Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Blueberry Mini Muffins

I baked muffins for the end-of-the year breakfast snack for my first grader, aka allergy boy. I made mini muffins this time and they were gobbled up by the first graders, their teacher and the parents, too. I baked throughout the year since Son #2 is allergic to eggs and can't eat store-bought treats. Baking has become "my thing." The teacher and parents who ate my goodies in the past said these blueberry muffins were my best yet. I have to agree. These were delish! 

The blueberries were bursting with flavor!

Perfect lil' mini muffins.

Blueberry Mini Muffins

Yield: 48 mini muffins

Ingredients:
  • 1 c rice milk (or soy milk or milk)
  • 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1 stick Nucoa margarine (or butter)
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 c flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 c fresh blueberries
Directions:
  1. Measure out rice milk, add vinegar and set aside to let "curdle." If you prefer eggs, skip the milk/vinegar mixture and use 2 eggs.
  2. Preheat oven to 375F. Prep mini muffin pans with liners or spray with oil.
  3. In stand mixer bowl, cream together Nucoa (butter), sugar and vanilla.
  4. Add flour, salt and baking powder to butter mixture. Mix well.
  5. Gently fold in blueberries.
  6. Bake 12-15 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in muffin pan for 5 mins before transferring to wire rack.
Source: Adapted from Vanilla & Lace

Monday, June 28, 2010

White Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream Frosting

I wanted an extraordinary dessert for Father's Day dinner. June 20th is also my Mom's Birthday so I wanted a special dessert for our family get-together. I wanted to save a little time so I used a box cake mix for my cupcakes. There's nothing wrong with making life a little easier if I can. :)

These cupcakes were so delicious. The blueberry buttercream frosting was great even though the blueberry puree didn't fully blend together with the buttercream. I'll try to get the consistency right when I bake these again for a Fourth of July dessert.

The Tiers.

Mmmm...blueberries...

White Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
  • White Cake box mix
  • 12 oz 7-Up
  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pan.
  • Place cake mix in stand mixer bowl. Mix on low.
  • Slowly add 7-Up, increase mixer speed and mix completely.
  • Using a Pampered Chef medium scoop, add a scoopful of batter in muffin liner.
  • Bake on middle rack for 20-25 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool in muffin pan for 5 mins and then transfer cupcakes to wire rack. Cool completely before frosting. ENJOY!
Blueberry Buttercream Frosting

Yield: Frosting for 18-24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
  • 3 tbs blueberry puree
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
  1. In stand mixer bowl, beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. 
  2. Reduce speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar. Mix well.
  3. Add vanilla and blueberry puree and mix until blended. 
  4. Frost cupcakes and ENJOY!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Crockpot Shredded Beef

The crockpot is my friend and she's always there for me in a pinch. She pulled through for me again the other day. I don't use my crockpot often but I really should. If used properly, meats will turn out moist and juicy. Dinners are easy when I use it and I'm all about easy with my busy schedule.

I had a beef roast in the fridge that I picked up in the "Manager's Special" section of Ralph's. I find great deals in that little section and haven't been disappointed yet. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the roast but knew I'd figure it out by the end of the day. I like a pulled pork sandwich so I figured a pulled beef sandwich would be delicious. Glad I tried it because it was tender and fabulously flavorful. 

I added a layer of baby carrots and onions on the bottom of the crockpot before adding the beef. The onions were great on the sandwich and the carrots were perfect to serve as a side. The fam loved this dish, and when I serve it again, I'll use regular buns. I wanted to cut some carbs so I used thin sandwich buns but there are little holes all over the top and bottom bun which made for a very messy sandwich. The sauce oozed out with every bite but the boys didn't mind one bit. 

This recipe makes a lot of shredded beef and is an easy, stress-free way to serve a big crowd. Since I was only making this for my fam of four, I froze the leftovers and will eventually use it for beef enchiladas. Easy peasy weeknight dinner down the road...

Juicy!

Add Dijon mustard and extra onions. Good stuff!

