Lasagna

I adapted a recipe from Allrecipes.com called "World's Best Lasagna." Not sure it's the world's best, but this is sure darn good. I've made this recipe 4 times now, tweaking it here and there each time and I think I got it right last night. My father-in-law went back for fourths.

The recipe calls for sweet Italian sausage. If you can't find sweet, use mild instead. Sometimes it's available ground like hamburger, but more often you'll find it in casings. Just squish it out of the casings and throw the casings away. You can use ground beef, but you are going to lose a lot of flavor.

ALWAYS boil your lasagna noodles. There are cheater ideas out there, like soaking the noodles in hot water to soften them up. Don't do it! You get gummy noodles and terrible texture. Bleck!

This calls for 12 oz, or 3 cups, of shredded mozzarella. I'll let you in on a secret: I actually only used 2 cups of mozzarella - in the two inside layers. I used a cup of shredded Monterey Jack on the top because it looks better when it cooks. Just a thought.

LASAGNA
adapted from World's Best Lasagna on Allrecipes.com

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. parsley, divided
15 oz container ricotta cheese (NOT cottage cheese)
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz (3 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 box lasagna noodles

In a large saucepan, brown Italian sausage with onions and garlic. In a blender, puree diced tomatoes; pour into sauce pan. Add tomato sauce, sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, basil, fennel, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and 1 tsp. parsley. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer 30 minutes more.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Rinse in cold water and drain.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. parsley.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1/3 of meat sauce in bottom of 13x9 baking dish. Cover with 4 noodles. Spread 1/2 of ricotta mixture on noodles; sprinkle with one cup mozzarella. Cover with 4 noodles. Spread another 1/3 of meat sauce; cover with 4 noodles. Spread last 1/2 of ricotta mixture and sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella; cover with 4 noodles. Spread last 1/3 of meat sauce over noodles.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle last cup of mozzarella over top. Bake for 10 more minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Dessert

Such a creative name. I came up with it all by myself. Sad. But this is a VERY yummy dessert and I totally recommend it to anyone who likes blueberry cheesecake.

The graham cracker crust is very thick, so if you are not a fan halve the crust recipe. OR you can skip making the crust and use two ready-made graham cracker pie crusts.

I do suggest using a full-fat cream cheese to avoid that layer from becoming a runny mess.

BLUEBERRY DESSERT
adapted from Blueberry Salad on Allrecipes.com

Crust:
3 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 2 sleeves)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2 (3 oz) pkgs. raspberry jell-o
2 cups boiling water
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (21 oz) can blueberry pie filling
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, 1/2 cup sugar, and butter. Press into lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, add boiling water to gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Add pineapple and pie filling and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled graham cracker crust. Gently pour and spread gelatin mixture over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Cut into squares to serve.

Grilled Chicken Alfredo

Okay, so my photos seriously need to improve. I'm pining for a DSLR but that's not gonna happen for a long time. So sorry for the crappy pictures that don't make the food look appetizing!

I used the Guiltless Alfredo Sauce from the Best Bites site. Highly recommended! Again, you want to use shredded Parmesan cheese so that it will melt into the sauce without making it grainy.

GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO

1+ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded to an even thickness
3-4 Tbsp. Italian dressing
1 lb. box penne rigate pasta

Sauce:
from Our Best Bites

2 cups low-fat milk (not skim)
1/3 cup (3 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (or neufchatel)
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (+ a little more for garnish)

Place chicken in gallon-size Ziploc bag with Italian dressing. Allow to marinate at least 30 minutes in fridge.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Rinse and drain.

Meanwhile, preheat grill to med-high heat.

Combine milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender; process until smooth and set aside. In a non-stick saucepan, melt butter over med-high heat; saute garlic for about 30 seconds. Add milk mixture to pan and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, just until it comes to a simmer. Keep stirring a let cook a few minutes more, until thickened. Remove pan from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Grill chicken 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Cut breasts into strips.

Stir sauce and toss with pasta in a large bowl. Serve with chicken on top and sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese.

When reheating leftovers, add milk to thin out sauce - as it thickens when it cools.

Fruited Chicken Salad

This chicken salad was introduced to me by a mother I used to babysit for. She's also the one responsible for Whole Wheat Muffins and Sweet Potato Casserole. You can serve it on whole wheat or scoop it on lettuce leaves.

FRUITED CHICKEN SALAD

3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1/2 tsp. curry powder
dash of salt
1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
1 (11 0z) can mandarin oranges, thoroughly drained
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

In a large bowl, stir together mayo, curry, and salt. Fold in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cheesy Beans and Rice

This is a great side dish for taco night. Use your favorite beans (I used pinto) and either white rice or brown rice.

CHEESY BEANS AND RICE
adapted from Allrecipes.com

2 cups cooked rice
1 (16 oz) can beans (kidney, black, or pinto), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until tender. Add tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine rice and beans. Stir in tomato mixture. Spread half into 2 qt. casserole dish; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Repeat.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

White Chili

Thanks to my sister, Lisa, for reminding me about this recipe! I found it in the Betty Crocker cookbook years ago. My other sister, Heather, actually won an award at a chili cook-off with this recipe. It's different, in a good way.

The photo above is with all the fixin's as they say down south. Here is what it looks like normally:

Not as pretty, but it still tastes good. I didn't have white corn, so I just used regular ol' yellow. I serve the chili as-is or offer a bunch of toppings:

Diced tomatoes, chopped green onion, crushed tortilla chips, chopped fresh cilantro, guacamole (just mashed avocado + lime juice), sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Not necessary, but fun.

WHITE CHILI
adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cans white beans (ex: navy or great northern), rinsed and drained
1 can white corn, drained
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
1 tsp. salt (and more, to taste)
2-3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro


In a stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until onions are tender and translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.  Add remaining ingredients (except lime juice and cilantro) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Just before serving, add lime juice and chopped cilantro.  Taste, and add more salt if needed.

Strawberry Upside Down Cake

This dessert is great for strawberry season (typically April - June). It lacks, somewhat, for presentation. As it bakes, the top gets very brown (which does not affect the taste) and when you turn it over after it cools, it can be a little drippy. This is a cake best for family get togethers where no one will judge you by the look of your cake. :o)

I increased the amount of strawberries because, to me, that is the whole point of this cake. Also, when I made this I decided to thinly slice my strawberries because I thought it would look better. Totally not worth it! The strawberries cook and don't stay pretty, so you might as well crush them up.

STRAWBERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
adapted from Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake on Allrecipes.com

4 cups crushed fresh strawberries
1 (6 0z) or 2 (3 0z) boxes strawberry jello
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (18 oz) pkg yellow cake mix, batter prepared as stated on package
whipped cream or Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, crush berries. Stir in jello. Pour into baking dish and spread to cover. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Pour batter over all.

Bake for 40-50 minutes (top will brown significantly) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

If desired, run a knife around the cake and invert onto a large serving platter. Otherwise, serve from dish. Can be served at room temperature or refrigerated before serving. Top individual slices with Cool Whip.