Posts Tagged ‘ricotta’
Pepperoni Pasta Bake
February 18, 2013 | 
Author There are times when I go to the grocery store and somehow leave without actually getting everything on my list. And then there are times when I cross every last thing off, only to get home and realize I didn’t buy enough of something or forgot to put something on the list in the first place. Enter improvisation. When making these stuffed shells, I substituted broccoli for shredded zucchini because I failed to buy any, and also some of the ricotta for Greek yogurt because I didn’t buy enough! Some people say you shouldn’t admit to screwing up and instead say it was all planned out from the beginning. However, I prefer admitting how awesome my creative skills under pressure because these shells were still awesome.
Two years ago: Butterscotch Haystack Cookies
PEPPERONI PASTA BAKE
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
15 oz. part-skim ricotta
5 oz. plain Greek yogurt (I used o% Chobani)
1-1/4 cups chopped broccoli
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper
3 cups marinara sauce, divided
28 (7 oz.) jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package drections
2 oz. mini turkey pepperoni slices
3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta,broccoli, basil, and egg. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
- Spread 1 cup marinara in prepared baking dish. Fill each shell with 1 heaping tablespoon ricotta mixture and arrange in an even layer in dish. Top with remaining 2 cups marinara, then pepperoni and mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Heat broiler, remove foil, and broil until cheese is browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Top with additional basil and serve.
Source: Adapted slightly from Everyday Food, October 2012.
Posted in Entree, Pasta, Turkey | 
Tags: basil, broccoli, Greek yogurt, mozzarella, pepperoni, ricotta, turkey | 
7 Comments »
Sun-Dried Tomato Ravioli with Basil Cream Sauce & Jumbo Reese’s Heart Stuffed Cookie
Happy Valentine’s Day!! What do you have planned today? I am going to the Brooks Museum with some friends for a visiting internet cat video film festival! It’s going to be absolutely ridiculous and I cannot wait. After all, I don’t need to do anything mushy today because I already celebrated Valentine’s Day over the past weekend when I was visiting my boyfriend. We actually made the ravioli I am sharing with you today!
I packed my ravioli press in my luggage, but unfortunately my stand mixer + pasta rolling attachments were unable to come with me. So the BF used his muscles to roll out this dough by hand with a rolling pin. Serious dedication. He even got creative and made a little heart ravioli for me out of the last pieces of dough (which you can make out on the top of the pile).
So stay at home tonight with your favorite person, and make this dish for/with them. Serve with some roasted brussels sprouts and a nice glass of wine. Oh and don’t forget dessert! How about an easy jumbo cookie stuffed with a 5 ounce heart-shaped Reese’s? Scroll down for that lovely treat.
In mom news, her MRA had to be postponed yesterday due to some minor things and as a result was not able to go home yesterday. But I talked to her and she sounds good although still tired. Best part is her vision has already started to improve!
One year ago: Raspberry Hugs Cheesecake Blossoms
Two years ago: Sweet Swirl Cookies
SUN-DRIED TOMATO RAVIOLI WITH BASIL CREAM SAUCE
Serves 6
Ingredients:
PASTA
1-3/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch salt & pepper
FILLING
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 egg yolks (set 2 egg whites aside)
BASIL CREAM SAUCE
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Pour flour into a mound on your chosen surface. Make a well in the center of the dough. Add eggs, tomato paste, olive oil, salt and pepper to the well. Using a fork, begin to whisk the eggs with the tomato paste. Begin to incorporate the flour into the eggs. As the dough begins to form a shaggy mass, switch to using your hands. Begin to knead the remaining flour into the dough, pressing with the heel of your hands. Once all of the flour is incorporated into the dough, form it into a ball and wrap in plastic. Set dough aside for 1 hour.
- Prepare filling by mixing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set egg whites in another small bowl.
- Divide the past dough in half. Using your desired method, roll out pasta until it is about 1/8-inch thick.
