Creamy Spinach Lasagna

A delicious and semi-healthy lasagna. It's a good way to get Kenneth to eat his greens.... ;-) You can cut down on the prep time by starting the milk mixture at the same time that you start browning the onions.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
Cooking spray
12 cooked lasagna noodles, divided
3-4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until onion is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and spinach. Add desired amount of salt and pepper to mixture. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup marinara sauce, and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top.

Serves 6-8

Spaghetti and Meatballs

A simple and quick recipe that is sure to please! There is nothing fancy here. Just a good classic meatball and sauce. I use a lot of garlic in this recipe, so if you're not a big fan of garlic, feel free to use fewer cloves in both the meatballs and sauce.

1 pound spaghetti
Salt, for past water

Meatballs:
1 pound ground sirloin
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper

Sauce:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
~10 large fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
~ 1-2 tsp salt (optional)

Heat a medium pot over moderate heat and add the olive oil, crushed pepper, garlic and onion. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the beef stock, crushed tomatoes, salt, and basil. Simmer for at least 10 minutes (I prefer to simmer for close to an hour).

While the sauce simmers, preheat the oven to 425 and place a large pot of water on to boil for the spaghetti.

Mix the beef, Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands. The mixture should be moist, but if it seems too moist, add more bread crumbs. Form 1 1/2 inch sized meatballs and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake the balls for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until they are no longer pink. Serve with pasta and sauce!

Serves 4 (makes about 12 meatballs)

Spicy Red Beans and Rice

I've only had Cajun food on a few occasions, so I don't know how true this dish is to traditional red beans and rice, but I thought it was pretty tasty. It takes a long time to make and serves a lot of people, but it's worth the effort!

1 lb dried red kidney beans
3 bacon slices, chopped
1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 pound salt pork, quartered
5 garlic cloves
2 large celery ribs, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (32 oz) container chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
Hot cooked rice

Place beans in a dutch oven and cover with water 2 inches above beans. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Cover and remove the beans from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain.

Saute bacon in dutch oven over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add sausage and salt pork. Saute 5 minutes or until sausage is golden brown. Add garlic and next 3 ingredients. Saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in beans, broth, 1 cup water, and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil and boil 15 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours or until beans are tender. Remove salt pork before serving. Serve over rice.

Makes ~6 servings.

Baked Risotto with Asparagus, Spinach, and Parmesan

I made this side dish for the first time last night and it was amazing! It was easy to make and and you just put the pot into the oven after you're done with cooking the dish on the stove. Very simple!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
5 oz package of fresh spinach
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
~1 1/2 cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups (1-inch) diagonally sliced asparagus

Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes or until tender. Add rice; stir well. Stir in spinach, broth, salt, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer; cook 7 minutes. Stir in 1 cup cheese.

Cover dutch oven and bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Stir in asparagus; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed.

4 servings

Ziti Baked with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Smoked Gouda

Kenneth and I made this for the first time last night. It was very easy so I think I'm going to add this to one of our week night dinners. I love dishes that you finish cooking in the oven...it gives me time to clean up the kitchen (I make such a mess and have yet mastered the clean-as-you-go method).

Substitute smoked cheddar for the Gouda, if you like.

8 ounces uncooked ziti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1 (10-ounce) can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes (such as Rotel Bold Italian)
4 cups baby spinach
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded, smoked Gouda cheese, divided
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach to pan; cook 30 seconds or until spinach wilts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add pasta and 3/4 cup cheese to tomato mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Yield: 5 servings
CALORIES 382(30% from fat); FAT 12.7g (sat 5.7g,mono 4.6g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 17g; CHOLESTEROL 33mg; CALCIUM 334mg; SODIUM 977mg; FIBER 4.3g; IRON 4.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.3g Cooking Light, MARCH 2004

Linguine with Asparagus, Parmesan and Bacon

This recipe came my way via my friend Mariah. All I needed to know was that she was serving me a dish that included bacon and I was in.

3 cups (1-inch) sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated linguine
5 bacon slices (uncooked)
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper object2=">
1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded Parmesan cheese
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan, crumble and set aside. Reserve 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Add onion, garlic, and oregano to drippings in the pan; sauté 4 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil.

While the tomato mixture is coming to a boil, cook asparagus and pasta according to pasta package directions. Drain.

Once the tomato mixture comes to a boil, stir in butter, salt, and pepper; remove from heat. Place asparagus mixture in a large bowl; add tomato mixture. Top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese. Garnish with shaved Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 4.

Herbed Basmati Rice

This is my go-to rice. It's simple, flavorful, and can be served with a wide variety of cuisines.

2 teaspoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 cup chicken broth (or water for a veggie dish, but the broth makes it more flavorful)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion tops (I omit)
~1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
~ 1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in rice. Add broth, salt and dried herbs and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Makes 4 servings (1/2 cup each)

Spanish Rice

This rice is infinitely better than the boxed Spanish rice you can get at the store. It goes great with with any Mexican/Spanish meal. I find that the amount of broth used should be approximately what your box of rice indicates, so you shouldn't just automatically use 3 cups broth for 1 1/2 cups rice. I say approximately because I use a little less broth than what my box of rice says due to the addition of the tomato sauce.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice, such as Texmati
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery (some grocery stores sell celery by the stalk, so you don't have to buy a bunch)
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon salt
~ 2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups chicken broth (or water, to make it a vegetarian rice)
1 (8 0z.) can tomato sauce

Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the rice until it is golden brown. Add the vegetables and seasonings, and continue to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Add the chicken broth and the tomato sauce, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for the time indicated on your box of rice.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Ditalini with Tomatoes, Basil and Fresh Mozzarella

This meal is so simple and delicious that I make it almost once a week. There are a lot of leftovers, which makes my husband happy because he has something to eat when I abandon him for the evening to hang out with friends :) I have found that the type and brand of Mozzarella make a big difference in the consistency of this meal. Mozzarella packaged in water is too soft and turns stringy once added to the pasta. The brand that I have found results in the best consistency is Belgioioso, specifically the Mozzarella in the vacuum-sealed package.

6-8 Roma tomatoes, chopped
Fresh basil, about 10 leaves, sliced into strips
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 box of Ditalini (small, tubed shaped pasta; Penne works well too)
8 oz. of fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you prep the other ingredients.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet. Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do not brown the garlic. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. I probably add about 2-3 tablespoons of salt, but you can adjust the salt to your taste. Using the back of a large spoon, slightly smash the tomatoes, creating a sauce-like consistency.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. Continue to simmer the tomato sauce until the pasta is ready. Once the pasta is done cooking, add the basil to the tomato sauce and remove the sauce from the heat. Pour the sauce over the pasta, add the mozzarella, stir and serve.

Serves 4-6