Zucchini Abundance

We have a few zucchini plants and they are starting to come due and have to be checked daily before they take over the yard with a surprise 7 pound fruit. I like to pick them so they still fit in my Vegetti but we rarely catch them in time. Last night we had a lot of leftover salmon and a few zucchinis so I got to work.

I used what tools I had and cut 2 large zucchini into noodles and sauteed them in olive oil with 3 cloves of garlic and a pinch of salt. Meanwhile I chunked up the remaining salmon and added it to the pan. Tossing and keeping it all moving, I added about 1/2 cup of cream and 1/2 cup shredded Fontina to the pan and made a quick savory sauce. Into bowls with a sprinkle of Parmesan and we were in business.  The sauce thickened up with the cheese by itself despite the water let loose by the zucchini. A quick and easy meal, relatively healthy depending on your views of cream and cheese.

The Big Ragu

We are having a birthday celebration for Christian as he is in town to party with his friends and Mackenzie decided to throw a dinner party with their mutual friends. We got to invite Matt and Lori who are not long for Omaha so...let the cooking begin.

At first Mackenzie suggested a Short Rib Ragu as she thought it sounded better than spaghetti and meatballs. I resisted because short ribs are expensive and greasy but acquiesced when I found  meaty ribs at a local store. Augmented with a package of boneless ribs and flanken cut ribs (cut across the ribs)  from another source, I went to town and browned the meat thoroughly in my 5 quart dutch oven. Then the sauce making began. I need a bigger dutch oven, I will say that right now.
I did not want brown gravy but a more marinara type sauce,  something that I used to make meatballs a few weeks ago and something that would still braise the ribs to fall apart tender.

Short Rib Ragu

3-4 pounds meaty short ribs (your choice of style but the flanken ribs did not have a lot of usable meat)
1 T oil
3 medium onions, grated
6 cloves of garlic minced
2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes, puree one of them
1 cup white wine
1 T Italian Seasoning
1 T oregano
1 T red Pepper flakes
1 cup grated Parmesan
a few cheese rinds
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ribs in 1 T oil  till mahogany in color. Set them aside and use the fat in the pan to saute the onions till they soften up then add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute then add everything but the Parmesan and cheese rinds. Its really a pretty easy but very tasty sauce.

Add the meat back to the sauce, cover and place in a 325 oven for about 3 hours till the meat is tender and pulls away from the bones. Take the meat and bones from the sauce and finish the sauce. I placed it in the fridge over night to skim the fat and finish the next day. 

I augmented the sauce with a few cups of chicken stock since I need a lot of sauce for the party. I also ran the immersion blender through it to smooth the sauce out a bit. Simmer gently as it will scorch easily at this stage, and add the Parmesan and cheese rinds. Adjust seasoning. It should taste rich and full from the meat and bones infusion.

Pick the meat from the bones and add the meat  back to the sauce. Ready to eat. We are serving it over the pasta pictured above but pappardelle (long flat pasta) would work nicely.

I am crossing my fingers that 5 quarts is enough, we have some big eaters coming over. Salad and about 6 baguettes will round out the menu tonight.

Tonight: Beer and craft cocktails. I have Rye so Scofflaws are in order for the older crowd. The boys all like IPA's so we have a bit of that on hand. The ladies will probably be drinking wine and we have plenty of that on hand in the form of a nice Chianti as well as anything else you might imagine.

Sunday Supper

Not a usual feature for us but I found an interesting meatball technique and had to try it. It had buttermilk and gelatin in the mix so I had to figure this out. The result, after roasting the meatballs then braising them in the sauce for a few hours was amazing. Tender and perfectly cooked and the sauce could not have been easier. Definitely on my go to list.

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs for a crowd

We didn't have a crowd so I adjusted this accordingly. Recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.

