The BEST Lasagna

I love pasta. If I could, I'd eat nothing but pasta for the rest of my life (and any kind of cake or cookie or cupcake...yes, I am a junk food lover!). Heck, I run because it lets me eat pasta. Carbo-loading anyone?

Lasagna is one of those always awesome dishes. I've had about seven gazillion different versions, but come back to this one as my favorite. It's Giada DeLaurentis's recipe (and let me just say that life is totally unfair when someone can cook and eat like this, and stay as tiny as she is). I've taken what I like about her recipe and then added my own little spin.

I'm not wild about spinach or ground beef in my lasagna--so I take those out and substitute sausage instead. I keep everything else pretty much the same. This is one of those dishes that takes a lot of time, more than even your normal lasagna, so plan ahead. The bechamel sauce and fresh tomato sauce need to be made earlier in the day, so account for that when you plan for this (total time for this dish, complete with cooling of the sauces, is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours). It's not a throw-it-together kind of meal. Then again, eating lasagna is one of those things that SHOULD take time, not to mention the carbo-nap you'll need afterwards ;-)

Giada's Classic Lasagna--Shirley's Version

Bechamel Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk at room temperature
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows 

Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 dried bay leaves

Lasagna Assembly Ingredients

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 1 pound lasagna sheets, cooked al dente
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

 First, make the Bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then whisk in the flour (I add a bit of salt and pepper here too). Add the milk, whisking as you add it, then cook over medium heat, whisking, until it comes to a boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. That takes about 10 minutes, so just keep whisking. Add a dash of nutmeg (you should always add nutmeg to a white sauce; it helps bring out the flavor). I actually grate the nutmeg in--a little nutmeg nut lasts forever, so it's a good investment and tastes way better than the canned stuff.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil, then add the vegetables and cook until softened. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool. Then use either an immersion blender or a regular blender, and blend the sauce until smooth.

Mix 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce into the bechamel. You'll have extra tomato sauce, so save that for another dinner. It freezes well, and also lasts several days in the fridge.

Brown the sausage and cool. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese and eggs. Set aside. Now you're ready to assemble. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place 1/3 of the bechamel sauce in the bottom of the lasagna pan. Layer on noodles. Add the sausage, and the ricotta mixture, more noodles, bechamel, rest of the ricottta (and sausage if you have more) and half the mozzarella. Another layer of pasta, then top with bechamel and remaining mozzarella, and Parmesan. Giada has you put the lasagna pan on top of a cookie sheet lined with foil. A good idea if your lasagna might boil over out of the pan.

Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. I found, however, that I needed to cook it longer than this--45 minutes with foil on, then 20 minutes with it off. Might have been my grumpy oven that day, which every once in a while doesn't cooperate with me. Anyway, this is DELISH, and yeah, it's fattening, but not every day is a diet ;-) Speaking of fattening, I have made it both with the extra butter she recommends, and without, and saw no difference, so I took the butter out here. I'd rather eat more cheese ;-)

Enjoy!

Shirley

Alton Brown's Brining Recipe

Brined turkey, literally falling off the bone after roasting :-)
 

If you google Alton Brown and brining, you get a few different results that aren't this one. I don't like the one he has on Good Eats as much as I do this one, from I'm Just Here for the Food. This one has yet to let me down :-) I've added a few adaptations to it, based on other brines I've used:

1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
10-14 peppercorns (whole)
2-4 whole bay leaves
1 6-ounce container frozen OJ
1 gallon water
1 16-18 pound turkey
1 gallon ice cubes
canola oil

Dissolve the salt, sugar, and juice in 1 quart of hot water. Cool with the remaining 3 quarts of water. Remove the guts and stuff from inside the turkey and put it in the brining bag or container. Cover with the liquid. If it doesn't completely cover the bird, add more liquid (he uses chicken broth). Cover wtih ice and soak for at least 5-6 hours.

Alton dries off the bird, rubs it down with canola oil, then starts cooking the bird on high (500) then after a half hour, turns it down to 350 degrees. I've found that works pretty well. He covers the breast with a tent of foil, removes it at the end to get a little browning.

I highly recommend brining if you've never tried it before. Easy and quick, and the most tender bird ever!

Shirley

Easiest Crock-Pot Roast Beef Ever

I love an easy recipe. Even better, one that requires almost no effort on my part, yet still gets rave reviews from my family. This roast beef fit the bill on all levels.

Easiest Crock-Pot Roast Beef Ever

1 chuck roast, 3-4 pounds
1 package Italian dressing mix
1 package Brown gravy mix
1 package Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

Put the roast in the crock-pot (browning beforehand is optional). Mix the three mixes and the 1/2 cup water, then pour over the roast. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. When done, remove the roast and put on a cutting board, allowing it to rest before slicing. Meanwhile, mix the corn starch and cold water in a bowl, then add to the gravy in the crock-pot. Turn crock-pot to High and stir, until gravy thickens.

