the best lasagna. ever

THE BEST LASAGNA. EVER
photo & recipe via The Pioneer Woman

This is a great, basic lasagna recipe that everyone will love! Made it without the sausage the first time (thought it would taste a bit odd), but sausage makes it extra-yummy and I would recommend following the recipe exactly. 

1.5 lb ground beef

1 lb hot breakfast sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans whole tomatoes

2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

2 T dried parsley

2 T dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 whole beaten eggs

1/2 cup grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound sliced Mozzarella cheese

1 (10 ounce) package lasagna noodles

(add 1/2 t salt and 1 T olive oil to pasta water)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

three cheese manicotti

THREE CHEESE MANICOTTI

recipe & images via Cooking Classy

Another winner! This was scrumptious! I didn't change a thing, but would think fresh herbs might make it even more delicious? This top photo is to show the manicotti...before ALL that yummy sauce is poured over it. Yum!

1 (8 oz) pkg Manicotti noodles

1 (15 oz) container Ricotta Cheese 
1 lb freshly grated Mozzarella Cheese (about 4 cups)
3 oz finely, freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)

2 large eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Marinara Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package and drain. In the meantime prepare Manicotti filling, in a large mixing bowl, using a fork blend together Ricotta cheese, eggs, parsley and pepper. Stir in grated Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and mix until well blended. Divide cheese mixture evenly among the 14 manicotti noodles stuffing each one full. Align noodles in a single layer in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Pour marinara sauce evenly over filled manicotti noodles. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Marinara Sauce:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (28 oz) cans crushed Roma tomatos

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, simmer 20 minutes (do this while preparing the filling and pasta).

mexican stuffed shells

MEXICAN STUFFED SHELLS
recipe & photo via The Way To His Heart

Could not have been more satisfied with this recipe. It was absolutely delicious and I would not change a thing.

1 lb ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
4 oz cream cheese
15-20 jumbo pasta shells
1.5 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
3 green onions, diced
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.

Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed. Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

stuffed pasta shells

STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

image & recipe via 101 Cookbooks


What can I say about this recipe? Hmmm? It was DELICIOUS! Super easy to make and the taste is incredible...super rich tomato flavor. Ease up on the crushed red pepper flakes if you don't like too much spice, but it really was not bad at all. Adding this one to my short list of rotating recipes!

Zest of one lemon

Sauce:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes
1 14-ounce can crushed red tomatoes

Filling:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup / ~5 oz grated mozzarella
1 bunch of chives, minced

25-30 jumbo dried pasta shells

Oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, or equivalent, and sprinkle the zest of 1/2 the lemon across it. Set aside. Get a big pot of water boiling, and preheat your oven to 350F with a rack in the middle.

To make the sauce, combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Now stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, just a minute or two. Remove from heat and carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now. Let cool.

To make the filling, combine the ricotta, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until combined, then stir in the mozzarella, remaining lemon zest, and 3/4 of the chives. Set aside.

Cook the shells according to package instructions in well-salted water - until al dente. If you overcook, the shells will tear as you attempt to fill them. Drain and let cool long enough to handle with your hands - see photo.

Spread 1/3 of sauce across the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill each shell with ricotta, and arrange in a single layer in the pan. Ladle the remaining sauce over the shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover for the final 15 minutes or until the shells are cooked through. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve hot.

Serves 4 - 6

lasagna soup

LASAGNA SOUP

photo & recipe adapted via Closet Cooking

This was the first time I had tried lasagna soup and I was thrilled with the results! I am pretty sure this soup will be made time and time again (in addition to taco soup & chili) over the winter months. LOVED it!

1 tablespoon oil

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

4 cups chicken broth

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon oregano

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pound Fucilli (or similar pasta)

4 ounces ricotta

1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated

2 cups mozzarella, shredded

1 handful basil, chopped

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, breaking it apart as you go. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes; set aside.

Saute garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel until fragrant (about one minute). 

In a large pan, add above ingredients. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Bring to a boil; add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Mix the ricotta, parmigiano reggiano and mozzarella and serve the soup garnished with a tablespoon of the mixture along with the basil.


