Skinny Turkey Lasagna

Suffice it to say that no lasagna is skinny... I mean clearly, let us operate in the realm of truth. Nonetheless, this is a less calorie intensive rendition of this delicious comfort food. I switch out the normal pork sausage for a low fat turkey turkey sausage. I use part-skim and fat-free cheeses. I bulk up the flavor of marinara with balsamic vinegar and a ton more veggies. This is a great freezer meal or you can make ahead and store in your refrigerator a day in advance. 

What you need

• 3 stalks of celery diced

• 2 medium onions diced

• 1 cup of shredded carrots

• 1 pound of raw turkey sausage 

• 3 cloves of garlic minced or micro-planed 

• 1 tablespoon of salt free Italian seasoning

• 3 cups of marinara 

• 2 eggs

• 16 oz of fat-free ricotta

• 2 cups of low fat mozzarella 

• 1 box of no boil lasagna sheets or fresh pasta sheets

• 2 tablespoons of Parmesan 

• salt and pepper to taste

• red pepper flake (optional)

• basil leaf for serving

What you do

1. Make the sauce: In a large non-stick sauce pan over medium heat cook the celery, onions, and carrots. Cook the vegetables for a minute or two. Add the turkey sausage out of the casing. Cook until no longer pink, stirring. If the turkey sticks to the bottom of the pan add some water. Micro-plane in or add the minced garlic, add the Italian seasoning. Then add the marinara. Turn the heat down to low, and allow to simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 
2. Make the cheese filling: In a large bowl whisk the eggs and add the ricotta. Stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.   
3. Assemble the lasagna: Cover your pan in foil and spray with non-stick spray. Pour a ladle full of sauce into the bottom of 11 X 9 X 3 inch serving dish or lasagna pan. Place the no-boil noodles, one at a time to make a noodle blanket and cover the bottom of the dish. Lots of thin layers is better than 2 thick ones. Layer a few laddles of the sauce. Cover with a layer of raw noodle sheets. Pour about half the cheese mixture, spread into a flat layer, cover with noodles. Repeat with remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese. When at the top, cover the noodle sheets with sauce, then mozzarella and top with Parmesan. You can bake right away or freeze for later. 
4. Bake: Cook the lasagna covered for 30 minutes at 400 degrees; then uncover the dish for an additional 15 minutes so the cheese can turn bubbly and brown.  
5. Serve: thinly slice fresh basil leaves. Serve with red pepper flakes and extra Parmesan cheese.

Make-ahead and freezer directions 

• The dish will keep in the refrigerator tightly covered for a day. 
• If you are freezing cover the entire dish in foil. 
• Write what is in the dish and label with date and cooking instructions. 
• You can either thaw the lasagna and cook covered for 30 minutes at 400 degrees; or you can put the frozen lasagna in the oven covered in foil for 2 hours at 400 degrees. Either way you want to uncover the dish for an additional 15 minutes so the cheese can turn bubbly and brown.  

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy cooking!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Pepper

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Pepper

Roasted winter squashes might be one of my favorite parts of fall. This is an easy no fuss and healthy dinner that even you’re most avid carnivores and “carbivores” will enjoy with gusto. While the squash takes a while to roast, you don’t need to do anything while it roasts, and then you can throw everything together in under 10 minutes. It is based on a classic Roman dish Spaghetti Cacio y Pepe. I just replaced the spaghetti with squash... cute huh? 

What you need

1 large spaghetti squash (about 5 pounds)
4 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving

What you do

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and put a rack in the middle
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds
3. Brush the flesh with a tablespoon of the olive oil and add a good sprinkle of salt and grinds of pepper
4. Put the squash cut side up on a cast iron skillet or a lined baking sheet.
5. Roast for about an hour until fork tender
   
6. Let cool, so you don’t burn your hands, and using a fork scrape out your “noodles”
7. In a cast iron skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.
8. Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper
9. Cook until lightly brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes
10. Turn off the heat
11. Add the squash and toss
12. Add cheese a little in at a time so it melts into the dish slowly
13. Serve with a nice Chardonnay and an easy green salad for a perfect early fall evening

As always, many blessings, much love, and happy cooking!

