or crock pot cures for colds and cold days
Well, the slow cooker has become a permanent fixture on our counter top these days. Between still adjusting to life with baby girl, to lower energy due to the Winter months, to colds and other health issues weighing us down, it has become the essential tool in our kitchen at least twice a week. There are only so many vegetarian options to make that appeal to all of us, and my system is still not prepared for meat to be a big part of my diet, so it came time to expand my horizons and try something new. I don't have many Asian inspired dishes in my everyday repertoire so I thought that might be a good place to start. Now, I do not generally have a well stocked pantry for Asian style dishes. For the most part I tend to do stir fry or panko breaded variations when exploring this realm and they do not require a whole lot. Because of this, the cost of this experiment was a bit more than it will be in an ongoing basis. Now that I have the essentials on hand (sesame oil, seasoned rice vinegar, white pepper, Sriracha and extra soy sauce) I only need to pick up mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts to make this happen on any given weekday. I generally have chicken/vegetable base on hand already, along with ground ginger.
This can be prepped the night before and just tossed together in the morning so it makes a great dish for busy days. It is also excellent as a freezer meal, either toss all the ingredients together raw in a large freezer bag so it can be a dump and go meal or cook and freeze in smaller portions (just don't add in noodles until reheating, they do not freeze well).
3 cups stock (chicken or vegetable base)
2 cups water
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can water chestnuts
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
a dash of ground white pepper (if you have it)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Sriracha and/or soy sauce for finishing
optional add-ins: 1 cup cubed firm tofu, 1 bundle of udon noodles, or 1 bundle of rice noodles
Hardware: slow cooker (crockpot)
1. Rinse and dice up the sliced mushrooms (you can leave them larger if you want, but I prefer them to be even smaller). Drain the bamboo shoots and slice lengthwise. Drain the water chestnuts and cut in half. Add all the vegetables to the slow cooker and stir to combine. (If you are including tofu, add that in at this time too)
2. Add in the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and spices. Pour the stock and water over top. Stir all the ingredients together so they can begin to get acquainted. It looks very full at this point in my 5 quart slow cooker but it does cook down as the mushrooms shrink.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. If you are using udon or rice noodles, add those in during the last 30 min or so of cook time and make sure to stir well as they soften. Serve topped with a drizzle of Sriracha for a little more spice or soy sauce to balance the spice.
Sadly I still have not resolved my photo limit issue, but when I do there will be photos. I apologize for the lack of visual evidence.
1.31.2013
1.21.2013
Skinny-ish Spinach Quiche
or pour and go crust-free quiche
I have recently come to love making quiche at home. I make individual ones for breakfasts on the go and full sized ones for dinner, with leftovers for lunches. It took me a while to sort out the right combination of ingredients, and even now I still tend to change it up a bit, but I think I have settled on a pretty solid base recipe. I use egg beaters, or egg substitute, in this recipe for two reasons 1) it is healthier than whole eggs in some respects and 2) it is a lot easier - less mess and faster prep. I know what you are thinking, is it really that hard to crack and scramble 5 eggs? The answer to that is yes. Yes it is. Particularly when I have a squirmy baby insisting on mommy time during meal prep. But even without that, it just goes a bit faster overall (and if you use frozen veggies instead of fresh it can be a fantastically fast throw together meal). If you are a traditionalist or are involved in an anti-egg substitute movement feel free to prep with the 5 whole eggs, I won't judge. The one adjustment I do make periodically is whether or not to include 2 tbsp of flour in the egg mixture. I am still not sure how I feel about it and alternate each time I make it, I'm indecisive like that. Feel free to try tossing it in if you are feeling adventurous. Here's what I've got:
1 1/2 cups egg beaters (or 5 eggs)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp dried minced onion
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper
nutmeg - just a dash
2 tbsp Italian bread crumbs
1 bunch fresh spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
Hardware: saute pan, glass pie dish, mixing bowl
Preheat oven to 350 F, spray pie pan with nonstick spray.
