Lasagna w/ Hearty Tomato-Meat Sauce

Tomato-Meat Sauce

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 6 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
• ½ lb lean ground beef
• ½ lb sweet Italian sausage
• ½ tsp table salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Pasta Layers

• 15 oz ricotta cheese (1 ¾ cup)
• 2 ½ oz grated parmesan cheese (1 ¼ cups)
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp table salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 16 oz whole milk mozzarella, shredded (4 cups)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and only fat remains, about 4 minutes. Add pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat before assembling lasagna.)

Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.

Assemble first lasagna layer beginning by smearing bottom of 9 x 13-inch pan with ½ cup meat sauce.  Place 3 noodles on top.  Drop 3 scant Tbsp ricotta mixture down center of each noodle.  Level by pressing flat with back of measuring spoon.  Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup shredded mozzarella.  Next, spoon 1 ½ cups meat sauce evenly over cheese. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 3 remaining noodles on top of sauce, spread remaining sauce over noodles, sprinkle with remaining cup mozzarella, then with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Lightly spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 15 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.

Turkey Gravy

If you find the gravy to be too thin at the end, you can add  slurry of stock and cornstarch to thicken it up.

 

Drippings from 1 roasted turkey
1 to 1 ½ cups turkey or chicken broth
¼ cup AP flour
Salt & white pepper to taste

 

Pour turkey drippings into a 2-cup measuring cup.  Skim fat, reserving 2 Tbsp.  Set aside.  Add enough broth to make 2 cups.

In small saucepan, combine flour and reserved fat over medium heat until smooth.  Gradually stir in the drippings, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes, or until thickened.  Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Pie

Crust

1 ¼ cups AP flour (6 ¼ oz)
½ tsp table salt
1 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch slices
¼ cup vegetable shortening, cold, cut into two pieces
2 Tbsp vodka, cold
2 Tbsp cold water

 

Filling

2 cups plain pumpkin puree (16 oz)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup milk
4 large eggs

 

For the Crust: Process ¾ cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining ½ cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Trim overhang to ½ inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.

For filling: Process pumpkin, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a food processor fitted with steel blade for 1 minute. Transfer pumpkin mixture to a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring it to a sputtering simmer over medium-high heat. Cook pumpkin, stirring constantly, until thick and shiny, about 5 minutes. As soon as pie shell comes out of oven, whisk heavy cream and milk into pumpkin and bring to a bare simmer. Process eggs in food processor until whites and yolks are mixed, about 5 seconds. With motor running, slowly pour about half of hot pumpkin mixture through feed tube. Stop machine and scrape in remaining pumpkin. Process 30 seconds longer.

Immediately pour warm filling into hot pie shell. (Ladle any excess filling into pie after it has baked for 5 minutes or so — by this time filling will have settled.) Bake until filling is puffed, dry-looking, and lightly cracked around edges, and center wiggles like gelatin when pie is gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.

Mom’s Chocolate Pie

I use the pie crust from the Pumpkin Pie Recipe, but you can use whichever crust you prefer.  My mom tops hers with meringue, but I’ve never been a fan of meringue, so I leave it off.

 

1 ½ cups sugar

½ tsp table salt

2 ½ Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp flour

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

3 cups whole milk

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp butter

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

 

In large saucepan stir together sugar, salt, cornstarch, flour, and unsweetened chocolate.  Gradually stir in milk.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil 1 minute; remove from heat.

Temper eggs into mixture, then return to boil.  Boil 1 minute more; remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla extract.

Pour into prepared 9” pie shell, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Buttery Dinner Rolls

¼ cup warm water (115°)
2 packets active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm whole milk (115°)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
2 ¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs
6 to 6 ½ cups AP flour
1 egg (for glazing)

Place water in small bowl; sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.  In large bowl, mix together milk, butter, sugar, salt, and 2 eggs.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in 6 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, until you have a soft, shaggy dough (if necessary, add up to ½ cup more flour).  Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes.  Lightly oil a large bowl; place dough in bowl, turning to coat.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let stand in warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 ¼ hours.

Butter 2 9×13-inch baking pans.  Divide dough in half.  Roll each half into a 15-inch rope; cut each rope into 15 1-inch pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball.  Arrange dough balls in prepared pans.  (To make ahead: wrap pans well, and freeze, up to 2 months.)  Cover pans loosely with plastic wrap; let stand in warm spot until rolls have doubled in size, about 1 ¼ hours.

Preheat oven to 375°.  In small bowl, beat remaining egg until blended; brush onto rolls.  Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.  Let rolls cool 15 minutes before serving.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 (16 oz) can pumpkin puree
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

Chris’ Favorite Beef Stew

• 3 lbs chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup red wine (preferably full-bodied)
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped coarse
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive soup kettle; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour.

Remove kettle from oven, add carrots, green beans, and cabbage, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.)

Add peas and corn then allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Classic Mac & Cheese

I love this macaroni and cheese.  It’s really a simple, satisfying dish.  The girls love it, too.  Sometimes I crumble a sleeve of Ritz crackers on top and put it in the oven for a few minutes to toast them, but I don’t always do it.  It’s also really great to make ahead and freeze.  Once defrosted, put it in a 350 degree oven til warmed through, usually about 45 minutes.

awesome hummus

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp Tahini
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup tsp cumin
• pinch cayenne
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth.

Lighter Chicken Parmesan

For the sauce
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup dried oregano
1/4 tsp granulated sugar
Salt & pepper

For the chicken
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 oz grated parmesan (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper
1 egg
Vegetable cooking spray
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz), trimmed of excess fat and sliced into cutlets

8 oz linguine, cooked

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat garlic and oil together over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, a pinch of salt, and a couple of grinds of pepper; bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce thickens a bit and flavors meld, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste sauce, adjusting salt if necessary. Cover and keep warm.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475˚. Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.

In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the rack with vegetable oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the egg whites, and finally coat with the bread crumbs, Press on the bread crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the chicken on the wire rack.

Spray the tops of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 Tbsp of the sauce onto the center of each cutlet and top the sauce with 2 Tbsp of the mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Toss remaining sauce with pasta and serve.