same, others have different side pairings, and others are changed even more.  These two dinners are repeaters with a twist...

Day 269: Stromboli & Antipasto
Here is the original recipe when it first appeared on my blog: http://bethanysmeals365.blogspot.com/2014/04/day-83-easy-stromboli.html

That recipe was a simple cheese, pepperoni, and crust recipe.  This time, I followed the same guidelines with the crust, but I added a layer of my homemade sauce inside the stromboli.  I also made it long enough that I could change the filling every 3rd section.  I left 1/3 of the stromboli with just sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.  The next 1/3, I added diced green peppers into the mix.  And the final 1/3 (Randy's 1/3) included all the previous ingredients, plus chopped onions and olives.  I baked it the same (400*, 10-15 minutes) and served it alongside a nice, big antipasto.  Buon appetito!

Day 270: Apple & Thyme Stuffed Pork, Butternut Squash Risotto, Asparagus, Apple Sauce

The original recipe for just the pork portion of the dish can be found here.  In that post, I combined the whole meal into one "recipe" and gave instructions for cooking the meal as a whole, with the sides and all so it would come out at the same time.  Here, I'll break down the pork recipe by itself, and then show the side recipes separate.  I served this meal with my homemade applesauce, which will be featured in a different post.

Apple & Thyme Stuffed Pork

4 pork chops
1/2-1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2-1 small apple, chopped
combo of fresh and dried thyme leaves (about 1/4-1/2 tsp each)
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
olive oil, salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 350*.  In a small saucepan, drizzle a little olive oil and start sauteing the onion and garlic.  When the onion is translucent, add the apple and thyme and cook a little more.  Pour in the apple juice and breadcrumbs and turn off the heat.  Stir everything so a nice, sticky stuffing forms.  If it seems too dry, add more juice.  If it seems to wet, add more breadcrumbs.
Pound out the pork chops and place a couple tablespoons of the stuffing in the middle of each chop and roll the meat around the stuffing.  Use toothpicks to secure them shut and place on a baking sheet seam-side down.  Drizzle the pork rolls with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through.

Butternut Squash Risotto

1 cup arborio rice
1 cup small cubed butternut squash
1 TB chopped fresh rosemary
3 cups good chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
olive oil, salt, pepper

Warm the 3 cups of chicken stock in a saucepan on low.  In another, larger saucepan, drizzle olive oil and start the onion, rosemary, and garlic cooking over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.  When the onion is translucent, add the rice and squash.  Pour in the white wine and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated.  Start ladling in the warm chicken stock 1-2 ladlefuls at a time.  Once you've added 1 or 2 ladlefuls, stir the rice and squash vigorously to release the starches.  Then let it sit for a while until the liquid evaporates.  Once it evaporates, add more liquid and repeat the process until the rice is cooked through.  Add the parmesan cheese at the end and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Asparagus
Wash the trim the asparagus.  Lay out on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.  Sprinkle on either garlic powder or 1 clove of finely minced garlic.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and roast in a 400* oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked to desired texture.

So-long Summer: Day 246

Yes, I still have the weekend to recap, but that will be for another post.  I have don't have a lot of time to write tonight, but I wanted to share the quick dinner I whipped up as a tribute to the end of summer.  Autumn is my favorite season, but I still get a little sad to see summer go.  This summer felt like it went by much too quickly since we spent half of it moving and working on our new house.  I already can't wait for next summer so we can spend more time relaxing at the beach! 

I brought the kids to the park this morning and met 3 other friends and their kids--we had a great time.  When Randy came home, we took the kids to a local park.  I haven't done the grocery shopping for the week yet so we had to run to Hannaford so I could pick up a few items for dinner.  For "Meatless Monday" I made a summer vegetable pasta with bruschetta. 

