Vegetarian Company Meal

This is one of the best dinners I have enjoyed in a long time. If you are trying to limit dairy, you could substitute almond milk for regular milk and margarine for the butter. Don't leave out any ingredients and be sure to use portobello mushrooms, because they have incredible flavor. I made this dish early in the morning and added a little baking time since I was putting it in the oven cold. The only downside to this dish is the number of pots and pans that are used, but trust me, it is worth it! We ate this for two nights with a spinach salad. Enjoy!

Portobello Mushroom Lasagna
Adapted from Ina Garten


Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• Good olive oil
• 3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles (9 noodles, could also try whole wheat)
• 4 cups whole milk (can substitute almond)
• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup gratedParmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs

My children, like many, love "pasgetti" with meatballs. It is a meal they look forward to and ask for in our household. However, the only recipe I have used for meatballs, though delicious, can be quite time consuming. First, the meatballs have to be sauteed in oil on each side, drained on paper towels, and then return to a homemade sauce. Don't get me wrong, this dish is incredibly tasty, but I was looking for something a little more simplified that would still be as big of a hit. Thankfully, Barefoot Contessa premiered a new recipe for meatballs only a few weeks ago on the Food Network, and this time, she baked the meatballs and then added them to already made spaghetti sauce. Of course, you could still make your own sauce if you have time, but either way, this is a great, simplified version of a true classic, without taking away the great flavor of traditional meatballs. I served it with a green salad and we had leftovers for the following night. 


Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti
Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

• 3 cups (1-inch diced) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 2 pounds ground turkey (85-percent to 92-percent lean...don't get it leaner or you won't have enough fat)
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
• 1 cup freshly grated aged Asiago cheese (I used Parmesan) 
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the meatballs (I used a little less; otherwise, it seemed too oily)
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 (24-ounce) jars good marinara sauce, or make your own
• 2 pounds dried spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, bread mixture, cheese, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs, and stir lightly with a fork to combine.

With your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked.

Pour the marinara sauce in a large, low pot, add the meatballs, and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and place the spaghetti in individual bowls, and top with 3 meatballs and lots of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.

Good For Casual Company or Anytime

I was recently at a friend's house for dinner and had a great meal that I knew I must try to replicate at home. Of course, I didn't think to make it myself until the day I realized we were having company over that night. Although I couldn't get in touch with my friend to get her recipe, I was able to find a similar recipe from Emeril, who always seems to get cajun cooking right in my book. I have adapted the recipe slightly to mimic what I was looking for, but you can certainly add your own spin on the dish, making it more or less spicy or even adding a different protein like chicken. I find that it is a great meal for company, and I love to serve it with spinach salad. 


Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Shrimp, & Andouille 
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Serves 4-6


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plus 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 pound dry penne rigate
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp
• 2 tablespoons or more of Cajun seasonings, like Tony's 
• 3/4 pound andouille sausage, diced into small half-moons
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, small diced
• 1/2 cup red or green bell pepper, small diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (optional, I left this out)
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (I added a little more for extra creaminess)
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (or more, for added flavor)

Directions:

Fill a large, 1-gallon stock pot with a pasta insert, 3/4 full with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and add 1/4 cup of the salt as it boils. Place the penne in the salted water and return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook the pasta until nearly al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta cooks, set a 14-inch saute pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, swirl the pan to evenly coat with the oil. Season the shrimp with 2 teaspoons of the Cajun seasoning and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Place the shrimp in the pan and sear for 1 minute per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of the olive oil to the saute pan and season the chicken breast with 2 teaspoons of the Cajun seasoning and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. 

Place the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the saute pan and add the sausage, onions and bell peppers. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is lightly caramelized and the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock to the pan and scrape with a spoon to remove any browned bits that have formed in the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes, fresh thyme, the remaining tablespoon of Essence and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the pan and cook an additional 2 minutes. Return the shrimp and chicken to the pan, as well as the nearly al dente pasta and the reserved 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Continue to cook the sauce and pasta, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is cooked through, the pasta is al dente and most of the pasta cooking water has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil and Parmesan. Toss to combine and serve while hot.