This was so tender, you could cut it with a fork. The gravy was AWESOME and definitely made the beef way more flavorful. Easy and quick, my favorite kind of cooking!

Shirley

White Chicken Chili

This is one of my favorite dinners. I usually poach extra chicken when I'm making stock or a soup or something else that requires cooked chicken, then make this quick dinner on a busy weekday.

 

When I made it this week, I used fresh peppers and jalapenos from the garden, instead of the pickled jalapeno. It made it hotter, for sure, but still delicious! :-)

 

 

White Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno (comes in a jar in the Mexican food aisle), chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or regular; I just prefer to cook with kosher)
2 cups chicken broth (I used the broth I made from the chickens I roasted the other day)
2 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, drained
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded (again, from those chickens I roasted; I just made two instead of one)
1/2 cup whipping cream (I rarely have that on hand so I used half and half)

Heat oil in a large pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper and jalapeno. Saute about 4 minutes, until soft and onion is translucent. Add garlic and spices. Cook for one minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add vegetables, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender. Add beans and chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cream and cook until heated through. Serve.

Shirley

Thanksgiving Success! Rerun

This has been my Thanksgiving plan for three years in a row, so I thought I'd rerun the tips. I have changed this slightly--in that I bought the brining bags at the store instead of using a pail (Farberware makes them and they were in the aisle with the roasters and kitchen twine, etc.). I have had success every time I use this recipe. Buying a fresh bird makes life ten times easier, but I have in a pinch defrosted a frozen bird and then brined it.

(and as an aside, for those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, on Monday I posted a link to my blog and a friend who is a professional chef shared his tips for brining, so check that out!)

Thanksgiving was a HUGE success in my house. Brining the bird was DA BOMB and I highly recommend it. I mean, HIGHLY recommend it. I have never had a juicier, more delicious turkey--it was beyond simple to cook, and twelve people devoured nearly an entire 21-pound bird. Lots of going back for seconds and thirds that day!

Take notes if you want for next year, because here's how I did it (and managed to have a LOT of relaxation time on the big day, too):

Wednesday Night: Brine the Bird (in the fridge by 8pm)
Equipment needed: 5-gallon pail from Lowe's or Home Depot
Alton Brown's recipe for Brining from I'm Just Here for the Food
(which involves essentially cooking some water, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and kosher salt, then cooling and adding to the bucket).
Plus: 3 gallons ice water and 1 1/2 cups kosher salt

Thursday Timeline:
7:00 a.m.: Remove bird from Brining Liquid
Preheat oven
Dry bird, stuff with an onion, celery sticks. Brush whole bird with melted butter, then tent with foil, stick a meat thermometer in it, then put the bird in the oven.

8:00 a.m.: Cook sausage for stuffing, chop vegetables for stuffing (celery, carrots and onions), then cook when sausage is done. Add dried cranberries, leave to cool and set aside

8:15 a.m.: Peel 8 pounds of potatoes and start boiling them for mashed potatoes

8:45 a.m.: Start simple syrup for kids' Floating Island Punch
Put Frozen raspberries, pink lemonade and sugar in bowl to thaw for Poinsettia Punch for grownups :-)

9:30 a.m.: Mash potatoes and put in crock-pot--done till 11:15 a.m. (take a nap, read the ads for Black Friday shopping...I do all my house cleaning on Wednesday, so I'm chilling for these two hours)

11:30 a.m.: remove foil tent from turkey, baste with more butter and turn oven temp up to 425 degrees
Start green beans (I made a healthy version, which I can post later)
Start Citrus-Glazed Carrots

12:15 p.m.: Assemble stuffing

12:30 p.m.: Remove turkey from oven and let set
Put rolls in oven
Put stuffing in oven
Make gravy

1:00 p.m.: Serve and eat ;-)

My MIL made the pies, and I had baked cookies on Wednesday night, so all the rest was done ahead of time. I usually make the pies a day or two ahead of time, but this time someone else did them, so I was saved that chore. This turkey was SO SO good, though. I just can't even tell you ;-)

How was your Thanksgiving? Was it a huge success? I do dishes as I go, and run the dishwasher about halfway through so that everyone can eat on real plates. Clean-up is still a lot of work, but it's not AS bad as it could be.

And if you want to read about my Black Friday adventures, I posted on RTB today about them!

Shirley

In a Word...YUM

I've been hooked on this new show, "The Chew," which airs in my region of the world at 1pm EST on ABC. It's got style and fashion god Clinton Kelly, super chef Mario Batali, Iron chef Michael Symon, Dr. Oz's daughter Daphne (who is so sweet, you can just see why Dr. Oz adores his kids) and new kid on the block chef Carla Hall.