Summer Vegetable Pasta

1 zucchini, cubed
1 summer squash, cubed
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb pasta of your choosing
4 TB butter
2 TB olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup white wine
few basil leaves, roughly chopped
salt, pepper

Start boiling the pasta water in a large stock pot.  When it comes to a boil, season it with salt and drop the pasta.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, drizzle the olive oil and add 2 TB of butter over medium-high heat.  When the butter melts, add the zucchini and squash.  Let cook for a few minutes until just tender.  Add the tomatoes and the garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Cook 1-2 more minutes.  Pour in the white wine and the lemon juice and bring to a bubble.  Reduce heat to low.  When the pasta is done cooking, add it to the skillet and add the remaining 2 TB of butter.  Toss and garnish with the chopped basil.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Day 206: Spinoccoli Calzones (vegetarian)

For Wednesday (Day 206), Randy had asked me to make vegetarian calzones for a luncheon he was having at work.  Remember from my last post how I mentioned I had been up at 11:00 one night making a cake and the next night making calzones?  Bingo.  Here you go.  Randy wanted about 15 calzones to bring to work and the frozen dinner rolls I buy come in bags of 12, so I sent him with 16 vegetarian ones, and then made 8 of my easy sausage calzones for our dinner Wednesday night.  I had the sauce simmering in the Crock-Pot all evening on Tuesday night while I was in CT with the girls.  When I returned from our nice dinner (and after getting stuck in stopped traffic on the MA pike for 3 miles) it was time to make calzones!

You know how the sausage ones are made, and you just follow the link above.  The filling for the Spinoccoli Calzones (for 24) is as follows:

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
olive oil
1 large or 2 small bunches of broccoli, chopped
1 cup of spinach, chopped
32 oz ricotta cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1 egg
salt, pepper
sprinkle of basil (dry or fresh)
sprinkle of oregano
sprinkle of parsley
1 egg + water for egg wash

Start with the onion and garlic and drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent.  Add the vegetables to cook just a bit until the spinach starts to wither.  Turn off the heat.  If your skillet is large enough, you can make the filling in the skillet, otherwise you can transfer to a large bowl.  Combine the vegetables with the ricotta, mozzarella, and egg and mix well.  Add in the salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.  Fill the flattened dinner rolls as usual and use the egg wash on top.  Baking is the same, in a 400* oven for 10-15 minutes.
Sorry there's no picture!  I baked them Wednesday morning and let Randy take them out of the oven before work.  Neither one of us remembered to capture any step with the camera!  Next time, since they were so delicious I will have to make them again...

Thursday was Day 207 and we had dinner at our friends' house right around the corner!  For dessert, I made my double chocolate cookies.  Yum!

Day 142: Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Lasagna

So, it's a good thing I have a gym membership and enjoy going to group ride, group power, and on my morning runs because these past 2 recipes have not been beach-body friendly!  On Sunday we had my parents over for dinner and I served spaghetti and meatballs.  My mom ate some but also informed me that she's given up eating pasta.  Randy looked at me and basically told me that wasn't an option for us! :)

I have two beliefs when it comes to food and my blog (ok, maybe more, but here are two): 1) True "foodies" who are committed to the culinary arts create recipes more based on the food (origins), taste, ingenuity, and eye-appeal rather than on the latest diet.  2) Being health-conscience doesn't have to mean giving up entire food groups--eating less of certain things (or less in general) and exercising are super beneficial!

With that, I give you:
Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Lasagna (For the "healthy" version--just eat half of what you normally would.) ;)
Abby loved this meal!  By Randy and my standards, I wouldn't say I "hit it out of the park" yet.  I need to make it a little more moist and make a little more of the alfredo sauce, pesto, and chicken.  So, that being said, I'm not 100% ready to give out a true recipe at this moment.  I'll post the pictures of each step and let you know the basic ingredients.  If you're a confident cook, I'm sure you'll come up with something yummy!  If you require a little more guidance in the kitchen, don't worry--the full recipe is coming soon!

I marinated my chicken in Italian dressing all day, then grilled it in my grill pan.

I shredded my chicken once it was cooked through and cooled slightly.

Here's the start of broccoli pesto.  Broccoli and garlic in the food processor and stream in olive oil while pulsing.

Voila!

To make alfredo sauce, start with a roux.  If this scares you--don't let it!  Start with butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Add flour and whisk 1-2 minutes.  There's your flavored roux for the alfredo sauce!

Add milk--it starts thin!  Bring it up to a bubble and whisk continuously.

