Lasagna

This is so easy, I just follow the directions on the box.  But Jason asked me to blog it and I like to have all of my wonderful ideas in one place, so here it goes.  From memory, no less. :-) I'll update it if I find any errors.  If this comment (about memory!) is still here when you go to make this, double check the box of lasagna noodles.

Lasagna
1 box of no-boil lasagna noodles (this is WAY easier than the alternative!)
1 big container of cottage cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper
Italian seasonings (or basil, oregano, etc.)
1 jar spaghetti sauce plus 1 C. water, per the no boil box directions
1/2 C. parmesan cheese
16 oz mozzarella, shredded, divided
Optional - ground turkey and sausage, black olives,  fresh spinach, fresh or frozen broccoli

Combine cottage cheese, parmesan, about 1 C. of mozzarella, egg, seasonings.  Cook meat and veggies as needed.  I found that fresh spinach worked well and I used frozen broccoli florets, making sure to squeeze all the extra moisture from them.  I'd pre-cook the broccoli if it was fresh, too.  Jason is a meat guy and so we made ground turkey and mild italian sausage, and a can of black olives, sliced.  Grease a big 13x9 pan, I use cooking spray.  Spread some sauce on the bottom of the pan, then add a layer of noodles.  It is OK if they overlap a little.  Add some of the cottage cheese mixture, then sprinkle with other toppings.  Ours are always half veggies, half meat and black olives.  The veggies side gets a little taller but it works.  Then cover with another layer of noodles, then sauce, then repeat.  I think the sauce goes on top of the noodles always but it could go before, I suppose.  Double check the box. :-) So you repeat the layers until you run out of filling.  I usually get two sets of filling, and three layers of noodles, including the bottom.  After you put your top layer of lasagna noodles on, dump on any remaining sauce and then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and if you want, a little more parmesan.  Cover with foil and cook at 375 (?) for 60 minutes.  I always take the foil off for the last ten minutes so it gets sort of browned, but Jason said he heard that can dry it out.  Your choice.  Let it stand for 5-10 minutes when you take it out.  Freezes well, leftovers are amazing.  Another nice thing is that you can make this a day in advance if you like, or the morning of, then just heat it up when you're ready.

Wendy's Manicotti

Wendy makes great, healthy manicotti that is super easy and even better if you cook it first on Day 1, save it, and then heat it up again in the oven on Day 2.

Manicotti
32 oz cottage cheese
16 oz mozzarella
3-4 oz parmesean (1/2 C.)
1 egg
1 tsp. garlic powder
italian seasoning (oregano, parsley)
salt and pepper
manicotti or shells (it looks like they do sell the ones you dont have to boil first! check!)
2 jars spaghetti sauce
optional - spinach, broccoli, meat, etc...

Makes one 13x9 and one 8x8 pan.  Combine all ingredients (except pasta and sauce.)  Spread sauce on pan bottom, fill noodles and lay in pan, cover with sauce.   Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, covered with foil.

Jason and I like different things in our pasta (hers= spinach, broccoli, his=meat and cheese) so it is a good idea to make the filling and then divide it in two, or if you are doing cheese only for one of the pans (he's fine with that) then do that first, then add the veggies.

You can use fresh or frozen veggies but like all pasta dishes, make sure and drain any excess moisture so it doesn't turn out too soupy.

Yum!

Mom's Chili

My mom made this for us a few weeks ago and it was easy, simple and delicious.  And yet another slow cooker meal!

Mom’s Chili

2 - 32 oz cans of whole tomatoes, chopped or hand squeezed
2 – 32 oz cans of tomato sauce (may use a little less, add it gradually)
2 cans of kidney beans
2 chili seasoning packets
1 onion, chopped
2 lbs cooked ground turkey (Mom uses 93/7)

Corn Bread for dipping, or...

Spaghetti, Kidney beans, fresh chopped onions and finely shredded cheddar

Cook turkey with onions.  Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil, then simmer for a few.  Tastes best on Day 2, and this cooks really well in the slow cooker although you can do it on the stove as well.  And it makes your house smell great all day.  I like to serve this with extra kidney beans over spaghetti, with finely shredded cheddar cheese and fresh onions.  

