Butternut Squash Lasagna

Who knew that vegetables had some many uses! Well, I guess I did, but still . . . this was my first attempt at making a meatless version of lasagna and it turned out pretty well.

We had some friends over for dinner and one of our guests was vegetarian. Last time we had them over for dinner she ended up bringing a little something for her main dish. This time though I wanted to be able to make everything for dinner and not have to have her bring her own food. Since Fall is now here it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make a winter squash lasagna dish.

I wasn't sure how I should cook the squash. Some recipes called for baking it, some steaming it, some boiling. I tried microwaving it for a very short timeframe but soon gave up on that idea. I peeled it, cut it into chunks, and threw it in a pan with a bit of water to steam it soft. It worked great! Once the squash was steamed I threw it in the blender and pureed it smooth. All this was happening while the noodles were boiling.

It came together smoothly and tasted great. I think the leftovers may have been even better than the first round. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Lasagna
Source: Weight Watchers

10 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles)
24 ounces butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1 inch squares
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups fat-free evaporated milk
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 golden raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil lasagna noodles to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Place diced butternut squash into a large skillet. Pour 1/2 cup the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor/blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Place flour in a small saucepan and very gradually whisk in milk and garlic. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce simmers and is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Spread 1/4 cup of cheese sauce over bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass or metal pan. Cover with 3 lasagna noodles; top with 1/3 of squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and spread with 1/3 of remaining squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and top with remaining squash and raisins; cover with last 3 lasagna noodles, pressing sheets firmly down. Top with remaining cheese sauce; sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining mozzarella cheese

Bake until lasagna bubbles around edges and is browned on top, about 30 minutes.

Makes 8 servings  (1 serving = 9 points on weight watchers points plus)

Homemade Pesto and Pasta

First time ever making pesto from scratch! I'm pretty sure this may have been my very first time eating pesto. Ever.

I don't know why I've never eaten it before. I like the color green. I don't shy away from green foods. I guess I just didn't know what the flavor was going to be like.

That and I was a bit nervous seeing that steamed spinach was in the recipe. I can't seem to do steamed greens. Any kind of wilting for me just doesn't endear me to that food. I like crisp lettuce in my salads and I am picky with the veggies I steam.

The first serving was pretty good. The flavor was very mild, more garlic than anything. The next day though it was a bit stronger. I'm not sure if pesto gets stronger when it sits, but it definitely had more flavor. Flavor isn't a bad thing. Enjoy! 


Pesto Sauce with Pasta
1 lb. spinach, lightly steamed
1 large package fresh basil, leaves only
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large tomato or 2 Roma tomatoes
4 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 garlic cloves
salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
22 oz. whole-wheat pasta, cooked
optional: chopped steamed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, or broccoli)

Purée the spinach, basil, oil, tomatoes, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and walnuts in a high powered
blender. Toss with cooked pasta; sprinkle with extra shredded Parmesan
cheese. Add chopped steamed vegetables and toss.

Makes 8 servings

Vegetarian Chili

I'm not one to shy away from meat so I definitely did not go searching for a vegetarian recipe. In fact, you can probably say that I was a bit skeptical that this was really going to be like chili. Chili, with no meat, just doesn't sound right.

Surprisingly it was very good! In fact, so good that we have made it more than once. Imagine that! Enjoy!


Vegetarian Chili
2 cans pinto beans, rinsed well
2 C water, for canned beans
1 C brown rice, rinsed well
1 diced yellow onions
2 cans tomato sauce
2 - 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-2 bay leaves

In a large stock pot, combine 2 C water and canned beans. Add all the remaining ingredients, simmer for 1 hour, and serve.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Oven "Fried" Chicken and Baked Beets

 

Yah! I have actually found some time to do some posts. I am so excited! Photos have just been sitting on my computer for a few months now, stacking up and making me feel guilty for neglecting my blog. I finally found some time to just sit and do nothing but watch a movie and get some posts written.

So, now that I'm back in the swing of things, here is another one of those main dishes where the picture doesn't look very appetizing but the food tastes pretty darn good! This was not a difficult recipe to make and I like the fact that it is baked, not fried. I guess that gives me some feeling of it being healthier even if it is isn't. We also baked some beets fresh from the garden. Yum! Enjoy!