And there's your nice, thick sauce.  Ready for a heat reduction and a handful of grated parmesan cheese--alfredo sauce!

Start by layering the sauce in the 13 x 9 pan.

For a quick lasagna, make sure you use "Oven Ready" noodles--no boiling!

On top of the sauce, layer the noodles, then the broccoli pesto.

Then the chicken--and start all over again!

Top it off with freshly grated parmesan cheese!

Yum!

I served it with a caprese salad--an intense flavor combination--not sure I would do that again.  But, it's a good thing we had the wine to cleanse our palettes!

Two-Sauce Pasta (Days 134-138)

Here's a new recipe from my weekday repertoire.  The weeks are flying by and family dinners are scarce with this home search continuing.  But we are pushing through.  It will definitely be nice when school is out and I have more time to focus on cooking, baking, and the new business. :)

Weekday Recap:
Monday (Day 134): Randy was working and wasn't home until after dinner.  The kids and I had homemade chicken tenders, mac & cheese, and peas for supper.

Tuesday (Day 135): The hot weather made for a perfect excuse not to turn on the oven.  I had some cooked chicken in the fridge, so I whipped up my chicken ceasar sandwiches.  Check out my last post (also from Tuesday) with my recipe for strawberry-thyme lemonade.

Wednesday (Day 136): Two-Sauce Pasta (recipe follows)

Thursday (Day 137): hot dogs!  Yes, I realize this means that the kids and I had hot dogs twice this week.  And no, that is not the norm.  They may not be the healthiest meal, but when I serve them, I also include fruit, veggies, yogurt, and something crunchy like pretzels to make a more balanced meal. :)

Friday (Day 138): Another repeat meal, tequila lime chicken.  When I looked back at my recipes, I realized that the chicken looked a lot prettier the first time I made it--I garnished it and everything! ;)  Tonight's dinner was a little more rushed, but still delicious!  By the way, I'm loving my "recipe finder" on the homepage of this blog--it makes setting up these links to past posts so much easier!  It's a great tool if you're looking for a recipe in a particular food category!

Two-Sauce Pasta
This recipe is so different and yummy.  A besciamella sauce is a white sauce with a hint of nutmeg.  Having the sweetness of that sauce coating the pasta and then topped with the savory flavor of a hearty Italian meat sauce is a flavorful combination!  Randy eats a ton of this stuff.  I make a whole pound of pasta and a pound of meat and there's only ever enough leftovers for me, if I don't finish my plate.  Yeah, it's that good.  Add some pancetta if you want, too, for an extra boost of flavor and saltiness.

1 lb medium shells

1 lb hamburg

Shells coated with besciamella sauce.

1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced and divided
1 medium carrot, grated
2-3 TB tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 TB dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1-2 TB fresh basil, chopped
1 bay leaf
2-3 TB butter, plus 2 more TB
2-3 TB flour
2 cups of milk
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2-1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place a pot of water on the stove for the pasta and bring it to a boil.  While the water heats, drizzle some olive oil in a skillet and turn the heat to medium.  Cook the onions for about 2 minutes, then add the bay leaf and half of the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the hamburg and dried herbs and cook until the meat is brown.  (When the water comes to a boil, salt it and pour in the shells.)  To the cooking meat, add the grated carrot and the red wine to deglaze the pan.  Next add the tomato paste and stir to start to dissolve the paste.  Pour in the beef stock and simmer until the sauce thickens.  Sprinkle the fresh basil on top, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, place the 2-3 TB of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  When it melts, add the flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring.  Add the garlic and cook another minute or less--be careful not to burn the garlic.  Pour the milk in and bring the sauce to a bubble, then reduce the heat and add the nutmeg.  When the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, it's done. 
Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the remaining butter and stir in the parmesan cheese.  Pour the besciamella sauce over it and stir to combine.  Serve in a bowl with the meat sauce on top and extra parmesan cheese to sprinkle.