1. Saute spinach in olive oil with the dried minced onion until wilted. (if using frozen spinach - thaw in the fridge in advance and when prepping squeeze out all the water, then stir in the dried minced onion, no saute)
2. In the mixing bowl add the egg beaters and heavy cream, mix until well combined. Season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour in the spinach mixture and stir again to combine.
3. Add in both of the cheeses and stir well. Pour into the pie pan. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
4. Bake for 30 min. Then remove and allow to set for 10 min before slicing and serving.
(Sadly, no picture. Blogger is claiming I maxed out my limit so until I sort out a resolution we are a sans picture blog. My deepest apologies)
I have recently come to love making quiche at home. I make individual ones for breakfasts on the go and full sized ones for dinner, with leftovers for lunches. It took me a while to sort out the right combination of ingredients, and even now I still tend to change it up a bit, but I think I have settled on a pretty solid base recipe. I use egg beaters, or egg substitute, in this recipe for two reasons 1) it is healthier than whole eggs in some respects and 2) it is a lot easier - less mess and faster prep. I know what you are thinking, is it really that hard to crack and scramble 5 eggs? The answer to that is yes. Yes it is. Particularly when I have a squirmy baby insisting on mommy time during meal prep. But even without that, it just goes a bit faster overall (and if you use frozen veggies instead of fresh it can be a fantastically fast throw together meal). If you are a traditionalist or are involved in an anti-egg substitute movement feel free to prep with the 5 whole eggs, I won't judge. The one adjustment I do make periodically is whether or not to include 2 tbsp of flour in the egg mixture. I am still not sure how I feel about it and alternate each time I make it, I'm indecisive like that. Feel free to try tossing it in if you are feeling adventurous. Here's what I've got:
1 1/2 cups egg beaters (or 5 eggs)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp dried minced onion
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper
nutmeg - just a dash
2 tbsp Italian bread crumbs
1 bunch fresh spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
Hardware: saute pan, glass pie dish, mixing bowl
Preheat oven to 350 F, spray pie pan with nonstick spray.
1. Saute spinach in olive oil with the dried minced onion until wilted. (if using frozen spinach - thaw in the fridge in advance and when prepping squeeze out all the water, then stir in the dried minced onion, no saute)
2. In the mixing bowl add the egg beaters and heavy cream, mix until well combined. Season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour in the spinach mixture and stir again to combine.
3. Add in both of the cheeses and stir well. Pour into the pie pan. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
4. Bake for 30 min. Then remove and allow to set for 10 min before slicing and serving.
(Sadly, no picture. Blogger is claiming I maxed out my limit so until I sort out a resolution we are a sans picture blog. My deepest apologies)
11.30.2012
Ghosts of Recipes Past
or my body turned on me, so I am turning back the clock
Sigh. This has been quite the year, and sadly my entries have taken the brunt of the neglect as a result. Not only did our darling bundle of joy arrive last Summer, but my body decided that it was considerably displeased with its current situation. The most severe issues landed me in the ER, and subsequently led to the removal of an internal organ that I would have preferred to have kept, but the side effect has been a lack of interest in food (if you follow me at all, you will know this would be devastating for me). Fortunately as I am healing my interest in food is slowly returning, and hopefully my ability to eat meat! Sadly, it is taking its own sweet time. So, in loving memory of my lost appetite I bring to you today a selection of recipes from the past that I enjoy this time of year. The ghosts of recipes past....
For the main event: brined and roasted turkey
We make this every year and I always have someone asking me what kind of turkey I buy or what I do to it to make it so tender and full of subtle flavors. It really isn't that much work to prep it the night before and let it soak up all that goodness int he brine, if you haven't tried it before I highly recommend it.
Share-worthy side: homemade applesauce, stove top or pressure cooker
For me, a share worthy side dish must be kid friendly. It must have a good base following. And it should not be too outrageous For the holiday season, I feel that applesauce appropriately meets all of this preliminary criteria. It is easily customizable to show your own unique tastes, but it stands strong on its own as a base.
