I recently hosted my husband's colleagues. It was a big group, so I needed something that would feed a lot of people while not tying me up in the kitchen. I thought Italian would be the best option and Lasagna would be perfect. While everyone seems to have a favorite lasagna recipe, and I, myself, have made several variations in the past, my mom's lasagna always comes out perfectly. I wanted to share it and also keep it for posterity. I'm not sure where the recipe comes from, but this is what she uses:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb lasagna noodles (no need to cook!)
32 oz tomato sauce
1 lb ricotta (or cottage cheese)
1 egg (my addition for easier spreading ability)
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a saucepan, brown meat. Drain fat and add sauce to the meat.
3. Mix 1 egg with ricotta cheese.
4. On the bottom of a 9x13 pan, pour 1 C of meat mixture, then layer:
1/2 noodles, 1/2 ricotta cheese/egg mixture, 1/2 mozzarella cheese, (1/2 parmesan cheese,) sauce, repeat.
5. Cook at 375 for about 30 minutes or until noodles are done, cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
It's perfect as it is, but there are so many ways to vary this recipe. My mom has made a half beef, half Italian sausage mixture which turns out well. I roasted some red and yellow peppers with 1/2 onion that I then mixed with the ricotta cheese mixture. It was yummy! To be a bit healthier, you could use whole wheat noodles, easily cut out the parmesan cheese, use the mozzarella cheese sparingly, and make sure you are using a lowfat ricotta. It's also a great recipe to sneak in vegetables. I've used fresh spinach in the past. If you make your own sauce, there is so much you can add and the kids won't even notice it! Enjoy!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Gluten Free living
Most of my posts will consist of gluten-free recipes I've tried, the good, bad and the flat out nasty. Case in point: DO NOT try the Bob's Red Mill Hearty Whole grain Bread Mix, even the smell made me nauseous. DO try the new Betty Crocker gluten-free line, I've made the cookies a couple of times and that wonderful yellow box has earned a spot on my pantry shelf as a staple.
I made The Chewy Gluten Free http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-gluten-free-recipe/index.html cookies from Alton Brown. They were ok , though I can't recommend them; I think I should have used Katrina's ( otherwise known as the Glutenfreegoddess) alternations. http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/07/dark-chocolate-chunk-cookies.
Also made last week and HIGHLY recommended:
Banana Chocolate Chip BreadPreheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a standard bread loaf pan and dust with rice or corn flour.
Combine in a large bowl:
3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup puree)
1/3 cup light olive oil
1 cup organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whisk together in a separate bowl:
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I used a combo of buckwheat/rice/tapioca/potato starch)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon
Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until smooth. If the batter looks too thin and wet, add more gluten-free flour, a tablespoon at a time, to thicken the batter.
Add in:
1/2 cup vegan soy-free chocolate chips (we used Enjoy Life)
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of a preheated oven for an hour, until the loaf is firm, a bit crusty, and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.
Cool the loaf on a wire rack.
Slice and wrap each slice in foil; bag and freeze.
This bread is tasty as is, but- it is truly sublime when grilled in a hot iron skillet with a touch of light olive oil. The chocolate chips melt and the banana fragrance intensifies and your taste buds- well, they get very, very happy.
Makes about 8 or so slices.
This recipe is blissfully gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and corn-free (if you check the source of your xanthan gum and baking powder).
Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/11/banana-chocolate-chip-bread.html#ixzz0Rl1hrEN4
Friday, September 18, 2009
Pesto Pasta Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Cherry Tomatoes
This is my FAVORITE pasta salad. Quick, tasty, healthy, easy and beautiful! Recipe credits I hand to my Mom. :)
1 box penne pasta (spring for whole wheat if you can bear it!)
1 package fresh mozzarella balls
1 package Knorr's creamy pesto sauce packet (or make your own basil sauce from scratch)
1 package cherry tomatoes
Boil pasta. Prepare sauce in saucepan as directed. Chop fresh mozzarella and tomatoes into small pieces. Rinse and drain pasta to cool it off. Pour pesto sauce over it and stir well. Add chopped tomatoes and mozzarella, mix in well. ENJOY!
1 box penne pasta (spring for whole wheat if you can bear it!)