Day 87: Chicken Parmesan & Ceasar Salad

Well I'm in month 4 of this journey and I cannot believe I haven't made chicken parmesan yet!  I feel like I should be writing "I make this all the time!" because honestly, I do--or did.  I guess that just goes to show how my cooking really has branched out since starting this blog.  This meal has become second nature to me.  The most annoying thing about it, though, is the clean up.  Whenever I bread chicken, I hate having to wash the extra bowls, cutting board, and clean up any mess on the counter.  But it's worth it!  I think the most important thing to a really GOOD chicken parmesan is seasoning.  Season well with salt and pepper every step of the way, and use fresh herbs and fresh garlic.  You can't go wrong!  I read a quote one time (I can't remember where) that said, "If you salt as you cook, your food tastes well-seasoned.  If you salt after you're finished, your food tastes salty."  I think that's true and something I keep in mind while I cook.

Chicken Parmesan
2 chicken breasts (I'm using the measurements I used tonight for our small family, not a "normal" recipe quantity.)

1/2 cup flour
1 egg + a little water
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
a few basil leaves, chopped
salt, pepper
1/2 lb pasta
spaghetti sauce
4-6 slices of mozzarella cheese

Get a pot of water heating on the stove for the pasta.  Warm the sauce in a pan on the stove.  Prepare the bowls to bread the chicken.  In 1 bowl: flour, 1 clove of minced garlic, a little salt and pepper.  2nd bowl: eggwash, salt, pepper. 3rd bowl: breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, remaining garlic, salt, pepper.
Pound out the chicken breasts so they are 1/2 inch thick.  Preheat the oven to 350* to finish cooking the chicken when needed.
Heat an oven-safe skillet on the stove with some olive oil.  When the water starts boiling, salt it liberally and add the pasta.  When the skillet is nice and hot, dredge the chicken in the flour, egg, breadcrumbs, and then place on the skillet.  Do so with the other chicken breast.  Let one side of the chicken turn brown/dark brown before flipping.  Flip the chicken when ready.  Cook about 1 minute on that side and then turn off the heat.  Ladle some sauce over the chicken and place the mozzarella slices on top.  Place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking the chicken and melt the cheese.  When the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, the chicken should also be done.
Serve the pasta with the chicken and cheese on top, and extra sauce if desired.  This goes great with ceasar salads with homemade dressing and bread.  (We skipped the bread tonight!)

Day 83: Easy Stromboli

I love stromboli!  It's easy to make and so versatile.  I have to admit, though, that tonight's version is nothing exciting.  Stromboli is an Italian-American dish (American origin with Italian influence) that is really just a rolled "turnover" that is traditionally filled with Italian cheeses (mostly mozzarella), meats, and vegetables.  You can use pepperoni, salami, chicken, roast beef, spinach, tomato, olives, feta, etc.  The possibilities are endless!  I will definitely make a more "hearty" version sometime in the near future.  Tonight I was in a pinch and simply wanted to use up some leftover ingredients we had in the refrigerator.  We had plenty of mozzarella cheese and some pepperoni.  So that's all I used.  It's like a pepperoni pizza turned inside itself.  You can serve pizza sauce or marinara on the side for dipping.  I used Pillsbury pizza crust tonight because it's easy and delicious!  They really make a great pizza crust.  Just unroll it, put in your "toppings", and roll it the long way.  I prepare a mixture of olive oil and garlic powder to brush along the edge of the dough to seal it, and then to brush on the outside of the dough.  Use a knife to insert little slits in the dough.  Bake in a 400* oven for about 10-15 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving!  Serve along side a salad.  Enjoy!

Day 79: Sausage Pecan Pesto Shells

I originally got this idea from one of my Real Simple magazines.  (Follow that link to the exact recipe.)  I made it once or twice last summer, I think, and we all loved it!  However, the original recipe calls for a parsley pesto, rather than basil.  (You can really make any kind of pesto since the word in Italian means "to pound, or crush" referring to how they originally started making basil & pine nut pesto.)  I've made a parsley pesto, spinach pesto, of course basil pesto, and next will make a broccoli pesto, I believe.  All good, but basil (the original) is definitely the most flavorful.  Because I wanted to save some pesto for tomorrow's paninis for lunch, I made this pesto with a combination of parsley, basil, and even some spinach.  I started with several cloves of garlic in the food processor, added handfuls of basil, parsley, and spinach, and some parmesan cheese.  Sprinkled in some salt and pepper, and began to pulse the processor.  I drizzled in some extra virgin olive oil and even added some pasta water to this batch.  When it came to my desired consistency, I stopped.

