We had some friends over for dinner, which was an excellent excuse to try this recipe that my friend, Claire had posted on her blog. Claire got the original idea from her friend Heather, and then took it from there. I basically took Claire's version and did my own thing. This was a delicious twist on traditional lasagna that we all enjoyed. A fresh green salad rounded out our meal. Yum!
Polenta Lasagna
Ingredients:
olive oil
2 tubes of heat and serve polenta
1 onion, diced
1 package of sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. of hot Italian pork sausage
1 lb. of lean ground beef or bison
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
sprinkle of garlic powder (optional)
sprinkle of chili powder (optional)
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
1 ball of part-skim mozzarella, shredded
Parmesan cheese, grated
1 container of low-fat ricotta cheese
cooking spray
Directions:
Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour 1/3 of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and set aside.
Slice polenta into rounds and brown on both sides in a non stick skillet. Set aside.
Saute onions, mushrooms in the same skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil until the veggies are soft. Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Set aside.
Remove casings from pork sausage links and brown in the same skillet with the ground beef (or bison). While browning, season with salt, pepper, and the dried herbs and spices. When meat is cooked, pour the remaining marinara sauce in with the meat and stir to combine. Add tomato paste and reduce the meat/sauce mixture until thick and bubbly. Set aside.
In the 9 x 13 baking dish place a layer of the cooked polenta rounds, the cooked veggies, a layer of half of the shredded mozzarella cheese, a layer of the ricotta, a layer of the meat/sauce mixture, another layer of the polenta rounds, a layer of the remaining mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese for topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven, and cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Cut into squares and serve immediately.
The Result:
Oh man, this was fan-freakin'-tastic! We all loved this take on lasagna and substituting polenta in place of traditional noodles made it really special. Once again, we were so eager to start eating I forgot to take a photo. It ended up plating a little messy, but it tasted awesome. The photo would not have done it justice. Anyway, I highly recommend this dish! Yum!!!
March 22, 2011
March 19, 2011
Chicken Cacciatore
I made this delicious Rocco DiSpirito Chicken Cacciatore recipe last night for dinner, however I forgot to take a photo of our meal.
Let me make up for that now...
(No need to thank me.)
(Please wipe the drool off your keyboard.)
Chicken Cacciatore
Adapted From: Now Eat This! By: Rocco DiSpirito
Ingredients:
4 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 (8 oz) package of sliced, fresh button mushrooms
1 large green or red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup dry red or white wine
1 3/4 cups of low-fat marinara sauce (I used Rocco's marinara sauce recipe)
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
cooked whole wheat noodles of your choice (I used rotini)
Directions:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When pot is hot, add the olive oil. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden brown in color, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add the mushrooms and bell peppers to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until they have softened (about 8 minutes).
Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Add the marinara sauce and the basil and bring to a simmer. Add each piece of chicken, pushing down and submerging it in the sauce as much as possible. Cover the pot, and bring the stew to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. If needed, season with additional salt and pepper. Serve over cooked whole wheat noodles.
The Result:
Beautiful and mouth-watering...and the chicken cacciatore was really delicious, too.
Let me make up for that now...
(No need to thank me.)
(Please wipe the drool off your keyboard.)
Chicken Cacciatore
Adapted From: Now Eat This! By: Rocco DiSpirito
Ingredients:
4 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 (8 oz) package of sliced, fresh button mushrooms
1 large green or red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup dry red or white wine
1 3/4 cups of low-fat marinara sauce (I used Rocco's marinara sauce recipe)
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
cooked whole wheat noodles of your choice (I used rotini)
Directions:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When pot is hot, add the olive oil. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden brown in color, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add the mushrooms and bell peppers to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until they have softened (about 8 minutes).
Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Add the marinara sauce and the basil and bring to a simmer. Add each piece of chicken, pushing down and submerging it in the sauce as much as possible. Cover the pot, and bring the stew to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. If needed, season with additional salt and pepper. Serve over cooked whole wheat noodles.
