Lasagna with ground chicken

My hubby loves meals made with red sauce.  He could with no doubt eat some form of pasta every single day!

I not as much.  I do love a good marinara or meat sauce .  My meat sauce is most  times made with beef and pork ground up or by adding some good spare ribs.to the combination.  A favorable hearty sauce needs a good base to enhance its flavor.

Today I am going out of the box and using fresh ground chicken.  Imo chicken is not as flavorful as meat so I believe more seasoning should be used.

Ingredients:

1  1/2 lb. Ground chicken

6 T olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

2tsp. Dried basil 

1tsp. Onion powder

1lb. Fresh mozzarella cut in slices 

2 large cans crushed tomatoes 

1-14.5 oz. Can Hunts sauce

1lb. Ricotta

I egg beaten 

1tsp. dried parsley 

1/4 cup chopped spinach( optional)

Salt and pepper to taste.

1 box No boil lasagna 

Pecorino Romano 

Today I decided I was going to try a lasagna using ground chicken.  In medium size Dutch oven pot Sauté the ground chicken in olive oil until starting to brown slightly making sure to break up ground chicken into small pieces.  Add minced garlic, onion powder, basil , salt pepper and sauté until fragrant.

After it was fried ( sautéed) I allowed it to cool and using my processor pulsed it until it was very fine. You do not have to use a food processor.  

 I added the chicken to 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and I can of canned sauce.   Allow sauce to simmer at a low bubble for about 1 and 1/2 hour. ( you could do this in a crock pot) on low for 4 hours to allow you some free time.

Mix ricotta with egg, parsley and a few tablespoons of cheese.

Place  a ladle of sauce in a 9 x 13” pan 

Layer no boil lasagna across pan , add seasoned ricotta and sliced mozzarella for several layers also adding sauce to each layer REMEMBERING TO BE GENEROUS WITH SAUCE BETWEEN LAYERS.

Top with remaining sauce, fresh mozzarella and Pecorino.

Bake covered 350° for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Lasagna should be bubbling slightly.

Enjoy!

Italian Stuffed Shells with Chicken and Spinach

A great holiday suggestion.




If you don't want to make homemade pasta but still want a great meal using chicken this filling is a must try.  My Nana made this filling and used it for her homemade ravioli.  This filling is a nice change from cheese or meat ravioli.  I made the filling and today we had some Jumbo Shells stuffed with chicken and spinach and topped them with my homemade marinara sauce.  Bon Appetit!

February 16,2016 original 

I only topped some of the shells with mozzarella (Watching hubby's low fat diet)

Pulse to coarse consistency

Pulse to finer consistency

1 1/2 lb. cooked chicken( I used chicken breasts)  I boiled them with a bit of salt and let them cool(cut in large pieces)
1/2 cup seasoned or unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated cheese (of course I use Pecorino Romano)
1/4 cup chopped fresh or frozen spinach cooked
1 T Olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon water if needed to hold together(you can use chicken broth also)

Pulse all in food processor to the consistency you desire.Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

1 box Jumbo Shells cooked according to directions

Rinse slightly and drain.  Fill and top with fresh marinara sauce or jarred sauce of choice.  Top with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and mozzarella.  Bake 20 to 30 minutes covered.


From my kitchen to yours,

8/30/12

Sausage and Italian bread stuffed peppers

Good Day everyone!

I just read a beautiful article about love.  It touched me very much especially today because even though I have had no desire to bake or cook most recently my hubby was a little bit out of the weather because of his recent oral surgery. 

A small gesture of kindness to those who we love is good for the soul. 

 Soft healthy meals.  Baked oatmeal today! French toast yesterday.

Small kind gestures speak mountains about what love is.

In a few days some pasta with either butter and Italian cheese or I’ll run a light amount of sauce to the pasta. Soups for sure.

Being in today playing nurse inspired me to do a little cooking for me as well.  I have lots of ingredients that I should be using and have been in such a slump so today's a good day to make a few meals to freeze.

So we both win!  I’m staying in so I’ll keep busy while he sleeps.

French toast yesterday, baked oatmeal today and this for me because playing nurse makes me hungry!

I don’t have an exact recipe for today’s meal on hand but do have one on the blog.  If you would like the recipe link let me know.  

Stuffed peppers.  Make them anyway you might enjoy them.

Mom's Italian meatless bread stuffing is the best.

 Check out my Italian bread stuffed peppers.  They are delicious!

 My grandfather on my mom's side of the family was from Naples, Italy and my grandmother was from Yugoslavia or now as it's referred to as Croatia. So combining flavors and favorites I am sure are how her recipes were created.  She passed these recipes on to her children of which my Mom was the 4 child out of 7 children.  Three daughters and 4 sons.

Today's version I didn't use a special recipe just ingredients I knew were in the stuffing my mom would use for her stuffed green peppers. Personal preference today would be red peppers.  Sweeter and not bitter as a lot of green peppers seem to be today.