- If using a ravioli form: Lightly coat with flour and lay a sheet of pasta over it. Place the top of the form on the pasta sheet, pressing gently to make impressions for the filling. Remove the top of the form, and place 1 tablespoon of filling in each impression. Lightly moisten the border of the pasta sheet and in between the filling with the egg whites, using a pastry brush. Cover the filled impressions with a second sheet of dough. use a rolling pin to roll over the top of the form to cut and separate the ravioli. Push the finished ravioli out of the form. Let finished pasta rest on a baking sheet dusted with flour for about 5-10 minutes.
- If free styling the ravioli: Flour your work surface and place one sheet of pasta dough on the counter. Add tablespoons of filling about 1-2 inches apart. Using a pastry brush, paint around the ricotta filling with the egg whites. Lay the second sheet of dough on top of the first. Press the top layer of pasta onto the lower layer, trying to remove any air bubbles from the ravioli. Cut the ravioli apart using a knife, pizza cutter or pasta cutter. Let finished pasta rest on a baking sheet dusted with flour for about 5-10 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. As the water comes to a boil, prepare the cream sauce. Combine basil, white wine and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour contents of the blender into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add heavy cream and stir with a whisk. The sauce will take about 15 minutes to reduce. Don’t be tempted to raise the heat to high, let it reduce slowly. Once the sauce is close to your desired thickness, give it a taste. Season with salt and pepper.
- As the sauce is reducing, add ravioli to the boiling water. Don’t walk away, it won’t take that long to cook the ravioli through. Once the pasta floats to the top, it is done, this will take about 3-5 minutes. Fish out pasta with a slotted spoon and set to drain in a colander. Allow pasta to drain for 1 minute before serving. Serve ravioli with basil cream sauce.
Source: Adapted slightly from Wilde in the Kitchen.
JUMBO REESE’S HEART STUFFED COOKIE
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp beaten egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp old-fashioned oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp festive pretzel M&Ms
2 Tbsp white chocolate chips
1- 5 oz. Reese’s Peanut Butter Heart
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small heart shaped spring-form pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir the butter and sugars together until creamed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix.
- Stir in flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and stir until fully incorporated. Add in M&Ms and white chips and stir.
- Place half the dough in the center of the pan. Press until evenly spread over the bottom. Place the Reese’s heart on top and cover evenly with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Remove from pan and serve with ice cream.
Source: Adapted from Bake Your Day.
Posted in Entree, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tags: basil, heavy cream, Parmesan, ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, wine | 3 Comments »
Creamy Ricotta Spinach & Shells
Cooking for one is a challenge. Normally I don’t mind leftovers because they are great for lunches, but I find myself overrun with leftovers these days. Both in meals and desserts. I am convinced at times my fridge looks like I am feeding a family of 4. I have been freezing as much as I can but at the rate I’ve been going, soon my ice maker will be filled with non-ice items.
Every now and then I run across a single-serving meal that is quick and easy to make, and it immediately goes on my to-make list. This simple yet delicious pasta dish is great for a busy weeknight or when the thought of adding another tupperware full of leftovers to your fridge makes you shudder.
Two years ago: Iced & Spiced Applesauce Cookies
CREAMY RICOTTA SPINACH & SHELLS
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1/2 cup medium whole wheat pasta shells
4 cups chopped spinach
1/2 cup low fat ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt, pepper, nutmeg
1/4 cup marinara
2 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
- Preheat the broiler. Cook pasta according to package directions, about 7-8 minutes. During the last minute of cook time add in the spinach to let it wilt with the pasta. Drain the pasta/spinach and immediately return to the hot pot. Stir in the ricotta cheese and milk until completely mixed. Season with the garlic powder and salt/nutmeg/pepper to taste. Pour into a ramekin and top with marinara and mozzarella. Cook under the broiler until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve hot!
Source: Heather’s Dish
Posted in Entree, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tags: mozzarella, ricotta, spinach, whole wheat | 11 Comments »
Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rolls
With cooler temperatures creeping up on me, I am desperately trying to use up all the basil leaves left on my basil plants before they start to freeze off at night. It will likely result in a freezer-full of pesto because new ones sprout up when I’m not looking. Any other basil-utilizing suggestions?