Decadent desserts: sugar cream pie or a variety of trifles
Make ahead is the way to go, and it doesn't hurt to be easy and cheap as well. With a well stocked pantry, the sugar cream pie only requires me to buy two items. And the trifle doesn't even require the stove or oven! Can they really get any easier than that?
Leftover lovers: thanksgiving in a bowl turkey soup
Because leftovers can be given new life, and really - don't we all deserve a second chance?
Sigh. This has been quite the year, and sadly my entries have taken the brunt of the neglect as a result. Not only did our darling bundle of joy arrive last Summer, but my body decided that it was considerably displeased with its current situation. The most severe issues landed me in the ER, and subsequently led to the removal of an internal organ that I would have preferred to have kept, but the side effect has been a lack of interest in food (if you follow me at all, you will know this would be devastating for me). Fortunately as I am healing my interest in food is slowly returning, and hopefully my ability to eat meat! Sadly, it is taking its own sweet time. So, in loving memory of my lost appetite I bring to you today a selection of recipes from the past that I enjoy this time of year. The ghosts of recipes past....
For the main event: brined and roasted turkey
We make this every year and I always have someone asking me what kind of turkey I buy or what I do to it to make it so tender and full of subtle flavors. It really isn't that much work to prep it the night before and let it soak up all that goodness int he brine, if you haven't tried it before I highly recommend it.
Share-worthy side: homemade applesauce, stove top or pressure cooker
For me, a share worthy side dish must be kid friendly. It must have a good base following. And it should not be too outrageous For the holiday season, I feel that applesauce appropriately meets all of this preliminary criteria. It is easily customizable to show your own unique tastes, but it stands strong on its own as a base.
Decadent desserts: sugar cream pie or a variety of trifles
Make ahead is the way to go, and it doesn't hurt to be easy and cheap as well. With a well stocked pantry, the sugar cream pie only requires me to buy two items. And the trifle doesn't even require the stove or oven! Can they really get any easier than that?
Leftover lovers: thanksgiving in a bowl turkey soup
Because leftovers can be given new life, and really - don't we all deserve a second chance?
10.30.2012
Oh So Simple Potato & Corn Chowder
or a slow cooker soup base for any season
I believe I have casually mentioned my ongoing love affair with my slow cooker, a bond which has only become closer now that I have entered into the world of mommy-hood. Slow cookers are good for many things and since I was already on roll this month with two slow cooker recipes in the bag, I thought I would just go ahead and wrap it up on the same theme. The last two were very hearty dishes, which is great for the blustery weather we are facing in our corner of the world, but not all slow cooker recipes have to be that way. Soup is an excellent way to use your slow cooker year round without it always being heavy. So to shine a spotlight on the versatile joy that is the slow cooker, I offer you today a recipe that can be easily modified for year round consumption.
I know, I know, potato and corn chowder sounds like a hearty comfort food, but it doesn't have to be that way. What I love about this recipe, aside from how easy it is to throw together, is that you don't even have to decide on the consistency until the end. The more concentrated base can be thinned out with more heavy cream or water if you prefer a lighter soup for warmer weather days. The lighter soup also reheats nicely without thickening a lot. If you want a heartier chowder type feel - just start with a half of a cup of heavy cream and go from there. This can be prepped entirely the night before (with typical pantry staples none the less) and just dumped into the slow cooker in the morning, then it is just two quick steps before dinner and it is done! Just three steps to yummmm... Here you go:
3 cups rich chicken stock (or 1 heaping tsp chicken base to 3 cups hot water)
1/2 tsp vegetable base (or 1 flavor boost packet)
6 medium sized golden potatoes, peeled and diced
6 oz frozen corn
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried minced onion
kosher salt & freshly cracked pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Hardware: slow cooker and one of the following: immersion blender, blender, food processor, or (in a pinch) potato masher
1. Dump the following into the slow cooker: prepped potatoes, frozen corn, chicken stock. Stir well to combine. Add in the vegetable base, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried minced onion. Stir again to ensure that the flavors combine and get all cozy together.