Lots of the recipes they've run in the first week have appealed to me (my poor printer is burning through the pages, LOL) but I happened to have the ingredients for Clinton Kelly's Eggplant Parmesan on hand, so I decided to make that for dinner.

All I can say is YUM. It was awesome. Totally awesome. The recipe recommends jarred sauce but Clinton said he always uses homemade (I wish he'd share his recipe...it sounded great), and I did, too. The last layer, I ran out of homemade sauce, so I did add a tiny bit of Ragu ;-) but you couldn't tell the difference. The fresh sauce--made from tomatoes in my garden and frozen a couple weeks ago--really added that extra depth of flavor to the sauce.

Eggplant parm is a lot of work (anything breaded is) but it was worth it. I could have eaten the whole pan myself ;-) The recipe really does use all those cups of bread crumbs and all those eggs, so don't skimp when you're laying it out. Also, I always use a set of pie plates for my breading steps, because they are shallow but edged, and they are easy to clean in the dishwasher. Use one hand to bread and let that be the goopy hand, while keeping the other hand clean to flip the fying eggplant. I did fry the eggplant in two pans, so that moved the process along a lot faster. I pulled it out of the oven after about 32 minutes and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. DH LOVED it and said this recipe has to be on my must-serve list ;-)

Recipe is here. Check out the site while you're there--there's lots of great, easy, and cheap recipes to choose from!

Shirley

What's Cooking Tonight: Chicken Canzanese



Chicken Canzanese



Dinner tonight is a favorite in the Jump household: Chicken Canzanese from America's Test Kitchen. I've blogged about it before and just love this recipe. Easy to make, and something that just cooks away in the oven. I'll probably make carrots and also smashed potatoes to go with it.

I love braising...and this is my favorite dish to do that with. Tell me, do you have a favorite braised beast (lol) recipe?

Shirley

Cauliflower and Ham Gratin

Tonight's dinner was a sort of "what's leftover" creation, with a vegetarian version on the side for my daughter. I had come across a recipe for a cauliflower ham gratin but it had received iffy reviews for the lack of flavor. So I decided to make mine with lots of stuff, which really boosted the flavor.

It was easy, and quick and used up a lot of that ham from Easter :-)




Cauliflower Ham Gratin

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
2-3 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 8 ounce package button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
dash nutmeg
1 16 ounce bag frozen cauliflower
1/2 cup gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded, divided
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (I don't use the can stuff), divided
1-2 cups cooked ham, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the cauliflower in the microwave, then drain well and chop it into one-inch pieces. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions, garlic, shallots and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until vegetables are softened. Add mushrooms and cook another 3-5 minutes, until mushrooms are softened. Sprinkle with flour and add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Stir until flour coats the vegetables. Add milk and broth a little at a time, stirring well after each addition, until it's all incorporated. Add nutmeg. Bring sauce to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes, until thick. Add 1/4 cup Swiss and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and cauliflower, and stir.

(at this point, I divided out one-quarter of the mixture and put it in a small baking dish, topped with some of the reserved cheddar cheese and set it aside...that was the vegetarian version for my daughter).

Add the ham, then pour the mixture into a Pam coated baking dish. Top with reserved cheese. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted. This one was a big hit with everyone in the family. They even had seconds :-)

Shirley

Easy Crockpot Chicken

I had a long and busy day today, and wasn't going to be home till after 5:30, so it was definitely a crock-pot dinner night :-) This one was an easy one--I love those dump and walk away type recipes. It's a variation on Chicken and Dumplings (I made a vegetarian one last week and then have this Tyler Florence one that is a stand-by favorite in my house).

I didn't make this quite the way the recipe said, at least the dumpling part. They said to put biscuits or dumplings in the bottom of the bowl and pour the stew over it, which would be okay, but I'm more of a tear-my-bread-and-dip person, so I did it that way instead. And I only had four Grands type biscuits left (hmm...I suspect the family is sneaking them!) so I used these whole grain rolls instead.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Stew

3 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
8 chicken thighs (or breasts cut into small pieces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
To add at the end:
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a 4 or 6-quart crockpot, mix the carrots, celery and onions with the flour. Layer the chicken on top, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Pour the wine and broth over it all, then cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours (or 3 hours on high). Remove the lid, stir in the frozen peas and cream and cook 5-10 more minutes, or until heated through. Serve with biscuits or rolls.

That's it! My family liked it, so it'll go on my list of dinners-for-a-busy-day. I'd love to do dumplings on it, and I might try that next time.