Spinach Salad:

Ingredients: one bag of baby spinach, washed, one pint of sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds or chopped pecans, and creamy poppyseed dressing (I use Brianna's). You could also add blue cheese or parmesan if desired. 

Directions: Toss and serve immediately. Serves 4+

Easy, Light Dinner

Here's an easy, weeknight dinner I threw together below. This meal is nothing fancy, but the flavors worked really well together. You could easily substitute some of your own favorite ingredients for the ones below. Also, if you are making the recipe for children, you can always separate the parts on their plates to give them what they like. Enjoy!

Weeknight Salad with Rotisserie Chicken 
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
3/4 bag of lettuce or greens of your choice
1/3 bag shredded carrots
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans
1-2 ripe, diced avocados
balsalmic dressing
1 rotisserie chicken (the flavor I used was lemon pepper, you could always just use leftover chicken)

Directions:
Toss first six ingredients in a bowl. Top with sliced, warm rotisserie chicken. Serve with wild rice and/or hearty grain bread.

The Big Deal About Red Velvet

For many years, I've heard many people rave about red velvet cake. For me, I could never really figure out the big deal. How is the taste "red" really that great? I know this particular type of cake has cocoa in it, but as a huge chocolate fan, why not just eat chocolate cake? Well, it all changed at my son's third birthday. The theme was "fire truck" and although I made a fire truck cake (see picture below), I still wanted something easy to eat that wouldn't cause red icing to end up everywhere. Red velvet seemed appropriate as it matched the color theme, so I figured I'd give it a try.

I searched and searched the Internet for the perfect recipe and finally decided to give this recipe from Kathleen's Gonna Want Seconds Cooking Blog. She adapted her recipe from one of my most trusted sources, Cooks Illustrated. If anyone can make a regular recipe great, it's the people at Cooks Illustrated.

The recipe was surprisingly easy and worked for cupcakes, which was even better in my opinion! I made the cupcakes and icing the day before and piped the icing on the cupcakes a couple hours before the party. I topped each with a red m&m and used red paper liners to stick with the theme.

I have to say, besides these cupcakes changing my mind about red velvet, the icing was the BEST cream cheese icing I have ever had. I will definitely be adding these cupcakes to my repertoire of desserts.

Red Velvet Cake  

adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of table salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder

1-1ounce bottle red food coloring

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

Frosting:

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

4 cups (16 ounces) confectioner's sugar

16 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 8 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

pinch of table salt 

Instructions (with notes from Gonna Want Seconds):

FOR THE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2-9 inch cake pans or line cupcake pans with liners.

2. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In another bowl add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and eggs and whisk to combine.

4. Sift cocoa into a small bowl the mix with food coloring until it forms a paste.

5. Beat butter and sugar together, in a standing mixer, set on medium, for 2 minutes.  Scrape down bowl.

6. Add 1/3 of flour mixture and and beat on medium speed just until it's incorporated.  Add 1/2 the buttermilk mixture and beat on low until combined.  Scrape down the bowl.  Add 1/3 of flour mixture and beat on medium until incorporate.  Add the rest of buttermilk mixture beat on low until combine.  Add last 1/3 of flour mixture and beat on medium until just combined.  Scrape down the bowl.

7. Add the cocoa paste mixture and beat on medium until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and make sure the bottom of the batter is incorporating as well.   Give the batter a final good stir with a rubber spoonula to mix completely and pour into prepared pans.

8. Bake cake/cupcakes in preheated oven about 25 minutes for cake and 17-20 minutes for cupcakes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes. 

FOR THE FROSTING: 

1. In a standing mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, and beat until incorporate. ( Are you kidding me? Yah, I just plopped all the softened cream cheese in-full blocks-not cut up in and had no problems ;0 )  Beat in vanilla and salt. ( don't skip the salt- it doesn't make the frosting taste salty it heightens all the other flavs.).  Spread or pipe on completely cooled cakes.  If frosting seems a bit too soft to pipe well, pop it in the fridge a few minutes to firm it up a little.