I used an Italian bread stuffing for the larger pepper.  Several slices of Italian bread broken.  One egg beaten, butter and onion sauté and added to the bread, salt, pepper parsley and lots of Parmesan grated cheese .  Ps.  I ran low on Pecorino Romano so Parmesan will do.  I added Milk to hold all together.  The consistency should be workable and easy to spoon into the peppers.

I separated the bread stuffing into two small bowls and added cooked Italian sausage to one of the bowls.(I used already cooked ground sausage)

After  washing and drying the peppers I removed all seeds out of the large and small peppers   

I filled the largest pepper with the yummy bread stuffing.

I used 15 oz. can Kirkland brand organic sauce. First Place some the sauce in your casserole dish, then placed stuffed peppers. Add the remainder of sauce on top and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Top with lots of grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

 Cover and bake at  350 degrees for 60 minutes. 

Yes I tasted them both and they both are delicious.  My favorite is the meatless one but I’ll eat them all as will my family.

Enjoy!

 Moms bread stuffing recipe and I added some hot Italian sausage to part of it.

From my kitchen to yours,

 

 

Braciole, my way!

I make Braciole  several times a year.  It’s a family favorite.

It’s especially a nice touch for the Christmas holiday. You can easily make it ahead and freeze until ready to use which I do often.  At Christmas if there is any left I make them to go containers.  

1  & 1/2 lbs. round steak sliced thin

Several cloves garlic minced( garlic granules are ok too)

Salt

Pepper

Breadcrumbs seasoned or plain 

Parsley

Olive oil

Pecorino Romano Cheese 

String or thick sewing thread

Step 1: if steak is not thin enough pound steak will mallet until thinner

Step 2: brush olive oil on steak

Step 3:  spread some minced garlic , salt and pepper on steak

Step 4:  sprinkle breadcrumbs and grated cheese on steak

Roll from widest part of steak to center and tie with string in several areas

Brown Braciole in olive oil in skillet  until browned and place in crockpot with your favorite sauce cooking on low for several hours..   Using a Crockpot is the most convenient way to cook braciole!  Enjoy!

  

Happy Cooking!

Nana's Chicken Ravioli Filling

My mom and my grandmother on my Dad's side made traditional Ravioli with beef, pork and veal but my mom's mama(who I call Nana) made her filling with chicken..I can attribute mom making her's like Grandma because she, my Dad and I lived with her for a while when my Dad went to college so I'm thinking that mom got her basic tips from grandma...so that explains the history between meat and chicken Ravioli..I can go on about the differences in the way they cooked but the outcome was all the same...Great Food!!.

These days food processors are available but mom and Nana used a regular food grinder to grind their ingredients.

Here is Nana's Ravioli Filling:

1/2 cup cooked chicken, finely chopped
1/2 cup cooked and drained spinach, finely chopped
2 tbsp. plain bread crumbs
2 tbsp. grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
1 egg beaten

I don't know how many chicken ravioli's the above would make but I do remember that everything was so fine(I think Nana used one of those old time grinders because she used to can and I remember lots of things going in and coming out ..and that included relish and her own sausage..

Dough recipe:

Flour,eggs, salt and a little water...No basic recipe for her dough..I'm looking though and if or when I find it I'll edit and post it..Until next time!!! Happy Cooking............

Note:  I was so pleased with the Cappelletti dough that I am going to make the same dough and fill it with Nana's Ravioli filling..Here is the recipe I decided to make adjusting it to my taste. Happy Cooking!

1 lb. chicken breasts (cooked and chopped in food processor) You can either boil the chicken or microwave..I suggest adding a little salt to the water if you boil.
 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4cup chopped spinach (cooked)
1/3 cup Italian cheese
1 egg beaten

In food processor add cooked chicken chicken or chopper, add spinach, egg, breadcrumbs and Italian cheese. Process all the until incorporated.

Dough recipe:

Dough:

4 cups regular flour
5 whole eggs
1 tbsp. oil
1/4 cup water plus a little more
1 tsp. salt

Mom said this recipe makes 140 Ravioli.. 

Meat or cheese Roll ups

Hi everyone and I hope you are having a good day.

Along with posting my recipe for the roll ups I also would like to mention some excellent safe preparation suggestions of our meals and cleaning our utensils .  We must be careful and smart with our food.  It is a part of staying healthy.

During these long days filled with uncertainty you can rely on me and the blog posts I have been sharing with the world since 2011.

Food is one of our ways of communicating.  Hearty healthy family meals and much care go into my food preparation.

Staying healthy is of upmost importance.  Making sure our vegetables and fruits are washed well is a must.

Our knives and cutlery should always be washed in hot water and wiped dry. There is no need to use a dishwasher if you use soap and HOT water.

We all want to stay safe and keeping our kitchen clean is a must.

Enough on that as I know most of you are aware of all the above suggestions but it never hurts to give us all a little reminder now and again.   On to the recipe as promised.

1 box lasagna noodles. Depending on what noodle/pasta I use I either cook them according to directions on box or if they are the noodles/pasta you do not have to cook, I soak them in warm water for ten minutes to allow some flexibility.  