Meatballs

2 1/4 c panko

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 large beaten eggs

2 pounds 85% lean ground beef

1 pound ground pork

6 oz prosciutto chopped fine

3 oz grated Parmesan

6 T chopped parsley leaves

3 medium garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 t gelatin dissolved in 3 T water

Salt and pepper

Sauce

3 T olive oil

1 1/2 cups grated onion from 2 or 3 onions

6 medium garlic cloves minced

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1 t oregano

1 28 oz tomato puree (instead of 6 cups of tomato juice called for originally)

3 28 oz crushed tomatoes

6 T dry white wine

Salt and pepper

I added more dried herbs and cut the recipe down to one can crushed tomatoes. 

1/2 c minced basil

Adjust sauce with sugar and salt and pepper.

For the meatballs:

Place wire rack over foiled lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 450. Combine bread crumbs and milk for ten minutes until smooth paste forms.

Add eggs, beef, pork, and rest of ingredients. Mix gently with hands till well combined. Use large scoop to create 2 inch meatballs and space apart on rack. Roast 30 minutes turning halfway through. 

Make the sauce while they are baking.

Heat the olive oil and add the onions stirring occasionally till golden 8 minutes, then add the garlic, red pepper and herbs cooking till fragrant about 30 seconds.  Add the tomato products, wine salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer about 15 minutes. Add meatballs to pot cover and bake in oven 1 hour at 300 degrees till sauce is reduced and meatballs have firmed up.  Serve over cooked pasta. 

The New Year's Feast

We had a dinner party for about 12 on Tuesday night after my meetings and various chores and running amok all over Omaha. When I finally settled down it just a matter of preparation, a quick stop at Trader Joe's and prep work. Lot's of prep work.

The menu was for Steak Pasta since I have a glut of NY Strip roast left from Christmas. I had cut the roast into portions for later as well as this dinner the day after Christmas.

I had cut and roasted about a pint and a half of grape tomatoes, sauteed a good pound of baby Portabella Mushrooms and set everything aside for the main event.

Earlier in the day I had assembled the Caesar Dressing for the salad and had the lettuce washed and drying.

The Caesar Dressing:

1 t salt
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 t Dijon mustard
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 Anchovy filets or a good squeeze of paste(about 3 inches or more)
3 T Tarragon Vinegar
zest and juice of a Lemon
1 t ground pepper
1 coddled egg ( I used a raw egg)
6 T olive oil
1/2 Parmesan Cheese grated

I used my new little processor for this so it was super easy. I did not cook the egg and I added the oil last after mixing the rest. It made a nice dressing but taste the result to adjust seasoning. You may want to use less salt to start. I poured this over a huge bowl of chopped Romaine and croutons with shaved Parmesan. Seemed to be a hit.

For the Pasta, I have posted this before but here goes again:

I have a large chef's pot (5 quart) that I made this in.

Firstly place water to boil for pasta and cook al dente. I used bow ties (Farfalle)

 Sauteed mushrooms, saute these in butter then set aside when the water is given up and they are browned.
Add to the dirty pot:
2 pounds of rare steak cut into bite size pieces, and brown slightly then place the
Roasted tomatoes and mushrooms back into the pot. Scrape up all the brown stuff.
Cover with  1 Quart of Heavy cream and allow to come to a simmer. It should thicken up a bit after a few minutes.
I had about 1/2 pound of Blue Cheese crumbled and 3/4 c grated fresh Parmesan that I added to flavor the sauce. Check for salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta (I used 3 boxes for this recipe) and pour the sauce over and toss. Top with some additional crumbled Blue Cheese.

We served the salad and pasta with garlic toasts.

Divine Decadence

Mac and Cheese and dogs at work was supposed to be Tuesday but got bumped to Wednesday. I had the casserole in the oven when I found out so not terribly happy. After it cooled it went straight to the fridge.

I had made a bit extra for home which I baked for dinner tonight to test the recipe. Yum. Not our normal fare by a long shot but for work...well whatever goes. This was very cheesy but had lots of flavor and a nice consistancy. I give it 2 thumbs up but cannot make it often. I pulled this off of Pinterest.

