Vegetable Lasagna

I completely forgot about this recipe!  I found it years ago in a magazine and it's so yummy!  A bit time consuming but so worth it!

Vegetable Lasagna

1 (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 (12 oz) lowfat cottage cheese (I used labneh in the Middle East)

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup minced onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic

1 (14.5 oz cans tomatoes, drained, chopped)

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup dry red wine (I used vinegar)

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tsp dried whole basil

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

5 cup sliced zuchini

1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

2 TBSP Parmesan

Press spinach to drain.  Combine spinach, cottage cheese and egg-set aside.  Coat large pan with spray- sauté onion 3 minutes.  Add mushroom and garlic- sauté until tender.  Add tomatoes and next 8 ingredients- stir well.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered- 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Coat dish (12x8) with cooking spray.  Spoon 1/3 tomato mixture into dish.  Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over tomatoes.  Top with 1 1/4 cup spinach.  Layer 2 1/2 cups zucchini over spinach and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.  Repeat layers.  Top with remaining tomato mixture.  Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.  Bake covered at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.  Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan before serving.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  

Tornado Chicken and Mess-up rolls

I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's blog and it was amazing!  Click here for the full recipe.  I renamed it tornado chicken because in the middle of making it, all the tornado sirens went off and we spent about an hour in the bathtub covered with pillows.  Honestly, I was a little skeptical about serving it to the girls who aren't huge fans of mushrooms or olives but my pregnancy taste buds won out and I went ahead with it. However, thanks to the tornado, our power went out so we had to eat it in the dark so even they enjoyed it since they couldn't really see the mushrooms and olives...

I love finding quick and easy dinner roll recipes and I found one in a Southern Living that I hadn't tried.  However, in the craziness of trying to fix dinner before the tornado sirens went off, I completely messed up the recipe.  The original recipe is:

Cream Cheese Rolls
 1/2 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup self rising flour
Cream butter and cream cheese, gradually add flour.  Put in mini muffin tins and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.

Well, in my hurry, I creamed the butter and cream cheese and then added 2 cups of flour.  oops.   I didn't have anymore cream cheese so I coudn't just double the recipe.  So I looked in my frig and spotted sour cream and remembered that it is often in these quick dinner bread recipes.  I added about a cup of sour cream (until it got back to the right looking consistency), filled 12 regular muffin tins and baked like the original recipe called for- turned out very yummy!  Would probably also be good with shredded cheese or spices like basil added.

I didn't take any pics of these recipes, again, thanks to the craziness of the tornados but if you follow Pioneer Woman's recipe, she photographed it beautifully.

Creamy Tomato Mac and Cheese

This is my go-to Mac and Cheese recipe, compliments of Martha Stewart. Good ole' mac and cheese is just one of those classic comfort foods that I look forward to every fall. I've been using this recipe for the last 4 years and I like it a lot but I recently found another that I'm anxious to try. For now, enjoy this dish!

6 T butter
1 lb elbow or corkscrew pasta
1/2 c. all purpose flour
5 c. milk
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz cheddar, shredded (3 c.)**
12 oz Monterrey jack cheese, shredded (3 c.)**
2 t. thyme
2 1/2 c. diced fresh tomatoes
3/4 c. bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 9x13 dish. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and run under cold water when done. Meanwhile, in a wide pot melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and garlic. Cook 10 minutes, whisking occasionally until mixture thickens. Add some salt and pepper. Add cheese, tomatoes and thyme. Stir until cheese melts. Stir in pasta. Transfer to casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs (if using). Bake until golden (if using breadcrumbs) or until hot and bubbly, 20-30 minutes.

**I usually use about 16oz of cheese and not 24oz because cheddar is expensive in this place - I also don't use Monterrey jack b/c we can't get it here... Finally, I'm very liberal with how much Thyme I use - probably closer to 2 tablespoons than 2 teaspoons.

Chicken Spaghetti

While we were in the states my step-mom made some chicken spaghetti that was delicious. I still haven't gotten the recipe from her so I'll post the one that I use. I'm not sure I could fully do her recipe anyways b/c of the limitations on some ingredients here...