Oven "Fried" Chicken
Source: Food Network

1 1/3 cups rice-corn crispy cereal (I used Crispex)
2 1/4 cups broken bagel chips
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 skinless chicken pieces, bone in or boneless (about 6 ounces each)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a rack on a foil lined baking sheet. Spray the rack generously with cooking spray.

Finely grind the cereal and bagel chips together in a food processor or blender. Transfer crumbs to a large gallon size plastic bag. Add the oil, salt, cayenne, paprika, and ground pepper and toss to mix thoroughly.

Whisk the light mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a medium shallow bowl. Add chicken to mayonnaise and turn to coat all the pieces evenly. Drop the chicken into the plastic bag, seal and shake until each piece is evenly coated.

Place coated pieces on the prepared rack. Bake until the coating crisps and browns and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pieces registers 160 degrees F, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes about 4 servings

Honey Sesame Chicken

I like it when I find a recipe that tastes like something I have eaten at a restaurant. I don't know why, but for me there are not too many times that I have made teriyaki dishes that taste like something I would get at a little teriyaki restaurant. Usually too much soy sauce, or too salty, or not the right consistency. This dish though changes that.

I have already made this dish twice in the time it has taken me to get it posted from first trying it. The first time it was not as big of a hit. My husband liked it fine, but the boy and I did not like it so much. We followed the recipe exactly, which I knew would most likely be a mistake since I don't really like red pepper flakes added to things. It smelled great, but at first bite I knew it was going to be a bit hot for my tastebuds. I'm not sure why it says in the recipe that the pepper flakes add flavor but not heat, because they definitely add heat. I managed to muscle down a serving but hubby had to eat all the leftovers.

The second time we made it we left out the red pepper flakes. Oh, so much better (at least for my sensitive tastebuds)! Even the little guy liked this go round of it. This is a definite keeper in our recipe arsenol. Enjoy!

Honey Sesame Chicken
Source: Six Sisters Stuff
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - doesn't really add heat, just adds more flavor)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons water
sesame seeds
rice or noodles, already prepared
Season both sides of chicken lightly with salt and pepper; put into crock pot.

In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours.

Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

Spaghetti Bread

One of my friends posted this on pinterest as one of her first recipe links. I was curious so I looked it over and repinned it hoping to get the chance to try it relatively soon. A few months later that chance came along.

I already had a few loaves of Rhodes bread frozen and waiting to be used. I can't remember what I used them for previously because I don't often use frozen bread, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to try it out.

I thawed the bread, rolled it out and tried to stretch it as far as I could. I think I've already mentioned that I can't stand rolling to a certain size or shape and it definitely get to the desired size and shape with that first roll out. The comments on the recipe said to wait about 15 minutes, and I decided to take their advice. My second roll out got my shape a bit bigger but not exactly a rectangle. Oh well, close enough.

I filled it with the spaghetti and sauce, put a few pepperoni's on top, and scattered the cheese thoroughly. I ate a few pieces of cheese for good measure, since there were a few left over and all.

The braiding commenced. It wasn't as beautiful as other braids I've done, but it was passable so that we could get it into the oven for dinner. A sprinkle of Parmesan, garlic salt, and parsley and in it went.

Freshly baked and out of the oven. It held together really well, sliced easily, and was a hit with the family. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Bread
Source: Rhodes Bread

1 loaf Rhodes Bread Dough, thawed to room temperature (or your own bread dough)
6 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked
1 cup thick spaghetti sauce
1/2 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes
1 egg white
Parmesan cheese
parsley flakes

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray (or use parchment paper). Roll loaf into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions; drain. Cook ground beef or Italian sausage, drain if necessary. Stir together spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce, and meat; cool slightly.

Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti mixture lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Top with cheese cubes.

Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling.

Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.

Lift braid with both hands and place on large sprayed baking sheet. (or transfer parchment paper to baking sheet). Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Optional: sprinkle with garlic powder.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

Makes about 8 servings

Homemade Pizza

Sometimes it is easier to just pick up a pizza or grab one out of the freezer instead of making it from scratch. And sometimes you decide that making it from scratch sounds like more fun so you tackle the challenge. I decided to tackle this one on the same day that I made four loaves of Challah bread. Yes, we had a lot of yeast dough rising to be sure!

It really wasn't that difficult to make. Mix it all up, let it sit for a few hours, knead it, roll it out, and layer it with sauce, cheese and toppings. Pretty straight forward as far as pizza is concerned. We made a pepperoni and black olive that we figured would be tame enough for our little guy to eat. It was, and he actually ate it even though it didn't come from a store or restaurant. I swear, sometimes the boy just decides to be difficult because something that is homemade is not exactly like the store bought variety.