Crockpot Shredded Beef

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
  • 2 1/4 lb boneless beef roast
  • 1-2 c baby carrots
  • 1 large onion, quartered
sauce:
  • 2 tbs Dijon mustard
  • 1 c barbecue sauce
  • 2 tbs red wine vinegar
  • 12 oz beer
Directions:
  1. Mix sauce ingredients in med large bowl. Set aside.
  2. Place carrots and onion in bottom of crockpot.
  3. Cut beef roast in half so it covers bottom of crockpot dish.
  4. Place roast on top of carrot/onion mixture.
  5. Pour sauce over beef and coat top and bottom of roast.
  6. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs or until beef pulls apart easily with a fork.
  7. When done, remove beef from crock pot and shred.
  8. Strain off fat and mix sauce into pulled beef portion.
Source: Adapted from A Good Appetite

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

I'm not a white chocolate fan but I had some white chocolate chips that needed to get used up. Key word "needed." Yeah, right. Ha! I asked my boys if they wanted white chocolate cranberry or white chocolate coconut and they requested coconut. Since I'm not into white chocolate, I only ate a couple cookies. I wouldn't have eaten any but I figured I should see how they turned out. My waist-line is definitely thanking me for not eating any more than that. :) I really liked the browner cookies with the toasty coconut crispies and burned marshmallowy-like white chocolate chips. Those were pretty darn good.

This was my first batch of cookies on my brand new Silpat.
That thing is awesome!

See the browned edges? 
Those little toasty coconut crunchies are delicious.

Tower of tasty cookies.

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Yield: 18 cookies

Ingredients:
  • 3/4 c white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
wet:
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
dry:
  • 1 c flour
  • 1 c self-rising flour*
  • 1 c sweetened, shredded coconut
Directions:
  1. * Self-rising flour: You can make your own self-rising flour: sift together 1 c flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F. Prep baking sheets with parchment paper or a handy dandy Silpat.
  3. Measure out milk, add vinegar and set aside to let "curdle." If you prefer eggs, skip the milk/vinegar mixture and use 2 eggs instead.
  4. Measure out wet ingredients and add to stand mixer bowl. Mix using paddle attachment until thoroughly combined. 
  5. Add dry ingredients and mix well till dough forms. Add milk/vinegar mixture and stir well. Add white chocolate chips last and incorporate into dough.
  6. Use Pampered Chef medium scoop and place on prepared baking sheet. Flatten to desired cookie thickness and place 1" apart on baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 mins.  Cookies should be browned on bottom.
Source: Adapted from Once Upon a Plate

Monday, June 21, 2010

Enchiladas with Sour Cream Salsa Verde Sauce

I love enchiladas. Love, love, LOVE enchiladas! Really, I do. They taste so good and they're extremely easy to make. So simple and flavorful. Enchiladas are an easy way to use up leftover chicken or beef and you can throw in any filler (veggies, rice, cheese) and whip up your own sauce with basic ingredients. Awesome, right? I look in the fridge to see what I have on hand and can effortlessly whip up a quick, delicious dinner. I'm telling you...enchiladas are ridiculously easy and a hit with everyone.

This is my favorite sauce to date.

MMMMmmmmm.....

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Salsa Verde Sauce

Yield: 6-8 servings, 10 enchiladas

Ingredients:

10 flour tortillas

filling:
  • 2-3 c chicken, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 c cilantro, washed and chopped (more or less to taste)
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
sauce:
  • 2 c salsa verde (reserve 1/2 c for bottom of 9x13" dish)
  • 1 c sour cream
Directions:
  1. Pour approx. 1/2 c salsa verde in 9x13" dish to cover bottom.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F.
  3. In med bowl, combine sauce ingredients.
  4. In separate bowl, combine filling ingredients.
  5. Stack tortillas and add filling across one "end." Roll and place seam-side down in dish. Continue with remaining tortillas.
  6. If you have leftover filling, add it to the sauce and stir well.
  7. Pour sauce over enchiladas and spread evenly over entire dish.
  8. Bake 20-25 mins. Add extra cheese over enchiladas if desired and bake an additional 5 mins. ENJOY!

Friday, June 18, 2010

"Mrs. Field's" Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm sure you've gotten a Mrs. Field's or Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie recipe forwarded via email at some point. Maybe even multiple times. The email asks you to forward the recipe to everyone you know because someone was charged $250.00 for the recipe and not $2.50. They were upset about the incredulous charge and wanted to share the recipe with everyone they knew...for free.

Since the recipe looked familiar, I compared the ingredients of this so-called Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie to the Mrs. Field's recipe I received in the late '80s from a family friend. Even then, I was doubtful that they were truly Mrs. Field's recipe but they were delicious nonetheless. These chocolate chip cookies have been my go-to cookie for years. Whether the recipe originated from the kitchen of Mrs. Field's, Neiman Marcus or some other cookie company, this cookie is DELISH! 

By the way, according to snopes, that recipe rumor is false.

Grab a tall glass of cold milk.

Chocolatey goodness.