*I made two changes to this recipe: 1) Boil the pasta separately from the soup. 2) Reduce the cheese mixture to half.

SPAGHETTI POMODORO

SPAGHETTI POMODORO

serves 4

photo & recipe via Diva Eats World

All I have to say about this pasta dish is...Y-U-M! Such an easy and quick recipe to make, and so much flavor!

1 pound imported spaghetti (used regular ol' spaghetti)

3 pints fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, cut lengthwise

3 cloves of garlic, sliced in half lengthwise (I minced mine)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

6 basil leaves (more to garnish)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put the water on for the pasta.

Put olive oil in warm pan; add garlic and crushed red pepper. Brown the garlic, be careful not to burn it but do get it nice and golden; add the tomatoes. Be careful it will splatter due to the moisture of the tomatoes. Add the basil leaves, salt and pepper. Cook the sauce on medium-high until the tomatoes start to break down. At this point, use the back of a fork or even a potato masher and crush the tomatoes slightly.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to box. Drain the pasta and put it in the pan with the sauce. Mix until all the noodles are covered. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh chopped basil.

FRESH FETTUCCINE WITH BROCCOLI

It has been a while since I have posted a recipe! Been a while since I have cooked a meal! This was a good one! The original recipe called for broccoli raab...we cooked it, tasted it, and quickly changed to good ol' regular broccoli! The raab has a very strong and distinct taste, and needless to say we didn't enjoy it. Broccoli was delicious and I'm sure you could substitute other veggies, such as squash, and it would be equally as yummy.

FRESH FETTUCCINE WITH BROCCOLI & A LIGHT TOMATO SAUCE

Serves 3-4
adapted from this recipe

Broccoli (use as much as you want)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice (next time I would probably use more tomatoes)

1/2 white onion, finely diced
Pinch of chili flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth, divided
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt
Black pepper
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 pound fresh (not dried) fettuccine
Big handful of flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves, roughly chopped

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Boil the broccoli until tender, remove (leaving the water for the pasta).

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Do not burn it. Add the garlic, onion, chili flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and saute for three minutes, until softened.

Whisk the butter and onions while drizzling in the juice from the tomato can. You want to get the butter to emulsify, as in a beurre blanc (rich, hot butter sauce), or in this case a beurre rouge. If it gives you any trouble, just start whisking in a little more cold butter. Then add the tomato chunks, 1/2 cup of the wine, and the lemon juice. Bring to a slow simmer and reduce a little, until it coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning; it probably needs more salt and possibly lemon juice.

Preheat a serving platter or bowl in the oven (200 degrees F is good).

When you are nearly ready to serve, add the broccoli to the sauce to reheat, and boil the pasta. Fresh pasta usually takes about 3 minutes. When it is al dente, immediately strain it and toss it in the skillet with the sauce and the remaining 1/4cup of wine (I left out the additional wine). Toss half the sauce, pasta, half the cheese, and a few grinds of black pepper together until the noodles are coated.

To serve, use tongs to put the noodles on the serving platter. Pour the rest of the sauce, which won't have mixed in too well, over the top, distributing the broccoli and tomatoes. Top with the rest of the cheese, more black pepper, and the parsley or basil and eat immediately.

photo & original recipe via Herbivoracious

GRILLED TOMATO LINGUINE

Here is a great summer meal. This was so simple to make, had very few ingredients, and tasted so good! This is a definite make-again meal. I halved this recipe and it was just enough for the three of us.

GRILLED TOMATO LINGUINE
from "Everyday Food"

Makes 4 - 6 servings

Grilled tomatoes (recipe follows)
1 pound linguine
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (we used fresh Romano)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 pound linguine. Cook according to package directions. Drain; return to pot.

Add oil, Parmesan, and grilled tomatoes. Divide among bowls, and serve immediately with more Parmesan.

GRILLED TOMATOES

3 pounds plum (Roma) tomatoes, cored and halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat grill to high. In a bowl, toss tomatoes, olive oil and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Starting with cut sides down, grill tomatoes until soft and charred, 8 to 12 minutes per side.

Return tomatoes to bowl; cut into rough pieces.