Heirloom Tomato Pie with Homemade Ricotta

Heirloom Tomato Pie with Homemade Ricotta

Tomato Pie! This is a Old Southern Recipe that I modernized with the inclusion of ricotta and removal of mayonnaise. I call these recipes "Charm Recipes" because that is what they are, charming. Oh... and it is delicious! Think deep dish pizza with juicy chunks of tomato instead of sauce.

What you need:

4 large ripe tomatoes
20 or so basil leaves
8 oz of fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup of ricotta
salt
pepper
olive oil drizzle
pastry dough (store bought or your favorite recipe) 

What you do:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F
2. Roll out your pastry dough and place in an oiled cast iron skillet or greased pie plate
3. Cut up your tomatoes, basil leaves, and mix in mozzarella, ricotta, salt and pepper
4. Push the pie dough with your fingers into the skillet or pie plate 
5. Prick with a fork, and bake alone for about 10 minutes.
6. Place tomato mixture in pie shell and drizzle with olive oil
7. Bake for 35 minutes or so, until the top is brown and bubbly

Bonus Recipe: Homemade Ricotta

What you need:

2 quarts of whole milk
1 cup of heavy cream
2 Tablespoons of white vinegar
1/2 a teaspoon of kosher salt1 large saucepan
thermometer
cheesecloth
colander
large bowl

What you do:

1. Heat the milk and cream until it reaches 180 degrees F
2. Take off the heat and stir in the vinegar, and stir for 30 seconds
3. Stir in the salt, and stir for another seconds
4. Set a folded quartered cheesecloth in a colander and set in a large bowl
5. Gently pour the milk into the cheesecloth lined colander/bowl
6. Leave to drip on the counter for about 20 minutes or alternatively you can set in the fridge over night and allow the whey gently to drip out.

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy baking!

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Thankfully, in Virginia the winters are mild and spring comes quickly. But there are some times when a lovely warm bowl of risotto, a fire, and a cold night outside are all you need to find February Happiness. For such an occasion there is nothing more comforting than a delicious bowl of wild mushroom risotto drizzled with the smallest amount of golden truffle oil. The contrast of humble rice and luxurious truffles is delicious and perfect for winter. 

Here is what you need:

6 oz of mixed wild mushrooms, shitake, hen of the woods, chantrelles
6 oz of white button mushrooms 
4 cups of chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup of arborio rice
1 shallot diced finely
1 Tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup of white wine (and more for you)
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
shaved Parmesan to taste
white truffle oil 


Here is what you do:


1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Slice your mushrooms and lay on sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Set two pots next to each other on the stove. 1 will be to keep the stock warm the other to make your risotto.
3. Warm your stock on low heat.
4. In the other pan add your diced shallot, rice, butter, thyme, salt and pepper and toast the rice on until they are slightly golden.
5. Add your wine and stir until absorbed. I love this part, 18 minutes of quiet, stirring a pot.
6. As the liquid becomes absorbed in the rice, continue to stir while adding another ladle-full of hot stock. Continue to do this until the rice is cooked, about 18 minutes or so.
7. Once cooked. Turn off the heat, add the hot mushrooms from the oven. They will be tender and easy to mix into your risotto. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of truffle oil, careful, a little goes a very long way. I serve this with Pinot Grigio. 

As always, much love, many blessings, and Happy Cooking!
Here is what you do:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Slice your mushrooms and lay on sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Set two pots next to each other on the stove. 1 will be to keep the stock warm the other to make your risotto.
3. Warm your stock on low heat.
4. In the other pan add your diced shallot, rice, butter, thyme, salt and pepper and toast the rice on until they are slightly golden.
5. Add your wine and stir until absorbed. I love this part, 18 minutes of quiet, stirring a pot.
6. As the liquid becomes absorbed in the rice, continue to stir while adding another ladle-full of hot stock. Continue to do this until the rice is cooked, about 18 minutes or so.
7. Once cooked. Turn off the heat, add the hot mushrooms from the oven. They will be tender and easy to mix into your risotto. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of truffle oil, careful, a little goes a very long way. I serve this with Pinot Grigio. 


