Cheesy Lasagna rolls with spinach, ricotta and sweet Italian sausage

I love lasagna but hate t
How long it takes to bake. I found this recipe which makes individual servings and only bakes in 20 minutes.

Ingedients:

Salt
1/2 pound uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach
1/2 cup shredded mazzarella
Sweet/mild or hot Italian sausage (whatever kind you like) cook, drain and set aside


Preheat oven to 400 degrees meanwhile bring large pot of salted water to boil
Ass noodles and cook 10 minutes
Drain well and gently transfer to clean work surface.

Grease small roasting pan or casserole dish set aside

Working with one noodle at a time, spread with 2 tablespoons of ricotta, 2 tablespoons of marinara a sprinkle of Italian sausage, then top with spinach.
Starting at one end, roll up noodle snuggly than arrange in pan either seam side down or with the rolls close enough together to hold each other up. (I like them standing up on its end, I think it will be easier for serving.)
Pour remaining marinara over assembled rolls then sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake until golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serving with cesear salad and cheesy, garlic bread.



Working with

Turkey with sweet potato dumplings

I love thanksgiving and this a great way to get it easy.

Ingredients:
1 tbls olive oil
1 small yellow onion
Salt and pepper
4 cups raw cooked or frozen vegetables
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 cups shredded turkey (I used a rotisserie turkey, it saved me time and $$$)
1 cup mashed sweet pototoes
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Add onions salt pepper and cook stirring occasionally until golden 8 to 10 minutes
Add veggies (I used corn, peas, carrots, okra, celery, green beans)
Cook until soft
Sprinkle 1/4 cue flour over veggies stir well cook 2 minutes
Whisk in broth, bring to boil reduce heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes
Stir in turkey, salt and pepper
Transfer to baking dish

Dumplings:
In large bowl combine 1 1/4 cups flour, cooked and peeled sweet potatoes, baking soda, buttermilk, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
Do not over mix
Make a thick batter then drop them by the spoonful onto the turkey mixture
Bake until dumplings are golden brown
About 30 minutes

Results: Emily had two bowls full. (mom, can we have this again!)
Ned I say more. :0)

Tetrazzini surprise

What happens when company comes to town? You eat out a lot. I have taken a few days off to do just that but I am back. Today's recipe called for chicken however, I ran out and went searching though my freezer for a substitute. I came out with boneless pork chops (the other white meat).

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta - angel hair
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 yellow onion
1 8 ounce package sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 flour
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup low fat milk
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups cooked skinless boneless chicken (I used pork)
6 tbls Parmesan cheese
4 tbls finely chopped chives


Preheat oven to 375. Spray 2 quart casserole dish with spray
Boil pot of water and cook pasta
Cook and transfer to large bowl

Meanwhile heat butter in large skillet over medium hear. Add onion, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stirring occasionally until softened abbot five minutes.
Stir in peas and cook 2 more minutes

Transfer to bowl with pasta and set aside

Heat oil on small sauce pan add flour whisk till smooth. Slowly whisk in broth and cook. Stir till thick. Stir in milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook one more minute with cheese then toss with pasta mixture. Transfer all to baking dish and sprinkle with cheese and 2 tsp chopped chives. Bake until hit throughout and golden brown about 30 minutes.

Dutch oven beef and noodle casserole.

Easiest and best meal of the week. Quick and easy. One pot cooking. Emily is on her third helping and asked if we could have this every week.

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups frozen corn
2/3 cups mushrooms
1/2 medium yellow onion
1 small green pepper
Salt and pepper
1 10 to 12 ounce package of egg noodles (try whole grain if you can find them)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

Heat 5 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef, drain, add corn, mushrooms, onions and green pepper. (my family does not like mushrooms, or so they think so I cut the mushrooms, onions and green pepper in small pieces are then same size)
SAlt and pepper the mixture then spread the noodles over the top. Add the cheese then top with the can of tomatoes. Cover reduce heist yo medium low and come back in an hour.

That is quick and easy. But best of all it is delicious.

Baked chicken cordon bleu

Emilys favorite thing is Chicken Cordon Blue so I deceided to make this meal for her. I served it with creamy butter noodles and garlic green beans. It was very good, but the thing I did not like about this recipe is pounding out the chicken.

