Lasagna with Meatballs

I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of ricotta cheese. So my favorite lasagnas do not include it. This is by far the favorite lasagna (besides Victoria's in Norman, OBVIOUSLY) of all my picky eaters. It's a time-consuming dish to make, yes, but this one is worth it! 

Lasagna with Meatballs
from America's Test Kitchen : '09

for meatballs and sauce:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup minced basil or parsley (or a combination of both)
3 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can crushed tomatoes

for noodles and cheese:
12 dried lasagna noodles
1 lb whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450. Mix meatballs- ground beef, cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, and up to 5 tbs basil, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Roll into 1 tsp sized meatballs. Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, gently heat garlic and olive oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add tomatoes, cook 10-15 minutes. Off the heat, add 3 tbs basil, season with salt and pepper. Stir meatballs into sauce and cover to keep warm.
Lower oven temperature to 400.
Boil pasta. Drain and cool under water.
Spray a 9*13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Ladle 3 tbs sauce on the bottom. Top with 3 noodles, then 1 1/2 cups sauce/meatballs, then 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers. On the fourth and final layer, cover pasta with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
You can also cover well (before baking) and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

Veggie Spaghetti

My kids LOVE Daniel Tiger. Perhaps I should be able to appreciate him a bit more, as I did grow up on Mr. Roger's, but I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Daniel. (Mostly hate.) For the most part, the show annoys me. The songs are so catchy, I sometimes find myself singing them in the middle of the night. But I have Daniel to thank for one of my kids most requested meals- Veggie Spaghetti. "You've got to try new food, cause it might taste good!"  That's the song my boys sing to one another on a regular basis. And this Veggie Spaghetti has them eating more vegetables in one meal (and without complaint) than anything else I've ever tried.  Sing on, Daniel. Sing on. 

Veggie Spaghetti

1 box whole wheat pasta
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into pieces
1 stalk celery, cut into pieces
1/2 cup fresh spinach
3/4 - 1 lb ground beef
2 tbs tomato paste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp dried basil

Put a big old pot of water on to boil for your pasta.
Place 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. In a food processor (I only have a mini-chopper, and it works fine. Sometimes I have to do this in batches.), combine garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and spinach. Pulse until everything is finely minced. Add mixture to the pan with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste and let the veggies soften, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef, season again with salt and pepper and cook until meat is no longer pink- 7-10 minutes. When meat is browned, add the tomato paste and stir to distribute it. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and dried herbs. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat while the pasta cooks- about 10-15 minutes.
Drain the pasta, top with the veggie-fied sauce and parmesan cheese.
Serve with the world's best French Bread.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles

Chicken Noodle Soup is about as basic as it gets, right?  Even the simplest of homemade versions is infinitely superior to anything out of a can.  Even so, I've been bored with mine for a while now.  So to amp it up a bit, I scoured the Internet for a homemade noodle recipe and tried the first one I found.  Egg noodles from a bag will never again float in my chicken noodle soup.  (Well, never say never.  But these are really, really good and well worth the effort.)  

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles

noodle recipe adapted from eHow

For noodles:

2 large eggs

4 tbs heavy cream (I used half and half- I'm sure you can use whole milk and they'll be fine)

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, then slowly add the cream and salt.  Add flour to the egg mixture, about half a cup at a time.  Blend well with a fork or pastry cutter.  Continue to mix with a fork or by hand until smooth.  On a floured surface, divide the dough into two balls.  Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is as thin as possible.  

Slice dough into thin strips, using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife.  Cut those strips into 2 inch lengths.  Place the dough strips on wax paper.  Allow to dry at room temperature for 30 minutes.  (Don't do what I did and assume they'll be fine if they overlap a bit.  They won't.  They'll stick together and you'll lose quite a few noodles this way.)

For the soup:
12 cups chicken stock- preferably homemade (I only had 8 cups so I used 4 cups of water and added more salt and pepper to the end result)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 dry bay leaf
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
parsley to finish, if your family doesn't scream at the sight of green things in their soup

In your biggest pot, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium-low.  Add carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add chicken stock and bay leaf and raise heat to medium-high.  Bring to a boil.  Add noodles to the boiling broth and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add chicken and warm through, about 2 minutes more.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove bay leaf. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

(My soup pictured above is obviously veggie-free, simply because my house was veggie-free that day.  Even so, that bowl of chicken, broth, and homemade noodles is probably the best bowl of soup I've ever had.)  

Gwyneth Paltrow's Fried Zucchini Spaghetti

When your mother-in-law gives you the largest zucchini you've ever laid eyes on, use some for zucchini pancakes, some for chocolate zucchini bread (a recipe I thought I had shared but apparently have not! Soon!), and some for Gwyneth's fried zucchini spaghetti. Smile to yourself as you eat a huge bowl of it, knowing you don't have to share it with any of the picky eaters in your house.