2. Cover and cook: on low for 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
3. About 30 min before serving, strain out 1/4 of the potatoes and corn and set aside in a bowl. Process the rest until smooth with an immersion blender or one of the other options listed above (remember to allow extra room at the top if using a regular blender or food processor and follow manufacturer instructions to avoid burns). Add the reserved potatoes and corn back in and stir well. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream first then add additional cream or water until desired consistency is reached. Turn the slow cooker to low and allow it to warm back up. Enjoy!
I believe I have casually mentioned my ongoing love affair with my slow cooker, a bond which has only become closer now that I have entered into the world of mommy-hood. Slow cookers are good for many things and since I was already on roll this month with two slow cooker recipes in the bag, I thought I would just go ahead and wrap it up on the same theme. The last two were very hearty dishes, which is great for the blustery weather we are facing in our corner of the world, but not all slow cooker recipes have to be that way. Soup is an excellent way to use your slow cooker year round without it always being heavy. So to shine a spotlight on the versatile joy that is the slow cooker, I offer you today a recipe that can be easily modified for year round consumption.
I know, I know, potato and corn chowder sounds like a hearty comfort food, but it doesn't have to be that way. What I love about this recipe, aside from how easy it is to throw together, is that you don't even have to decide on the consistency until the end. The more concentrated base can be thinned out with more heavy cream or water if you prefer a lighter soup for warmer weather days. The lighter soup also reheats nicely without thickening a lot. If you want a heartier chowder type feel - just start with a half of a cup of heavy cream and go from there. This can be prepped entirely the night before (with typical pantry staples none the less) and just dumped into the slow cooker in the morning, then it is just two quick steps before dinner and it is done! Just three steps to yummmm... Here you go:
3 cups rich chicken stock (or 1 heaping tsp chicken base to 3 cups hot water)
1/2 tsp vegetable base (or 1 flavor boost packet)
6 medium sized golden potatoes, peeled and diced
6 oz frozen corn
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried minced onion
kosher salt & freshly cracked pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Hardware: slow cooker and one of the following: immersion blender, blender, food processor, or (in a pinch) potato masher
1. Dump the following into the slow cooker: prepped potatoes, frozen corn, chicken stock. Stir well to combine. Add in the vegetable base, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried minced onion. Stir again to ensure that the flavors combine and get all cozy together.
2. Cover and cook: on low for 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
3. About 30 min before serving, strain out 1/4 of the potatoes and corn and set aside in a bowl. Process the rest until smooth with an immersion blender or one of the other options listed above (remember to allow extra room at the top if using a regular blender or food processor and follow manufacturer instructions to avoid burns). Add the reserved potatoes and corn back in and stir well. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream first then add additional cream or water until desired consistency is reached. Turn the slow cooker to low and allow it to warm back up. Enjoy!
10.26.2012
Rock it Slow Root Vegetable Stew
or veggie converter comfort food success
So, every year the following equations enter my kitchen: Jacket weather = comfort food -and of course- Comfort food = meat + starch. This year we have added to the mix: meat = digestive chaos. Thank you benevolent little dictator for this lovely gift. But, what can you do? You work with what life throws at you, or in my case - what an adorable baby girl threw at me. Well I am not about to abandon my comfort food for a second year in a row so in the spirit of embracing changes I converted my favorite beef stew recipe, posted earlier this month, to a vegetarian comfort meal. I can still tolerate meat based broths so I used a combination of beef base and vegetable base but if you are a full on veggie it is just as yummy with all vegetable base (and those newly named "flexitarians" in the foodie world will probably enjoy it with entirely beef base). You can even add some beef stew meat if you like, just make sure to brown it first, but be warned that this makes a pretty full crock pot as it is so you may need to cut back elsewhere a bit.