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breast.
3 tbls. Dijon mustard
3 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
Deli sliced ham. (pick your favorite don't be stingy!
Shredded gruyere cheese (I bought a wedge and shredded it)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp paprika


Preheat oven to 375
Lightly grease roasting pan
Pound out the chicken. Yuck I hate this part!
Spread each breast with 1 tbls mustard, sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.
Layer ham and cheese on each breast

Roll and truss or toothpick and roll each in panko
Sprinkle with paprika
Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes




My daughter didn't like the thyme so next time I will leave that out,also I will use honey mustard because she like that better.

Carmel Apple Crisp

I bought a ton of granny smith apples and they were not moving quick enough in the house so I deceided to make some crisp out of them. 

6 Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter (melted)
1 cup granola
Carmel sauce

Take 6 apples and half them.  Place them on grill or grill pan coated with a little olive oil, until nice brown grill marks appear.  Grill both sides then remove and allow to cool.

After the apples are cooled, core, peel ( you dont have to peel them but I did not like them with the skin on) and slice them in sections.  Place in bowl and mix with the following:

Take 1 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
Cream together

Take baking dish and put apples and mixture together.

Now in a seperate bowl mix:
Take 1 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1 cup of your favorite granola.  I used ones with raisins and sliced almonds.

cover the apple mixture and put carmel sauce all over the top and bake for 15 - 20 minutes in 350 degree oven. 

Serve over Vanilla ice cream or just by iteself.  It is amazing.

If you dont have carmel sauce try putting those carmel square candies on top, I bet that would be even better.

Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

First of all let me start off by saying none of these recipes are original... I am preparing recipes that others have published and I am trying to see how many different kinds of food I can successful prepare.

I am cooking with Artichokes for the very first time.  I should have attempted to use a fresh one, but honestly I am not ready to attempt that yet, besides the recipe called for can and I love the easy route.
Monday. September 13

Serves 8.

Using a rotisserie chicken saves time.

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken
1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts in water,a drained and chopped.
1 15 ounce container (2 cups)ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
28 jar of favorite spaghetti sauce
8 ounces no boil lasagna
1 12 ounce bag of mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Remove all white meat from chicken combine artichoke hearts chop all together set aside.
In separate bowl combine ricotta, egg, salt mix well

In 9x13 baking dish pour thin layer of sauce, add layer of noodles
Cover with half ricotta mixture sprinkle with some mozzarella
Add another layer of noodles
Add thin layer of sauce
Layer chicken and artichoke mixture
Top with another layer of noodles
Spread the rest of the sauce cover with rest of mozzarella and parmesan

Bake at 400 degrees until bubbling. 60 to 75 minutes

My family enjoyed this meal however next time I will used more sauce. It was little too dry for my family.

Peruvian Roasted chicken with sweet veggies

Wow was this meal great.  I think next time I will add a little chicken stock to the roasting pan for more juices to baste with.  I served it with some white rice and the family loved it.  Emily took the left overs to school with a little soy sauce (she loves soy sauce)



Wednesday, September 15, 2010

1 1/2 teaspoons of canola oil plus more for the pan
1 1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
5 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 large sweet onions thickly sliced
1 chicken cut into 10 pieces. (I just used boneless chicken beast 6 pieces)
2 red or yellow peppers
1 lemon sliced

Preheat oven 425 degrees. Oil a large roasting pan. In small bowl combine paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar, and oil. Make a paste. Place onions in bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of paste.
Rub chicken with remaining paste and place in roasting pan.
Cover with onions then top with peppers and sliced lemon

Roast for 45 minutes basting several times
Serve over rice.

Mexican taco stew

Tuesday September 14, 2010

My family was a little nervous when I told them what the meal was called but once they smelled it cooking they could not wait to try it.  We did run out of tortilla chips.  I put some whole tortillas in the deep fry to make little bowls to serve the stew in.  They did get a little soggy and we not as good as the crispy ones.  Making homemade chips is so much cheaper.


Top this meal with sour cream and extra cheese. We made homemade tortilla chips.
Just deep-fry corn tortilla then coat with kosher salt.

1/2 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 tbls taco seasoning
2 cups chicken broth
1 large zucchini cut into small pieces
1 15 ounce can of black beans
1 14.5 can dices tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup medium salsa

Brown meat drain remove from heat set aside
In same pot saute' onion and garlic until translucent
Add meat back to pot and sprinkle mixture with taco seasoning.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer, cover stirring occasionally 15 to 20 minutes

we topped it all with shredded Mexican cheese and served with sour cream and extra salsa

Delicious!!!!!