The other pizza has ham, pepperoni, squash, and black olives on it. We usually also add mushrooms but we forgot to get them this time. I think that was just fine though because this pizza was heavy enough as it was.

I thought the crust flavor was okay. I think I'd like to try the dough from the stromboli that I make as a pizza crust next time. There was just something about it that didn't quite work for me. Maybe it was the sauce, who knows. It was something though.

Pizza Dough
Source: Lauren's Latest

1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
3 cups bread flour (give or take 1/2 cup…depending on the heat and humidity)

In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour; mix.

Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn’t stick to your hands.

Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high and knead for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with and the bowl should be clean.

Lightly grease the bowl and the dough so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours.

Punch dough down, and roll out to about 12 inches. Top with sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings.

Bake at 450-500 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes.

Makes 2 - 12 inch pizzas

Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu

I found this recipe on Pinterest and wanted to try it for dinner right away. The original post has a final product that looks WAY better than mine. I have no idea how she was able to get the chicken cut into such fine cutlets and then get it to fold over all of the "stuff" stuffed inside.

I thought for sure that all was lost when I could not get the chicken to fold over the ham and swiss cheese. I ended up having to roll the ham and swiss inside the chicken cutlet and the skewer it with a toothpick. My husband actually had to take over on the last few rolls because I was so perturbed at them. I brushed them with the beaten egg and sprinkled them with bread crumbs knowing that the cheese was just going to ooze out all over the pan.

I was surprised that the chicken was not swimming in runny cheese. Yes, it did ooze out but not so much that it was a complete mess. In fact, the cheese stayed pooled up right by the chicken it belonged to so it was easy to incorporate it into each bite. I thought they tasted pretty good. My husband really enjoyed them since I think he ate 3 of them before all was said and done. We tossed the leftovers in the freezer so I guess we'll have to wait to see how they taste after being frozen. Enjoy!


Chicken Cordon Bleu
Source: Skinny Taste

32 oz (4) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 (1 oz each) slices thin lean deli ham
12 (1 oz each) slices reduced fat Swiss cheese
salt
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with oil.

Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets. (Usually 3 thin cutlets can be gotten out of one breast half.) Pound them to make them thinner if you wish. This helps when you wrap the cutlets.

Cut each slice of cheese into squares and stack on top of each other. Place a slice of ham on top of the chicken, top with cheese and wrap chicken around to completely cover cheese, using toothpicks to secure. (Make sure there are no holes so cheese doesn't leak out). Season with a little salt.

Whisk eggs and water to make an egg wash. Dip chicken into egg wash, then breadcrumbs.

Place chicken on baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

Makes 12

Cheesy Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole

A somewhat long process for preparing dinner, but definitely worth it. My husband popped the chicken breasts in the crockpot for a few hours earlier in the day and steamed the white rice so that everything was ready to throw together at dinner time. It smelled great while in the oven, tasted great once it was out, and was filling but left you wanting more. You know, one of those addictive cheesy rice dishes! For our little family of 3 it gave us plenty of leftovers and this dish is great reheated. Enjoy!

Cheesy Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole
Source: Picky Palate

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
2 cups steamed white rice
16 oz already prepared wild rice  (we just used Uncle Ben's 90 second rice)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Cheese Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded + 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat oil into a medium dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, both rices, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Reduce heat to low.

To prepare cheese sauce, melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper, then slowly pour in chicken broth, whisking continuously. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling, then stir in cheese until melted.

Pour cheese sauce into rice mixture. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through.

Makes 8-10 servings

Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Bake

It seems like lately we have been stuck in a rut for our main dishes. Pretty much every morning we have a green smoothie and some toast for breakfast and one of our other meals we try to have a salad. That means that either for lunch or dinner we have some type of main dish. I can tell when we get stuck in a rut because we are less likely to make this main dish and instead use whatever convenient excuse we have to go out or to make something off the menu. We can't have any more of that, can we?

For this two week menu I added about 6 new dishes and this pasta dish is one of those recipes. It was very easy to put together after a long day at work. I chose to use fresh tomatoes instead of canned and it really didn't take much longer to get them chopped up. The garlic smelled heavenly while it was cooking up, and even two days later while eating leftovers at work someone commented on how good it smelled. This dish seemed a lot like a meatless lasagna and it will definitely be a keeper. Enjoy!

Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Bake
Source: Adapted from Annies Eats

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
14 ounces fresh roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt
pepper
1 lb penne pasta
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed or shredded
2/3 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook over medium high heat for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and oregano and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Toss pasta with sauce.

Place half of pasta in baking dish. Cover with half of the parmesan and half of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining pasta, then the remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Honey Pecan Salmon

We seem to be doing some healthier eating around here so I mostly have main dishes to share with you over the next few posts. I'm still working on those main dish photos, so if you want to see what this looks like in a more appetizing way hop on over to the source page. She has a beautiful picture of her salmon.

I ended up making the full amount of marinade, yet I only put it on two salmon fillets. I didn't realize this until I was thinking about the calorie count and realizing that it would have been a little higher than what she had listed since I only baked two fillets. Bummer, but very tasty. I loved the crunch of the pecans and the sweet of the honey. I am not a huge fish fan, but this is a recipe I would use again. Enjoy! 


Honey Pecan Salmon
Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

1/4 cup honey
4 teaspoon finely chopped pecans
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 (6 oz) salmon fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine first three ingredients in a large zip-top bag. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; add to bag and seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 15 minutes, but up to overnight.

Remove fish and nuts from bag, reserving marinade. Place fish on foil lined pan and top with nuts.

Bake for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting fish twice with reserved marinade while baking.

Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta

Once again, the photographer that I am not finds it near impossible to try to get an appetizing picture of a main dish. While this picture does not do this meal justice, it was a hearty and satisfying fare. The dish can be made healthier by substituting the soup and sour cream with lower calorie/fat options, but I thought it was fine the way it was. The full packet of ranch dressing did make it a bit salty, but I didn't think it was completely overpowering. It was a quick dish to prepare and then leave in the crockpot for the afternoon so it will most likely make an appearance at our table again. Enjoy!

Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta
Source: Healthified Kitchen

2 butterball turkey bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp minced garlic
1 package ranch dressing mix (or less if desired)
1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
16 oz. chicken breasts, frozen or defrosted/raw
8 oz. pasta, cooked

Combine the first five ingredients to make a sauce. Place frozen or defrosted/raw chicken in a slow cooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; pour sauce over the top (do NOT include water like the soup can mentions). Cook on high for 3.5 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Cook pasta per package instructions on stove. Serve chicken over pasta.

Makes 4 servings

Sun-dried Tomato Penne Pasta with Chicken

What in the world! Why is it that I can't seem to get ahead in my posts. First it was report cards, then conferences, and now spring break. Just one thing after another. However, this "thing" that is causing me to be behind is a good thing since it means I am out camping for the week, spending time with my family, and relaxing.

So, on to the food! I found this recipe on pinterest (yes, yes, it seems to be the place to be searching these days) and it looked and sounded pretty good so I thought I'd schedule it in for one of our dinners on the menu. It is a straight forward recipe, and I followed it pretty much to the letter. I added shredded chicken to give it a bit more oomphf in the belly. I also decided to double the pasta (which would basically be like halving the sauce) so that it wasn't quite so high calorie. It was a tasty dish that left you wanting to dish up seconds for sure. The only negative was that when heating up leftovers the next day the smaller amount of sauce to noodle ratio made the noodles a bit drier. In hindsight, while saving on a few calories it also made it a bit less creamy. I guess you have to choose the lesser of two evils for you. Enjoy!

Sun-dried Tomato Penne Pasta
Source: Very Best Baking

2 cups (8 oz.) dry penne pasta (or 16 oz. if you want to double the pasta)
8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
12 oz. evaporated milk
2 cups (8 oz.) Italian four-blend cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Prepare pasta according to package directions, adding sun-dried tomatoes to boiling pasta water for last two minutes of cooking time; drain.

Meanwhile, combine evaporated milk, cheese, basil, garlic powder and pepper in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.

Add pasta and sun-dried tomatoes to cheese sauce; add shredded chicken; stir until combined.

Makes 7 - 1/2 cup servings

Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Chicken Cream Sauce

Another recipe off pinterest! I feel good that I am not only pinning yummy looking food, but I am actually making the recipes. It's nice to go to my pin board to find recipe suggestions for our two week menu. Granted, most of my pinned recipes are related to baking, but a few have to do with savory dishes. It could be that I am more picky with savory dishes, or it could be that they don't draw my eye. Whatever the case, this one is a keeper.