Jenny's Spaghetti Sauce

So my foodie friend Jenny made this for us right after we had Kate, and I know it's just spaghetti, but OMG it was amazing.  I think that I might be a convert, so much so that I might not even use jarred pasta sauce much going forward.  This was SO good and really easy to make.

Cook in a wok or large soup pot...
2.5 or 3 hot italian sausage links (you don't need any extra oil, by the way...)
2.5 or 3 mild italian sausage links
optional - if you're feeding a crowd- 1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
1/2 onion, diced small

Then add...
28 oz can tomato sauce
28 oz can diced tomatoes (Jenny used fresh tomatoes from her garden... deseed, dice and add!)
1 6 (or is it 8- the small skinny can) oz can tomato paste

Then add...
1 T. oregano
1 T. basil
1 t. thyme (or a little less)
1 t. rosemary (or a little less)
1/4 t. sage
2 bay leaves

Turn it down to simmer for 30-60 minutes, giving it an occasional stir.  Serve over pasta with parmesan cheese, a green salad and some garlic bread and enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash

So we have all heard how good for us spaghetti squash is, right?  One cup of it has 42 calories.  If you sub that for your spaghetti, you can easily shave a couple hundred calories off your meal.  And no, it doesn't taste just like pasta... but with a good sauce on top, it is definitely edible and very filling.

It is super easy to cook, too.  Here's what you do:

Stab a couple of puncture holes in the squash.

Then, place the whole thing either in a 375 degree oven for 40-60 minutes, or wrap it in plastic-wrap and put it in the microwave for 10 minutes or so.  Either way, you want a sharp knife to slide into the skin somewhat easily.

Give it a few (5-10) minutes to cool, and then carefully slice it in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds, and then take a fork to the flesh.  It will shred into little spaghetti like pieces.  Serve with olive oil and parmesan cheese, or put a good meat sauce on top- and enjoy!

PS You can also cut a spaghetti squash in half and cook using either of these methods above.  If you do that, it will cook faster- but you have to be really careful not to cut your arm off.  I'm not kidding, it is really tough to cut through- and you know if you open half of it, you're going to want the other half too- so you may as well just throw the whole thing in at the same time!  Enjoy!

Baked Ziti

A friend made this one time for us and it was really good. It is so easy to make and these days, I sneak a box of chopped spinach in it and it goes over really well! It is easy to make vegetarian too. I always use whole wheat pasta too- you can't really tell when it is all baked together and you may as well get the protein/fiber boost. I like to serve this with a green salad and garlic bread. Also, if I am making this for just us, I use two 8x8 pans and freeze the second one before cooking it.

Baked Ziti
Italian chicken or turkey sausage, cooked
16 oz. penne pasta, cooked (short tubes)
15 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1 egg
Garlic Salt
Italian Seasoning
frozen chopped spinach, thawed, as much as you think you can get away with
1 28 oz. jar your favorite pasta sauce (I like Trader Joe's Three Cheese)
mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook the pasta just short of the package instructions, by only a minute or so. Drain. Cook the meat and drain on a paper towel. Get all of the moisture out of the spinach. The best way I have found is to dump all of it in the middle of a clean dish towel and then run water over it and squeeze the spinach in the middle of the towel until it is pretty much dried out.

In a large bowl, mix ricotta, egg, garlic salt, spinach, Italian seasoning and pasta sauce. Stir in cooked pasta to coat as well as cooked meat. Pour into a 13x9 pan (or two 8x8 pans) and cover with mozzarella cheese and foil. Bake at 425 for 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted. I like to take off the foil and brown it a little under the broiler, but watch it so you don't burn it!

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

This is a recipe from Everyday Italian (Giada) on the Food Network. Can I just say that she is pretty enough to be a model? And don't you love how they play the porn music whenever she takes a bite of anything and moans about how good it is? :-) It cracks US up. Yes, I said US, she is one of Jason's favorites too, even though he wouldn't eat most of what she makes. This recipe is AMAZING, really good. Make sure that you chop your fresh herbs well or it will look like spinach throughout your pasta- which actually sounds good, but not with herbs.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Ingredients
Olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 pound purchased cheese tortellini
2 ounces thinly sliced smoked mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.