Sweetie Pie's Macaroni and Cheese

1 pound of cooked drained macaroni ( I used 2 pounds honestly after mixing the amount of liquid it just looked like it needed more)
1 c whole milk
2 12 oz cans of evaporated milk
3 eggs
2 sticks of butter cubed small
1/2 pound Colby, Monterrey Jack, Sharp Cheddar and 1 pound of cubed Velveeta (2 1/2 pounds of cheese!)
1 T white pepper
1 T sugar
Salt
Grated cheese to top
I also had homemade croutons I crushed and spread on top

Preheat oven 350. Boil and drain the macaroni just underdone.
In a large bowl (LARGE) mix the milks and eggs, pepper, butter, salt, sugar and grated cheeses. Add the macaroni and mix well.

I poured this into a large 1/2 roasting pan and it came to the top with a full quart casserole left over.  Bake for 35-45 minutes till bubbly and slightly browned. This will serve 15-20 people.

Short Rib Lasagna

 

I watched Giada cook these the other day and dreamed of meaty short ribs but my experience has always been fatty unappealing meat. I found some ribs at the grocer at a reasonable price yesterday so I have to try again. This time Lasagna Rolls will fit the bill and stretch the meager meat farther.  We'll see as I hold the recipe in reserve for colder weather since it calls for braising and that is Fall cooking for me. I lifted this recipe from the Food Network site and give them full credit for all this.

 

Ingredients
Ribs:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 pounds beef short ribs
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups red wine, such as pinot noir
2 cups beef broth

Filling:

3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano (6 ounces)
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)
1 (10-ounce) packet frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of excess liquid
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
12 lasagna noodles (about 10 ounces)
Butter, for greasing baking dish
1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

For the ribs: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the ribs with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the ribs to the pan and cook until brown, about 4 minutes each side. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onions, garlic, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the beef broth and ribs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the meat is very tender , 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the ribs and set aside until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Discard the bones and cooking liquid. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into 2-inch long pieces (to yield approximately 2 1/4 cups shredded meat).

For the filling: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheeses and whisk until melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the spinach, basil, and garlic. Place the shredded meat in a medium bowl and pour the spinach mixture on top. Add the salt and pepper. Using a fork, mix until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4 noodles flat on a dry work surface. Spread 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the filling mixture evenly along each noodle. Roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling to make 12 lasagna rolls. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake until the lasagna rolls are heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/short-rib-lasagna-rolls-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Asian Flair

No meat nights can be challenging. Tonight I had stopped by the store after remembering the sides that came with my duck dinner at J. Coco. Kind of a sweet brown sauce with the noodles and veggies. I had some shrimps and some time so I went with a package of Udon Noodles, a jarred sauce that looked sweet already and a mix of snow peas, broccoli and green onions.

I peeled and cleaned the shrimps and started the water boiling for the noodles that really don't take long at all.

To my chefs pan I added a bit of oil and stirred in a few chopped cloves of garlic then added the veggies and sauteed to crisp tender.

I used about 3/4 c of the bottled sauce but added a 1/4 c of chili garlic sauce and a healthy dose of Siracha. I poured this over the veggies with the shrimps and let the sauce cook the shrimps to just pink before adding the cooked noodles. A quick stir and on the plate. Very nice.

Icons and Skillet Lasgna

Finished the icon for little Clare (Evangelia) I believe.

Tonight I wanted something cheesy, meaty and saucy so Brenda reminded me that we have recipe for an easy Skillet Lasagna from Cook's Country a long time ago.  We were out and about so I gathered the ingredients on the last stop and started assembling. Fr. Nik might be stopping by to spend the night so I needed something on hand in case he is hungry.

Skillet Lasagna

medium onion diced
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 T olive olive
1 t Red pepper flakes
1 pound of "meatloaf" mix I used 1/2 hamburger 1/2 ground pork
8 ounces for lasagna noodles
24 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 carton of Ricotta
1/2 Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil or Italian Seasoning ( I used a few teaspoons of Italian seasoning in the meat)

Make sure the tomatoes when combined equal about a quart. If not, added water.
Saute the onions with a bit of salt in the olive oil. When translucent, add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the meat, crumbling and cooking till no longer pink. Stir in the Italian seasoning. Break the lasagna noodles over the top and don't stir. Pour the tomatoes over all, cover an simmer 20 minutes till noodles are tender.
Stir in the Parmesan and fresh Basil if using, remove from heat and top with heaping spoonfuls of Ricotta. I actually spread some shredded Mozzarella over the top and covered a few minutes to melt.

