Cheese Stuffed Meatballs with Zoodles

Mozzarella, Tomato, & Avocado Salad

Classic Italian Lasagna

I've never realized that what we assume to be "real" lasagna in our little corner of the world is NOT "Italian".  In case you don't know what I'm referring to as Utah Lasagna - it's typically long, curly-edged noodles layered with ricotta cheese/egg mixture and red meat sauce smothered in cheese.  

Apparently, that is not real Italian lasagna.  A few friends have enlightened me that the real deal does NOT have ricotta cheese and/or eggs (or if you are in Utah, cottage cheese - because most of us try to watch our pennies).  What it does have is a homemade white sauce layered with a rich red sauce with browned veggies blended into it.

The flavors are wonderful together.  My favorite part though, is the absence of a watery lasagna that flows all over your plate.  Of course, you do need to let any cooked lasagna rest at least 15 minutes before you cut and plate, which helps it hold it's shape.

If you've never used a lasagna pan, it makes for easy layering and serving.

This recipe has ground turkey instead of ground beef.  I like to mix the two, so the beef flavor is still there.  You may also use either no-boil pasta or regular.  If you use regular, only boil it for half the recommended time.  

I LOVED this lasagna - I much prefer it over the ricotta/cottage cheese Americanized version.  

Classic Italian Lasagna

Ingredients:

Red Sauce:
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
4 cloves minced garlic (or 1 tsp minced dried)
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
8 oz mushrooms, washed and chopped
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp Italian Seasoning (or mix of dried oregano & basil)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

White Sauce:
3 cups milk (not skim)
4 Tbs butter
5 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Lasagna:
9 lasagna noodles (boiled for half the recommended time) - OR - 12 non-boil noodles (Barilla brand works well)
1 lb (+ or -) mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 oz parmesan cheese, shredded (or use 1-1/2 lbs 3 cheese blend in place of all the cheese)

Directions:

Cook and drain meat, set aside to add to red sauce later.

Add olive oil and butter to a large, deep skillet.  Heat, then add chopped onion and mushrooms.  Cook until limp and translucent.  Add garlic last.  Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes.  Heat together at a low simmer for about 30 minutes to develop flavor.

Use an immersion blender (or remove to a standing blender) to puree as desired (you may also reserve part of the diced tomatoes to add later for a little more texture).  At this point, add Italian Seasoning and salt & pepper.  Stir in reserved ground beef/turkey.  Set red sauce aside.

Prepare white sauce by melting the butter, adding flour and seasonings, then whisking in the milk.  Stir constantly as you cook until thickened - being careful not to scorch.  Set aside.

Boil noodles as directed for half the cooking time recommended.  Remove most of the cooking water, leaving just enough to keep them from sticking to one another.  

Now, to layer:  Grease a large, oblong pan (or use a Lasagna pan, as shown - a great tool for more than Lasagna)  If using no-boil noodles, layer four per layer (overlapping slightly as shown).  If using boiled, use three noodles per layer.  

Layer the red sauce, then drizzle the white sauce over, then a generous layer of cheese.  Repeat layers two more times.  I like to reserve enough red sauce that it is the final topping.

Cover lasagna with foil, and bake @ 350° for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and let lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.  

To prepare ahead, bake as directed for at least 15 more minutes.  You can freeze unbaked lasagna for up to 3 months.  If you freeze before baking, bake from frozen for 1-1/2 hours, covered.  Then remove cover and bake for another 45 minutes to one hour until hot and bubbly.  

Recipe source:  adapted from melskitchencafe.com

Creamy Zuppa Toscana

I'd never ordered Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden until recently - strange, isn't it?  It just didn't look as appealing as their other soups, with wilted greens and a strange color.  I always opted for Chicken Gnocchi or Pasta e Fagioli instead.  But once is all it takes.  Delicious!

I searched until I found a recipe that I could work with. I found it on recipecritic.com.  Of course, I had to make a few changes.  First, I didn't throw the potatoes into the broth raw.  I sautéed them first, and I really think that gave them a little texture and additional flavor.  

Great soup for the first weeks of cool weather.  

Creamy Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

3 cans chicken broth (about 5-6 cups)
2 cups heavy cream
1 lb Italian Sausage
1/2 lb bacon - cooked and crumbled (retain a few tablespoons of the bacon fat)
4-5 russet potatoes, peeled and diced (or sliced)
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves (or 1/2 tsp minced, dried garlic)
2-3 cups chopped kale (or spinach)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook and crumble sausage, draining completely.  Set aside.  

Cook and crumble the bacon, retaining half of the bacon fat in the pan.

Now dice or slice potatoes (I left the skins on, but peel if you wish).  Add them to the bacon fat with the diced onion.  Saute until onion is limp and potatoes begin to change color.  

Add sausage to potatoes and then add reserved bacon.  Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Boil until potatoes are fork tender.

Add in the chopped kale or spinach, cooking until the greens start to wilt.  Reduce heat and add heavy cream.

Cook until heated through, then salt & pepper to taste.

Sneaky Zucchini-sagna

I can’t figure out if I love (or resent) zucchini.  Since it’s summer, and it’s taking over my house - I have to make a real effort to use it - with a thankful heart.  It really is fun to have it as my houseguest for just a few months, and I’ll miss it when it’s gone.  This is a result of trying to find one more way to use it up.