I did very few modifications to this recipe. I decided to double the amount of pasta and used whole wheat noodles. I also added shredded chicken to give it a bit more protein and some substance. Even with that it still left you wanting more. I'm not sure if that was because all pasta dishes seem to do that to me because I love pasta, or if it just wasn't as filling. Also, because it wasn't drenched in cream sauce it was a bit dry the next day for leftovers. We still enjoyed it because we knew that not being drenched in sauce was a bit healthier and not so calorie laden, but I'm sure that if you didn't double the pasta you would have a more restaurant style Alfredo dish. Enjoy!

Sun-Dried Tomato Penne Pasta with Chicken
Source: Slightly modified from Very Best Baking

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
16 ounces dry penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 can (12 fl. oz) evaporated milk
2 cups Italian four cheese blend, shredded
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Bake or grill chicken breasts; cool, and cut into small pieces or shred. Set aside

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the boiling water for the last two minutes of cooking time; drain.

Meanwhile, combine evaporated milk, cheese, basil, garlic powder, and black pepper in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Add chicken, and stir until combined.

Add pasta and sun-dried tomatoes to cheese sauce; stir until combined.

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

Making deep dish pizza has been on my to do list for quite some time. I started scouring the internet for recipes a few weeks ago in anticipation of making this for dinner. There are quite a few recipes out there but the one that I chose to use came off of a cooking forum. The main advice giver seemed to have a lot of knowledge about what constitutes a Chicago-style deep dish pizza so I went with all of the forum's advice rolled into one.

And I can say that the pizza definitely delivered! Not that I've ever been to Chicago and would know an authentic deep dish pizza, but it was a tasty dish. I wasn't sure how it would be with the cheese as the bottom layer and the sauce as the top layer since in my neck of the woods we do pizza the opposite way. I also didn't know how the olive oil drizzled on top would turn out, but all in all it worked out just fine. 

You definitely need to plan ahead since the crust takes 6 to 7 hours to rise. Definitely worth it though. Enjoy!

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Total Time: about 7 hours (6 hour dough rise, 30 to 45 minutes baking)

Crust:
1 1/2 cups (scant) water (room temperature- about 70-F to 80-F)
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (or 1 packet)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (don't use bread flour, we want a biscuit like dough)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cooking oil (9 Tbsp Corn or Canola oil and 1 Tbsp Olive Oil)

Add sugar and yeast to water, stir well. If not using instant yeast, allow the yeast to bloom in water for about 15-minutes. If using instant yeast, you can use the water mixture right away.

Stir in flour and salt. Mix well.

Stir in cooking oils.

Mix for 1 minute then knead for 2 minutes. You can use a stand mixer or by hand. Add more flour or warm water, a tablespoon at a time, as needed, to make a workable dough. (Don't over-knead, you want a biscuit like dough for deep dish pizza.)

Form dough into a ball, place in a large mixing bowl, coat dough lightly with oil, cover bowl and let dough rise in a warm place for 6 hours.

Punch down dough and allow it to rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Pizza Filling:
1/2 pound sliced Mozzarella cheese

1/2 pound Italian sausage, hot or mild, crumbled
1/2 pound pepperoni, sliced thin
1/2 yellow onion, cut into thin rings
1/2 green bell pepper, cored and cut into thin rings
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup black olives, thinly sliced

Sauce: (makes 3 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
1 tablespoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds or fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 (28 oz) can Italian-style whole peeled tomatoes, lightly squished
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil

In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the herbs, seeds, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and sugar, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.


ASSEMBLE PIZZA:
Roll out or press dough into a 12-inch deep-dish pizza pan. Press dough evenly onto bottom and up inner sides of deep dish pizza pan.

1st - Add a layer of sliced mozzarella as the bottom layer, on top of the dough. Place the cheese in tile-like layers covering the dough on the pan bottom.

2nd - Add toppings, evenly distributed across pizza, as the middle layer.

3rd - Ladle the sauce evenly, as the top layer on the deep-dish pizza.

4th - Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake the deep-dish pizza in a preheated 475-degrees F oven until the top is golden and gooey and the crust is a light golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Makes one 12-inch Chicago deep dish pizza

Taco Soup

Do you have those tried and true recipes that no matter how many times you eat it it always hits the spot and is something you can fall back on when you are in a menu slump? This is one of them for me.