Get ready for some comfort food goodness, brace yourself, here it comes...
3 medium to large golden potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium sized parsnips roughly diced
2 medium sized carrots roughly diced
1/2 large sweet onion diced
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1-2 tbsp butter
4 cups vegetable or beef stock
1 cup red wine
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
salt & pepper
4 tsp cornstarch + 4 tsp water
Hardware: slow cooker, saute pan
1. Heat butter in a saute pan. Pour in the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, add the garlic and saute until the the garlic aroma fills the kitchen and onions are translucent (should only be a couple more minutes).
3. Dump the potatoes, vegetables and spices into the slow cooker. Top with the onion and garlic mixture, add red wine, water, and beef broth. Stir well to combine so the flavors get all friendly together then cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Turn the slow cooker to high. In a small bowl, blend 2 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup water; stir into the stew and let simmer for a few minutes to thicken and integrate flavors. If needed, repeat the process again with the remaining 2 tbsp cornstarch. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Allow to cook for about 10 min for all the flavors to settle down then stir and serve. Enjoy!
So, every year the following equations enter my kitchen: Jacket weather = comfort food -and of course- Comfort food = meat + starch. This year we have added to the mix: meat = digestive chaos. Thank you benevolent little dictator for this lovely gift. But, what can you do? You work with what life throws at you, or in my case - what an adorable baby girl threw at me. Well I am not about to abandon my comfort food for a second year in a row so in the spirit of embracing changes I converted my favorite beef stew recipe, posted earlier this month, to a vegetarian comfort meal. I can still tolerate meat based broths so I used a combination of beef base and vegetable base but if you are a full on veggie it is just as yummy with all vegetable base (and those newly named "flexitarians" in the foodie world will probably enjoy it with entirely beef base). You can even add some beef stew meat if you like, just make sure to brown it first, but be warned that this makes a pretty full crock pot as it is so you may need to cut back elsewhere a bit.
Get ready for some comfort food goodness, brace yourself, here it comes...
3 medium to large golden potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium sized parsnips roughly diced
2 medium sized carrots roughly diced
1/2 large sweet onion diced
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1-2 tbsp butter
4 cups vegetable or beef stock
1 cup red wine
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
salt & pepper
4 tsp cornstarch + 4 tsp water
Hardware: slow cooker, saute pan
1. Heat butter in a saute pan. Pour in the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, add the garlic and saute until the the garlic aroma fills the kitchen and onions are translucent (should only be a couple more minutes).
3. Dump the potatoes, vegetables and spices into the slow cooker. Top with the onion and garlic mixture, add red wine, water, and beef broth. Stir well to combine so the flavors get all friendly together then cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Turn the slow cooker to high. In a small bowl, blend 2 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup water; stir into the stew and let simmer for a few minutes to thicken and integrate flavors. If needed, repeat the process again with the remaining 2 tbsp cornstarch. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Allow to cook for about 10 min for all the flavors to settle down then stir and serve. Enjoy!
10.19.2012
Simply Slow Bacon Beef Stew
or a cold weather comfort food classic from my kitchen to yours
Not much time here now that baby land is in full swing, with our little girl quickly approaching 6 months old our free time is just as quickly dwindling. I did want to take a moment though and "officially-ish" welcome everyone to comfort food season, the most wonderful season of all. I adore Fall - the weather, the colors, the food - it is all my favorite things rolled up in one. So here is a recipe that is like a great big bear hug welcome to comfort food season - slow cooker beef stew. This recipe is really more "winter coat weather" than "jacket weather" but you need to prepare early for these things, planning is everything you know.
This recipe is not as straight forward as my favorite "dump and go" slow cooker recipes, but the extra effort to get those flavors working early is definitely a must. There is a difference for the recipe if using slab bacon versus regular bacon, I recommend the slab bacon if you can find it, but either will give a great flavor base to the stew. I highly recommend serving this up with some delicious baking powder biscuits (which can be made the day before for less stress).