Of course I couldn’t freeze all of the pesto, so I made these lasagna rolls that I had bookmarked long ago. The homemade pesto in this was essential for me. Even though I’ve never made this recipe with store-bought pesto, I could definitely tell that there was fresh pesto rolled up in there. Good thing I have a stock-pile of homemade pesto to last me through the winter so I can make these lasagna rolls again. Maybe I’ll venture into the world of homemade lasagna noodles next time. Look at me living on the edge 
.
Also, don’t forget to add you favorite brownie/bar recipe to the #BYOBrownies link up party!
One year ago: Pesto Burgers
CHICKEN PESTO LASAGNA ROLLS
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper
1 cup shredded chicken
15 oz container of low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought pesto sauce
6 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup of your favorite chunky marinara sauce, divided
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 8×8-inch pan with non-stick spray.
- Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until mixed. Let cook for a minute. Stream in the milk, whisking until completely smooth. Add salt and pepper, and then cook until thickened.
- Place 1/4 cup of white sauce in the bottom of prepared pan.
- In a bowl, stir together the chicken, ricotta, 1/4 cup mozzarella, pesto, salt, and pepper. Spread ~1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over each lasagna noodle and roll up. Place the roll in the prepared pan. Repeat for the remaining noodles.
- Spoon the remaining white sauce over the lasagna rolls. Spoon the red sauce over the lasagna rolls and top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for ~30 minutes, until hot, bubble, and the cheese begins to brown.
Source: Adapted slightly from Confections of a Foodie Bride.
Posted in Chicken, Entree, Pasta | Tags: chicken, lasagna, mozzarella, pesto, ricotta, whole wheat | 8 Comments »
Goat Cheese Ricotta Gnocchi with Walnut Thyme Butter Sauce
Ever since I first discovered the deliciousness that is gnocchi, I was under the impression that they were all created from potato. But recently I discovered they can also be created with ricotta – which sounds like it would be richer and more flavorful. Especially more so if using goat-milk ricotta! So I busted out my gnocchi board for the first time and got to work.
I haven’t made gnocchi in years, but remember the first time I ever made them – it was in my high school Italian class and I thought they were the most precious things ever. We didn’t do anything fancy to make them ridged, just cut them up into little pieces and boiled them, but their freshness was nothing like I had ever tasted before.
This time around I added the ridges, but unfortunately they were not very pronounced as I had hoped for visually. They still did their job holding onto the sauce, but I was expecting deeper, bigger ridges like you see on those you buy in the store. I am not sure why I expected that since I knew how small the ridges were on my gnocchi board. Sometimes my brain doesn’t make sense.
The original recipe said it served six. I do not see how that could’ve been possible without being served alongside some other dish. I barely got three servings out of this, and honestly it took a lot of will power not to make it a two-serving recipe. I could’ve eaten the entire pan in one sitting, it was that freaking amazing. Guess who will never be found buying pre-made shrink-wrapped gnocchi from the grocery store again?
And homemade gnocchi is pretty quick to make, especially compared to other homemade pastas which require the pasta rolling devices. You just roll these up into long logs, slice them up, roll on a gnocchi board (or the back of a fork or cheese grater), let sit in the fridge for a few minutes, then boil in water until they float. Add preferred sauce.
In this scenario I went for a butter sauce complimented by California walnuts and fresh thyme. Don’t forget a nice sprinkle of Parmesan before serving!
GOAT CHEESE RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH WALNUT THYME BUTTER SAUCE
Serves 3
Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup 100% whole wheat flour
12 oz. goat-milk ricotta (1 cup soft fresh goat cheese mixed with 3/4 cup cow’s milk ricotta)
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped California walnuts
1 Tbsp chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
Salt & pepper
Directions:
- Mix together the flour and ricotta (or ricotta and goat cheese), and knead until a nice soft dough forms. Cut the dough into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece out into a 1/2-inch-thick rope and cut each rope, with a pastry cutter or knife, into 3/4-inch pieces. With your thumb, roll each piece of cut dough against the back of a handheld cheese grater, the back of a fork, or on a gnocchi board. Place the gnocchi on trays dusted lightly with flour and place in the refrigerator.
- Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 12-inch sauté pan. Once it begins to foam, add the walnuts and thyme. Sauté a few minutes, until the butter begins to brown and the walnuts are lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the reserved pasta water and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss the gnocchi in the butter sauce, sprinkle with some fresh thyme, Parmesan, and serve.
Source: Adapted slightly from Fine Cooking.
Posted in Entree, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tags: goat cheese, ricotta, thyme, walnuts, whole wheat | 10 Comments »
Baked Turkey Ricotta Meatballs
Warning: These meatballs require 2.5 hours of baking time. And having the oven on at all, let alone that long, during these hot summer days seems like borderline insanity. Which is why I baked these in the morning over the weekend and had them for lunch, before the temperatures rose up too high for my A/C to successfully ward off from entering my apartment. However, any spike my A/C bill was worth it to produce these tender, flavorful meatballs. And yes, I am still the very broke grad student who just paid a $500 deductible for car repairs. Sometimes I fail at being frugal when I comes to delicious food.
But I am getting a break from the heat this week. The highest high predicted for the next 7 days is 88 which is almost twenty degrees less than what I’ve been plagued by for the past month. Hooray!
In other hot-weather-related news, I bought a slip ‘n slide at Target for $4.91. Best $5 purchase ever?! I thought so too. Now to convince a friend with a yard and hose to let me frolick around…
BAKED TURKEY RICOTTA MEATBALLS
Makes 20 meatballs
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground turkey
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/2 cup bread crumbs
8 oz. part skim ricotta cheese
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp prepared pesto
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium low heat; add the oil and onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach; it will wilt with the carry-over cooking from the onions and garlic. Let the mixture cool for about 4-5 minutes off the heat.
- In a large bowl mix together the eggs, Parmesan, bread crumbs, ricotta and Italian seasoning. When the onion mixture has cooled fold that in. Add the turkey and, using your hands, mix until everything is well combined. Form into 20 meatballs (about 2 inches in diameter). Wash your hands. In another bowl mix together the tomatoes and pesto.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of the tomato mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, then evenly place the meatballs on top – you may have to squish them together some, but they’ll shrink a bit during the cooking. Top the meatballs with the remaining tomato mixture. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 2.5 hours. Let sit for a few minutes when done baking to let them cool and to allow the juices to stay in the meatballs. Serve hot over whole wheat pasta topped with Parmesan cheese.
Source: Heather’s Dish
Farfalle with Zucchini and Ricotta
After admiring many recipes on myassigned blog for the Secret Recipe Club this month, Bewitching Kitchen, I chose this recipe because it uses Meyer lemons since I had yet to try them for myself. However, that task remains to be completed. I am not convinced they exist since they are impossible to find where I live. I’ve been told that they are typically only available in the January/February months, but that did not stop me in my unsuccessful hunt of every grocery store in Memphis. Therefore, this dish was made with just regular lemons. One day, Meyer lemon, you will be mine.
But as luck would have it, this dish was quite wonderful with just a common lemon. I am not sure what it would’ve tasted like otherwise, but the lemon flavor along with the zucchini and ricotta were perfect together. And as Sally suggested, I was not shy with my addition of freshly ground pepper. In case you didn’t know lemon and pepper get along great.
Be sure to check out some other bewitching recipes from Sally such as Nutella Drop Cookies, and Spanakopita Meatballs.