I’ve noticed lately when I collect zucchini out of my garden - I must be allergic to it.  That beautiful, smooth, dark skin is loaded with almost invisible hairlike spines.  It makes me itch to think about going out to harvest more.  Then, there’s the zucchini juice that would make a great skin-tightener.  Have you ever noticed how really fresh zucchini will actually COAT your skin after cutting it?  In spite of all the things I dislike about it - zucchini is a great add-in to stretch your meals.  

I’ve seen recipes for zucchini lasagna out there, and I really haven’t wanted THAT much green in my lasagna.  So I’ve been trying to think of how to add it into an easy lasagna.  I found a recipe on several websites for Sour Cream Noodle Bake.  They all have a few things in common - ease of assembly, minimal “layering”, and a lasagna-like mixture of ingredients.

I decided to combine the good things from these recipes and add one more element.  Grated zucchini.  I’m not talking about finely grated zucchini - but coarsely grated.  You want to announce that it’s there, but not overpower everyone.  Finely grated zucchini is a bit too subtle and leaves you wondering exactly which green thing is in there.

Since I didn’t want too many steps, I decided to let the boiling water from the noodles give the zucchini a little head-start in softening.  This also leaches out some of the excess moisture that this squash is notorious for.  I put the coarsely grated squash in the bottom of a fine mesh strainer and poured the cooked noodles over the top.  Let it stand while you prepare the meat sauce, and it’s just right to add to the mix.  

We loved this mixture.  The zucchini is definitely THERE, but not in enough quantity to be in your face.  

A nice texture with all the different elements going on.  See if you like it as much as we do.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Homemade Gnocchi

Every time I store a container of mashed potatoes in the refrigerator after Sunday dinner, I know I’m sending it to it’s death.  There are relatively few things to incorporate leftover potatoes into that get me excited.  This recipe is one that makes me look forward to hanging onto the leftovers so I have enough.

A few weeks ago, I posted the recipe for Roast Chicken Gnocchi Soup.  Since I was relatively unfamiliar with what gnocchi actually IS - I picked up a package in the pasta section at the store and used it.  It was acceptable, but not quite how I remembered the fluffy texture of the gnocchi at Olive Garden.

The use of potatoes is a recent innovation in making gnocchi - only since the 16th century when potatoes were introduced in Europe.  Leftover potatoes are great to use in Shepherd’s Pie and in Potato Rolls - but I’ve never ventured into Pierogies, Croquettes, etc...  When I learned you could use them to make your own Gnocchi - I was excited to try.  

I store my leftover mashed potatoes in baggies in my refrigerator...
Saves on space, (and I can send a bag with my college kids when they leave to go back)

There are a few tricks that certainly help.  One is to use CHILLED leftover potatoes.  Chilled potatoes use less flour - making them more fluffy when boiled.  Since cold mashed potatoes are not exactly easy to press into a measuring cup - you might try measuring them while they are still slightly warm into 2 cup portions before you refrigerate them.

Notice the pale yellow color of the potatoes?
That is how they look with the addition of an egg yolk.

Next - do not add ALL the flour at once.  Just like bread, use the smallest amount possible while still using enough to keep the dough from sticking excessively.  Gnocchi dough can be kneaded like bread dough - which gives it a smooth texture.

This dough is SUCH fun to play with.
I had to restrain myself and actually MAKE gnocchi with it.

Last - you can use a fork to press lines in the cut dough, but it’s so easy to do a little “thumb roll” down the tines of a fork to make the gnocchi have a hollow middle.  I thought it looked hard, but once I tried it - it was really fun.  I could picture doing this with my grandkids - almost like playdough.  

The easy way to shape & form gnocchi - press with the tines of a fork.

It works... but the next method is so much more satisfying.

Roll into a ball.

Press & lightly roll down the tines of your fork.

Makes a hollow little dumpling.  

Finally - use the formed gnocchi as soon as possible after making it.  Do not store it at room temperature (which I did - and it turned an unsightly “grey” color) - if you have to delay cooking it, be sure to cover it in the refrigerator.  Fresh is best.

For this (fun) method of making your own gnocchi that will RIVAL Olive Garden's - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Roast Chicken Gnocchi Soup

If you’ve enjoyed this soup at Olive Garden, this is a pretty close duplicate.  Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling made from potatoes and flour.  Made correctly, they are light and fluffy - rather than dense & chewy.  If all you can find are the shelf-stable gnocchi in your store, they resemble the texture of pasta.

Did you know that Costco sells rotisserie chicken in bulk?
(Best invention ever!)

I don’t worship Olive Garden like my daughters do, but I love their version of this soup which is rich and hearty.  

The copy-cat recipe for it is all over the web.  I can’t give credit to any individual here, but I thank those who have adjusted it to become what it is.  

I used rotisserie chicken breast, which made this a cinch to make.  I also cut the gnocchi in half, which made them a little more “bite-size”.  

You can sometimes find mini-size gnocchi.  

The indentations in these little dumplings are from being pressed between the thumb and the tines of a fork.  (My neighbor JoAnn makes her own and it’s fabulous)

You can trim down the calories by using milk instead of half-and-half, but it really changes the flavor (and is not as good reheated later)

This stores well and lasts a long time if you can’t use an entire batch.  Sprinkle with a little grated parmesan - it can’t hurt.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com