Shirley

Tilapia Milanese

My son has turned into a big fan of Tilapia. I had another recipe I made a few weeks ago that was quick and easy, and basically just consisted of a sauce that got drizzled over pan-fried Tilapia. He liked it so much, we had it twice that week and a couple times since. I didn't put that one on the blog, but next time I make it, I will. :-)

So tonight I wanted to have Tilapia, but have a different recipe from the one I'd made before. My son was NOT happy--he wanted the one he already knew he liked. So I enlisted his help in making the Tilapia Milanese because I knew if I did that, he'd be more invested in the meal. So I had him running the food processor while I was peeling potatoes for mashed potatoes.

This one was in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine. I love that magazine--nearly every issue has a dozen or more recipes I can't wait to make.

Tilapia Milanese

4 6-ounce tilapia fillets
1 1/2 cups milk (I used fat-free/lactose-free)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
3 large eggs
6 slices white bread, torn into pieces (I used whole grain white)
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
grated zest of 1/2 lemon (reserve the wedgest for serving)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place the fish in a bowl with the milk and 2 cups of ice. Let marinate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F.

In a shallow bowl (I always use pie plates for dredging), mix flour with salt and pepper. In pie plate #2, beat the eggs lightly. Reserve a third pie plate for breading.

In a food processor, pulse the bread, parsley, lemon zest and salt, until crumbs form. Pour into pie plate #3. Remove the fillets from the milk, dredge in flour (shaking off excess), then into eggs, then into bread crumbs. Press bread crumbs onto fish to coat it well. Put the fillets on a large plate.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add two fillets, and cook, 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Add another tablespoon or two each of butter and olive oil (I only needed one more of each) and cook remaining two fillets. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 8 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges.

My son had seconds--an entire fillet and then half of another. For a pre-teen, that's a whole lot of fish ;-). It was a great dinner, and definitely on the list to make again.

Shirley

Beer Battered Fish and Onion Rings with Low-Fat Tartar Sauce

My son pronounced this my "best dinner ever." I think it's because I put Red Robin seasoning on the fries and onion rings, LOL (I baked up some fries too, but they weren't on my plate, hence, not in the photo). And yes, I made a vegetable, too, but it was just broccoli, so I didn't put it in the picture.

I was going to make baked fish. Then realized I had all the ingredients for beer batter, and a hankering for some fried food. So I made this, and made the low-fat tartar sauce to kinda offset the calories (it's the Big Mac and Diet Coke theory ;-).

Beer Battered Fish

1 pound of cod or other whitefish
1 12-ounce bottle of beer
2 cups of flour, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
more salt and pepper

Canola oil

Heat about an inch of the oil in a thick bottomed pan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Also preheat the oven to 200 degrees and put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Cut the cod into two-inch pieces. Mix the beer and 1 1/2 cups of flour in a bowl. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup flour with some salt and pepper to season it.

Dredge the fish in the beer batter, then shake gently to remove the big bits of batter. Dredge in the flour. Fry, a few pieces at a time, about 4 minutes per side, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while it's still hot. While other pieces are cooking, put the first pieces on the cookie sheet and into the oven, to keep them warm.

When the cod is done, if you happen to have a sweet white onion (like a Vidalia), cut into 1/2 inch rings, dredge in the batter (skip the flour), then fry, about 3 minutes per side. You might need to add more oil and reheat the oil to 375 before cooking the onions. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

For the low-fat Tartar Sauce, mix 1 small container plain yogurt with 3 tablespoons relish (I used my zucchini relish :-), a dash of hot sauce, a little lemon juice, and a tablespoon or so of lite mayonnaise to thicken it.

Shirley

Baked Coconut Chicken Nuggets

I've had two dinner winners this week, according to my youngest. This recipe, Baked Coconut Chicken Nuggets served with a cherry chutney (leftover from another dinner) was a huge hit. My oldest was disappointed not to find any leftovers the next day. Everyone had at least two helpings, maybe more. They are sweet, but not too sweet, and let me use up a lot of the buttermilk from the Ultimate Chicken and Dumplings (why doesn't buttermilk come in tiny containers, like heavy cream????).

These ones are quick and easy, and if you don't have cherry chutney, I'd recommend any other kind of sweet topping--cherry preserves, a raspberry chutney, whatever you have on hand. The sweetness really made the dish and made me think of the amazing Monte Christo sandwiches I used to get at Magic Pan a thousand years ago. That restaurant is no longer there, sob sob, but they made a great sandwich and awesome pea soup.

Anyway, I digress ;-)

Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers

(note: the chicken marinates for an hour so leave time for that)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips (a tip: freeze your meat for a half hour before slicing it. You'll get much cleaner cuts and with less effort!)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

3/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon curry powder (which I was out of, so I used this substitute: a dash of cumin, coriander and tumeric)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish or zip-type bag. Chill ONE HOUR. Then drain chicken.