3-4 T butter
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped onion
1 t. minced garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup **(I use the Maggai dry soup packets and mix them with milk and labneh to make a sour cream consistency...)
1 can cream of chicken soup**
5 chicken breasts, skin removed (I usually just boil a whole chicken b/c it's so much cheaper)
8 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 pkg spaghetti (I use about 3/4 of the pkg, that way the spaghetti stays wetter)
salt, pepper and garlic to taste
1 c. tomatoes

Sautee onion pepper and garlic in butter. Set aside. Boil chicken. Remove from water and set aside to cool and de-bone. Cook spaghetti in chicken broth and drain. In large casserole dish (i use a big bowl for this part, then transfer to casserole) mix all ingredients using only 1/2 the cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 until heated through and cheese is melted on top (about 20-25 mins). Serves 6.

Summer Pasta Salad

I think you would all agree that it is just TOO hot to cook in the summer- here and maybe anywhere this year!  I"m actually going to put two pasta salad recipes on here- both family favorites for us.  I"ll also put the recipe for the balsamic vineger salad dressing  that I use on pretty much everything- from my fave blue cheese, pear and lettuce salad to this pasta salad to using it as a dip for zataar manaeeche.  It's just plain yummy.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 TBSP Dijon mustard (regular is fine too)
3 TBSP honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup olive oil

Whisk together first 7 ingredients and gradually whisk in olive oil

Summer Pasta Salad

I found this great article on the all recipes site and kind of came up with my own creation using our favorite things and this was the result.

1 pound whole wheat noodles- shape of your choice (I used spiral)
salt to taste (I used a lot as mentioned in the article)
chopped zuchini, carrots, red peppers (any other veggies you like)
chopped onion
sauteed pine nuts
olives
shredded chicken
salad dressing of choice

Boil pasta in large pot with 2 TBSP of salt.  During last two minutes of cooking add chopped zuchini, carrots and peppers.  Drain all.  Toss in onion, pine nuts, olives, shredded chicken and toss with your favorite salad dressing.
 
Garlic Chicken Pasta Salad

Below you'll see this recipe exactly as is in the cookbook, but I have gradually changed in over the years to suit our tastes, but I kind of do it differently every time.  For example, I usually use a lot more of the garlic dressing than it calls for.  I also sometimes stir in ranch dressing instead of mayonaise, and usually once it's all put together, I stir in some of my favorite balsamic vinegar dressing because I almost can't have a salad without it....


Garlic Dressing
1/4 cup wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, split
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup olive oil
Prepare dressing at least one day ahead.  Combine first 5 ingredients and gradually whisk in olive oil

Salad
1/2 lb vermicelli (cooked al dente and drained)
1/3 cup Garlic Salad dressing
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken (I usually use a rotiserrie)
2 cans artichoke hearts (I've never used this)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
sliced black olives to taste
1 cup mayonaise
4 TBSP parsley
cherry tomatoes
sliced avocadoes

In large bowl, combine pasta and garlic dressing and toss well.  Cool completely and refrigerate several hours or overnight.  When ready to serve, add chicken, artichoke, green onions and olives.  Add mayo and toss gently.  Toss with parsley and cherry tomatoes just before serving and top with avocado slices.

Three-Cheese Tortellini

5 servings

1 package (7 oz) dried cheese-filled tortellini
¼ c. butter
½ c. chopped bell pepper
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼ c. flour
¼ t. pepper
1 ¾ c. milk
½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz)
½ c. shredded Swiss cheese
¼ c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Cook tortellini as directed on package. Drain. Heat butter in 3 qt. saucepan over med heat. Cook bell pepper, shallots and garlic in butter about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in mozzarella and Swiss cheese until melted. Add tortellini and stir until coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

This is another of my 'go to' quick and easy dishes. You can add chicken for those of you whose hubbies refuse to eat vegetarian :) If you want to add more to it but keep it vegetarian try it with red bell pepper and artichoke hearts - yum!