As always, much love, many blessings, and Happy Cooking!

Broccoli Cheddar Crescent Braid

This is a nice easy winter dish, that takes only about 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to bake.  My one year old loved it, which made Mommy very happy. Not so much because of the broccoli  he loves veggies. But I can't seem to get him to eat meat unless it covered in cheese, which he does like. He even loved shaking the bag to mix the filling, which was super cute. I always wanted to cook with my kids, but I feel super blessed that I get to start when he is only 1.

For the adults I served this with a heady and fruity Beaujolais.

Here is what you need:
1 cup of left over chicken
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup of broccoli
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg for egg wash

Here is what I did:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix together the chicken, cheese, mayo, broccoli, salt and pepper to taste, set aside. I did this in the large zip lock baggie that was holding the chicken... less dishes, and Freddy did the mixing.
3. Pop the cans of the crescent rolls (this is the hardest part for me) and roll out the dough on broken. Use a rolling pin to keep the dough together.
4. With a pair of kitchen scissors cut 3 inch long slices, 1 inch border of dough on each side of the dough. You will have a fridge effect that you will then braid over the filling.
5. Spread the filling in the middle of the dough leaving at least an inch on each side. You might want to use your hands to shape the mound, I did.
6. Fold a fringe end over the filling and alternate sided to create a braid effect. Pinch the ends together on the ends to seal in the filling.
7. Crack and whip an egg together and brush the top of the dough. Top the egg wash with a little bit of crunchy sea salt, Maldon is my favorite.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes depending on your oven... let sit for atleast 5 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy, happy wintering.

Lots of love, many blessings, and happy baking!

One Potato, Two Potatoes... Perogies

So what does an Egyptian-Cuban Cook do with too much mashed potatoes... sounds like a bad joke I know.... Perogies! No I'm not Polish, about as close to Poland I can get is licking Kelbasa.

Nonetheless, perogies, the polish potatoe stuffed pasta is an easy, delicious, hardy meal. To be honest I was surprised how quickly everything came together. And, if I were a hard working Polish Man who worked in the cold all day, this is what I would want. Even though I am hard working technical writer who works in a cold air conditioned office all day. Still, this will make a great fall or winter meal for a crowd.

To make the Dough

2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of warm water

2 tablespoons of sour cream

1 egg

In my handy-dandy kitchenade standing mixer, I threw in all the ingredients. Let it mix. It was done in about 2 minutes. Then I put it in some plastic wrap and stuck it in the fridge. While I made the filling.

Setting up the cooking station

Get a big pot of boiling water going, and have a large pan to fry up the dumplings as they are done.

Get your Filling On

About a cup of day old mashed potatoes

A handful of shredded cheese (any kind, I used cheddar)

I mixed the ingredients in the tupperware that the mashed potatoes were resting in.

Time to make-a da pasta

1) I rolled out the dough to about 1/8 of an inch think on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Really everything should be floured, you, your kitchen, your apron, it should be one beautiful white cloud puff of flour.

2)Then with an old soup can i cut out the rounds. If it is still too thick, you can roll the rounds again.

3) Fill the rounds with about 1 teaspoon of the filling.

4) Wet your fingers with water and wet the edges of each dough round so it will stick together.

5) Fold the dough rounds in half and pinch together.

6) Once all of them are done, don't be shy, just pitch them all in the boiling water and stir once so they don't stick together.

7) In about three minutes they will be done, take them out with a slotted spoon and into a hot pan with a little butter to fry up just for a minute.

8) Enjoy! I served mine with sauteed onions and some crisped up kelbasa.

There you have it Perogies in 8 steps or less. I hope you try it, its really much easier than it sounds.

As always, much love, many blessings and happy baking (or pasta making)!