Leftovers...what to do, what to do?

A sprinkle of Parmesan completes the dish.

Sprouts, shrimp and crab (large King Crab chunks)

I had about 3/4 pounds of picked crab and a few jumbo shrimp, some Brussels Sprouts and a package of Chipotle sauce mix and pasta. A very picky wife regarding carb intake, the pasta is low calorie, high fiber and a win in all directions.

I shredded the Brussels Sprouts with a small mandolin and sauteed them in a small amount of oil with a bit of garlic. I mixed the Chipotle sauce with a cup of skim milk (calorie conscious) and added it to the sprouts. I gave the shrimp and crab a rough chop and heated them with the sprouts. I added a 1/4 c of cream (not so calorie conscious) for a bit of richness and a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

I cooked the pasta and added it to the pan, tossing and coating everything. Plated in a bowl with a sprinkling of Parmesan it turned into a pretty good meal with leftovers for Friday lunch.

I love this sauce mix but this is the last package in Omaha I can find.

Shredded sprouts in the cream sauce

Homemde Marinara....thanks to the Italian Dish

Marinara Sauce

makes 2 cups

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 cup grated carrot
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoons dried thyme
• a few fresh basil leaves (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

In a large heavy pot, gently heat olive oil, onions, sea salt and a little freshly ground pepper (and the chili pepper, if using) and saute over low heat until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and saute another 5 minutes. Add the San Marzano tomatoes and their liquid and break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon (or just crush them with your hands, like I do). Add the herbs and sugar, if you are using it. Simmer gently, uncovered, for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Puree the tomato sauce either with an immersion blender right in the pot, or transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.

Plaki for 8

So after all my talk of new pots and cooking for the church, Mackenzie 'needed' a batch of Plaki (just the sauce) for sustenance. I surprised her yesterday with a pot of saucy goodness after I pared the recipe down form 100 to about 8 or so. I used he Internet apps to adjust the recipe and then re calculated the ingredients. It came out to this:

5 medium onions sliced
3 large celery stalks chopped
2 T garlic
1 28 oz can of pureed tomatoes
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 14 oz jar of Ragu (don't ask)
1 c red wine
1 T Basil
1 T Oregano
2-3 Bay Leaves
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Saute the veggies in olive oil till soft, add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and spices. Simmer for 20 minutes covered to protect your stove. Uncover and adjust the seasoning. Simmer another 20 minutes with lid set ajar to thicken a bit. Stir occasionally. Remove Bay Leaves before serving.

Now, usually you would layer this with some fish (cod especially) and bake till the fish is cooked then serve over pasta. Mackenzie and friends simply serve it over pasta minus the fish. 

Antipasto Salad

As we head to the in-laws this weekend armed with loaves of Stromboli we decided to add this little gem of ours to the mix.  I love this little mix of whatever I can find to add to some cooked pasta. It's a bit expensive but I found the meats on sale this week and most of the pickeled stuff was a bargin.

1 pound of salami cubed or matchsticks
1 pound of pepperoni cubed or matchsticks
1 box cooked Penne Rigate
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 jar of pepperoncini  marinated peppers
1 jar of roasted red peppers
1 cup of marinated artichokes
1 can black olives
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound cubed mozzarella
1/2 pound cubed provolone or jack
1/4 c or more olive oil
3T  red wine vinegar
2 T Italian seasoning blend
salt and pepper to taste

All measurments are arbitrary. I simply open drain and dump, season and dress then mix it all up and allow to sit overnight in the fridge. You might have to freshen the dressing if the pasta sucks it all up.

The nice thing about these sorts of salads is that you can Greek it up with Feta, kalamatas, lemon and oregano if you like that sort of thing (we do). I also sometimes use cooked cheese Tortellini and spinach leaves. I will leave it up to your imagination.