"Mrs. Field's" Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 112 cookies (I ended up with 7 dozen 2" cookies)

Ingredients:
  • 2 c butter (I used 1 1/2 c)
  • 2 c sugar (I used 1 1/2 c)
  • 2 c brown sugar (I used 1 1/2 c)
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 c flour
  • 5 c oatmeal (use food processor and process into powder)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder (2.5 tsp for softer cookies)
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 24 oz chocolate chips
  • 8 oz Hershey bar, grated (I omitted)
  • 3 c chopped nuts (I omitted)
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
  3. Process oatmeal into powder and put in stand mixer bowl. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Add chocolate chips, grated chocolate and nuts and mix until incorporated.
  5. Use Pampered Chef Medium Scoop and drop scoopfuls onto lined baking sheet. Press cookie dough down until desired thickness is reached.
  6. Bake 6-8 mins. Do not over-bake. Cool 5 mins on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. ENJOY!
Source: Adapted from family friend, MV.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Craisin Maple Muffins

I hardly ever buy sour cream but I ended up with two tubs in my fridge. I buy items for a new recipe I want to try and sometimes I don't follow through with actually making it. I had one of those weeks.

There's only so much sour cream you can eat in one sitting when adding to soups, enchiladas or nachos. I was on a quest to find a recipe that would use up a good amount of sour cream. I found a few but these maple muffins were the first on my list. Priorities, I tell ya! These muffins were moist and delicious.




Craisin Maple Muffins

Yield: 18 muffins

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 c Craisins (dried cranberries or fruit of choice)
wet:
  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1/2 c maple syrup
dry:
  • 1 3/4 c flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
  1. Measure out milk, add vinegar, mix and set aside to let "curdle." If you prefer eggs, skip the milk/vinegar mixture and use 2 eggs instead.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 and line muffin pan with liners.
  3. In stand mixer bowl, cream together wet ingredients.
  4. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add Craisins last. Do not overmix.
  5. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 mins. 
  6. Cool in pan for 8-10 mins and then transfer to wire rack. 
Source: Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library Series, Muffins & Quick Breads, by John Phillip Carroll (Time-Life Books, 1993).

Friday, June 11, 2010

Chioggia Beets and Greens

This is the coolest looking veggie.  Another new find from my CSA basket. :)

Bullseye!

According to Vancouver Seed Bank, "Chioggia beet seeds are a striking Italian HERITAGE variety with light-red, smooth round roots and bright pink and white alternating rings inside. These sweet beets are about 5cm (2") in diameter with mild green leaves and pale red stems. We don't recommend it for pickling as it becomes very pale in the jar. Interestingly, each red ring in the cross section of these beets represents one lunar month of growth. Matures in 65 days."

This pic is taken from Vancouver Seed Bank to show you the color of the beets and greens as I didn't take pics of those. The beets are a lighter red and not the deep red color characteristic of "regular" beets. 

My boys and I really love beets because they're so sweet and delicious. We eat them warm as a side with meals or even cold as a snack when we have leftovers. I prep a good-sized portion to keep in the fridge to have on hand for hungry moments after school. 

Beets in the raw and whole beets without their skin.
These Chioggia beets don't "bleed" when you cut them up. Mess free. Can't complain about that!

Steamed beets lose their neat rings but the flavor's still there. YUM.

Chioggia Beets

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
  • 2 bunches Chioggia beets
  • Chioggia beet greens (set aside for another dish)
  • 1/4 c water (more or less depending on amounts of beets prepared)
Directions:
  1. Wash, peel and cut up beets.
  2. Trim beet greens from stems. Reserve greens, wash and set aside. 
  3. Spray large skillet with a little olive oil and heat over med heat.
  4. Add beets and water. Steam till beets are cooked through. Add more water if necessary.
  5. Eat plain, with salt and pepper or a drizzle of honey. ENJOY!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Honey Pork Chops

I was looking to make an asian inspired pork entree to serve alongside the Sweet n Spicy Wings. I wanted a slightly sweet marinade so honey was the key to this dish. Next time, I'll set aside a little marinade and make some sauce because pork has a tendency to be on the dry side. Ok, I shouldn't blame the pork. As thin as these pork chops were, I should've known they didn't need to grill so long. I used the leftovers in soup so this was still good stuff!

Hot off the grill.

This was good but would've been GREAT with extra sauce.