FARFALLE WITH ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 oz. whole wheat farfalle pasta (or other favorite shape)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 large zucchini, ends removed, shredded
Zest of half a lemon
Juice of a lemon
3/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, add the shallot, season with salt, and cook until translucent. Increase the heat to high, and add the zucchini in a single layer. Do not touch it, allow it to cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes. Add the lemon zest, and stir the zucchini around. Add the black pepper, the ricotta cheese, stirring gently to form a sauce. Add the lemon juice, keep warm until the pasta is cooked al dente.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, reserving some of the cooking water. If necessary, add some of it to the farfalle/zucchini mixture to reach a desired consistency. Heat everything together in low heat for a minute. Serve, with the optional grating of good parmigiano-reggiano on top.
Source: Adapted slightly from Bewitching Kitchen.
Posted in Entree, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tags: lemon, ricotta, shallot, whole wheat, zucchini | 16 Comments »
Sausage Lasagna Heart Calzone
Have you made plans for Valentine’s Day yet? I actually do not have any yet, but in the meantime have not slacked off on making Valentine’s Day inspired treats and meals. For example, after I mastered the stromboli I decided it was time to take on the calzone. But not just any calzone, but a heart-shaped one! And it conveniently serves two people. Or maybe four if you serve anything substantial on the side.
And if the shape alone wasn’t enough this baby is actually stuffed with sausage lasagna filling. Gooey, cheesy, meaty loveliness wrapped up in dough. Yup, go ahead and eat your heart out. (Sorry sorry couldn’t resist)
One year ago: Oreo Truffles
SAUSAGE LASAGNA HEART CALZONE
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1/2 lb pizza dough
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
1-1/2 cups pizza sauce
8 oz low fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Pinch of salt, fresh cracked pepper
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning, plus more for topping (optional)
1 egg, beaten (for brushing dough)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown sausage until browned. Drain and return back to skillet. Add pasta sauce and reduce heat to low to simmer.
- Place ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella cheese and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Cut the pizza doughs in half. On a floured sheet of parchment paper, form two large hearts and roll until about 1/8″ thick. Move one dough-heart onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Top the dough-heart on the baking sheet with sausage marinara then with ricotta (you may have leftovers), leaving a 1/2″ edge. Brush the edges of the dough with egg and top with remaining dough-heart. Press seams together, brush entire top lightly with egg then sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Cut a few slices in the top, transfer to a cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
Source: Adapted slightly from Picky Palate.
Posted in Entree, Holidays, Pizza, Pork, Valentine's Day | Tags: italian sausage, mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta | 18 Comments »
Lasagna Soup with Ricotta Bread
Lasagna is a great comfort food. But soup is my favorite comfort food right now, so why not combine the two? You should be able to figure out the answer to that judging by the title of this post you are reading, which is “yes, do it!” because the result is wonderful. I know it sounds weird at first because I thought the same thing. But I have been converted and am so glad that there are leftovers. And they are all mine – back off!
The ricotta-blob bread was my favorite part (thank you Stephanie for introducing the term ricotta-blob into my food vocabulary). The ricotta brought the entire lasagna-feel of the soup together. And I loved letting it soak up some of the soup juices. MMmm juices.
One year ago: Pumpkin Pancakes
LASAGNA SOUP WITH RICOTTA BREAD
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-32 oz container reduced sodium chicken broth
1-15 oz can tomato sauce
1-14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
4 oz whole wheat pasta
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (plus more for topping)
1/2 cup lowfat ricotta
1 loaf multi-grain French bread, sliced 1/2″ thick
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup each of Parmesan, mozzarella and ricotta, set aside.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.
- Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella, basil, and the 3 tablespoons Parmesan.
- While the pasta cooks, spread a tablespoon of the cheese mixture onto each bread slice. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and bread edges are crunchy. Sprinkle more Mozzarella on top of the soup and serve with ricotta-blob bread.
Source: Soup adapted slightly from The Deen Brothers, ricotta-blob mixture adapted from A Farm Girls Dabbles, discovered on Steph’s Bite by Bite.
Posted in Entree, Soup Stew Chili, Turkey | Tags: green peppers, italian sausage, mozzarella, onions, Parmesan, ricotta, tomatoes, turkey | 10 Comments »
Butternut Squash Lasagna (FAGE Good Living Part I)
Who wants to go to Greece!? Cause I sure do. When I heard that FAGE Total Authenic Greek Yogurt was giving away an 8 day trip to Greece to a FoodBuzz Featured Publisher, I knew I had to get in on it. (Not a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher but want a chance to win for yourself? Enter here.)
