Italian Burrito

I know what you are thinking..."That is the worst name."  Italian Burrito.  It doesn't sound, exactly, fancy.  I spent some time (about 3 minutes) pondering the best name for this.  Then, I stopped spending time pondering the name and ended up with Italian Burrito.

The only reason that I am fretting is...this is one of my favorite things I have had in a while.  And the name definitely belittles how amazing this is.

Let me paint you a picture (©mametown).  This is a wrap filled with Israeli couscous (i.e. pasta), sautéed eggplant, garlicky kale, roasted bell peppers, topped with a little shredded mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, and grated parmesan.  It you want a meal that is healthy but also not really, this is the meal for you.

Warning.  I made the marinara from tomatoes I grew and roasted the peppers from our CSA.  I have been shoveling so many raw tomatoes in my face over the course of the summer that I am now forced to cook them.  The eggplant and kale came in our CSA this week too.  So did the garlic.

Scot has a saying that I don't think I have shared yet on foodforscot.  If something is really good, he says it is a "knock out home run."  He says that but not as a joke.  He has said it long before he became a dad, but now all the pieces are starting to fit together.

Ok, well, he actually didn't call this dish a knock out, home run.  But that is because I ruined it.  I made this one night that Scot was working late.  I made it and ate it after baby bed time.  And THEN Scot came home and I made him one.  I always try to let Scot form his own opinion on a meal before giving him my opinion because he is a people pleaser and heavily influenced by my superb taste buds.  This time, though, I was scarfing it down when he walked in and I said something like, "OMG, this is the best thing ever."  In other words, knock out home run.

Italian Burrito
by foodforscot

1 eggplant (I used Rosa Bianca)
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 bunch kale (I used Tuscano kale), washed, de-stemmed, and torn into pieces
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 cup marinara
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan
olive oil
salt
pepper
4 whole wheat burrito tortillas

Prepare all the separate burrito fillings.

First, slice the eggplant and lay out in a single layer on a kitchen towel. Sprinkle each slice with salt and let sit for 15 minutes or longer. Turn each slice over and salt the other side. Let sit for 15 minutes or longer, on the new side. Once the eggplant slices have released some water, use another kitchen towel to pat dry and wipe excess salt off.

In the meantime, combine the couscous with 2 cups of water and a dash of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, remove lid, and let simmer until all the water has evaporated and couscous is tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Dice eggplant into cubes and sauté in olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same pan over medium high heat, add some olive oil and the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the kale has slightly wilted. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until the kale reaches desired cooked down-ness.

Assemble the burrito. Warm the tortilla over a gas burner, in the microwave, or in the oven so that is pliable. Top with couscous, kale, eggplant, and roasted peppers. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese, spoon on some marinara, and sprinkle with parmesan. Wrap it up burrito style.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 45 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  10/10
Scot (taste):  9/10
Effort: 3/5
Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Summer Pasta Puttanesca

Scot and I celebrated our 5 year anniv. yesterday.  I got nostalgic today and started looking through old photos and at all our wedding photos.  I thought I'd write a post in honor of Scot!  I don't think I have done that yet.  

Scot is pretty cool.  If you know him, you already have your mind made up on "who Scot is".  But, no one knows the Scot, who I know.  Obvious, maybe.  But some people grew up with Scot and they might think of him as this crazy, social, friends-with-everyone Scot.  Maybe you went to college with him, and you think of him as a funny, friendly, go-with-the-flow, soccer-playing Scot.  Maybe you are related to Scot and think of him as a Goofy-loving, car-liner-upper, Vikings fan Scot.  Maybe you went to grad school with Scot and think of him as a mountain-loving, sports-playing, fluid dynamicist Scot.  We all have so many versions of ourselves.  No one necessarily knows "the real" anyone...I am not saying I know "the real" Scot.  I just know my Scot.  

My Scot changes.  He is not the same Scot I met in the math tutoring center.  Or the same Scot I went to graduate school with.  Or the same Scot I married 5 years ago.  Or the same Scot I learned to golf, ice skate, hike, climb, bike, ski, cross country ski from.  Or even the same Scot who sat with me for over 3 days as our baby decided to slowly, but surely, make his way out of my body.  I mean, not that he had something else to do.  Still, a different Scot.  

But really, how do we define and write about a person like Scot.  He isn't just a guy who loves chocolate.  He isn't just a guy who seriously reads and looks at maps for fun.  He isn't just a guy who can solve any problem regardless of the subject.  

So who is my Scot?  He is the definition of passionate.  He has no medium.  He is on or off.  Black or white.  He can only live in the present.  Rarely interested in the past or future.  He has his own timescale.  One where everything important to him gets the time it deserves.  He is adaptable, but not instantly.  His emotions are strong and encompassing.  He has never not "given it his all".  This means he loves deeply, hurts deeply, and lives fully.  People love Scot.  All types of people.  Which may be most important of all.  

He is a great partner for me.  I think I can definitely do another 5 years.  So that's good.  

When we got married, we had a wedding.  Wedding planning isn't really Scot's thing.  It is more like the opposite of his thing.  If we were to get married NOW, wowzers, would we have a different wedding than the one we had.  But the one we had was the one we had.  Not the one we WOULD have.  So, it was perfect for that.  AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.  During our ceremony, we promised to do a flower exchange each year on our anniv.  It is really just another thing for Scot to have to remember.  He is supposed to give me a single flower and I am supposed to put it in a vase.  Not exactly fair, but it is ok.  Here is the first five years and two non-positive years of this tradition.  

Year -1:  Engagement.  One week after we got Copper.  (Engagements are weird.)

Year 0 - At Snow Mountain Ranch, Wedding day.  

 

Year 1 - In Boulder, eating the ice cream we had at our wedding.  Celebrated in Denver.

Year 2 - In Boston.  Celebrated in Little Italy.

 

Year 3 - In Fairfield, CT.  Celebrated in NYC.

 

Year 4 - In Boulder, CO.  Celebrated at Flagstaff House, where we ate for our engagement.

Year 5 - In Fairfield, CT.  Celebrated at home with Pasta Puttanesca and Peach Pie.  

Each year, we have done something totally different.  You'll notice we didn't even have the vase because we weren't home two of the annivs.  This year, we ate up the day with various forms of productivity, put baby to bed, and then made dinner and dessert.  Dinner was Summer Pasta Puttanesca.  It is a tomato sauce made with 1.5 lbs of cherry or grape tomatoes.  Since I hoard those, I had plenty.  The sauce is a chunky tomato sauce with olives and capers.  The recipe calls for a short cut pasta, but if I buy pasta, I really like the fresh pasta at Whole Foods.  It only comes in linguine, so that is what I used.  A delicious summer pasta.  

For dessert, I made peach pie.  I have been thinking about peach pie for about 3 weeks.  I am pretty sure that is normal.  Scot gets mad when I make large quantities of dessert because he doesn't like to waste food and also can't not eat leftover dessert.  But I couldn't take it anymore, I needed to make peach pie.  I often do not like pies.  I don't like pie filling that is thick and jelly like.  And I think for a long time, that is the only kind of pies I knew.  Therefore, I needed to make peach pie to see if I liked peach pie.  Everyone else does!

Turns out, I like peach pie.  My compromise was that I found and purchased a 6 inch pie pan.  And I made a mini pie.  The pic below has a mini pie, a paring knife (mini), and a pint of ice cream (mini).  Once a year, I do make a pie.  In the late summer, early fall, I usually make an apple pie.  Warm apple pie with ice cream is definitely in my top 3 favorite desserts.  But I have always made my crust with all butter.  I can't do shortening.  I can't.  Except I did here.  I was curious.  The universal opinion on pie crusts is that half butter/half shortening gives the best flakey texture with all the buttery flavor.  I had to try it.  It is true.  The shortening contributes a much better texture than an all butter crust.

To make a six inch pie, you will need to halve the recipe for a regular 8 or 9 inch pie crust.  For the filling, you will need 2/3 times a regular pie filling.  For my pie, I used Cook's Illustrated pie crust (half of a recipe similar to this, but the one they published in the most recent mag is a little different...).  And Smitten Kitchen's peach pie filling (2/3rds this recipe).  Cook's Illustrated filling was too high maintenance and Smitten's crust was all butter.  Also, a lattice crust seems to be the crust of choice for peach pies, but I assembled this in the 10 minutes I had after I finished dinner, while Scot served up and set the table.  

