Lasagna Rolls

I am a lasagna purist, so it took me a long time to get on the lasagna roll bandwagon.  The concept has been around for a while, but since lasagna is one of my favorite foods, I thought my way was better.  Well... I might have been wrong.  These are so good!  And if you want to put them in multiple dishes to freeze, pass off to a friend etc, it is very convenient!

Meat Sauce:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 a 32 oz. jar of sauce (save the rest for the bottom and top)

Ricotta Filling:

• 2 cups ricotta cheese (or a 15 ounce container)
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons of pesto
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley ( I only had dried)
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded, about 2 cups (reserving 1/2 cup for topping)
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese finely grated, about 1 1/2 - 2 cups (reserving 1/4 cup for topping)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Noodles:

• 12 traditional lasagna noodles (I had enough filling for 15)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. Brown the ground beef and drain any excess grease.
3. Add half of the jar of sauce and simmer to combine the flavors.
4. While the sauce is simmering, boil the lasagna noodles in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles, rinse quickly under cold water and then lay the noodles flat in a single layer on waxed paper, towel, cutting board, whatever is handy.
5. Stir together the ricotta cheese, egg, pesto, parsley, mozzarella cheese (remember to set aside 1/2 cup of the mozzarella for topping later), Parmesan cheese (remember to set aside 1/4 cup of the Parmesan for later also), salt and pepper.
6. Spread a heaping spoonful of the ricotta filling down the center of each noodle. It doesn't have to cover the entire noodle, just press it into a somewhat even layer. The filling will be divided up evenly over all 12 noodle (I don't start rolling up the noodles until I've used up all the filling so I can add more to each noodle if need be). Spread a tablespoon or two of the meat sauce down the center of each noodle on top of the creamy filling. Again, it doesn't need to be perfectly even, just drizzle/spread it across the top.
7. Spread about one cup or so of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Working with one lasagna noodle at a time, roll the noodle and place seam-side down in the baking dish in four rows of three. Spread the remaining sauce over the noodles, sprinkle with the reserved cheeses and cover with aluminum foil  Bake, covered for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let the lasagna rolls rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Kitchen of Reality Tips:

- I used a jarred sauce by Mid's called Meatless (Lowe's Foods) and it was the best sauce I have ever tasted!  It is quite expensive so I only bought it because it was on a great sale.  In the future, I will be sure to stock up because it was awesome!

- I got all my other ingredients at Aldi, so you can keep the price pretty low!

Sour Cream Pasta Bake

This is a modified recipe I got from one of my best friends, Emily. 

1 package bowtie Wacky Mac Pasta (my kids love the colors, I love it's made from veggies)
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cottage cheese
1 small can tomato sauce (NOT spaghetti sauce)
1 lb ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Cook the Wacky Mac according to the package directions.
2.  While the pasta cooks, brown off the ground beef and drain the excess fat off.  Pour in the can of tomato sauce and I season it with a little black pepper and garlic salt.
3.  In a 2 or 3 qt baking dish (I use a large deep oval shape, not a 9 X 13) dump in your cottage cheese and sour cream.  I season this also with a little black pepper and garlic salt.  Mix well.
4.  Drain pasta and shake excess water off.  Pour into baking dish and mix with sour cream/cottage cheese mixture. 
5.  Pour beef mixture on top and spread evening.
6.  Top with cheese.  Cover with either foil or a lid (I have a glass lid) and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Take the foil/lid off the last 10 minutes to brown the cheese just a bit. 

Tips from the Kitchen of Reality:
-My kids DEVOUR this.  They LOVE the Wacky Mac! 
-The original recipe calls for scallions on the top.  It makes it taste a little more Tex-Mex and I like it that way but the kids don't, so I leave it off.
-This is a great easy recipe that makes a lot and is GREAT reheated as leftovers. 

Enjoy!

Tortellini Spinach Bake

YUM! Try this as an easy dinner or as a side – you’ll be glad you did!