Greek cuisine and FAGE Total represent the Greek tradition of “good living”, combining good food and fine taste for a positive, healthy life. And together, Foodbuzz and FAGE Total asked bloggers to create up to three posts illustrating this concept and how it applies to their lives. Three posts means more chances to win, so guess what I plan on doing? Yup, three posts – each discussing ways I strive for “good living”.
Although it was not required to use any FAGE products, I chose to because Greek yogurt is one way in which I bring “good living” into my life. Greek yogurt helps me find ways to make delicious meals healthier without ever noticing. I most commonly have used it to replace butter in cookies. It can also be used as a great substitute for sour cream, mayo, cream, or even ricotta cheese seen in the recipe I am sharing today!
But before we dive into that, I wanted to also share that even though most of the time I strive to make meals healthier (by using low fat options, whole wheat, etc.), part of what I consider a healthy lifestyle is not denying myself some gluttony every now and then. It should be pretty obvious that food is a huge part of my life, which means I would never last a day on this earth without ever eating anything greasy, or every dessert a la mode. Without them, I think I would fall into a deep depression. However, I also make sure that I participate in a diverse range of workout routines six days a week – balancing out the times when I cannot help but eat half of a large supreme pizza. It’s all about a balanced lifestyle, right? At least that’s what works for me in the search for “good living”.
So back to this lasagna I have for you today. Not only is half the ricotta substituted by FAGE Greek yogurt, but it’s full of other wonderful things, namely butternut squash and spinach (I wish I could’ve found whole-wheat no-boil lasagna sheets too but no such luck). It’s a wonderful fall lasagna that is rich with flavor and definitely fills you up! It also turned out to be a fairly easy weeknight meal to put together, and I ended up doing a Yoga DVD in my living room while it cooked!
One year ago: Broccoli Cheddar Soup
BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced (I used frozen)
1 Tbsp water
6 no-boil lasagna sheets
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 large fresh sage leaves
SPINACH FILLING
Non-stick cooking spray
1-1/2 cups onion, minced
Up to 1/4 cup water
5 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
CHEESE FILLING
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese (1.5 ounces)
4 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
MARINARA SAUCE (makes 3 cups total)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
1-14.5oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1-14.5oz can crushed tomatoes
Directions:
- For the butternut squash: Place butternut squash* in a microwave-safe bowl, add 1 Tablespoon water and microwave for 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
- For the spinach filling: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and sauté onions until tender. If onions start to burn, add in water 1 Tablespoon at a time. Add spinach to the onions and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and set aside.
- For the cheese filling: Combine mozzarella, parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper, egg, ricotta cheese and yogurt in a bowl. Set aside.
- For the marinara sauce: Heat extra virgin olive oil in a medium-size pot over medium heat. Add garlic, basil, parsley and oregano. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, then add in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8×8 casserole with non-stick spray, then spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in the bottom. Add 2 lasagna sheets, then spread 1 cup cheese filling over the noodles.
- Arrange squash over the cheese, then spread 3/4 cup sauce on top. Place sage leaves over the sauce.
- Add 2 lasagna sheets, then spread 1 cup cheese filling over the noodles.
- Drain any excess moisture from the spinach filling, arrange over the cheese, then spread 3/4 cup sauce on top.
- Add 2 lasagna sheets, then spread the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with foil.
- Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 30 more minutes. Allow lasagna to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
*If using frozen butternut squash, thaw first and check tenderness because you may not need to microwave it (I didn’t).
Source: Adapted slightly from Iowa Girl Eats. Originally adapted from Cooking Light.
Disclosure: As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/
Posted in Entree, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tags: basil, butternut squash, Greek yogurt, mozzarella, ricotta, sage, spinach, tomatoes | 9 Comments »