Whisk the sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley and thyme in a large bowl to blend. Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the mixture with the smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt, about 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie

This is a fun way to jazz up spaghetti and is made with ingredients that you probably already have on hand. When I make this for me and Jason, I split it into two 8x8 pans and cook one, cover the other with foil and then freeze it before cooking it. When you are ready for the frozen one, pull it out of the freezer, throw it in the fridge for a day or so and then cook as normal! Doesn't get much more convenient than that.

Spaghetti Pie

16 oz. (1 box) dry spaghetti
2-3 T butter
1 cup parmesan cheese
4 well-beaten eggs
1 lb. + ground turkey, cooked
1 (28 oz) jar of your favorite pasta sauce
2-4 (32 oz) cups cottage cheese - however much you like, it is a nice protein boost with minimal calories and doesn't affect the taste
1 cup mozzarella or italian blend cheese, shredded

Cook spaghetti. Drain. Stir butter into hot noodles until melted. Whisk eggs and parmesan cheese. Mix meat in with pasta sauce. Form pasta mixture into a crust shape in a buttered 9x13 pan, or two 9" pie plates. Spread cottage cheese over bottom of spaghetti crust. Top with tomato-meat mixtrue. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is lightly browned.

Bowties and Broccoli

This is another really good recipe. I read a suggestion that you should saute the broccoli with the garlic and red pepper flakes, which I bet is good too. Of course, you can use any pasta that you have- although I have to admit that the little bowties are really cute.

Bowties and Broccoli

Ingredients
1 pound dry farfalle (bow tie) pasta
4 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
optional - pine nuts, crushed red pepper flakes, grilled chicken

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add farfalle pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
Place broccoli in a pot fitted with a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam 5 minutes, or until tender.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute, or until golden brown.
In a bowl, toss together the pasta, reserved pasta water, broccoli, garlic, remaining oil, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Lasagna Roll Ups

These lasagna roll ups are so good! I have had this vision of serving these at a party, though it hasn't happened yet. You can freeze them individually after you cook them too, and they are so cute. They are fairly labor intensive, especially for me- but for a special occasion, they are worth it.

Lasagna Roll Ups

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 pound firm tofu
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 5 to 8 minutes, or until just slightly underdone; drain and rinse.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together grated cheese, ricotta cheese, tofu, frozen spinach, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.
Lay out a noodle. Spread a layer of the cheese mixture on the noodle, then add a thin layer of sauce. Roll the noodle up, and place seam side down in a 13x9 pan. Repeat for other noodles. Top with remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 30 min, or until hot and bubbly.

Fettuccine Alfredo

This is a basic Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe from StartCooking.com. I think it would be really good with some steamed broccoli and grilled chicken tossed in too.

Fettuccine Alfredo

1 pound of dried pasta
8 tablespoons of butter - unsalted
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of parmesan cheese - freshly grated
1 dash of salt and pepper (adjust to taste)
Optional - steamed broccoli, grilled chicken

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

While the pasta is draining, melt the butter in the same pot you cooked the pasta in. Return the pasta to the pot and add the cream and the parmesan cheese.

Toss over low heat until the pasta is coated.

Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Adapted from: Joy of Cooking

Mediterranean Pasta Toss

My awesome neighbor made this for me right after I had my son. It is so good, and I swear that it is even better reheated- although it is so good fresh too. I also usually use wheat pasta, which I love. I now know that my husband doesn't love it, but he is usually scared of spinach and tomatoes anyway, so I will continue to make it with wheat. :-)

Elaine's Mediterranean Pasta Toss

1 pkg pinenuts
5-6 cloves garlic (chopped well)
1 box penne pasta, cooked
5 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 frozen pkg chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1 jar sun dried tomatoes in oil (julienne cut) - you can find them in the produce section

In olive oil, brown pinenuts and add garlic. Saute and add tomatoes (including oil), spinach and saute and warm through. Throw over cooked pasta, add a little more olive oil and the feta cheese. Toss and serve.

Enjoy!