Summer Pasta Puttanesca
from Cook’s Illustrated

3 
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 
garlic cloves, minced
1 
tablespoon anchovy paste
1/4 
teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 
teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 
pounds grape or cherry tomatoes
1
pound campanelle
Salt
1/2 
cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
3 
tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
1/2 
cup minced fresh parsley

Combine oil, garlic, anchovy paste, pepper flakes, and oregano in bowl. Process tomatoes in blender until finely chopped but not pureed, 15 to 45 seconds. Transfer to fine-mesh strainer set in large bowl and let drain for 5 minutes, occasionally pressing gently on solids with rubber spatula to extract liquid (this should yield about 3/4 cup). Reserve tomato liquid in bowl and tomato pulp in strainer.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add campanelle and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain campanelle and return it to pot.

While campanelle is cooking, cook garlic-anchovy mixture in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato liquid and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato pulp, olives, and capers; cook until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley.

Pour sauce over campanelle and toss to combine, adding reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy) 

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Mushroom Risotto with Peas

On Top Chef a few weeks ago, Tre got sent home for his risotto.  They claimed that risotto needs to spread when it is placed on the plate.  His was too stiff.  It made me want to make some risotto.  

Such an easy dish to make, but at the same time, takes some extra love and effort.  

I am a multi-tasker.  Like it is in my deepest soul.  The deep one.  Because there are multiple.  

No but seriously, multi-tasking is what I live for and a huge part of what I love about cooking.  I like to do 350 things at once.  And every time I am in the kitchen making dinner, I pretty much feel like I am in battle.  Not sure if I am going to make it.  Not sure if everything is going to come together.  And then, in the final minutes, it all works out.  

Risotto is nothing like this.  Risotto is the most boring thing to make.  I get my multi-tasking in by doing dishes, setting the table, making a salad, etc.  But the risotto itself does not provide me with the necessary battle wounds.  But at the same time, I suppose it is kind of relaxing.  Good if you have an impulsive stirrers in your life (Scot is one those).  

Mushroom Risotto with Peas

by Giada De Laurentiis via Food Network

8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups finely chopped onions

10 ounces white mushrooms, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or short-grain white rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

2/3 cup grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional

Bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the porcini mushrooms. Set aside until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Keep the broth warm over very low heat.

Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the white mushrooms and garlic. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the porcini mushrooms to a cutting board. Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the saucepan. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and let it toast for a few minutes. Add the wine; cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, adding more broth by cupfuls and stirring often, about 28 minutes (the rice will absorb 6 to 8 cups of broth). Stir in the peas. Mix in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 1 hr., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

PW's Lasagna

Nicole's lasagna post last week got me looking through all the lasagna recipes that I have saved.  So, I thought I would try out Pioneer Woman's "The Best Lasagna.  Ever." recipe.  

I have a strange and complicated history with lasagna.  It is one of those things that I have never loved, but at the same time, never hated.  And while Nicole's lasagna was pretty healthy (for a lasagna), most lasagnas are just a pile of fat and carbs.  And I can appreciate something like that.  Don't worry.  But only in moderation.  

This particular recipe intrigued me for the following reasons:

-Lots of meat.  About 2.5 lbs and a mixture of sausage and beef.  Yikes!  That is like 4 cows.  ...and a pig.

-Cottage cheese instead of ricotta.  Wha?!?!  I'll try it.  

-Two layers only.

-Meat on top!

The truth is, I could hardly handle all this meat.  Although I am a big talker about my love of meat, truth is, I cannot and do not desire to eat large quantities of meat.  This is a man's lasagna.  Men should eat this after a long day of hunting.  Or after playing Rugby.  In the rain.  Covered in mud and blood.  

On the other hand, I absolutely loved the entire meat/tomato layer while it was simmering on the stove.  Maybe I should just put it in a little ramekin and eat it with a tiny spoon.  Wearing a skirt.  

How do I feel about the cottage cheese layer?  Eh.  Not sure.  Indifferent.  Ricotta any better?  Eh.  