A rare pasta evening....

Well, that turkey breast did not last near long enough and the meatloaf is almost gone so what to do for dinner?
It's been a while since we have had any pasta and I have a package of Italian sausage in the freezer so tonight is a good night for Pasta with Sausage and Cream. There is no cream in the recipe but you could sub it if you want. We use skim milk here so I thicken the sauce with a bit of flour and no one seems to miss the cream.

1 pound of Italian sausage, mild or hot, cut into chunks if links.
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1/2 chopped onion
3-4 tablespoons of flour
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups of milk
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 box of pasta, bow ties or regular spaghetti

Start by browning that sausage. Once you have a nice color and it's no longer pink, add the garlic and onions. Stir till softened then add the flour. Once the flour has cooked for a few minutes add the tomatoes. The sauce will begin to thicken then add some milk. Hard to say how much but it usually almost covers the sausages. Stir and simmer till nice and thick then add the Parmesan. Serve over the cooked pasta. Pass some Parmesan.

A family favorite, I had been making this so long I have forgotten where it came from. I know the recipe originally had cream but I have never made it that way mostly because of calorie concerns. It's a great quick meal that sticks to the ribs. Serve it with a side salad as you see it is lacking in green.  I always had a nice loaf of crusty bread to sop up the sauce but even that has fallen away since the great carb counting  life style we now embrace. Enjoy!

Ok this sounds cool and looks even better. This might have to have go in the new kitchen. They serverd it with meatballs.

Gnocchi alla Romana

These tender gnocchi are prepared in the Roman style using semolina flour plus milk, butter, egg yolks and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The dough is cut into disks, then layered in a pan and baked in the oven. Roman-style meatballs are the perfect accompaniment (see related recipe at left).

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 cups milk 
• 2 cups semolina 
• 2 tsp. kosher salt 
• 1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
• 2 egg yolks 
• 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, plus 3 Tbs. melted butter 
• Roman-style meatballs for serving (see related recipe at left) 

Directions:

In a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Add the semolina in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until incorporated. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the salt and continue whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the semolina is thick and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese, the egg yolks and the 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) butter until incorporated.

Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Pour the semolina mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. 


Preheat an oven to 425°F. Butter a 9-inch French skillet.

Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut the gnocchi into rounds. Arrange the gnocchi in the pan so they are overlapping, resembling shingles. Brush the top of the gnocchi with the 3 Tbs. melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, then serve immediately with Roman-style meatballs. Serves 6 to 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

A basic mac and cheese recipe but with the added surprise of smoked Gouda cheese. Make sure lots of that smokey rind is included in the grating for the flavor.


2 cups of milk
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper
1 cup or more of smoked Gouda shredded
1/c cup Parmesan

I generally use skim milk here but its way better with whole milk or half and half. At any rate heat 2 cups in the microwave and set aside.

Melt butter in sauce pan and added flour. Cook for a few minutes then add milk a little at a  time stirring well to avoid lumps. Whisk while adding the mustard and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the cheeses and stir to melt. Taste, adjust. Pour over cooked macaroni just before serving.

**Note do not let the sauce come to a boil once the cheese is in the mix as it will turn grainy.

What to do with....

one zucchini, 2 ears of corn, 2 baby bell peppers and some garlic?

To this I added

1/2 to 3/4 pounds of peeled shrimps
1/2 cup cream
1/4 c parmesean
1/4 grated fontina
1/2 t crushed red pepper and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning

I julienned all the veggies, cut the corn from the cob and crushed the garlic.

I sauteed the veggies in some butter and olive oil. Salt and pepper here to taste.

Added a 3/4 pound of shrimps, cook till pink then add a flood of cream (1/2 cup or so)

When heated throughly  touch it off with a 1/4 c parmesean and 1/4 c fontina and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. A final flourish of olive oil and spooned and served over pasta. It took as long as the pasta to cook and assemble. If it is too thick, add a bit of the pasta water.

So fresh and tasty and I used up some of the glut of veggies in the fridge.

