THE EASIEST LASAGNA YOU WILL EVER MAKE

This by far is the easiest and best lasagna i have ever made.  It can be made with or without the sausage for the non meat eaters.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound spicy sausage
1 head of escarole chopped
1 jar of tomato sauce
1 package mozzarella cheese
1 package cheese ravioli - cooked

In a large skillet, crumble sausage and cook until browned.  Transfer to bowl.  Add escarole to skillet and season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted - about 3 minutes.

In a baking dish, layer the sauce, ravioli, sausage, escrole and mozzarella.  Bake until bubbly about 45 minutes/

Spinach and Egg Noddle Casserole

THIS WAS SOO GOOD...BUT I FORGOT TO TAKE A PIC...SORRY GUYS!!

Ingredients
1 package frozen spinach
1 lb extra wide egg noodles
EVOO
1 medium onion dicedfreshly grated nutmeg
2 egg yolks
2 cloves of garlic chopped
3 tablespooons butter
2 tblspoons flour
2 cups lowfat 1 cup panko crumbs
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1/2 c parmeseam cheese


in a medium saucepan heat EVOO and add onions and garlic - sautee for about 8 minutes.  add thawed spinach and heat through.  season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

in another pan - melt butter and add flour.  wisk together for about a minute then add milk.   season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  cook until thickened about 5 minutes.   in another bowl...mix egg yolks together with a little of the sauce mixure then add to sauce mix and turn to lowest setting.  add spinach mixture and cooked egg noodles.  stir together.

pour noodles into a baking dish.  top with cheeses and panko crumbs.  bake for about 10 minutes until crust is bubbly!

Steak and Banana Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I LOVE SWEET POTATOES!    seriously.  I love to cook on the grill as much as I love sweet potatoes..but have recently been out of propane.  And since I dont have a man around the house..lol...I had to wait for Dakota to come home from school to get me a new tank.  Hey - something really are guys jobs....ha ha ha....

So tonight is steak on the grill and these delicious banana mashed sweet potatoes!

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes
1 large banana - cut up to mash
3 tblspn butter
1/4 c heavy cream
pinch of cinnamon and sugar

You can boil or microwave the sweet potatoes - either one - but i prefer to microwave - gets done a little quicker.  Scoop out the sweet potatoes. 

In a bowl add sweet potatoes, banana, butter, cream, cinnamon and sugar and mash just like u would ordinary potaotes.

Add to any main dsih!  DELICIOUS!!!! 

Oh and one more thing...dont burn the steak - lol - like i did!  i forgot to turn down the temp on the grill...oh well!! 

Cabbage and Dumplings with Italian Sausage

When I was in high school my favorite food was cabbage, dumplings and spicy italian sausage.  It was my a great comfort food for me.  I havent had it in a long time - so i had a head of cabbage in the fridge and it sounded so good.

Ingredients

1 large head of cabbage - shredded
1 med size onion - diced
1 package of gnocchi
1 package of italian sausage cut into chunks
salt pepper and red pepper flakes

In a large saute pan ( i have an oval Rachel Ray Pan that I pretty much use for everything) put some extra virgin olive oil and sautee the onion.  Once that is cooked add the shredded cabbage with about a half cup of water and let it cook down - about 20 minutes.  Add about a palmful of red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicier), salt and pepper to taste.  Drain off the water and put cabbage back on stove.

In a pot of boiling water add gnocchi until cooked.
Cook sausage until done

Add gnocchi and sausage to cabbage and cook about 15 more minute.

Home Made Applesauce and Panko and Parmesean Crusted Pork Chops

For a long time now - I usually only bake or grill any meat I cook, however my daughter will only eat fried pork chops.  I must admit - they do taste better! 

So here's tonight dinner.  Enjoy!


HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE

4 lg. apples
1/4 c. sugar (white or brown)
Several shakes cinnamon

Cut apples in small pieces and take out the middle. Put the cut up apples into a pan with 1/4 cup sugar and a few shakes of cinnamon.  Cover the pan with the lip and cook at medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes then let the apples, cool and mash the apples with fork or potato masher.


PARMESAN BREADED PORK CHOPS

4 pork chops, 3/4 inch thick
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. dry panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour



Heat oven 350 degrees. Dip pork chops in combined egg and seasoning and then in combined cheese and bread crumbs. Melt oil in skillet, brown each chop on both sides. Bake 350 degrees 35 minutes turning chops occasionally.