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti
from My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow

1 pound small zucchini, very thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound spaghetti
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup torn basil leaves
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving

In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the flour and a pinch of salt. In a very large skillet, heat half of the oil until shimmering. Add half of the zucchini and fry over high heat, turning once or twice, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zucchini to a paper towel–lined wire rack and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining oil and zucchini.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the 1 cup of cheese, the basil and a generous pinch of pepper. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing well to coat. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and top with the crispy zucchini. Serve right away with lemon wedges and additional cheese.

Creamy Pasta with Chard and Tomatoes

Over a birthday lunch at Whole Foods with my sister, I mentioned how frustrated I had been with cooking. I felt stuck in a rut of chicken nuggets and cheese pizzas and "kid food." I never made anything I really wanted anymore, or anything "just for me." As my wise older sister is wont to do, she enlightened me to the fact that I could very easily make myself something for lunch that was just for me, and cook a more kid-friendly dinner.

Light bulb.

This dish fits the bill perfectly, and it uses up the beautiful swiss chard I've discovered (and fallen in love with) at our farmer's market. I buy it every week, and this is my favorite way to eat it.

Creamy Pasta with Chard and Tomatoes

from Joy of Cooking

1 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 large ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped or 1 cup chopped drained canned tomatoes

1 pound chard, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips

3/4 cup heavy cream

salt and black pepper to taste

8 oz pasta (I used whole wheat penne)

3/4 cup grated parmesan (I used romano)

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the chard and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add heavy cream, salt and pepper. Cook two minutes, until bubbling. Remove from heat, add to the pasta and toss well to coat. Toss in cheese and serve.

NOT Hamburger Helper

It's something I'm proud of in the ugly, sinful sense, I admit. But I'm proud to say I've never eaten Hamburger Helper. I'm sorry if it offends you, but I'm anti-Helper, okay? Why do you need a box of preservatives to feed your family something that you can make with real ingredients, instead? Like this dish, which I like to call a happy accident. It's so kid-friendly, unless your kid is my oldest, who currently eats nothing and spat this out as if it were laced with arsenic.

NOT Hamburger Helper

adapted from Claire Robinson

1 lb ground beef

1 box penne pasta

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup cream

4 oz grated cheddar

salt and pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return it to the pot. Add the milk, cream, and cheese and stir to melt the cheese completely. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meat to the pasta, check for seasonings.

Chicken, Edamame, and Noodle Stir-fry

I knew this recipe would be a stretch for all of us, especially the boys. But we're such a stir-fry happy family these days, I thought I'd take the risk. S ate nothing but noodles, N ate only chicken, the husband left behind large piles of edamame and cabbage. I ate it all and enjoyed it, but that's not really the goal, now is it? Maybe it will go over a bit better in your home?

Chicken, Edamame, and Noodle Stir-Fry

from Martha Stewart

Coarse salt and ground pepper

8 ounces linguine, broken in half

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), cut crosswise into thin strips

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 napa cabbage (about 1 pound), thinly shredded

2 cups frozen shelled edamame

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.While pasta is cooking, in a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch; season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook chicken in two batches, until light brown on the outside and opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate (reserve skillet). Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet; add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 1 to 3 minutes. Add cabbage, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add edamame, vinegar, soy sauce, chicken, and noodles; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until noodles and edamame are warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Basic Tomato Sauce

As promised, this is my go-to sauce for pizza. I use it for pasta as well, and it always gets rave reviews from the husband. I grew up on Prego and had a hard time finding a homemade sauce I liked as much. Leave it to Mark Bittman again and his simplicity to help me find my new favorite.

Basic Tomato Sauce

from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

3 tbs olive oil

3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed

1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes (I usually used crushed)

salt and pepper to taste

Warm 2 tbs oil with the garlic in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly golden. Drain tomatoes (only if using whole tomatoes) and remove seeds if you wish to. Crush them with a fork or your hands and add them to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down and the mixture becomes "saucy," about 10 minutes. Remove garlic. Stir in remaining tbs of oil, taste for salt and add more if necessary.

(Sauce may be covered and refrigerated for a day or two, or put in a closed container and frozen for several weeks.)

Spaghetti Carbonara

For some odd reason, I always thought that Pasta Carbonara would be a dish that I would only order in a restaurant. I was intimidated by it, and felt it was better left to professionals. Kind of like how I still feel about fish and chips...

Leave it to Everyday Food to wake me up to the ease and simplicity of this delicious bowl of food.

This is maybe the 3rd time I've made this, and this batch was the best by far. Could have something to do with the heavy cream I had on hand, instead of the half-and-half called for in the recipe. Go figure.