Preheat oven to 475 degress. Place baking sheet in the oven to get it nice and hot. In three bowls (I prefer pie plates), put flour in first one, beaten eggs in second, and all remaining ingredients in third. Dredge the chicken in flour, then eggs, then coconut mixture.

Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Lay chicken on hot cookie sheet, in a single layer. Bake at 475 for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until done.

Serve with a cherry chutney :-)

Shirley

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce and Eggplant Parmigiana

My mom made the best spaghetti sauce ever, at least to me :-). I've made lots of different kinds over the years (Ina Garten's Marinara, Giada's tomato sauce, Mario's quick one) but when I want real, thick, homemade goodness, I turn to Mom's. I do just a couple things different--my own little touches--but more or less, this is Mom's.

Tonight, I served it with Eggplant Parmigiana, which my kids refuse to touch, but I love. So I'll freeze the leftover and have it whenever I'm in the mood for a multi-step dinner :-)

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (San Marzanno are the best but tough to find)

2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or about 1 tablespoon fresh)
salt (I use about a teaspoon)

pepper (to taste)

1 tablespoon brown sugar (that's my addition; Mom didn't use the sugar. I think it cuts the acidity of the tomatoes)

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add peppers, onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are softened. Add whole tomatoes, crushing each one in your hand as you put it in (this yields chunkier tomato bits (and tastier, because they've been processed less) than if you use diced), and all other ingredients except sugar. Simmer for up to an hour, tasting and adjusting seasoning as necessary. Add sugar and simmer another 10 minutes.

Eggplant Parmigiana

olive oil

1 eggplant, peeled and sliced thin

3 eggs

1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

dash ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (I use seasoned)

6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat about 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet (enough to coat the bottom thickly). Mix the eggs, Parmesan, garlic powder and pepper in a pie plate or bowl. Put bread crumbs in another. Dredge the eggplant first in eggs, then in bread crumbs, then fry in the olive oil until golden brown on each side. Remove eggplant and let drain on paper towels. I refresh the olive oil after each batch, to keep the frying even.

Spread 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9 baking pan. Lay eggplant in pan, in one layer. Top with more sauce, and sprinkle with mozzarella. Layer another layer of eggplant, sauce and cheese (one eggplant made just two layers for me). Bake at 350 until cheese is golden brown and bubbly--about 20 to 25 minutes.

This was so darn good, I had THREE (!!) servings of the eggplant parm. I couldn't keep myself away from it, LOL. DH is on his second helping. I'm thinking he'll end up having three too :-)



Shirley

Thai Mango Chicken, Glazed Carrots and Coconut Rice

I must be in an Asian mood lately because I've been making all kinds of Thai-inspired meals lately (my oldest, who loves Asian food, is in heaven). I made the Spicy Thai Shrimp and Mango Salad twice this week (sooo good that I want to have that one every day) and tonight I made Thai Mango Chicken, Glazed Carrots and Coconut Rice. A hearty thumbs-up from the the kids and me (DH won't be home till later).

I've made the Thai Mango Chicken before, and my son (who loves the recipe) requested it when he saw I had mangoes in the kitchen. This time, I got to take a picture before everyone ate ;-)

Thai-Mango Chicken Stir-Fry

Chicken:

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mango Sauce:

2 fresh ripe mangos, chopped

3/4 teaspoon chili sauce

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 thumb-size piece ginger, minced (use a microplane)

3 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
zest of 1 lime

Also:

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 to 1 mango, cut into chunks (to finish the dish)
Optional: 3-4 Tbsp. coconut milk OR water

Put the chicken pieces into a zip-type bag. Sprinkle with rice vinegar, then cornstarch. Close bag and shake until chicken is evenly coated. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, mix all the ingredients for the mango sauce and blend until mango is pureed. Set aside

Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry, a few minutes per side, until cooked on all sides. Take chicken out and put it on a plate or paper towel. Clean out wok/skillet, then reheat it and add the mango sauce and red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until red pepper is softened. If it's too thick, add the coconut milk (I did). Put in the chicken and extra mango chunks and cook until heated through. Top with cilantro and serve on top of coconut rice.

Coconut Rice

2 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice
1 cup good-quality coconut milk
2 cups water
2-3 Tablespoons dry shredded unsweetened coconut (baking type)
1/2 teaspooon salt

Put all ingredients in a rice cooker. Stir to mix. Then cook until done. When the cooker switches from Cook to Warm, let it cook a couple minutes more to thicken and make it stickier. Stir before serving.

Glazed Carrots

3 cups carrots, chopped on the diagonal into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

Put all ingredients in a pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 10-15 minutes, until carrots are cooked and sauce has caramelized. If you're in a hurry, you can microwave the carrots for 3 minutes with a little bit of water, then cook with the sauce...it only takes about 5 minutes then.

