Pumpkin bread

Le Lasagne Meridionale

This is the most amazing lasagna! It's a lot of work but worth every minute of it!

Authentic Sicilian Recipe

from the kitchen of Jeff Jackson

Ragú: ½ - 1 lb of ground pork (for traditional Sicilian ragú) or beef 1 small yellow onion 3 cloves of garlic 1 rib of celery 1 carrot ½ cup olive oil 2 cups of chicken stock (not broth) 1 can tomato paste (6 oz.) 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.) 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.) 1 cup frozen peas 1 tsp oregano 1 T sugar or ½ cup white grape juice Salt Pepper 2 boxes Barilla flat lasagna noodles 1 lb mozzarella in small cubes 1 ½ - 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese 2 eggs beaten

Besciamella: 1 ½ sticks butter (not margarine) ¼ cup flour 3½ cup milk dash of nutmeg dash of salt dash of pepper

Directions

Ragú: Finely chop the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot (you can do this in a food processor if you wish).   On medium-high heat in a large non-stick stockpot, sauté the finely chopped onion, garlic, celery, and carrot in half of the olive oil (i.e., ¼ cup) until the onion becomes soft.  Add the remaining olive oil and let it heat up.  Add the meat, stirring constantly until it is cooked through.  Put a lid on and turn down the heat to medium low and let it cook for 10 minutes.  Turn the heat back up to medium-high and add the chicken stock.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down to low, cover, and let simmer gently for 30 minutes.  Add peas, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes.  Add oregano and sugar or white grape juice; salt (it probably won’t need much) and pepper to taste.  Stir and cover, leaving it to cook for at least 30 minutes more (the more it cooks the better it is), stirring occasionally.

Besciamella: Heat milk in the microwave until hot (do not let it boil); meanwhile, melt butter in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat.  Slowly add the flour to the melted butter, whisking constantly for two minutes after completely mixed.  Slowly whisk the hot milk into the flour and butter.  Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Just before it can start to boil, reduce heat to low and stir constantly for 20 minutes.  Then remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 400^○.  Prepare a 9 x 13 casserole dish by coating it with cooking spray (I recommend Pam olive oil spray).  Cover the bottom of the pan with ragú.  Create at least 3 layers of noodles through the following procedure: cover a layer of slightly-overlapping lasagna noodles (dry) with ragú, besciamella, Parmesan, and mozzarella.  Cover the last layer with abundant ragú, and the rest of the besciamella, Parmesan, and mozzarella.  Beat egg(s) after adding 3/4 tsp of salt to them.  Evenly distribute the eggs over the top. Place in oven and bake until the lasagna noodles are soft (check with fork) and the top is golden brown (35 – 45 minutes).  Once cooked, remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.  BUON’APPETITO!

Mrs. Feilds Chocolate chip cookies ( the best CCC ever!)

1 1/2 C sugar
2 c. Brown sugar
1 lb butter (4 cubes)
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 C. Flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 pkg chocolate chips

cream the sugars and butter together. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well again. Add flour, soda and salt. Mix for 5 minutes. Add the milk chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 8-10 mins.

*I do about 1.5 cups milk chocolate and 3/4 C. dark chocolate and I add 1/4 tsp cinnamon- it really warms up the cookie.

Pesto Lasagna

from: the Italian Dish

This dish was delicious but everything I've found on The Italian Dish is. I'm convinced that a good bechamel is key to a great lasagna...

makes an 8x8 pan
4-8 servings

note:  for this recipe in an 8x8 pan, you can make a smaller size lasagna using only 10 noodles (5 layers with only 2 sheets per layer).  You can also make a larger lasagna in this pan, using all the space by having 4 noodles per layer.

note on lasagna noodles: I find that regular lasagna noodles work best with this recipe.  That is, lasagna noodles that you cook first. Fresh sheets of pasta, cooked,  also work as well.  If you are using lasagna noodles which you have cooked, you don't have to use quite as much bechamel sauce.  If you are using the "no-boil" lasagna noodles, the noodles must be coated heavily with sauce, so that they cook properly.  They tend to absorb a lot of sauce.   I don't like them as well, but they will work alright if you want to save some time.  Just be sure to wrap the lasagna tightly with foil while cooking.
pasta:

10 - 20 no-cook lasagna noodles or fresh pasta sheets, cooked or regular lasagna noodles, cooked

pesto:

3 ounces of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, cut into chunks
1-1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil

bechamel:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (whole or lowfat)
1 chicken bouillon cube (half, if using Knorr)
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Make the pesto:

Place the chunks of Parmigiano cheese into the food processor and process until finely ground.  Add the basil, garlic and pine nuts to food processor.  Process, using pulses, till finely chopped.  With machine running, add the olive oil until pesto is smooth.

Make the bechamel:

In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour and stir for a couple of minutes, until the flour is cooked.  Add the bouillon cube and allow to dissolve.  Whisk. Add about a third of the milk, slowly, and whisk over medium heat.  Add the nutmeg and pepper.  When the sauce is smooth, add another third of the milk and whisk.  When the sauce is smooth again, add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a heat proof bowl or Pyrex cup and let cool slightly.

Assemble lasagna:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In an 8x8 pan, place about 1/3 cup of the bechamel to coat the bottom of the pan. Lay first layer of lasagna noodles.  Add enough bechamel to coat the noodles.  Add some pesto and spread into the bechamel.  Add a handful of the grated Parmesan.  Continue to layer the noodles, bechamel, pesto and Parmesan until the last layer of noodles.  On top of this, just spread the bechamel only, add the rest of the Parmesan and top with the mozzarella.  Sprinkle the oregano on top.  Wrap tightly with foil (preferably Reynolds No-Stick foil).

Bake for one hour (if using regular, cooked noodles) or one hour and 15 minutes (if using no-boil noodles). Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more, until top is golden.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before slicing

Crock-pot Honey Sesame Chicken

from: Table for 2

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 5

Salt and pepper

1 cup of honey

1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Cornstarch

Sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken thighs in the crock pot insert and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine well. Pour over the chicken in the crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours.
4. When done, remove chicken from stock pot and cut into chunks. Prior to putting the chicken back in the stockpot, combine some cornstarch in water and whisk it into the crock pot to thicken up the sauce a bit. Throw the chicken back in and stir around to re coat the chicken in the sauce.
5. Serve hot over a bed of white rice (optional) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

CREAMY BACON CARBONARA

from: Get off your butt and bake

I love Carbonara and this is a good recipe. I doubled the sauce and omitted the parsley.

2 eggs

1/4 cup Cream

1/3 cup Parmesan

Fresh diced Parsley or dried flakes

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes

*(I doubled the Sauce recipe, and it was perfect)

1/2 lb. bacon

1 small onion, chopped (opt)

3 mushrooms sliced (opt)

1/2 lb. Pasta

DIRECTIONS:

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, parsley, salt and the red pepper together in a bowl. I just used a fork. Fry the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside. With 1 -2 Tbsp. bacon grease, saute the onion and the mushrooms until the onions are translucent and golden. Drain the pasta and while still warm, add to the onions and mushrooms. Pour cream mixture into the pasta, and stir over low heat for one to two minutes. Don’t do this on high heat, or you will make scrambled eggs. Serve with additional Parmesan, and a loaf of Crusty French bread and a salad. So Good!

Lemon and Dill Chicken

YUM, YUM, YUMMY! If you are going to make this you have to use FRESH DILL! We loved this chicken!

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (1-1 1/4 pounds)
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil, divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

1. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until well browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth, flour, 1 tablespoon dill and lemon juice in a measuring cup and add to pan. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
3. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over the chicken. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill.