Tag Archives: recipe

May 17 2012

Meat Lasagna

Here is a very easy recipe for lasagna.  There’s nothing fancy here, just good home-made taste!

Now that I am doing menu planning I like to cook a double batch of whatever I’m making and put it in the freezer for future use.

Things like enchiladas, chile verde and lasagna make great freezer meals. I wrap the meal well and label with the date. Then take it out a couple of days ahead to thaw. Great for those busy days when you just don’t feel like cooking at night – and everyone still gets a home cooked meal instead of take out!

This recipe is for two full size lasagnas ( 9″ x 13″ casserole pans). You could make just one, but why make one lasagna when you can make two with the same amount of effort. All you need is an extra pan. I like to use disposable foil pans for the freezer so my regular casserole dishes are available for other things.

This is an extra-meaty lasagna because I had thawed a large package of ground beef.  You could easily cut the beef down to 2 lbs and still have enough for two lasagnas.

Ingredients:

16 dry lasagna noodles (one package)

3 lbs ground beef

1 TBSP coarse ground garlic powder

1 TBSP Italian Seasoning

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 extra large container of spaghetti sauce (about 3 regular size jars)

2 15 oz containers of ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

1/2 cup grated parmesan or Roman cheese

2 TBSP dried parsley

6 cups grated mozzarella cheese

 

Here’s how to put it all together:

1. Brown the ground beef over medium heat. Add Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. Drain excess fat.

2. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes.

Extra meaty sauce!

3. Meanwhile, boil water and cook noodles according to package instructions.

4. In a medium bowl mix ricotta, egg, parm or Romano and dried parsley

The ricotta cheese mix. Use fresh parsley if you have it on hand.

5. Drain noodles. Remove meat sauce from heat.

6. Begin layering by putting a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Just enough to keep the noodles from sticking.

7. Place 3-4 noodles in the bottom of the pan, overlapping a little is good. (Do each step for both pans if you are doing two lasagnas)

Smear a little sauce in the bottom of the pan (right) then layer noodles (left).

8. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese mix over the noodles.

Spreading the ricotta can be tricky--just go slowly.

9. Next a layer of meat sauce.

Layer with a generous amount of meat sauce.

10. Then a layer of mozzarella cheese.

Mozzarella on top. Then repeat layers.

11. Repeat steps 7-10 for second layer. Top with additional grated parm or Romano. Cook uncovered at 375° F for 30-40 minutes.

The extra lasagna should be wrapped tightly in foil before placing in the freezer. Be sure the label it with the date.

To use frozen lasagna remove from freezer one day prior to thaw and bake with foil loosely covered for 45 minutes, removing cover after 30 minutes. To bake from frozen cook at 375° for approximately an hour, or until center is heated to 160° when check with a food thermometer.

 

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Apr 11 2012

Minestrone Soup

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Here’s a quick minestrone soup that I whipped up tonight. I was trying to use up a variety of fresh vegetables that were sitting in my refrigerator. This makes a huge pot – enough for a large family!

2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups diced carrots
6 celery ribs, sliced
Salt & pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
1 large can whole peeled tomatoes
6 cups water
1 TBSP chicken bouillon
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
2 small zucchini, diced
1/2 small green cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 cups small pasta shapes (I used ditalini)

1. In a 10 quart stockpot heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender and slightly browned.
2. Add carrots and celery cooking until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remember that bouillon will add salt as well.
3. Add tomatoes, water, Italian seasoning and bouillon. Simmer for 10 minutes then add zucchini and cabbage.
4. Add pasta 10 minutes before serving. Check seasoning and adjust if needed.
5. Serve with fresh grated parmesan or Romano cheese on top and crusty bread.

 

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Mar 31 2012

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Isn’t this cute? It looks like it came from a bakery and tastes just as good. The best part is that this is so easy to do. The cookies only require 4 ingredients – you probably have everything in your pantry to make these right now! Here’s how to make them (full recipe at bottom of post).

 

Make a batch of shortbread cookies. Roll out and cut into your favorite shape. Once cookies are cooled. Melt chocolate chips for dipping. (see instructions below)

Carefully dip cookies half way into chocolate.

Allow to cool on waxed paper to prevent sticking.

Add a few rainbow nonpareils for a more decorative touch. Assistance of a cute kid optional.

Shortbread Cookies

  • 3 sticks of butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3½ cups flour
  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. With an electric stand mixer cream butter and sugar.
  3. Add vanilla and mix well.
  4. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, mix again.
  5. Add flour and mix on lowest speed until it comes together into a dough. If it is dry and crumbly you didn’t mix it quite long enough.
  6. Turn out onto a floured surface. Press/knead gently until it comes together into one piece of dough.
  7. Divide in half and roll out.
  8. Cut into desired shape with a 2-3″ cookie cutter.
  9. Bake on ungreased sheets for 20-25 minutes or until edges are just slightly browned. Do not overbake. If unsure, use a spatula to lift up a cookie and check the underside. If it’s browned they are done.
  10. Move to wire rack to cool completely.

Now these shortbread cookies are VERY tasty just by themselves.  But if you want to go for a fancier look, dipping them in chocolate does the job. The combination of shortbread and chocolate is wonderful.

Chocolate Dip

  • about 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp vegetable shortening (Crisco)
  1. Place chocolate chips in microwave proof measuring cup. I used a 1 cup Pyrex.
  2. Heat in the microwave in small increments, stirring after each.
  3. The chips will retain their shape somewhat, even after they are warm enough, so be sure to stir well.
  4. I did mine for 30 seconds, 30 seconds, 15 seconds.
  5. The chocolate was a little thicker than I wanted so I added a teaspoon of Crisco to thin it out. Be careful not to add too much or it will alter the flavor of the chocolate.
  6. Dip cooled cookies half way into the chocolate.
  7. Scrape the edge and bottom of cookie on the container to catch the excess chocolate.
  8. Once the dip was too shallow I used a small offset spatula to smooth the chocolate onto the last few cookies.
  9. If desired embellish with candy sprinkles.
  10. Allow to cool on waxed paper.

 

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Nov 10 2011

Snickerdoodles!

The kids were asking for a dessert, or “burzert” as Audrey says.  I didn’t have any chocolate chips on hand so I went to the recipe box to look for a solution.  Snickerdoodles, of course!  They are simple, quick to make and oh, so tasty.

Here’s what you need:

Cookies

1 c. shortening (plain, not butter flavored)

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

2  3/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

Coating

2 TBSP granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

 

With an electric mixer, cream the shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat until well mixed.  In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients.  Add the dry to the wet and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl.

In a small bowl or small rimmed plate mix the sugar and cinnamon.  Form the dough into 1″ balls then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar to coat.

Place cookies on an ungreased sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 400°.  Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

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Sep 28 2011

Chile Verde Pork

I bought a beautiful large (5 lb) boneless port shoulder roast a few weeks ago.  It was on sale so I grabbed it and threw it in the freezer, not knowing what I would make with it. I took it out of the freezer four days ago to defrost.

This morning I finally decided to make chile verde.  I’d never made it before, but that didn’t stop me from trying.  In fact, I’ve become more adventurous with my cooking lately, trying lots of new recipes and creating some of my own for the first time.

I browsed several recipes online to get some ideas of how to make the green sauce. This is what I came up with, which is an adaptation of Chile Verde on Simply Recipes.

5 lb. Boneless Pork Shoulder (pork butt roast)

12 tomatillos

1-2 Anaheim chilies, or jalapenos

3 TBSP fresh cilantro

2 TBSP Olive oil

Salt & pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1 TBSP minced garlic

Directions:

  1. Remove husks from tomatillos. Slice in half crosswise and place on a baking sheet, cut side down.  Roast under the broiler for up to 10 minutes, as long as necessary for them to start turning brown.

    Roasted Tomatillos

  2. While the tomatillos are broiling, roast Anaheim chilies over an open flame. Place roasted chilies in a plastic bag and seal.  After a few minutes the blackened skin will peel off easily.  Remove stem and seeds.
  3. Place tomatillos, chilies and cilantro in the blender.  Pulse a few times to blend the ingredients into a sauce.

    Blended Green Sauce

  4. Cut pork into 1-2 inch pieces. Remove excess fat when possible.
  5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown pork in batches.  Season the meat with salt and pepper.

    Browning Adds Flavor

  6. Place cooked pork in crock pot. Pour in green sauce.
  7. Saute the chopped onion and garlic in the pan used to brown the pork.

    Saute Onion & Garlic

  8. Add sautéed onion and garlic to the crock pot.

    Place meat, sauce & veggies in cooker.

  9. Add 1 cup of water. Stir and set to on LOW for 7-8 hours.

    Finished Chile Verde

This recipe will make a large batch-serves 8 or more people.  I used a 7 quart slow cooker for this large amount of meat.  To fewer servings use less meat – about 3 lbs and omit decrease water to 1/2 cup.  

Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole and Mexican rice.

 

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