6 slices of thick bacon, cut in half, or an equal amount of slab bacon cut into small cubes
1 – 1.5 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1 large onion, finely diced or minced
1 cup carrots, small dice
5 small yellow potatoes, well scrubbed and diced
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef broth
1 cup water
4 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp flat leaf parsley, 1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Not much time here now that baby land is in full swing, with our little girl quickly approaching 6 months old our free time is just as quickly dwindling. I did want to take a moment though and "officially-ish" welcome everyone to comfort food season, the most wonderful season of all. I adore Fall - the weather, the colors, the food - it is all my favorite things rolled up in one. So here is a recipe that is like a great big bear hug welcome to comfort food season - slow cooker beef stew. This recipe is really more "winter coat weather" than "jacket weather" but you need to prepare early for these things, planning is everything you know.
This recipe is not as straight forward as my favorite "dump and go" slow cooker recipes, but the extra effort to get those flavors working early is definitely a must. There is a difference for the recipe if using slab bacon versus regular bacon, I recommend the slab bacon if you can find it, but either will give a great flavor base to the stew. I highly recommend serving this up with some delicious baking powder biscuits (which can be made the day before for less stress).
6 slices of thick bacon, cut in half, or an equal amount of slab bacon cut into small cubes
1 – 1.5 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1 large onion, finely diced or minced
1 cup carrots, small dice
5 small yellow potatoes, well scrubbed and diced
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef broth
1 cup water
4 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp flat leaf parsley, 1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Hardware: slow cooker, large pot or deep pan
1. Crisp bacon in olive oil in a large pot. Add beef and brown. (If using regular bacon, remove once crispy, crumble and set aside for topping later. Slab bacon stays in with the beef to cook in the stew)
2. Add onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour into slow cooker, top with potatoes and spices, add red wine, water, and beef broth, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Turn the slow cooker to high. In a small bowl, blend 2 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup water; stir into the stew and let simmer for a few minutes to thicken and integrate flavors. If needed, repeat the process again with the remaining 2 tbsp cornstarch. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Allow to cook for about 10 min for all the flavors to settle down then stir and serve. Enjoy!
1. Crisp bacon in olive oil in a large pot. Add beef and brown. (If using regular bacon, remove once crispy, crumble and set aside for topping later. Slab bacon stays in with the beef to cook in the stew)
2. Add onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour into slow cooker, top with potatoes and spices, add red wine, water, and beef broth, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Turn the slow cooker to high. In a small bowl, blend 2 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup water; stir into the stew and let simmer for a few minutes to thicken and integrate flavors. If needed, repeat the process again with the remaining 2 tbsp cornstarch. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Allow to cook for about 10 min for all the flavors to settle down then stir and serve. Enjoy!
9.27.2012
Rollin' in the Greens (spinach lasagna rolls)
or any day comfort food is a snap
The weather is cooling down here the last couple weeks, by cooling down I mean it has actually dropped below 90 for more than a few days at a time, and that is putting me in the mood for food - comfort food that is. Fall isn't quite in the air yet, but it will be soon, and then all bets are off - I'll be strapping on my apron for my favorite cooking season. To get warmed up for this wonderful time of year I started with a quick, no fuss Italian style dinner - spinach lasagna. To simplify it a bit, both for serving and for leftovers, I changed it up a bit and made it into lasagna rolls. I love this idea. It is a small change that makes the meal a bit more fun, a bit more fool proof, and a nice change up for an any day meal.