What to do With All Those Leftovers

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. It is a cook's dream and to me, there's nothing better than having an excuse to be in my kitchen for days preparing so many delicious dishes. However, when it's all said and done and the leftovers are put away, I have to admit that the last thing I want to do is go back in the kitchen, dirty up a bunch of dishes, and come up some fancy meal using the Thanksgiving leftovers.

A couple of years ago, when my husband and I were home, just the two of us, for Thanksgiving, I accidentally bought a couple extra pie crusts. You know, those ones that come rolled up two to a box? Well, later that night, after our Thanksgiving celebration was over, I came up with an idea which has now become a tradition each year since that day. I took some of our leftovers and made what I like to call "Turkey Pockets." I hope this year, you'll grab a couple extra pie crusts and see how scrumptious these pot pie-like creations are.

Turkey Pockets
Serves 1-2 per pie crust 


Ingredients:
Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, stuffing, corn casserole, peas, gravy, etc.)
Refrigerated pie crusts (I use Pillsbury in the red box)
One egg or a few tablespoons of milk

Set oven to temperature on pie crust box. Carefully unroll pie crusts and cut each in half. Place pie crusts on an ungreased cookie sheet with a couple inches in between each one. Put about 3/4-1 cup of filling in each half and fold over on itself so that it makes a 1/4 circle or a triangle. My favorite filling combination is turkey meat, gravy (for moisture) and peas or corn. Using a fork, press edges together so it resembles the edges of a crust on a pie. Using a butter knife, cut a few slits in the top of the pocket to allow heat and steam to escape. Brush the top of each crust with an egg wash (one egg mixed with water) or milk. Place cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven and set timer according to box, but be sure to watch for a variance in time. Once golden brown on top, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before enjoying with other Thanksgiving sides.

My Favorite Roasted Vegetables

Vegetables may not sound as appetizing as they do to me. You may still be recovering from a nightmarish childhood of being forced to eat awful, soggy, tasteless vegetables, night after night. You may be like my husband, who, for many years, would only eat two vegetables: salad and peas. Personally, I don't even know that "salad" is exactly a vegetable, especially if it hides beneath a mound of croutons and dressing and cheese, but we won't go there for now.

See, what I have come to realize over the years, is that vegetables have to be honored. They can't just be boiled to death or covered with cheese or butter. They need to stand out as the main attraction and they must be treated properly to do so. That's where roasting comes into play. Roasting vegetables brings out their best flavor by almost caramelizing them. The best part is the simplicity of the other ingredients: olive oil, salt and pepper, and maybe some fresh or dried herbs if you wish. I bet you already have all of these in your pantry. Next time you need to put a vegetable on your plate, try them this way and I bet you'll come to create some new, fond memories of vegetables. Here's a few of my favorites:

Roasted Red Potatoes: Wash, cut into wedges, and toss with olive oil, salt, fresh ground pepper, rosemary (fresh or dried), and garlic powder. Roast at 400 degrees in a greased casserole dish or sheet pan for 30-40 mins, turning once.

Roasted Okra: This is a new one for me. I love fried okra, but it isn't realistic for me to fry okra on a weekly basis, which is how often I buy it from the farmer's market. I found that roasting it may even be better than frying it and is definitely easier! Simply toss in olive oil, salt, and fresh ground pepper, and roast at 400 degrees in a greased casserole dish for 15 mins.

Roasted Butternut Squash: Toss with olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper and roast at 400 degrees in a greased casserole dish for 30 mins. Sometimes I take my roasted squash and put it on a whole wheat pizza with goat cheese, tomato sauce, and baby spinach.

There are many other vegetables I love to roast (grape tomatoes, baby carrots, eggplant, and more) but I hope these will encourage you to try your vegetables in a new way.