Many, many, many years ago when I was a teenager my stepmom made this for one of our outings on the boat. As an adult it has become a staple in my menu. It is a recipe I know by heart, it comes together fast, and it is a hearty dish.

Taco Soup
1 pound ground beef
1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa
1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can light red kidney bean, drained
1 small can sliced olives, drained
1 can corn
cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream
tortilla chips

In a large pot, brown the ground beef. Drain meat, if necessary. Add salsa, tomatoes, kidney beans, olives, and corn. Heat through.

Top with cheese and sour cream. Serve with chips.

Makes 5 to 6 servings

Real Italian Calzones

I do love a good calzone! Chicken with black olives, pepperoni with mushrooms, whole wheat . . . I've always used the same base calzone recipe out of one of my cookbooks and I've experimented with fillings. This time though I decided to look for a new recipe altogether. I came across this one that sounded a bit different from my other with the biggest difference being that there is no sauce.

This recipe tops my other one by far! I love the mix of the cheeses that compliment the pepperoni and mushrooms. The only disappointment was that they turned out so flat. That could have had something to do with too much flour, or not enough rise time, or  . . . who knows. What I do know is that these are tasty and I will have plenty of chances to figure out the problem with the rising dough. Enjoy! 

Real Italian Calzones
Source: All Recipes

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 egg, beaten

To Make Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled. 

To Make Filling: While dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Fill each circle with 1/2 of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot. 

Makes 8 servings

Three Cheese Pasta Bake

Three cheese pasta bake is just a fancier way of saying baked macaroni and cheese. I thought for sure this would be a hit with my little man who loves macaroni and cheese. Boy was I wrong. I guess I should have known I would be. Anything that is different from the norm is cause for his nose to turn up just the slightest degree. Upon tasting it (which I thought tasted just fine) I knew we were going to have issues because of the bold flavor of the Swiss cheese. At that moment I just figured it was all the more for me! Enjoy!

Three Cheese Pasta Bake
Source: Adapted from  My Recipes taken from Southern Living January 2008

1 8-oz.) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese, divided*
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pasta according to package directions, boiling to al dente.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and half-and-half; cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, and salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.

Stir together pasta and cheese mixture, and pour into 4 lightly greased 8-oz. baking dishes or 1 lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. (If using 8-oz. baking dishes, place in a jelly-roll pan for easy baking, and proceed as directed.) Top with remaining 1/2 cup Swiss cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Makes 4 servings

Cowboy Stew

Who doesn't think of beef stew as a comforting meal on a cold, crisp evening? I was really looking forward to coming home from a long day of work and sitting down to a steaming bowl of stew with a big hunk of french bread slathered in butter. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. One look at my face and the lack of chewing anything more than a couple of bites told my husband all he needed to know; his lunch for the next three days would be beef stew leftovers as he was the only one who was going to be eating it.

I'm not sure if it was because the beef was very sweet on account of the baked beans, or if the lack of carrots which are typically a part of my stew had me out of sorts. Or maybe it was the fact that my husband forgot that I can't stand big hunks of meat in my stew, or really anything for that matter, and didn't cut them small enough. The fact that you could make it in a crockpot was a plus, and if you enjoy your stew on the sweet side then I would suggest you try this recipe out. I think I'll be sticking with my traditional beef stew recipe for now. Enjoy!


Cowboy Stew
Source: What's For Dinner?

1 pound lean beef stew meat
4 potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 4" pieces
1/2 cup onion, chopped
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (28 oz.) can Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans 

Mix beef, potatoes, onion, salt and pepper in a slow cooker. Spread beans over beef mixture. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until beef is tender.

Makes 6 servings

Chicken Meatloaf

My original menu plan and recipe called for a turkey meatloaf. I thought, "Great, now I can use that ground turkey meat that has been in my freezer for months." Not until I pulled it out to thaw did I realize that it was actually ground chicken and not ground turkey. Oops.

I don't think the taste (what there was of it) was altered much. It wasn't a great recipe, in fact I will probably use a different meatloaf recipe I have for future meatloaf meals, but at least I branched out and tried something new. I guess that's all I have to say about it which is pretty sad in and of itself. Enjoy, should you decide to try it!

Chicken Meatloaf
1 pound ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray.

Combine all ingredients mixing by hand. Press into prepared loaf pan and cook for 45 minutes or until cooked through.