Honey Pork Chops

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
  • 6 thin, bone-in pork chops
marinade:
  • 1/2 c chicken stock
  • 1/4 c honey
  • 1/4 c soy sauce
  • 1 tbs ketchup
  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
Directions:
  1. Mix together marinade ingredients in large ziploc or large container.
  2. Add pork and marinate overnight.
  3. Heat grill and cook for 10-15 mins or till cooked through.
  4. Serve with rice, veggies and salad. ENJOY!!!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Sweet n Spicy Wings

A couple weeks ago, my parents did a patio remodel and it turned out great. Their old grill was damaged and removed years ago so it's been a really long time since they enjoyed a BBQ at home. My Mom was looking forward to breaking in the new grill and that she did indeed. She grilled up a storm!

One of the things she grilled was salt and peppered chicken wings. Simple yet delicious. I'm not a fan of chicken skin but I can eat it if it's chicken wings. Weird, I know. As long as it's thin skin, I can handle it. I'm glad I don't have a total aversion to it because the crisp, barbecued wings were delish!

I wanted more wings. I wanted something spicy. I wanted something garlicky. I knew Joanne's Sweet, Spicy, Sour Chicken Wings would hit the spot. Everything I've tried from her blog has been a hit with my fam. Good stuff, for sure!

I bought whole wings because it's much cheaper than buying a package of drummettes and wings that have already been separated for you. I used my kitchen shears to cut them apart and then I cut the wing tips and set them aside so I could make chicken stock. The extra step is easy and worth the savings.

When we eat at our fave Chinese and Thai restaurants, the waiters always bring Sambal Oelek chili paste as soon as we're seated. That chili paste is great on just about everything when you need a little heat. I added a very small amount to the marinade because this was a shared dish with the kids. Next time, oh yes, there will most definitely be a next time, I'm making my own batch that's extra spicy. I LOVE SPICY!!! 

Marinate overnight for best flavor.

GARLIC!

Turn the chicken and broil them for crispy, browned wings.

These were so good Hubby thought my Mom made them. :)

These are not goldfish. They're wing tips. :)
In stock pot, add wing tips, onion (cut into quarters), garlic (2 tbs minced), carrots, celery, parsley (I used cilantro), oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper and fill pot half full with water. Bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 4+ hrs. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Sweet n Spicy Wings

Yield: 24 wings, 4 servings?

Ingredients:
  • 3 lbs chicken wings (wings and drummettes)
marinade:
  • 1/4 c soy sauce
  • 1/4 c water
  • 1/4 c rice vinegar
  • 1/4 c sake
  • 2 tbs sugar
  • 1 tbs sesame oil
  • 1 tsp Sambal Oelek (chili pepper paste)- use more if you like heat.
  • 2 tbs garlic, minced
Directions:
  1. Mix marinade ingredients in large ziploc or large container for marinating chicken.
  2. Add chicken wings and marinate overnight for best flavor.
  3. Preheat oven to 375F. Line roasting pan with foil for easy clean-up and use spray oil to prevent chicken from sticking.
  4. Put chicken in roasting pan in single layer, not touching. Discard marinade.
  5. Cook 45 mins - 1 hr. Because my chicken were a little crammed, I turned them after 1 hr, placed them on middle rack and broiled them for 3-5 mins till skin was crispy and browned on backside, too. ENJOY!!!
Source: Adapted from Week of Menus

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Chocolatey Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was undecided between chocolate chip cookies and double chocolate chip cookies so I asked Hubby to choose. He looked at me as if I were crazy. He's a chocoholic (takes one to know one) so he was shocked that I even asked because the answer was so obvious. In all honesty, I just needed someone to blame for all the chocolatey goodness that I knew was about to ensue. 

These cookies were awesome and everyone enjoyed them. I heard lots of ooohs and ahhhhs with every bite. Love it! Now I can point a finger and say, "He made me do it!" Yup. It's all Hubby's fault. ;) I'm warning you. These cookies are rich and super chocolatey. I added too many a lot of chocolate chips so I wasn't sure if the cookies would actually hold together but they did. Decadent, delicious and dangerous, for sure! Yuh-uhhh-UMMMM!!!

Mmmmmmm...chocolate.......

Chocolate overdose...the BEST!
(drooooooool)

Chocolatey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies, approx. 2" in diameter

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1/2 tsp vinegar
  • 1/3 c butter, softened
  • 1/4 c brown sugar
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 c flour
  • 1/4 c cocoa powder
  •  1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 c chocolate chips (can reduce to 1 c - 1 1/2 c depending on chocolate preference)
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Measure out milk, add vinegar and set aside to let "curdle." If you prefer eggs, skip the milk/vinegar mixture and use 2 eggs instead.
  3. In stand mixer bowl, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla till thoroughly incorporated.
  4. Measure flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Mix well.
  5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix well.
  6. Add milk/vinegar mixture (or eggs).  Mix thoroughly.
  7. Add chocolate chips. Stir well.
  8. Use Pampered Chef medium scoop and drop scoopfuls onto lined baking sheets. Press cookie dough down until desired thickness is reached.
  9. Bake 8-10 mins for soft, chewy cookie. Cool 5 mins on baking sheet and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Raspberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I baked a festive dessert for our Memorial Day barbecue. In the past, I've made a flag cake with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream but this year I wanted something different. Plus, I didn't have any of those ingredients so I had to come up with Plan B quickly because I was not about to go back to the store again.