None of this was much work--a little prep, but with Chinese food, the key is to chop everything in advance. I did that earlier today, put everything in baggies and then just had to assemble and stir. Not bad at all :-)

Shirley

Ultimate Chicken and Dumplings

I've been craving this recipe for a while, ever since I saw Tyler Florence make this on "Tyler's Ultimate." I love chicken soup. Love dumplings. Love having all that in one big bowl :-)

The reviews on this recipe are raves, and I have to agree. It was so yummy...such simple comfort food. It was my daughter's first day of school today and I wanted to make something that said "welcome home, honey." This was it. She had two bowls (and so did I).

I already had homemade chicken stock (I use Ina Garten's recipe) but only had four cups in my freezer, so I cut down Tyler's recipe for stock a bit just to poach my chicken (I had some poached from making the Chicken Au Jus the other day (I used bone-in breasts instead of wings) so I only had to poach one more (instead of a whole chicken like the recipe called for).

Tyler Florences's Ultimate Chicken and Dumplings:

Chicken and Stock:
1 (3 to 31/2 pound) whole organic chicken
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
4 to 5 black peppercorns
1 head garlic, split through the equator
2 tablespoons salt

Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped chives
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
Chopped chives, for garnish

I started this around 3:30, for eating a little after 5. It took a bit longer than I expected, but not much. Just a side note for folks :-)

Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface of fat and scum as it cooks.

When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock and shred the meat into big pieces - the stock will be used for the sauce and the chicken will be folded into it.

NOTE: About 15 minutes before it's done, start the other steps. Otherwise, you'll be behind on the estimated time it takes to cook this.

Make dumplings. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like. (NOTE: I ended up using the full cup of buttermilk. This makes about twice as much dumpling batter as you need, but they're so darn good, I'm thinking about cooking all of it)

To prepare sauce: In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, (NOTE: I didn't have any frozen pearl onions so I chopped one onion and added it here. Also, I only had frozen pea and carrot mix so I skipped carrots here and added the bag of veggies at the end) and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. (NOTE: This is a critical step--do it one cup at a time so it has time to thicken. In the end, I did add a small amount of cornstarch slurry to thicken even more). Add frozen peas and pearl onions.

Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. (NOTE: I don't always have heavy cream on hand but had half-and-half and that seemed to work out okay).

Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons (NOTE: you do want to do it this way...scoop with one spoon, scoop off it with the other, scoop with first spoon one more time to drop the dumplings in), carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy (NOTE: turn the dumplings over halfway through to cook on all sides). Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper (NOTE: I also seasoned with a little more salt) and garnish with chopped chives before serving.

This was really good and my daughter said should go in the "keeper" folder. Ina, Giada and Tyler never let me down when I cook their recipes, and this recipe is no exception. I'll be making it often :-)

One tip--you can make homemade chicken stock VERY easily and anytime you need it if you just keep the bones from your chickens in the freezer. Bring home a rotisserie chicken? Save the carcass in a freezer bag until you're ready to make stock. I usually double my stock recipe (using two chicken carcasses) and make enough to freeze the stock in 2-cup containers so I always have fresh stock on hand for cooking.

Shirley

Ultimate Chicken Cordon Bleu

Tyler Florence is one of my favorite chefs on the Food Network. He's always got something supremely delicious cooking, and he always makes the prep look so easy (even when it's not, LOL). So when he made "Ultimate Chicken Cordon Bleu," which is one of my top dinners, I had to try it.

Except, I had to mess with one part of the recipe ;-) He called for a Cranberry Chutney, and I made one out of Cherries instead that was SUPERB with the Cordon Bleu. Almost like having a Monte Cristo sandwich (you know, with the raspberry jam on the side).

I also made Tyler's Brussel Sprout Hash. His were...okay. I like my other recipe for Brussel Sprouts with Bacon better. I think his were just too complicated and I really wasn't a huge fan of the balsamic vinegar. I think I'll try the Brussel Sprouts with Bacon again...and add a few of the other veggies in Tyler's recipe. I served this dinner, BTW, with buttermilk biscuits I bought. Figured I'd done enough work, LOL.

The Chicken Cordon Bleu was AMAZING. And his tips made it ten times easier. FWIW, when you watch the show, there are other steps included that the recipe person missed on the Food Network site. I swear the people who put up the recipes never watch the shows because they miss a lot of vital stuff. Here's the recipe--with Tyler's hints included. If you want the original recipe, it's here, but in the reviews you'll see that adding Tyler's extra steps makes all the diff.

(oh and I did make the Chicken Jus to go with it....and it was amazingly flavorful but not needed at all. The Cherry Chutney was AMAZING with this).