Todays noodles/pasta are (according to box )you need not boil them but since I was making roll ups I soaked them in hot water for over ten minutes.  Personally I rather using the regular lasagna noodles for this recipe but I had these and figured I'd give it a go.

Preferred cooking method for recipe:    use noodles/pasta that you boil according to directions.  

This recipe made approximately 12 rolls.

Meat filling roll ups
1 box lasagna pasta
1/2 lb.or more ravioli meat mixture(check side bar for labels)

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Italian cheese or more
salt and pepper
1 egg slightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped spinach

Meatless cheese roll ups
1 container ricotta
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. dried or fresh parsley
1/4 cup cooked and drained spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
Pasta sauce of choice.(I had my homemade meat sauce so I used it for convenience).

Boil lasagna noodles according to directions.  Drain and slightly rinse. Place a sheet or two of waxed paper on cutting board.  Place lasagna noodle on wax paper and spread filling.  Roll and place in a casserole dish.  I used an 13x9 in baking dish.

Cover with a generous amount of pasta sauce and bake at 350 degrees covered for approximately 30 minutes.  Remove cover and allow to stay in oven another 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve.

Meat filled

Cheese spinach filled

Please Stay safe and healthy.

Sausage meatballs with pasta!!!!

 For those who haven't caught this recipe before..This one's for you!!  Make mini ones for Super Bowl..  Spice up your recipe with hot sausage!!!

Repost:  I made these Sausage meatballs again yesterday and they are definitely an easy meatball recipe to make over and over for a nice change to my favorite recipe for traditional meatballs.  No pasta needed!  Some Italian bread might be nice!  Enjoy!!

  Mom always made her own homemade sausage when we were growing up..She would buy fresh pork, grind it in her meat grinder and season it with her special seasonings.  When I was at the market I found some really nice lean mild  Italian sausage so today I'm adding a little of this and that to it making some medium size meatball shapes and baking them for later use..I freeze all types of meatballs because they come in handy for so many quick sauce meals..

I absolutely dislike store bought meatballs..It is just something that I personally can not eat..  You won't see me eating meatballs out for that reason..I know what ingredients are in my meatballs but not in theirs!

*Good quality sausage required.

**Note:  You can make mini meatballs and use as an appetizer in your favorite sauce.

 

Tonight we had Cappellini pasta with some of my sausage meatballs...Bon Appetit!

Mom used to toss her pasta in a pot and serve in a pasta bowl!  We roughed it a bit as the picture demonstrates.

1 lb. mild or hot ground(loose) Italian sausage (store bought or check out my sausage recipe on the blog)
1/2 cup shredded Romano or Parmesan Cheese( I prefer shredded cheese in this recipe but you can use finely grated as well)
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parsley
1 egg

Mix above ingredients.  Bake at 400 degrees until browned slightly..Freeze or add to your favorite red sauce.
Makes approximately 20 medium size meatballs per pound.





4/17/12  original 


 

 

Ciambellone..... Italian coffee cake

Family favorite!
UPDATED

In our house it's not Christmas unless you make Ciambellone.

I loved making this and I know this will be a well received...Yummy, light and just the right cake to top off a meal..Coffee or tea anyone? 11/29/11

 Bringing out the Italian in me...Love this Italian Coffee cake and I think you will too!!!

The holidays bring to mind lots of favorites ..An old favorite that I remember eating at my Aunt Anna's was Ciambalone . It was the favorite Italian coffee cake.. Ciambalone and Biscotti were two of her best recipes..

.

I looked and looked and couldn't find her recipe but I found one that seems to be very similar to hers.. It was in a very old cookbook from a Junior Women's club I belonged to..Lots of Italian ladies contributed to it so this is as close to Aunt Anna's that I can get.It's in the oven now!!!  Happy Baking!

Ps.  I’m somehow thinking hers may have had wine in the recipe or WINE WAS ON HER TABLE!

4 cups all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 + tsp. anise seed or anise or orange flavoring(I love anise)
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup milk
rind and juice of 1 large orange
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
**1/2 cup diced maraschino cherries ( I used a whole jar)

Note:  I felt that this recipe could use more cherries and a little coarser walnuts..Having said that my opinion is that this is a great cake to serve and it is not too sweet..Just perfect! A cup of Java by its side!!   Enjoy!

Note:  Don't Overmix
Beat softened butter (or vegetable shortening) at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until light and fluffy. These steps are important because they whip air into the cake batter so it will rise during baking. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears. Overbeating the eggs may cause the batter to overflow the sides of the pan when baked or create a fragile crust that crumbles and separates from the cake as it cools.


Mix eggs, shortening, sugar,salt, rind of orange and its juice
Add dry ingredients alternating with milk
Fold in cherries and nuts and mix with a wooden spoon until blended
Pour into greased and floured 2 qt. tube pan( I used Bunt pan)
Bake 375 degrees for 1 hour..

Cool in pan for 20 minutes on cooling rack.  Turn over and cool completely before slicing.

I'm nut sensitive so it's More cherries and walnuts if you like.

New photo 8/14/2022

From my kitchen to yours,