Spaghetti Carbonara

from Everyday Food Magazine

1 pound spaghetti

8 ounces (8 slices) bacon, cut 1 inch thick crosswise

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 large eggs

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 cup half-and-half

Set a large pot of water to boil (for pasta). In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Salt boiling water generously; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and half-and-half. Set aside.
Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. Working quickly, add hot pasta to egg mixture. Add bacon; season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (heat from pasta will cook eggs).

Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese.

Pasta with Bacon and Peas

This meal is lovely in its simplicity. Just a few ingredients, just a few minutes to whip it all together, but tasty results. My husband has a texture issue with peas, but even he liked the sweetness they added to the dish. I think N ate quite a few of them before he realized they were probably good for him and stopped.
Pasta with Bacon and Peas
adapted from Gordon Ramsay

1 box rotini (or any small pasta)
4 oz bacon, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta, drain and rinse briefly. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add cream, garlic powder, and onion powder. Let simmer until reduced by half. Add peas, bring cream back to a simmer and cook 2 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add pasta and heat through, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Chicken and Pasta in Tomato-Cream Sauce

This recipe is extremely easy to adapt into something completely different, to suit your fancy. Add in veggies- I've made it with asparagus and spinach (just didn't have any on hand tonight). Throw in whatever herbs you have, use whatever kind of tomatoes you have. Use this as a starting point and go crazy.

If you're using asparagus, add it into the pasta water and cook it along with the pasta for about 4 minutes. If you're using spinach, toss it in at the last minute and let it wilt just slightly.

Tonight I found myself with crushed tomatoes, no cream, only cream cheese. It worked out deliciously. Another bonus? This can be made ahead and kept separate until you're ready to throw it together and reheat it slowly. Very handy if you find yourself in that crazy "witching hour" that haunts my house every.single.night.

Chicken and Pasta in Tomato-Cream Sauce

1 box small pasta (penne, farfalle, rotini, etc.)
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbs olive oil
14 oz can diced tomatoes- with their juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese


Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and cook, in batches if necessary, until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. In same pan, heat up 1 tbs olive oil and cook garlic until fragrant, about a minute. Add tomatoes and cook until reduced slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Add cream and thicken 2-3 minutes more. Add chicken back to pan to warm through. Add pasta, crushed red pepper, and cheese and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed if sauce is too thick. Serve with more parmesan cheese, if desired.

Lemon Chicken Primavera

This gem of a pasta salad is like summer in a bowl. It's light, filled with veggies, and perfect at room temperature.  

Lemon Chicken Primavera

Ingredients:
1 box small shaped pasta (I prefer orzo)
1 rotisserie chicken (or 3-4 roasted bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup fresh veggies, chopped (I love carrots, summer squash, and zucchini)
2 tsp chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
juice of 1 large lemon
2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, shred meat from chicken. Set aside.
3. Combine chopped veggies with chicken and pasta while pasta is still warm. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss. Check for seasoning. Add basil, pine nuts, and feta. Toss.
Enjoy! Great at room temperature!

Crock Pot Lasagna

Well, this is certainly the easiest lasagna you'll ever make. And, if you're not a huge fan of ricotta (like me), this is one of the tastiest lasagnas you'll ever make as well. This is my new favorite pot-luck recipe.

(photo by Everyday Food Magazine)

Slow-Cooker Sausage Lasagna From Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 8
1 pound Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
9 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella (8 ounces)

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook sausage and beef over medium-high, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes; bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
Spoon 2 cups meat mixture into bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Layer 3 noodles (breaking them as needed to fit), 2 cups meat mixture, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat with two more layers (refrigerate 1/2 cup cheese for topping).
Cover slow cooker, and cook on low, 4 to 6 hours. Sprinkle lasagna with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

Helpful Hint
To fit lasagna noodles into a round slow cooker, break off corners as needed. You don't have to precook the noodles. When the lasagna's done, they'll be ready, too.

Creamy Ranch Chicken

I've been given the green light from the husband to "add this one to the rotation." It's quick and easy and delicious to boot!

photo from Better Homes and Gardens

Creamy Ranch Chicken
from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

6 slices bacon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbs all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
2 tbs ranch dry salad dressing mix
1-1/4 cups whole milk
3 cups egg noodles
1 tbs parm cheese

Cut bacon into narrow strips. In a large skillet, cook bacon over med. heat until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels; discard all but 2 tbs of drippings. In the same skillet cook chicken in reserved drippings until tender and no longer pink, turning to brown evenly. Sprinkle flour and salad dressing mix over the chicken in the skillet; stir well. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in bacon. Meanwhile, cook noodles to package directions. Serve chicken and sauce over noodles, sprinkle with parm. Serves 4.