Classic Lasagna

It is such a treat to have my Mom at the house and have her ask me to cook traditional Italian food for her and Tim.  My Mom was so territorial about her kitchen growing up.  I guess with three rambunctious boys - it would be a little challenging to have them running around you while you tried to cook.  However, as I got older, I would be slowly allowed to sit at the kitchen bar and watch her cook.   We would have these long conversations while she prepared meals and she allowed me to be her "taster."  "Does it need more mayonnaise or mustard?"  "Does it need more salt?"  The day she showed me how to make french salad dressing with just mixing ketchup and mayonnaise - was amazing to me.  It took her a long time to accept me in the kitchen and then accept Tim in there as well. Tim's cooking far exceeds my abilities and she eventually looked forward to Tim visiting and cooking in her kitchen. She had me make Eggplant parmesan when she first moved back here.  It is a laborious process to make it and I don't do it too often.  Lasagna is not as complicated but still labor intensive so I usually make a couple casserole dishes - one to eat and one to freeze.  We had it for dinner and then she asked for more for lunch the next day.  Glad to oblige.

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 15 oz can water
• 1 12 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• Salt and pepper
• 16 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
• 16 oz ricotta cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 16 oz box lasagna pasta

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large pan, add olive oil, chopped onions and garlic. Saute until onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add ground beef and cook until completely browned, drain fat. Return to pan.
4. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes.
6. Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse and set aside (I usually add a tsp of oil to the water so the pasta doesn’t stick to each other).
7. In a 14 x 11½ x 2¼ baking dish, or two smaller size baking dishes, put a small amount of meat mixture in the bottom of dish. Spread around.
8. Add lasagna noodles (approximately 5-6, and they will overlap onto each other).
9. Next, spoon half of the ricotta cheese on top of the pasta and spread covering the pasta.
10. Spoon meat mixture on top of ricotta cheese.
11. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
12. Next add ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese.
13. Repeat with another layer of pasta, ricotta cheese, meat mixture, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese.
14. Final layer is pasta, topped with remaining meat mixture and remaining mozzarella cheese.
15. Cover with foil and cook for approximately 1 hour.
16. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Butternut Squash Soup

While we were experimenting with butternut squash - this was another recipe we tried.  Very healthy, Zero points and easy and awesome!

Butternut Squash Soup

4 cups vegetable broth
12 oz. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 to 11/2 inch cubes
1/2 large Vidalia onion, cut into 2 inch cubes
1/2 small apple, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
1/4 tsp table salt, to taste
1/4 black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg to taste

In a large stock pot, combine broth, squash, onion, and apple; cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Uncover pot and reduce heat to low; gently simmer until squash is very tender, about 10 minutes.
Puree soup in pot using an immersion blender ) or puree soup in a regular blender in batches; be careful not to splatter hot liquid).
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg; server.  Yields 3/4 cup per serving.

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

It's that time of year to try out new recipes.  Experimenting with a few things.  This was a healthy new find.  So easy and healthy and the combo of squash, goat cheese and rosemary was delicious.  We doubled the ingredients based on the size of the squash.  We also put it in a baking dish vs. the skins.

Butternut Squash

Tbl non fat yogurt

Tbl goat cheese

Tbl Honey

Add cinnamon and rosemary 

1. Pre heat oven to 450

2. Slice squash into two halves

3. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray 

4. Bake for about 45 minutes (check by poking it with a fork, if it comes out easy it’s ready!)

5. Remove from the oven and lower temperature to 425

6. Scoop out the flesh and in a bowl combine the squash flesh with the other ingredients

7. Spoon back into the squash skins and top with rosemary and goat cheese

8. Bake for another 10 or so minutes or until the mixture is hot throughout