I mean:  lasagna is lasagna.  And I am still waiting for one that changes my life.  This one was good.  This butternut squash version is better.  But so different, so how can you even compare them?

Eating a salad with your lasagna automatically makes it healthier.  

PW’s Lasagna

by Pioneer Woman with modifications by foodforscot

1 1/2 pound ground beef (90/10)

1 pound mild Italian sausage

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 32-ounce can whole tomatoes

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

4 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons dried basil

salt

3 cups lowfat cottage cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for top

1 pound sliced mozzarella cheese

1 package (10 ounce) lasagna noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and some salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble: Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a

 little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

(Servings: 8-10, Prep time: 1 hour, Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  6/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Turkey and Spinach Lasagna, From Return Guest Blogger

Returning Guest Blogger…Nicole!  And here she is (my comments in italics):

I basically never cook.  Ever. But I  got in the mood for some homemade lasagna and also secretly wanted to impress my Gentleman Friend. So after dusting off some cookbooks (just to clarify, Nicole did not use any cookbooks for this meal) I decided on this pretty healthy version of a favorite comfort food.

Gentleman Friend...looks impressed to me!

I’ll admit it; I had some anxiety over this endeavor. I did everything I could to help the experience go smoothly. I went grocery shopping the night before, g-chatted with Shanon about all my questions and allowed plenty of time to prep. At least double what was suggested in the recipe.  I’m slow.

Evidence of Preppage

Here is what I learned about making this lasagna:

-Dealing with the lasagna noodles after they are cooked is tricky.  Mine kept breaking. Shanon had the good tip to put them in a bowl with olive oil to keep them from sticking together which helped.  It might have worked even better to lay them flat on wax paper with olive oil.

-You don’t need Emeril’s “Essence”. I left it out and it was still amazing.  (the "Essence" is not included in the recipe below per Nicole's request)

-If you are about to put it in the oven for 45 minutes and realize you don’t have any aluminum foil to cover the pan-just use a cookie sheet instead.

-I split this recipe in half and didn’t have enough of everything to do as many layers as the recipe called for. It still turned out (amazing).

-Be generous with the mozzarella cheese topping on the top.

Turkey and Spinach Lasagna

slightly adapted from Emeril Lagasse via Food Network

12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 chopped red pepper

1 pound ground turkey breast, white meat only

1/2 pound hot Italian turkey sausage

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

3 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce

3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

2 cups part skim ricotta

2 cups thawed and drained chopped frozen spinach

1/4 cup grated Romano

2 egg whites

1/2 cup chopped basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot, bring several quarts of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until very al dente, 7 minutes. Remove from water and place on a towel lined baking sheet.

Place the olive oil, onion and red pepper in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute until the vegetables begin to sweat, about 5 minutes. Add ground turkey, turkey sausage, and garlic, stirring to combine until turkey cooks through, about 10 minutes. Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and remaining ingredients and set aside.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup turkey mixture in bottom of the dish and arrange 4 noodles over turkey mixture; top with 1 1/2 cups turkey mixture. Spread half of cheese mixture over turkey mixture. Repeat layers, ending with the remaining turkey mixture.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Let lasagna stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

(Servings: 8, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Nicole (taste):  9/10

Megan (taste):  9/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Winter Minestrone

My current favorite thing ever is any kind of dark greens.  So good!

That is a big reason why I wanted to try out the recipe.  Also, I wanted to get to the bottom of minestrone.

See...the thing about the word "minestrone" is that you see it all the time on menus.  And I have always thought of it as a vegetarian soup with maybe some noodles in it.  The shell variety.  

Sometimes, you even see on menus, "Minestrone Soup".  

When Giada made this, I wondered to myself, "What IS minestrone?  What does it even mean?"

Well, Minestrone is Italian for "big soup".  It doesn't have to be vegetarian, but often is.  There are no set ingredients.  No recipe.  It is just Italian soup.  So, if you ever see a menu with "Minestrone Soup" on it...I would run.  It is like "Panini Sandwich".  

Anyways, I love this soup.  The parmesan rind is key.  Makes for a really delicious broth.  If you don't save your own parmesan rinds, you can get them at most stores with a "gourmet" cheese section.  

And you can't have Minestrone without some good crusty bread.  I made this recipe, which is too easy.