Honey BBQ Baked Chicken and Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

Sunday Dinner - the most important meal of the week.  If anyone knows me, they know I ALWAYS cook Sunday dinner.  I feel its the best and most important dinner to end the weekend and start the new week.   In my house lately - it is the only dinner where everyone is accounted for.  Even if I dont cook much during the week - I always cook Sunday Dinner.

Growing up I lived just houses away from my grandmother.  We ate dinner at her house just about every night. On Sunday's she would get up early and start dinner.  Dinner was always early - by 1pm.  We would go to church and when we came home dinner was ready.  It's something even 30 years later I remember.  I want my kids to have that memory as well - that mom had the best Sunday dinners.

Tonights Sunday dinner is posted below.  Comliments of Cooking Light and Emeril Lagasse 
I will post pics later once I cook.  but wanted to post in case anyone was in need of an idea for tonight!


Ingredients for Pasta


2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon oregano and basil
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.



On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.
Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.


Ingredients for Chicken

4-6 large thighs or breasts
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
6 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup bbq sauce
1 lemon, zested
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon room temperature butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange a rack inside a large roasting pan and set aside.

Season the chicken both inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, bbq sauce, lemon zest and juice and butter. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan skin side up and roast until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush half of the honey mixture over the chicken, as well as sprinkling half the thyme over the chicken and return the chicken to the oven. Continue to cook another 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush the remaining honey blend and sprinkle the remainder of the thyme over the chicken.

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a platter.

Creamy Corn and Crab Chowder

With the cool rainy weather I had a taste for a soup of some kind.  I saw this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine and it sounded really good.  

 Instead of using the crab claw meat - I had some imitation crab meat and cut that into chunks.  I thought it actually tasted better!  Crab claw meat can be pretty expensive too.  Of course you can use shrimp or even shredded chicken if you prefer. Cook this separate before adding it to the soup.   I also added a couple bay leaves for some extra flavor.   I also used fresh corn cut off the cob - I had some ears in the fridge.   Instead of the chile - I added shredded carrots. Only because I didnt have a chile - but wanted some color.   I did cook this for about an hour and a half and just let it simmer on the stove to make sure all the veggies were soft enough. 

With some rolls and breadsticks this is a good hearty meal that won't make you feel like you have to crash on the couch for an hour afterwards!

Below is the recipe as I found it in my magazine.  Enjoy!


Ingredients:

• 1 medium poblano chile
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 cup half-and-half, divided
• 3 (8-ounce) russet potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 (8-ounce) container crab claw meat, shell pieces removed

Preparation:
1. Preheat broiler.


2. Place poblano on a foil-lined 2. Place poblano on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 8 minutes on each side or until blackened. Place pepper in a small zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and chop.

3. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (through red pepper) to pan; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn; sauté 2 minutes. Remove 3/4 cup corn mixture from pan. Combine 3/4 cup corn mixture and 3/4 cup half-and-half in a blender; process until smooth. Add potato to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cook 15  minutes or until potato is almost tender. Reduce heat to medium low. 

4. Combine remaining 1/4 cup half-and-half and flour in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Add flour mixture to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return corn puree to pan. Stir in poblano, milk, and crab; bring to a simmer. Stir frequently.

What's for dinner?

As  a mom I get the "what's for dinner?" question alot.  It's usually when diner is already half made and it's time to set the table.  However I recently posted a comment on my facebook page as to what I would be cooking that particular night and I got the "recipe please" comment from a friend. 
As a wife or mother the job of creating a menu usually falls to us.  With good reason I'm sure.  Probably because one too many dads or husbands have burned the popcorn in the microwave because they didnt know there was a button for that or because we might end up eating cereal every night for dinner.  Many of us end up cooking the same thing week after week because its quick and easy and that's is just what we're used to. 

I subscribe to a whole host of food magazines - Food Network, Rachel Ray and Cooking Light to name a few.  There are so many great recipes in there that I finally decided to start trying something new at least two or three nights a week.  Of course that depends on extra cirricular activites and PTA meeting or dance lessons or Pep Squad practices there are!   Now I am not a picky eater - I will pretty  much try anything that isnt moving around on my plate.  But my kids - each one of them dislikes something the other likes.  It can be hard to come up with something they will all  eat.  Surprisingly the youngest is the least pickiest!! 

Each time I make something new I will be posting the recipe and what I thought of it and what I could have changed if anything to make it better.  I hope this gives you busy moms out there a new idea of something to cook for dinner when you are sick of the usual!