Steak Pasta with blue cheese and tomatoes

I have a bit of the very rare flat iron left over from Sunday. Time for my personnal favortite pasta dish from Ryan's Bistro   http://www.ryansbistro.com/ordereze/default.aspx


1 pound rare steak bite sized pieces
1 pound of cremini mushrooms quartered
1/2 c blue cheese crumbled
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup cream
S and P to taste
cooked pasta

Generally I already have a cooked steak on hand or I would grill the steak to rare and hold it till I am ready to add it to the sauce.

Sautee the mushrooms in butter till golden, add the cream in a large skillet. Cook till hot  and add the tomatoes, cheese and then finally the prepared steak. Throw in your cooked pasta and get ready to pass the peppermill. So tasty.

Pasta with Sausage and Cream

One of my most missed easy recipes since our low carb excursion is this:

Pasta with sausage and cream (measurments are approx)

6 Italian sausages cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 can diced tomatoes
2 T flour
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c Parmesan
S and P to taste
Cooked bow ties or rigatoni

I have never really made this with cream. I sub skim milk for the cream and use flour to thicken. I start by frying the sausage till cooked thru and browned. I like the casing on it but you can remove it if you don't. Once brown and tasty I add 2T flour and stir to coat the sausage. I add a can of diced tomatoes followed by the milk. (we use skim). The mixture should thicken nicely and have a nice pink color. Add the Parmesan and season to taste. We ladle this over cooked bow ties or rigatoni. Great, easy dinner for a weekday.

Now...I know. I never measure stuff so everything is approximations. My bad,  but I have always been a pinch and dash kind of cook. Hits and misses but I am trying to be better about writing things down.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

for the bechamel:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
some grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 chicken bouillion cube (amount that you would dissolve in 1 cup water)
note: if you are using Knorr bouillion cubes, remember they are for 2 cups of water - just cut them in half)

Vegetables to roast (you can use anything you like)
I used a combination of zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, 3 garlic cloves and some chopped up fresh spinach

Lasagna noodles for one 13x9 inch baking pan
I don't recommend "no boil" noodles for this lasagna.

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

For the bechamel:
In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour and cook for just a minute or so.  Slowly add the milk and keep whisking.  Add the nutmeg, white pepper and bouillion cube and whisk.  Cook for a few minutes, whisking, until the bechamel has thickened slightly.  Set aside to cool.  Stir it once in a while so a skin doesn't form.

For the vegetables:
Chop vegetables uniformly.  Mince garlic.  Combine half the mixed vegetables on a baking sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for several minutes at 400 degrees.  Stir.  Roast for several minutes more until vegetables are soft.  You can roast a little longer, if you like them to be slightly carmelized.  Repeat with remaining vegetables.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Cook lasagna noodles for 5 minutes, until soft.  Shock in a bowl of ice water, lay on towels to dry.

Spray a 13x9 baking pan with a little cooking spray.  Spoon some bechamel thinly on the bottom of the pan.  Start with a layer of noodles, a layer of bechamel, some vegetables, and then a layer of a little parmesan and mozzarella.  Repeat layers until you have 6 layers of noodles.  On top of the last layer, don't use any vegetables, just some bechamel and the remaining cheeses.  Cover tightly with foil.

 At this point, you can refrigerate this for a day if you want.  When you are ready to bake, bring to room temperature for an hour and then bake for 50 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Remove foil.  Bake for a little longer until top is slightly golden.  Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

I made this with a few modifications. I made a ricotta layer and only used noodles on the bottom and top. I think it came out really loose. Probably too much water from the veggies and the layer of zucchini slices I used for a noodle layer. It was really tasty but runny. What would I do differently? Probably dry the riccotta out a bit, and mix the roasted veggies with a few tbls of flour to tighten everything up. Perhaps if more noodle layers were added it would absorbed some of the liquid but we are low carb eaters so that's not an option. I also used two egg yolks and some cheese in the bechamel since that is how I learned to make it.

Stopped at Trader Joe's again to pick up more Mahi for the freezer. I also picked up a bag of Ciopino for a quick supper...maybe for Pre Sanctified Wednesday's?