It may seem like it takes a while to make, approximately 10 min prep-40 min cook-10 min set, but since the active work time for this is only about 10-15 min I still consider this a win. Bonus - it can be prepped a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, if you are using a glass baking dish just take it out and let the dish come to room temperature a bit before baking so it doesn't break. Make ahead meals are such a stress reliever for me, I hope this one will be for you too. Check it out:
12 lasagna noodles
1 small tub ricotta, 8 oz (I like to use reduced fat)
3 tbsp egg beaters, egg substitute, or 1 egg
½ cup mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, shredded
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp basil
8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2-3 cups tomato based pasta sauce, homemade or store bought
Hardware: 9x13 baker
Preheat oven to 350 F
1. Cook lasagna noodles to al dente according to package directions.
2. In a mixing bowl dump the following: ricotta, egg substitute (or egg), mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian bread crumbs, and spices. Mix until combined and happily consistent throughout.
3. Drain the thawed spinach and use your hands to squeeze out all the liquid you can, this is great for getting out pent up frustration. Once you have squeezed every last drop of liquid out of it, fluff the spinach up a bit to build up its self esteem again and add it to the cheese mixture. Stir well to combine and ensure that all the ingredients are well acquainted.
4. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
5. Rinse the cooked lasagna noodles and drain. Lay out a series of noodles on a flat surface (like a cutting board). Take a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture and spread it over one noodle, add more or take some away as needed. You will want to leave about 2 inches at the end without cheese. Start gently rolling at the end with the cheese, you don't need a lot of pressure just enough to make it stick You will notice the cheese spreads down a little as you roll it but you want to make sure the very end is cheese free. Place the rolls seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with as many rolls as can fit or until you run out of usable noodles.
6. Pour remaining sauce evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 min, until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and uncover, allow to sit for 5-10 min so the cheese will set.
The weather is cooling down here the last couple weeks, by cooling down I mean it has actually dropped below 90 for more than a few days at a time, and that is putting me in the mood for food - comfort food that is. Fall isn't quite in the air yet, but it will be soon, and then all bets are off - I'll be strapping on my apron for my favorite cooking season. To get warmed up for this wonderful time of year I started with a quick, no fuss Italian style dinner - spinach lasagna. To simplify it a bit, both for serving and for leftovers, I changed it up a bit and made it into lasagna rolls. I love this idea. It is a small change that makes the meal a bit more fun, a bit more fool proof, and a nice change up for an any day meal.
It may seem like it takes a while to make, approximately 10 min prep-40 min cook-10 min set, but since the active work time for this is only about 10-15 min I still consider this a win. Bonus - it can be prepped a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, if you are using a glass baking dish just take it out and let the dish come to room temperature a bit before baking so it doesn't break. Make ahead meals are such a stress reliever for me, I hope this one will be for you too. Check it out:
12 lasagna noodles
1 small tub ricotta, 8 oz (I like to use reduced fat)
3 tbsp egg beaters, egg substitute, or 1 egg
½ cup mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, shredded
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp basil
8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2-3 cups tomato based pasta sauce, homemade or store bought
Hardware: 9x13 baker
Preheat oven to 350 F
1. Cook lasagna noodles to al dente according to package directions.
2. In a mixing bowl dump the following: ricotta, egg substitute (or egg), mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian bread crumbs, and spices. Mix until combined and happily consistent throughout.
3. Drain the thawed spinach and use your hands to squeeze out all the liquid you can, this is great for getting out pent up frustration. Once you have squeezed every last drop of liquid out of it, fluff the spinach up a bit to build up its self esteem again and add it to the cheese mixture. Stir well to combine and ensure that all the ingredients are well acquainted.
4. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
5. Rinse the cooked lasagna noodles and drain. Lay out a series of noodles on a flat surface (like a cutting board). Take a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture and spread it over one noodle, add more or take some away as needed. You will want to leave about 2 inches at the end without cheese. Start gently rolling at the end with the cheese, you don't need a lot of pressure just enough to make it stick You will notice the cheese spreads down a little as you roll it but you want to make sure the very end is cheese free. Place the rolls seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with as many rolls as can fit or until you run out of usable noodles.
6. Pour remaining sauce evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 min, until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and uncover, allow to sit for 5-10 min so the cheese will set.
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