Sunday, September 13, 2009

Skillet Lasagna

I know all my recipes have been from foodnetwork.com lately, but I do really love that web site! And I can just cut and paste onto the blog! I will try to expand for next time, but for now:

Skillet Lasagna

As a disclaimer, this lasagna is NOT as good as my mom's secret recipe lasagna. It was a little easier than real lasagna and didn't take as long, due to the no-boil noodles. The spinach and fresh mozzarella were the key. Few things in life are better than real, honest to God, fresh mozzarella. Yum!! I am sure the meatless version is to die for. Brock happens to think that if there is no meat, it's not a real meal. So, I added a pound of mild Italian sausage (put it over the Spinach layer). Anyway, let me know what you think! Oh, and before I forget: I would not actually attempt pureeing the tomato sauce unless you are MUCH smarter than me and realize that putting a very hot liquid in your blender = a very hot mess all over your kitchen! :) The sauce is fine chunky, and it saves you a dish to wash.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
6 sheets no-bake lasagna noodles
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 zucchini, peeled into ribbons
3 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/3 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook until golden, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook until saucy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree. Return 1 cup of the sauce to the skillet and reduce the heat to low; reserve the remaining sauce.

Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan, the remaining 3 tablespoons herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.

Place 2 lasagna noodles over the sauce in the skillet. Layer half of the carrot and zucchini on top; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with half of the spinach, half of the ricotta mixture, a few pieces of mozzarella and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with noodles. Top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover and simmer until the lasagna is cooked and the cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes.

Let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with more parmesan and fresh herbs.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

I don't usually do this, but...

This recipe seems too good not to post! I'm going to try it this week, so I"ll let you know. I love Edamame (thanks to Allie) and I LOVE hummus, so the combination may possibly be the greatest thing ever! I'll let you know!

Ellie Krieger's Edamame Hummus

Ingredients
2 cups shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
1 cup silken tofu, briefly drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, plus more, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, plus more, for garnish

Directions
Set 1 tablespoon of edamame aside for a garnish. Place the rest of the edamame, tofu, salt, garlic, oil, lemon juice[, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin in the bowl of a food processor and process until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, plus more lemon juice, if desired. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with reserved edamame, and some cumin.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Creamed Corn

This is a completely simple side--a little labor intensive with the corn shucking and cutting, but well worth the effort. Brock's mom loved it and that is a big enough confirmation for me!

Ingredients
12 ears fresh corn, shucked
8 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
Directions
Remove corn from cob using a corn grater or knife, and mash the whole kernels a little. Place corn in a glass dish and add the butter on top. Cook in the microwave on high for 7 to 10 minutes, stopping to turn and stir a couple of times. Be careful not to over cook the corn. If corn seems too dry, add a little milk or water. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve as a side dish with favorite meal.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Glorious Shrimp

Here is recipe number 2 from my Adventures in Seafood. I don't know why, but I've always been too intimidated to buy fresh fish or seafood at grocery stores. I know the people at the counter are there to help me--what's the worst that could happen, right? Despite this, I chickened out and just went frozen. Although, according to many articles I read, buying frozen should be OK as long as there are no ice crystals on the packaging. Next time, I'm going to make it to the counter. I'll let you know how it goes!

Here is Giada's recipe for Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce (yum!)

Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
1/3 cup clam juice
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Adventures in Seafood

After spending the last couple of weeks on a couple different beach vacations, I was inspired to try a little seafood myself. Here are a couple of recipes I tried that were really good!

This is Barefoot Contessa's Mustard Roasted Fish. It was super easy and very moist. I got the creme fraiche at Trader Joe's. It's the only place I've seen it. I used Tilapia, though I'm sure you could use your favorite fish and it would be equally as tasty! My friend Paul, who came over to eat dinner with us, said he could have used the sauce as a salad dressing. You could have given me a glass to drink it, personally! :)

Ingredients
4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

Note: Recipe halved for TV

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Sorry for the extended absence..

OK...I know its been since before Thanksgiving since I blogged and that is totally lame. I have been cooking, though, so I'm going to have to do some major remembering of recipes. I'm going out on a limb here and posting before I actually eat this. I'll let you know what I think after I eat! Here's what's on the table tonight:

Italian Meatloaf--Michael Chiarello

Cook Time
1 hr 0 min

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, seeded, small diced
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons (about 3 cloves) chopped garlic
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Saute until just soft, remove to a plate and cool.

When the peppers and onions are cool, combine all of the remaining ingredients together except for the marinara. Pack the meat mixture into an oiled loaf pan, if you do not have a loaf pan, form the meat mixture into a loaf shape on an oiled oven tray or baking dish. Top with the marinara making sure to spread evenly over the top.

Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the middle of the meatloaf. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.