I baked raspberry cupcakes with white chocolate frosting instead. I thought the cupcakes were a little on the dry side but everyone said they were great. Next time, I'll try this with my Vanilla Cupcake recipe because that's still my favorite. I also tried a new piping technique and it totally backfired. Twice! I was also tired because I was frosting at midnight so I resorted to a dollop of frosting instead. The frosting did help cut the dryness. :)

Eenie meenie minie moe...

Raspberries baked in the center with the open end up.

One raspberry wasn't enough so I topped the rest of the cupcakes with three raspberries each.


Nice warm raspberry center...ohhhhh yeah!

Raspberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
  • 1 c raspberries, washed and dried
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 c butter, softened
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1/8 c Canola oil (It was a little dry so increase to 1/4 c)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
dry:
  • 1 1/2 c flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pan with liners.
  2. Measure out milk, add vinegar and set aside to let "curdle." If you prefer eggs, skip the milk/vinegar mixture and use 2 eggs.
  3. In stand mixer bowl, cream together butter, sugar, oil and vanilla.
  4. Measure out dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add to butter mixture.
  5. When cupcake mixture is combined well, slowly pour in milk/vinegar mixture and continue mixing. Do not over-mix.
  6. Fill liners 2/3 full using Pampered Chef medium scoop. Place one big raspberry in the center of each cupcake with the open end up. 
  7. Bake for 20-25 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  8. Cool in cupcake pan for 8-10 mins and then transfer to wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 12-18 cupcakes

Ingredients:
  • 1 c white chocolate chips 
  • 1/3 c butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbs shortening
  • 1 tbs milk (add only if frosting is too thick)
Directions:
  1. Melt white chocolate very slowly and carefully. It should be melted and not too hot. My chocolate was frozen so I did 30 second intervals in the microwave and stirred after each round.
  2. Add remaining ingredients in med bowl. Using hand mixer, mix until combined well. Add the melted white chocolate and mix till incorporated. Do not over-mix. If too thick, add a little milk.
  3. Frost cupcakes and ENJOY!
Source: Inspired by Purple Cookie

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Marinara Lasagna Rolls

I made lasagna rolls with bechamel sauce a few months back and they were soooooo delicious!  I've been wanting to make them several times since then but I haven't had time. I finally bought the ingredients and made the rolls again but this time without the bechamel and I used sausage instead. My boys LOVE lasagna rolls!  They can easily eat two of them and Son #1 would eat three if I let him.  Serve with a salad, grilled/roasted veggies and garlic bread...delish!

Lovely.

Yummy. Really yummy!

Marinara Lasagna Rolls

Yield: 8 rolls

Ingredients: 
  • 8 lasagna noodles: cook according to directions, drain and set aside on wax paper in single layer.
  • 3-4 c marinara sauce 
  • 1-2 c Italian five cheese mixture
cheese: Mix cheese ingredients thoroughly. Set aside till ready to spread on lasagna noodles.
  • 8-12 oz ricotta cheese (8 oz for thin layer of spread but 12 oz would've been perfect.)
  • 1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten (I omitted due to son's allergy)
filling: Cook sausage thoroughly and set aside. Then saute veggies 3-4 mins and mix in with sausage.
  • 1 lb ground sweet Italian sausage (if you have sausage in the casing, remove the casings and cook like ground beef)
  • 1 bunch swiss chard, washed, dried and chopped (can sub spinach)
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • add veggie of preference: bell peppers, mushrooms, squash, etc.
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. In 9x13" dish, cover bottom of dish with some marinara sauce.
  3. Spread ricotta mixture on entire lasagna noodle.
  4. Place sausage over ricotta.
  5. Spread veggies over sausage.
  6. Carefully roll noodle from skinny end till completely rolled up. Place in prepared 9x13" dish.
  7. Roll remaining noodles and place in dish. 
  8. Top rolls with marinara and bake for 20-30 mins.
  9. Add cheese during last 10 mins and bake till cheese melts.
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