1 package fresh mozzarella balls
1 package Knorr's creamy pesto sauce packet (or make your own basil sauce from scratch)
1 package cherry tomatoes
Boil pasta. Prepare sauce in saucepan as directed. Chop fresh mozzarella and tomatoes into small pieces. Rinse and drain pasta to cool it off. Pour pesto sauce over it and stir well. Add chopped tomatoes and mozzarella, mix in well. ENJOY!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
Taken from Simply Recipes online.
Ingredients
* 4 green or red bell peppers
* Salt
* 5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
* 1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
* 1 lb of lean ground beef
* 1 1/2 cup of cooked rice or 3/4 cup of raw instant rice
* 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp of dried oregano
* Fresh ground pepper
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce
* Dash of Tabasco sauce
Method
1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, cut top off peppers 1 inch from the stem end, and remove seeds. Add several generous pinches of salt to boiling water, then add peppers and boil, using a spoon to keep peppers completely submerged, until brilliant green (or red if red peppers) and their flesh slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool.
2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add meat, rice, tomatoes, and oregano, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well.
3 Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp. Oil inside peppers, arrange cut side up in a baking dish, then stuff peppers with filling. Combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl, then spoon over filling. Add 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes (or longer, depending on how big the peppers are that you are stuffing), until the internal temperature of the stuffed pepper is 150-160°F.
Serves 4.
****** I took a short cut on this one big time, just because I'm lucky to get 20 minutes to cook dinner on a weeknight these days! I just browned the beef, added Italian seasonings and then added a jar of organic spaghetti sauce. I did boil the bell peppers, and then filled them, added parmesan cheese on top, and then baked for about 20 mins at 350. They turned out dee-lish. I made brown rice to add as stuffing but then put it on the side for the kids, who like their meat sauce on top of their rice, with plenty of parm :)
Ingredients
* 4 green or red bell peppers
* Salt
* 5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
* 1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
* 1 lb of lean ground beef
* 1 1/2 cup of cooked rice or 3/4 cup of raw instant rice
* 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp of dried oregano
* Fresh ground pepper
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce
* Dash of Tabasco sauce
Method
1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, cut top off peppers 1 inch from the stem end, and remove seeds. Add several generous pinches of salt to boiling water, then add peppers and boil, using a spoon to keep peppers completely submerged, until brilliant green (or red if red peppers) and their flesh slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool.
2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add meat, rice, tomatoes, and oregano, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well.
3 Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp. Oil inside peppers, arrange cut side up in a baking dish, then stuff peppers with filling. Combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl, then spoon over filling. Add 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes (or longer, depending on how big the peppers are that you are stuffing), until the internal temperature of the stuffed pepper is 150-160°F.
Serves 4.
****** I took a short cut on this one big time, just because I'm lucky to get 20 minutes to cook dinner on a weeknight these days! I just browned the beef, added Italian seasonings and then added a jar of organic spaghetti sauce. I did boil the bell peppers, and then filled them, added parmesan cheese on top, and then baked for about 20 mins at 350. They turned out dee-lish. I made brown rice to add as stuffing but then put it on the side for the kids, who like their meat sauce on top of their rice, with plenty of parm :)
Monday, September 14, 2009
Hot Cross Buns (A Good Friday tradition)
The Triduum, also known as Holy Week, is the most important and wonderful time of the church year. It is the time right before Easter that we meditate on Jesus' life, ministry, passion and cruxifiction. And then we celebrate our Lord's resurrection with the greatest joy our hearts will ever experience on Easter.
There are so many traditions we love and cherish during Holy Week, and making Hot Cross Buns is just one way of sharing the church's traditions.
1 C milk
2 T yeast
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 C butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
5 C flour
1 1/3 C currants or raisins
1 egg white
Glaze
1 1/3 C confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1- 2 T milk
Makes 2 dozen
If you're not familiar with making yeast breads, please follow this link for general instructions first!
In a small saucepan, heat milk to very warm, but not hot (110°F if using a candy thermometer). Fit an electric mixer with a dough hook. Pour warm milk in the bowl of mixer and sprinkle yeast over. Mix to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes.
With mixer running at low speed, add sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Gradually add flour, dough will be wet and sticky, and continue kneading with dough hook until smooth, about 5 minutes. Detach bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough "rest" for 30-45 minutes.