Here's a more literal recipe for pesto:
3-4 cups of greens (basil, parsley, or spinach, or a combination of the 3)
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (*usually when I say parmesan cheese, I mean parmesan/romano combo from the store)
1/2 - 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
optional: 1/2 cup pine nuts

Combine all dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.  Turn the processor on and drizzle in the olive oil while the pesto comes together.  Use more olive oil as you desire.

For the entire meal, I:
1. Cooked 3/4 lb shells according to package instructions.
2. Made a pesto in the food processor.
3. Brown a little less than 1 lb of sausage. (You can use Italian sausage, but I used breakfast sausage and added some Italian seasonings such as dried basil, oregano, parsley, onion flakes, and 2 cloves of minced garlic.)
Combine the shells, pesto, and sausage, and add some whole or half pecans if desired.

Day 76: Hawaiian Pizza

Hawaiian pizza has always been one of my favorite types of pizza.  I just love it!  So whenever I know I'm making a meal with ham one week, I try to sneak in a pizza night so we can have Hawaiian and I can use up the rest of the ham.  Since we had ham & corn turnovers the other night, it was time for another Hawaiian pizza.  I have to give the credit to my wonderful husband, however.  He did it ALL.  I filled my Saturday with a haircut, baby shower, and shopping with my mom and got home later than expected.  Randy made the pizza dough early in the day, then he and Abby made the pizza.  For toppings we use pizza sauce (store bought or homemade sauce), fresh mozzarella cheese, canned pineapple chunks, and ham.  Bake at 400* for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

When I got home, my family was sitting and eating dinner.  Abby was so excited to tell me that they were having pizza and that she helped Daddy make it.  Later that night while I was putting her pajamas on her, I said,
"You did a good job helping Daddy in the kitchen today, didn't you?"
"Yeah!"
"Are you going to be a cook like Mommy?"
"Umm, no."
"No?  What are you going to be?"
"Umm, I'm going to be a dog!  Woof woof!!!"
I just love conversations with a 2-year-old, especially mine! :)

Day 74: Turkey Sausage Lasagna

I originally got this idea from an Ina Garten cookbook, but I made it my own.  It was delish!  Both kids had seconds.  The turkey sausage makes the lasagna leaner, and the goat cheese gives it a great flavor.  I use white wine in the sauce (instead of red) because I think it complements the turkey sausage.  I put it together the day before, which made dinner tonight a breeze!  I only have a picture of the "before" (as in, before it went into the oven) because I had to serve it right when it came out of the oven.  If I had let it stand a few minutes, it would have tightened up and made a great picture!  Alas, it looked a little "soupy" since I had to slice into right after it finished baking--definitely not "picture perfect!"

Turkey Sausage Lasagna

1 lb turkey sausage, casings removed
1/2 lb lasagna noodles
28 oz crushed tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
couple pinches of sugar
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped & divided
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
4 oz goat cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt, pepper
olive oil

Soak the lasagna noodles in hot tap water.

In a hot skillet over medium heat, drizzle it with olive oil and add the onion.  Cook until translucent. 

Add the garlic and turkey sausage, and break up the meat with a fork or the like. 

Cook until meat is no longer pink.  Add the white wine to deglaze the pan.  Cook 1 minute. 

Add the tomatoes, paste, basil, some of the parsley, a few pinches of sugar, and some salt and pepper (about 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper). 

Simmer while you prepare the cheeses.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, the rest of the parsley, and a little salt and pepper.  Add the egg and mix well.

Layer the ingredients in a 9 x 13 pan as follows: 

1/3 of the meat sauce, 

1/2 of the noodles, 

1/2 of the mozzarella slices, 

1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 

1/3 of the sauce, rest of the noodles, rest of the mozzarella, and the rest of the sauce. 

Sprinkle the top with the rest of the parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400* for about 30 minutes or until the sauce bubbles.  Let stand/cool 5 minutes.  Serve with salad and/or bread.