Ingredients:
- 12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortellini
- 4 strips of bacon
- 3 cloves minced garlic -
- 2 Tbs flour
- 2 C milk
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp dry basil
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 medium lemon
- 2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ¾ C grated mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¾ C grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Cook tortellini according to directions.

- Cook bacon in skillet until crisp, remove from pan.

- Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth.

- Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.

- While sauce is heating, zest lemon. Then cut lemon in half and remove juice. Add 1 teaspoon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice to sauce. Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

- Drain tortellini and place back in pot. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture. Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce and gently stir to combine. Place pasta mixture in a baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and also crumbled bacon.

- Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:

- I didn’t have a lemon, just used lemon juice. I’m sure the lemon flavor would have been stronger had I used a real lemon.

- I could only find the 8 oz bags ot tortellini at Walmart—so I bought two and used them both so we would have leftovers for lunch and dinner tomorrow. I had plenty of sauce to go around without adding anything extra.

Originally from Our Best Bites Website.

Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Garlic

I am a woman on a budget these day for sure and this was a cheap recipe that had GREAT flavor and was really “light.” Try it, I think you’ll like it.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes

2/3 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound spaghetti

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and the red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and the salt and cook until the mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain and toss with the mushroom mixture, the parsley, and the pepper.

 

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- I thought 1/2 cup of oil sounded like a lot… I think I used about 1/2 of that.

- I used minced garlic that I had in the fridge instead of cloves.

- I love angel hair pasta, so we used that instead of spaghetti

- The leftovers of this were AMAZING! The flavor was just so much better. I may make this ahead next time, refrigerate it, then reheat in skillet when ready to serve. The pasta just had more flavor. Then again, if I had used more oil it may not have been a problem as it would have coated the pasta better. YUMMY… none the less!

Garlic Shrimp with Angel Hair

Ingredients

-12 oz angel hair pasta

-2 1/2 Tbsp butter

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

-1 lb peeled, deveined large shrimp, thawed

-1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

- salt

- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

2. Heat 2 Tbsp of the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute.

3. Add shrimp, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and 1⁄2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked (opaque throughout), 3 to 5 minutes; stir in the lemon juice.

4. Toss the pasta with the parsley, remaining 1⁄2 Tbsp butter and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water (adding more if the pasta seems dry). Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- I used the peeled and cooked frozen shrimp-- cheaper and less work.

- I am not a huge fan of parsley-- it has no flavor in my opinion and it isn't growing in my herb garden yet. BUT my oregano is growing rampant. So that's what I used and it was tasty. - Super easy recipe that I will be making again.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

This is a Kraft recipe I came across, really easy and a good use for some garden vegetables.

Ingredients:
- 3 cups penne pasta, uncooked
- 2 Tbsp Italian dressing
- 1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1-1/2 cups cut-up fresh asparagus (1-inch lengths)
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
- Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package.
- Heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and vegetables; cook 10 to 12 min. or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. Add broth and cream cheese; cook 1 min. or until cream cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
- Drain pasta; return to pan. Add chicken mixture; mix lightly. Cook 1 min. or until heated through. (Sauce will thicken upon standing.)

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- I did use a little flour to thicken the sauce. It may have thickened after it sat for awhile, but I was ready to eat so I helped it along.