The Result:
Beautiful and mouth-watering...and the chicken cacciatore was really delicious, too.
March 14, 2011
Prosciutto, Mozzarella, and Arugula Sandwiches with Fig Jam
A while back, I tried to duplicate a similar recipe from a local restaurant called Postino Winecafe. While the panini I made at the time was a pretty awesome duplicate of the original, I think I got it beat with this version. So, yes...this sandwich may look familiar; but it was worth doing again. This time I think I got it perfected!
Prosciutto, Mozzarella, and Arugula Sandwiches with Fig Jam
Ingredients:
olive oil
1 loaf of ciabiatta, split length-wise
1 package of Prosciutto de Parma
1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 jar of fig jam (mine was 9.5 ounces, but I could have used a little less)
2 cups of fresh arugula
equal parts olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar
a pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, make a vinaigrette by adding the following ingredients and whisking until combined: equal parts olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar; a pinch of sugar; salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Split the ciabiatta loaf and put on a large baking sheet, in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, to make the outside crust warm and crisp.
When the loaf comes out of the oven, turn the broiler on high and leave the bread on the baking sheet.
Slather the bottom half of the loaf with half of the jar of fig jam, then layer your prosciutto on top. Place mozzarella slices on top of the prosciutto. On the top half of the bread, drizzle some olive oil. Place into the oven for another 5 minutes or so, until all the cheese is melted and bubbly and the top half of the bread is toasted. Remove from the oven and spread the remaining fig jam on the top toasted half of the bread loaf.
Place arugula (2 cups or more) in the vinaigrette bowl and lightly toss to combine, shaking off any excess dressing. The leaves should be lightly coated with the vinaigrette, and not sopping. Remove arugula from dressing and place leaves on top of melted cheese. Close the sandwich with the top half of the loaf. Cut into thick slices and serve immediately.
The Result:
I think this version wins...hands down. I love the way that fresh mozzarella tastes and melts, but brie would be just as fantastic. I am not sure what made the difference, but I am guessing it was the dressed arugula. Yum! This was soooooo good. We will certainly be having this sandwich again, especially since it was fast to put together and my whole family loved it.
Prosciutto, Mozzarella, and Arugula Sandwiches with Fig Jam
Ingredients:
olive oil
1 loaf of ciabiatta, split length-wise
1 package of Prosciutto de Parma
1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 jar of fig jam (mine was 9.5 ounces, but I could have used a little less)
2 cups of fresh arugula
equal parts olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar
a pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, make a vinaigrette by adding the following ingredients and whisking until combined: equal parts olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar; a pinch of sugar; salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Split the ciabiatta loaf and put on a large baking sheet, in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, to make the outside crust warm and crisp.
When the loaf comes out of the oven, turn the broiler on high and leave the bread on the baking sheet.
Slather the bottom half of the loaf with half of the jar of fig jam, then layer your prosciutto on top. Place mozzarella slices on top of the prosciutto. On the top half of the bread, drizzle some olive oil. Place into the oven for another 5 minutes or so, until all the cheese is melted and bubbly and the top half of the bread is toasted. Remove from the oven and spread the remaining fig jam on the top toasted half of the bread loaf.
Place arugula (2 cups or more) in the vinaigrette bowl and lightly toss to combine, shaking off any excess dressing. The leaves should be lightly coated with the vinaigrette, and not sopping. Remove arugula from dressing and place leaves on top of melted cheese. Close the sandwich with the top half of the loaf. Cut into thick slices and serve immediately.
The Result:
I think this version wins...hands down. I love the way that fresh mozzarella tastes and melts, but brie would be just as fantastic. I am not sure what made the difference, but I am guessing it was the dressed arugula. Yum! This was soooooo good. We will certainly be having this sandwich again, especially since it was fast to put together and my whole family loved it.