Winter Minestrone

by Giada De Laurentiis via Food Network

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped

1 russet potato, peeled and cubed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided

2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth, divided

1 (1-ounce) Parmesan rind

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and rosemary sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes.

In a food processor or blender, combine 3/4 of the beans with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato pieces are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining beans and the parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Discard the rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off) and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Navigation is one of the most highly sought after talents of mine.  Turn right, turn left.  Merge on to US-36.  I can do it all.  

Oh, wait.  No, I can't.  You do not want me as co-captain of your ship.  Now, I used to be slightly more skilled in the navigation department.  But as soon as I met Scot, captain of every ship, lover of maps, with his manly "sense of direction" ... I lost any skills I may have built up.  

What IS a sense of direction anyways?  How would I know what way I am facing when I am INSIDE?  I turned like 400 corners and went inside many locked doors.  Cardinal directions should not be used indoors, right?

Well, Scot knows.  Always.  Which way north is.  And lots of other weird people too.  

I have a hard enough time keeping track when I have the mountains as my guide, which "apparently" are always west of me in Boulder.  

So, on the rare occasion that I do drive nowadays, it is often torture.  And I drove all over the Boulder metro area these past couple of weekends running errands and trying to find amaretti cookies (no luck), and I decided that I should probably practice more.  Or something.  Or at least pay attention when I am not driving.  Nah.

This recipe and another one I made recently called for amaretti cookies.  But they don't exist in Boulder.  I found some almond cookies that worked just fine.  I found that I was indifferent about having almond cookies in either recipe.  However, I still wish I could try the real deal!

Regardless of my navigational imperfections, I can always fall back on the fact that I can cook a mean butternut squash lasagna.  Seriously!  When I first saw this recipe, I was grossed out.  It sounded so heavy and too sweet, no texture.  But I saw that it had very good reviews.  I thought I would give it a shot.  And it really was amazing!  I love the balance of flavors.  Definitely not too sweet.  I especially enjoyed the whole milk mozzarella, which I felt was tangier than a skim or part-skim mozzarella.  Maybe I just made that up, though.

As Scot has recently been saying (possibly too often) "nailed it".

We had this with a nice fall salad with pomegranate seeds, apples, blue cheese, pecans and baby arugula.  

Butternut Squash Lasagna

adapted from Food Network, Giada De Laurentiis

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

1 amaretti cookie, crumbled, optional

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups milk

Pinch nutmeg

3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles

2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookie and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 1 layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/3rd of the sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 2 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the

vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

(Servings: 6-8, Prep time: 1 hour, Cook time: 1 hour, Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Spaghetti and Meatballs

What are we having for dinner?  

Spaghetti.  

That is what we always called spaghetti with marinara sauce growing up.  Just spaghetti.  And when my mom made it, it was a huge pot of "spaghetti sauce" with meatballs, sausage and ribs.  It was a family favorite.  It took all day to make.  Throughout the day, everyone would go tear off a piece of bread and dip it in the pot.  You know, to see how it was coming along.  

This recipe is much different from my mom's.  But I love them both.  For different reasons.  

This is the 3 ingredient, simple tomato sauce that I fell in love with last winter.  Tomato, butter and onions.  It such a delicious sauce.  Can I say it is beautiful?   

The meatballs are pretty typical Italian meatballs.  The main difference from most that I have made is that they aren't pan fried in oil before being submerged in the sauce.  They are cooked all the way through in the sauce.  The result is a much softer meatball.  Kind of to die for.  I was eating some leftovers for lunch and I was seriously giving myself mad props up in the cubicle.  

I love this recipe.  

Spaghetti and Meatballs

by Molly Wizenberg via Bon Appétit

For the sauce:

2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved,

tomatoes finely chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 medium onions, peeled, halved through root end

1/2 teaspoon (or more) salt

For the meatballs:

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French or country-style bread

1/3 cup whole milk

8 ounces ground beef (15% fat)

8 ounces ground pork

1 cup finely ground (not grated) Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

2 large garlic cloves, pressed

1 pound spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

For the sauce: Combine tomatoes with juice, butter, onions, and salt in large wide pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard onions. Using immersion blender, process sauce briefly to break up any large pieces of tomato (texture should be even but not completely smooth). Season sauce with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.

