Recipes Discovered - Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 1 pound ground beef, optional
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 16 ounces mozzarella, grated
• 8 ounces provolone, grated
• 8 ounces jack of fontina, grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.

In a large skillet, saute ground beef, if using, until no longer pink. Otherwise, just heat oil in the skillet and cook the onions and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and seasonings. Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes.

To assemble the lasagna, coat the bottom of a deep 13 by 9-inch pan with olive oil or spray with non stick spray. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella, provolone, and jack cheeses on top of the cheese. Add another layer of noodles, 1/3 of the sauce, and remaining cheese (save a little for the top). Layer remaining noodles and sauce, any reserved cheese, and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese browns (can also be placed under the broiler for a couple minutes. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

My own concoction.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices day old, good quality Italian bread
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• Several fresh basil leaves, torn
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, smoked mozzarella or provolone cheese

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Chop bread into bite size pieces. Add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic, and onions to the skillet. Melt butter into oil then add the bread. Season the bread with salt and pepper. Toss and cook the bread 7 to 8 minutes then add the tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes. Turn to coat and warm the tomato sauce, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bread gnocchi and tomatoes from heat and transfer to a casserole dish, top with basil then cover the dish with cheese. Place the casserole under the broiler and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese browns and bubbles. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The key to the recipe is to use very stale bread (rock hard), otherwise the bread gets too mushy when cooked. I liked the dish, but Seth really did not.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 Roma tomatoes
• 8 ounces fettuccine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 16 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Halve tomatoes and place cut side up on the pan. Drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until bottoms of tomatoes are dark brown. Remove from the pan and carefully halve each piece.

In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, cook garlic in remaining oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, half ot the thyme, and the crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the pasta, roasted tomatoes, remaining thyme, and black pepper. Heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens: Classic Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (2 1/2 - 3 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 amaretti (almond) cookies, crumbled
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 9 lasagna noodles
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Arrange squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast the squash for 45 minutes or until very tender. Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked squash, onions, garlic, and crushed cookies. Stir together, smashing the squash into a thick paste. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender (don’t fill the blender more than half full due to the hot liquids). Add the basil and blend until smooth. Pour basil mixture back into the pot and stir to combine. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook just until pliable, about 5 or 6 minutes. Drain the noodles.

Turn the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/2 of the squash mixture over the noodles, and then 1/2 of the tomatoes over the squash. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering two more times, pouring the remaining sauce over the top.
Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 10.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used whole wheat lasagna noodles.

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

For the Crepes:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk (more or less as needed)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for cooking

For the Filling:

• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheese (Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack, Havarti, ect), about 4 ounces
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 ounces canned tomatoes (crushed, diced, stewed, ect)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

For the crepes: Whisk the flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter together. Add enough milk to give the batter the consistency of heavy cream. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. When ready to fry, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and rub lightly with butter. Pour enough batter into the pan to just cover the bottom, tilting the pan to move the batter around. Cook until lightly brown and dry on top, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the pan and stack between layers of waxed paper. This recipe using 12 crepes. If there are extras, they can be stored tightly wrapped in waxed paper.

For the filling: Mix the spinach, ricotta, cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan, garlic powder, and parsley in a bowl.

For the sauce: Over medium heat, heat oil in a large pot until hot. Add onion and garlic, saute for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions begin to appear translucent. Add the tomatoes, stir to mingle the flavors. Add in the herbs and bay leaves. Sprinkle in sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally.

To assemble: Cover the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with about 1 cup of marinara sauce. Divide the filling between the crepes, carefully roll them up, and then place them seam side down in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Serves 6 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

My own concoction.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rotini pasta, cooked and drained
• 1 cup diced cooked ham or pepperoni
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup diced red pepper
• 3/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing

Directions:

Toss all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. Add dressing and mix lightly. Cover and refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used a combination of red and green peppers. In place of the tomatoes, I used a combination of red onion and celery.

Recipe courtesy of www.kraftfoods.com

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Rollups:

• 12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store bought marinara sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained, tomatoes chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the Tomato Sauce:

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the Rollups:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Calories 497, Total fat 18 g, Saturated fat 7.4 g, Sodium 1108 mg, Carbs 56 g,Fiber 12 g, Protein 26 g

Substitutions:

I used fresh tomato sauce, which was delicious with this dish.

Recipe courtesy of Ellie Krieger

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 cups milk
• 10 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 16 ounces cheese, grated (any sharp cheese)
• 2 14.5 ounce cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the macaroni to a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook until just soft, about 5 or 6 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheese slowly and stir until melted. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add the tomatoes and cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 13×9 (3-quart) greased baking dish.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and the sauce is bubbly.

Serves 8 as a main dish or 15 as a side dish.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used about 5 cups of fresh tomatoes that I had peeled, chopped and cooked for about 5 minutes. For the cheese, I used 8 ounces of extra-sharp cheddar and 8 ounces of monterey jack. I also substituted a mixture of parsley, oregano, basil and garlic powder for the Italian seasoning.

Adapted from recipes by Ina Garten and www.recipezaar.com.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small sweet onion, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 14.5 ounces tomatoes, any variety
• 1 spaghetti squash, cooked and scraped from the shell
• 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• salt, to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and pepper and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spaghetti squash, and chicken and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with parsley and salt.

Served 4 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

This is a great way to use up some leftover vegetables - add whatever you have on hand.

My own concoction.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash

Directions:

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Place it cut side down in a glass baking dish and add about an inch of water. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minute (for a small squash - a larger squash could take up to 60 minutes) until the squash is tender.

To serve, scrape the fresh of the squash out with a fork. It is very stringy and looks just like spaghetti. Serve as a side dish or as a replacement for pasta with your favorite sauce.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Sylvia Major.