March 8, 2011
Broccoli with Garlic Butter, Cashews, & Chicken Over Quinoa
My friend, Claire emailed me this easy recipe a few weeks ago and I finally got around to trying it out. It's originally a concoction that her friend Heather invented and posted on their parenting message board. It was really easy, tasty, healthy, and family-friendly...all the criteria that I love. In fact, it was so easy it almost felt like a non-recipe. Given my lackluster approach to our meals lately, it was exactly the kind of new recipe that I was up for trying out.
As I said in my previous post, we have not been experimenting with very many new recipes and just sticking with old favorites. For example, tonight we are having grilled steak, baked potatoes, and swiss chard. It's not anything that I haven't posted before. I think I am just getting burnt out on always having something to do, so my blog and menu planning has been put low on the priority list. Lately, when I go to the grocery store, I just put the things in my cart that are needed and buy whatever meat is on sale. I got some ground chicken this week on clearance that was 30% off the normal price, so I bought three packages. I have been preparing whatever I have on hand and calling it good. Last night, I made a "casserole" layered out of torn corn tortillas, cooked pulled pork, salsa, canned pinto beans, and shredded cheese. It was good, but I feel like it really was not anything spectacular or note-worthy. I think it was more of a fridge clean-out project more that anything else.
Broccoli with Garlic Butter, Cashews, & Chicken Over Quinoa
Ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 cups cooked quinoa, rinsed and prepared according to package directions
1 lb of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 cup of butter (I cut this to about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Several twists of black pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Chopped cashews, as few or as many as you'd like, but probably no more than 1/3 cup.
Directions:
Prepare the chicken and quinoa and set aside. (I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, and olive oil then broiled it in the oven on 'high' for 10 minutes to cook thoroughly.)
Steam the broccoli until tender/crisp.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or so. Mix in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes to thicken a smidge. Add the cashews, pour the sauce over the broccoli and stir to coat.
Combine broccoli and quinoa and stir to coat. Serve with cooked chicken.
The Result:
This was really yummy! As I said, this was a really easy dish to prepare and my family loved it. Thankfully, quinoa is gaining popularity because it is really an awesome grain and it is soooo good for you. I especially love the texture of quinoa. If you don't have it or can't find it, then you could certainly substitute another grain such as whole wheat cous cous or brown rice.
As I said in my previous post, we have not been experimenting with very many new recipes and just sticking with old favorites. For example, tonight we are having grilled steak, baked potatoes, and swiss chard. It's not anything that I haven't posted before. I think I am just getting burnt out on always having something to do, so my blog and menu planning has been put low on the priority list. Lately, when I go to the grocery store, I just put the things in my cart that are needed and buy whatever meat is on sale. I got some ground chicken this week on clearance that was 30% off the normal price, so I bought three packages. I have been preparing whatever I have on hand and calling it good. Last night, I made a "casserole" layered out of torn corn tortillas, cooked pulled pork, salsa, canned pinto beans, and shredded cheese. It was good, but I feel like it really was not anything spectacular or note-worthy. I think it was more of a fridge clean-out project more that anything else.
Broccoli with Garlic Butter, Cashews, & Chicken Over Quinoa
Ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 cups cooked quinoa, rinsed and prepared according to package directions
1 lb of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 cup of butter (I cut this to about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Several twists of black pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Chopped cashews, as few or as many as you'd like, but probably no more than 1/3 cup.
Directions:
Prepare the chicken and quinoa and set aside. (I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, and olive oil then broiled it in the oven on 'high' for 10 minutes to cook thoroughly.)
Steam the broccoli until tender/crisp.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or so. Mix in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes to thicken a smidge. Add the cashews, pour the sauce over the broccoli and stir to coat.
Combine broccoli and quinoa and stir to coat. Serve with cooked chicken.
The Result:
This was really yummy! As I said, this was a really easy dish to prepare and my family loved it. Thankfully, quinoa is gaining popularity because it is really an awesome grain and it is soooo good for you. I especially love the texture of quinoa. If you don't have it or can't find it, then you could certainly substitute another grain such as whole wheat cous cous or brown rice.
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