Stuffed Shells with Crispy Pancetta & Spinach

My mom, Diane, made this a week or so ago, and I LOVED it! Stuffed shells with a white sauce, definitely a new twist on the traditional favorite. She hasn't gotten around to posting it yet, but I am planning to make it this week, so I looked it up and decided to post it for her. Love you, Mom! It is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients:
-1 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-½ pound thick-cut pancetta, cut into ¾-inch cubes
-2 pounds frozen spinach, thawed and drained
-1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta
-3 cups grated asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
-3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
-1 tablespoon butter
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1 cup heavy cream
-¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the shells and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the shells and set them aside.
3. Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook it until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the spinach, ricotta, 1 cup of the asiago cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper to the bowl and stir everything together. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each, and place the stuffed shells in a large buttered baking dish.
5. Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until just golden, being very careful not to burn it. Add the cream, and bring it to a simmer. Turn the heat down very low and add 2 cups of asiago cheese, the parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted completely. Pour the sauce over the shells. Sprinkle the tops of the shells with remaining ¼ cup of asiago cheese.
6. Bake until a light golden crust has formed on top, about 25 minutes.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- Really, who uses pancetta in the real world... she used BACON!!
- She used the nutmeg but you couldn't taste it, so if you don't have it, leave it out.
- We aren't big buyers of fresh herbs in the winter, too expensive, a few tbsps of dried parsley works fine.
- Mom used half & half instead of heavy cream. I'm gonna try plain old milk this week to try and cut a few more calories out. Your call on that one.

Chicken Caprese- Olive Garden Style

It seems we have started a Valentine tradition since the past 2 years we have gotten together with our friends Matt & Annie to celebrate the "holiday." None of us are big "romantic types" - so we just make it a fun night and give the guys a chance to do something sweet for us. So Friday night, Mark and Matt made this pretty involved dish for us (along with dessert and chocolate dipped strawberries) and it was fabulous!! It is pretty easy, it just has a ton of steps. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!


Ingredients:
- 8-10 Roma tomatoes
- 30 fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus 1 tbsp, divided
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tbsp, divided
- 1 lb dry angel hair pasta

Tomato and Basil Preparation:
-cut tomatoes and basil leaves into 1 inch pieces
-combine tomatoes, basil, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning and 1½ teaspoons of salt in a large bowl and blend thoroughly.
- cover, set aside and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


Chicken Preparation:
-preheat oven to 350.
-coat a large, non-stick skillet with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat.
-combine 1½ cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, black pepper and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning in a shallow dish
-dredge chicken in the mixture
-place chicken in skillet and saute for about two minutes on each side
-transfer chicken to a large baking dish and place in oven to cook for approximately 10 minutes or until chicken is 165 degrees

Pasta Preparation:
-cook pasta according to package directions
-drain and set aside until needed

Sauce Preparation:
-heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
-add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and sauté for approximately 1 minute
-add 1 tablespoon of flour and stir to combine
-add white wine and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
-drain tomatoes and basil from liquid and set aside until needed. Add ½ cup of the marinade liquid and sauté for approximately 1 minute.
-add heavy cream. Lower heat and bring to a simmer
-add grated Parmesan cheese

Assembling Chicken Caprese:
-remove chicken from baking dish and set aside until needed
-transfer pasta to baking dish and partly coat with sauce
-pour desired amount of the remaining sauce on pasta and evenly distribute tomatoes and basil over pasta
-place chicken on top of pasta
-sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over chicken
-place baking dish under broiler for approximately 2-3 minutes to melt cheese

Here's a picture of the boys being proud of their meal!!

Garlic Basil Shrimp

Mark found this recipe in BH&Gardens and cooked it for me on New Year's Day. I think he's been living with me a little too long, because he actually changed/altered the recipe way more than I would have. Those notes are at the bottom.


Ingredients:
6 oz whole wheat or plain fettuccini
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 lbs frozen shrimp: thawed, peeled, and deveined
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
- Cook pasta, drain, and keep warm.
- Heat oil and add shrimp, cook 4 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove shrimp from pan.
- To pan add garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Cook about 30 seconds.
- Add wine- cook about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomatoes and basil.
- Return shrimp to pan and heat through.
- Serve over pasta.

Tips from Kitchen of Reality:
- If you don't like spice- be sure to note the 1/8 tsp-- Mark added 1/2-- it wasn't too spicy at dinner that night -- we both like spicy anyways-- but the leftovers the next day left a nice burning sensation for quite awhile.
- It's winter so we had no fresh basil, so Mark used some of the pesto I made this fall. Smart way to get the flavor without having to spend a fortune on herbs.
- Overall, a very tasty recipe.