Ultimate Chicken Cordon Bleu
(from the Show: Tyler's UltimateEpisode: Ultimate Cordon Bleu

4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
8 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
1/2 pound Gruyere, grated (I used baby Swiss because I couldn't find regular Gruyere)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (I used about a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper total)
1 cup panko bread crumbs (these are in the bread crumb aisle. They're so much crunchier and better than plain ones)
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced (HINT: Tyler grated his with a microplane, which makes it itty bitty and then you don't get garlic chunks on the outside of the chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
Extra-virgin olive oil

PREP: START ONE to ONE AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE YOU WANT TO COOK (so serving at 5:30, start this around 3:30). Cook time all totaled is about 35-45 minutes.

On a cutting board, lay the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top sheet of plastic and lay 2 slices of prosciutto neatly over the top to cover the breast and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the prosciutto. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze the log gently to seal and twist both ends tight to form a nice log. Repeat with remaining chicken. (HINT: This was a fabulous way to do it. The chicken gets all tight, like a sausage, and when you are done, REFRIGERATE THE BREASTS FOR 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR...that helps it all stay together later. No need for toothpicks!!!)

After removing chicken from fridge, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs with thyme, garlic and kosher salt, pepper, and melted butter. The butter will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and season so the flour, the eggs and the crumbs are all seasoned. (MY HINT: I USE THREE PIE PLATES...MAKES IT MUCH EASIER TO DREDGE)

Remove the plastic wrap. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, dip in the egg mixture and gently coat in the bread crumbs. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Then lightly coat a baking pan with olive oil and carefully transfer the roulades onto it. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

(The steps of refrigerating the breasts and also sauteeing them to brown them are omitted from the online recipe. These are vital...the chicken will dry out in the oven before it gets browned if you don't saute it, and it'll fall apart if you don't do the refrigeration).

Remove from oven, let sit five minutes. Serve with Cherry Chutney

Shirley's Cherry Chutney

2 cups fresh cherries, pitted

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup wine (I used white, though I would have preferred red, just didn't have any red opened)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (I use a microplane)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder (adds the right amount of spice to the chutney)

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

dash red pepper

Put all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until mixture is thickened and cooked through--about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how big your cherries are and what you consider simmer ;-)

My tummy is full right now, but I'm already looking forward to leftovers at lunch ;-) My son loved this, DH loved it (DD was out for the night and missed this dinner). A hit all around, even if it's a bit of work.

Shirley

Penne with Zucchini and Marinara Sauce

The other day, my daughter told me she had a newfound love for zucchini. She's already a huge fan of pasta and marinara sauce, so I thought...hmmm...why not combine the three? The result is a pretty darn good Penne with Zucchini and Marinara Sauce. I served it with fresh-from-the-farmer's market green beans that I put in a foil packet to cook at the same time. It all worked out great :-)

Penne with Zucchini and Marinara Sauce

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 ounce pancetta or bacon, chopped (my store was out of pancetta so I substituted bacon)

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 medium zucchinis, chopped (I cut them in quarters, then made 1/2 inch slices)

16 ounces penne, cooked and drained

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup shredded Swiss (or provolone...whatever you have)

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray cooking spray on a 9 x 13 pan. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Cook the bacon until crisp, add the onions and garlic and cook 5-7 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits. Add basil, oregano, red pepper, canned tomatoes and diced zucchini. Cook about 10 minutes, until zucchini is slightly soft (not all the way...it'll cook the rest of the way in the oven).

Mix the penne and tomato mixture, then spread in 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with mix of mozarella and Swiss. In a small bowl, mix the grated parmesan and Panko bread crumbs, then sprinkle evenly on top of the casserole.

(see below for green bean directions if you want to cook those at the same time).

Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is browned and crisp. Remove and let stand for five minutes before serving.

Foil Packet Green Beans

Take two pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil and lay them in opposite directions over each other (creating a cross shape). Put green beans in center, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and kosher salt. Seal the foil packet, then put in the oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.

This meal was a hit with the kids, which made me happy since it's loaded with veggies :-)

Shirley

Thai Chicken Stir-Fry

I was in the mood for Asian food tonight, but not in the mood to pay or wait for take-out. I wanted a healthier option, something quick and easy, and this fit the bill. It's a recipe from Cooking Light that I tweaked, and served as lettuce wraps instead of on rice.

This was a bit spicy, so if I make it again, I'll tone down the spice a bit.

You can look at the original recipe, and then here is my changes:

Thai Chicken Stir-Fry

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 small onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 12 or 16-ounce package frozen Asian stir-fry vegetables, defrosted (I used a green bean, broccoli, mushroom mix)
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (use a micrograter; it's way easier)
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
1 teaspoon Sesame oil

Heat half the oil in wok until it begins to smoke. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides (about 5 minutes). Remove chicken. Add remaining oil, then add vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Put chicken back in the wok and cook for another minute or two, until cooked through. Add all remaining ingredients except Sesame oil and season to taste. Just before serving, drizzle on Sesame oil and toss mixture. Serve on rice or in Bibb lettuce wraps.