Return bowl to mixer and knead until smooth and elastic, for about 3 more minutes. Add currants or raisins and knead until well mixed. At this point, dough will still be fairly wet and sticky. Shape dough in a ball, place in a buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator (see note at right if you're in a hurry). Excess moisture will be absorbed by the morning.
Let dough sit at room temperature for about a half-hour. Line a large baking pan (or pans) with parchment paper (you could also lightly grease a baking pan, but parchment works better). Divide dough into 24 equal pieces (in half, half again, etc., etc.). Shape each portion into a ball and place on baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
In the meantime, pre-heat oven to 400° F.
When buns have risen, take a sharp or serrated knife and carefully slash buns with a cross. Brush them with egg white and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F, then bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack. Whisk together glaze ingredients, and spoon over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm, if possible (Hot Cross Buns).
There are so many traditions we love and cherish during Holy Week, and making Hot Cross Buns is just one way of sharing the church's traditions.
1 C milk
2 T yeast
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 C butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
5 C flour
1 1/3 C currants or raisins
1 egg white
Glaze
1 1/3 C confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1- 2 T milk
Makes 2 dozen
If you're not familiar with making yeast breads, please follow this link for general instructions first!
In a small saucepan, heat milk to very warm, but not hot (110°F if using a candy thermometer). Fit an electric mixer with a dough hook. Pour warm milk in the bowl of mixer and sprinkle yeast over. Mix to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes.
With mixer running at low speed, add sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Gradually add flour, dough will be wet and sticky, and continue kneading with dough hook until smooth, about 5 minutes. Detach bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough "rest" for 30-45 minutes.
Return bowl to mixer and knead until smooth and elastic, for about 3 more minutes. Add currants or raisins and knead until well mixed. At this point, dough will still be fairly wet and sticky. Shape dough in a ball, place in a buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator (see note at right if you're in a hurry). Excess moisture will be absorbed by the morning.
Let dough sit at room temperature for about a half-hour. Line a large baking pan (or pans) with parchment paper (you could also lightly grease a baking pan, but parchment works better). Divide dough into 24 equal pieces (in half, half again, etc., etc.). Shape each portion into a ball and place on baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
In the meantime, pre-heat oven to 400° F.
When buns have risen, take a sharp or serrated knife and carefully slash buns with a cross. Brush them with egg white and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F, then bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack. Whisk together glaze ingredients, and spoon over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm, if possible (Hot Cross Buns).
Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie
This was first brought into my life by my Mother in Law Veronika and became the first official dish I made for company after Bronius and I got married. :)
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Total Time: 10 min
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Total Time: 10 min
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Chicken in a Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Wine Sauce with Pasta
Chicken in a Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Wine Sauce served over Pasta
3 T butter
1 T olive oil
4 lg boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
2 T all purpose flour
1 lb bowtie pasta
2 shallots, monced (I used garlic cloves)
1/2 c white wine
1 c whipping cream
1/2 c oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
3 T chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper
1. Bring large quantity of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.
2. Melt butter and oil in a large skillet. Toss chicken strips in flour and sear over med-high heat until golden brown and just cooked. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. Add pasta to boiling water. Add shallots to the skillet and saute over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir wine, cream, tomatoes, and basil into the skillet, scraping up bits of chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce thickens.
4. Return chicken to skillet to heat through. Salt & pepper to taste.
5. When pasta is al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 c water to add to sauce if it needs more liquid, or for added richness, add more cream. Serve sauce over pasta.
Serves 4-6
Courtesy of diva cook and dear friend Stephanie Arnold.
3 T butter
1 T olive oil
4 lg boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
2 T all purpose flour
1 lb bowtie pasta
2 shallots, monced (I used garlic cloves)
1/2 c white wine
1 c whipping cream
1/2 c oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
3 T chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper
1. Bring large quantity of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.
2. Melt butter and oil in a large skillet. Toss chicken strips in flour and sear over med-high heat until golden brown and just cooked. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. Add pasta to boiling water. Add shallots to the skillet and saute over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir wine, cream, tomatoes, and basil into the skillet, scraping up bits of chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce thickens.
4. Return chicken to skillet to heat through. Salt & pepper to taste.
5. When pasta is al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 c water to add to sauce if it needs more liquid, or for added richness, add more cream. Serve sauce over pasta.
Serves 4-6
Courtesy of diva cook and dear friend Stephanie Arnold.
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