For the meatballs: Combine breadcrumbs and milk in small bowl; stir until breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.

Place beef and pork in large bowl and break up into small chunks. Add 1 cup ground Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Whisk eggs to blend in small bowl; whisk in garlic. Add to meat mixture. Using hands, squeeze milk from breadcrumbs, reserving milk. Add breadcrumbs to meat mixture. Using hands, quickly and gently mix meat mixture just until all ingredients are evenly combined (do not overmix). Chill mixture at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Moisten hands with some of reserved milk from breadcrumbs, then roll meat mixture between palms into golf-ball-size balls, occasionally moistening hands with milk as needed and arranging meatballs in single layer in sauce in pot. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.

Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.

Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to platter. Add pasta to sauce in pot and toss to coat. Divide pasta among 6 plates. Top each serving with meatballs. Sprinkle meatballs with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 90 min., Cook time: 75 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Chicken Marengo

This meal was very nostalgic for me.  This is the kind of food I grew up eating.  

First, baked potatoes.  I mean I am sure we all grew up eating them?  So easy to make.  Healthy.  Delicious.  Cheap.  And the chef is half the person who bakes them and half the person who eats them.  Because you have to fluff it, put in the salt, pepper, butter and sour cream.

I have such vivid memories of sitting at the table and drooling over my mom's baked potato.  She was the best potato fluffer ever.  I would be trying to prepare mine (most likely being pretty lazy about it) and I'd look over at hers and be so jealous.  I remember complaining enough that she would sometimes fix mine up for me at the table.  Amazing!  Made such a difference.  

Scot and I have kind of an ongoing joke because I always fluff his for him.  It is just how it work with us.  I suppose the first couple of times I made him baked potatoes, I knew he hadn't had them before.  Or didn't know how to prepare them.  Something like that.  But, I honestly (secretly) had some moral issues with my fluffing his BP.  I had to work hard to learn how to fluff mine!  Besides, this is prep work to be done table side by the guest.  You know, like corn on the cob, cutting your steak, dressing your burger (I always dress his burgers).  

And so, one night at dinner, I didn't do it.  I sat down, gave him a naked BP, some butter, sour cream, salt and pepper and I said, "You know, Scot, I can't fluff your baked potato for you forever."  And you should have seen the look on his face.  It broke his heart.  He was like, "well why not?" 

Hmm...good question.  One I didn't have a good, mature answer for.  One pretty solid respond I had was:  "Well, when we have kids, I will need to fluff theirs, so you will need to learn how to do it anyways."

"What does that have to do with now?"

Anyways, I still fluff his baked potato.  

Moving on...the chicken marengo.  This is a dish also so familiar to me from my childhood.  While we never had this exact thing and definitely nothing with the word "Marengo" in it, we always ate stuff like this.  Meat, with some tomato-y sauce.  And I do love this method for cooking chicken.  You do a light flour dredge to the chicken, quick saute both sides, remove chicken, add veg, deglaze, add more liquid, re-submerge chicken, simmer.  By far the best way to cook a chicken breast.  Plus, this is really easy to throw together.  And you can change out the ingredients to anything you like.  

Wikipedia provided me with a little history of Chicken Marengo.  It originated as an Italian dish that Napoleon Bonaparte ate after the Battle of Marengo.  Napoleon demanded to have a meal.  His chef had to make it on short notice after the battle and didn't have many ingredients to work with.  Apparently Napoleon really liked it and, since he won the battle, considered it lucky.  

Chicken Marengo

by Melissa d’Arabian via Food Network

3 large chicken cutlets, sliced into thin paillards (slice while partially frozen)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup beef broth

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

1/2 tablespoon butter

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste, and lightly dredge in flour. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the chicken. Brown on both sides, until nicely golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. In the same pan, add more oil, if needed, along with the onion, mushrooms and peppers and saute until softened and fragrant, but not limp, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes to cook out the raw flavor. Turn up the heat, and add the wine/wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the beef broth and tomatoes. Once the mixture begins to bubble, add the browned paillards and any juices from the chicken and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is warmed through, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the butter. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  6/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5