Spicy, but smelled FANTASTIC and tasted great, too. One of those things I'm sure I'll make again. :-)

Shirley

Meatball Stroganoff

Since Beef Stroganoff is a big hit in my house, I thought I'd try a variation on the dish with this Meatball Stroganoff recipe. I've been watching Sam the Cooking Guy lately, and he makes dinner look impossibly easy. So I picked up one of his books (Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts) and saw this recipe for Meatball Stroganoff. I had nearly all the ingredients on hand, and when I got to the end of the day today and had that panicked "what am I going to make for dinner" moment at 4:00, I turned to this recipe.

It was good. I had good reviews from all family members. The youngest said he likes this better than my Beef Stroganoff (I think it's because my BS has mushrooms in it and he hates those). I personally like BS better, but this is a great in-a-pinch dish, that was quite delicious. Sort of like Swedish Meatballs on noodles.

Here's what I used for this:

Meatball Stroganoff

1 tsp. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 pound frozen meatballs (just plain old frozen meatballs, no fancy flavoring), defrosted

1 12-ounce jar beef gravy

1 cup light sour cream

2 tablespoons horseradish sauce (he said to use regular horseradish, and I had forgotten that when I went to the store, so I used that sauce you buy near the mayonnaise)

1 tablespoon dried dill

1/2 package wide egg noodles, cooked (I used the wheat ones)

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and cook until translucent and soft. Add meatballs, gravy, sour cream, horseradish and dill and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked thru. Toss with cooked noodles and serve.

Now, if you want my regular Beef Stroganoff recipe (which is always a huge hit in my house), it's on the blog. I definitely enjoyed Sam the Cooking Guy's take on this recipe, and it'll go in my "what the heck am I going to make for dinner" file. We all have those OMG, it's 4pm and there's nothing to eat moments--use this recipe to get something warm and yummy on the table in like 15 minutes total.

Shirley

Hosting a Crowd

This weekend, I had a bunch of friends over, from Thursday till mid-Sunday (with people arriving at varying times), which meant lots of cooking for me (I TRULY enjoyed it). I wanted a menu that would appeal to lots of people, work for large crowds (at the height of everything, we had 20 people here total between adults and kids), and not be too much work. I think it all worked out (even my friend who eats gluten-free was able to enjoy a few things, though I wished I had more on the menu for her).

I planned my menu about a week ahead of time, choosing things I have cooked more than once (several of which are on this blog) and made a pretty extensive grocery list (though I still ended up running out for a few forgotten things). I also tried to create menus that were flexible--meaning if I didn't feel like making one dish one day, I could substitute it with another from the next day.

I also gratefully accepted all offered help. My friends were FABULOUS and cut vegetables, boiled water, shredded cheese...all kinds of helpful jobs (including helping me keep up with the mountain of dishes!!). It became a truly fun event to cook, with everyone standing around in the kitchen enjoying munchies like mango salsa and homemade hummus in between preparing a meal.

Here are some of the recipes I made:

For snacks, we had Hummus (I only used 1/2 cup of the Tahini, more of a to-taste thing) and Samantha Hunter's Mango Salsa. This is SOOO yummy and easy. Use the fresh ingredients for sure.

Samantha Hunter's Mango Salsa

2-3 mangoes, peeled and diced

2-3 cups chopped and seeded tomatoes

2 shallots, minced

1/2 big bunch cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 T. ginger, minced (I use a micrograter to get it tiny)

2-3 T lime juice (about 2 limes)

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and let sit for a couple hours before serving

Here are some of the other recipes I had:

Giada's Lasagna (pictured here). With this one, I substituted cooked Italian sausage and mushrooms for the ground beef. This was an AMAZING lasagna, if I say so myself. Simply delicious.

Served with: Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese (yummy and pretty easy). For dessert, we had Fruit Pavlova (pictured above).

For breakfast the next day, I did baked apple pancakes (basically, you layer apples on the bottom of a pie plate, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then top with pancake batter. Bake at 350 until done; about 10-15 minutes).

We went out for lunch, then for dinner, prepared Giada's Baked Fettuccini, Insalata Rustica (read my notes here for the changes I've made to the recipe), Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Chausser Sauce, and for dessert, DH's favorite dessert, Ina Garten's Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars.

On the last day, I made an egg bake for breakfast, then had burgers and homemade potato salad. I tried to make the last day's dishes far lighter in prep work because we'd all been staying up WAY too late talking and laughing :-)

All in all, I think everyone had a great time, and I know they left with full bellies! One of my friends brought along these AMAZING peanut butter truffles. Loved them. I think spending time in the kitchen with good friends is one of the best things in life :-)

Shirley