Tag: Spinach

Cheese Ravioli with Pesto

I have another busy week this week so I needed some easy meals that can be prepared quickly. Pasta is usually a great option and this recipe for Cheese Ravioli with Pesto is no exception. It comes together in about 15 minutes!

 

I found this recipe on Cooking Light. The pesto is more of a “pesto” and stays pretty chunky. But don’t be fooled, those little flecks of green are packed with flavor!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16-ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 3/4 cup shaved fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted, divided
  • Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Continue reading Cheese Ravioli with Pesto

Pesto Pasta with Peas

Yes, it’s technically spring. But. It snowed last night here.  So it’s not time just yet to delve into super springy recipes. Sigh.

So this recipe for Pesto Pasta with Peas is a happy medium. The bright green color is a nod that spring weather is (hopefully) not too far away. It is still a warm dish though, so it is good for colder nights. (This recipe from Inda Garten is originally a pasta salad, so it can absolutely be eaten cold as well)

Ingredients:

Pesto:

  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pasta:

  • 3/4 pound fusilli pasta
  • 3/4 pound bow tie pasta
  • fresh pesto (see recipe below), to taste
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • Grated Parmesan, to taste
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Pesto Pasta with Peas

Linguine with Spinach Herb Pesto

I love a fresh pesto, it brightens up any dish and just screams spring. I made Fettuccine with Seared Tomatoes, Spinach, and Burrata earlier this week and had some spinach left over. Cooking Light’s latest issue had a recipe for Linguine with Spinach Herb Pesto which uses spinach, basil, oregano, and time to make a creamy pesto sauce. How great does that sound??

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces fresh baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons organic vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (~1/2 a lemon), plus zest from 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided (about 1/4 cup)
  • 8 ounces uncooked linguine

Continue reading Linguine with Spinach Herb Pesto

Fettuccine with Seared Tomatoes, Spinach, and Burrata

There are few things pasta can’t cure. (I’m not a doctor so don’t hold me to this) Pasta is my ultimate comfort food. Growing up, it was literally the only food my grandma (my mom’s mom) would make for me when I would visit, with the exception of Thanksgiving dinner. If I’m in a bad mood, need a pick me up, or feel a cold coming on, I want pasta. So when Cooking Light’s March issue’s photo was of a beautiful bowl of pasta, I was immediately excited for what deliciousness might be inside. Paging through, the issue didn’t disappoint. I plan on making quite a few of these, so expect a bit of a pasta week coming up! (I’m also about to move so my precious kitchen tools are little by little being packed away.) I naturally had to make the one on the cover first, so here is my take on the Fettuccine with Seared Tomatoes, Spinach and Burrata.

First a little background on Burrata, which means “buttered” in Italian (interest peaked? I thought so). Burrata is basically the best mozzarella cheese ever. Why? Because it is mozzarella cheese with cream. Oh yes. You should be able to find it in the specialty cheese section of your supermarket but if not, mozzarella is obviously a fine substitute (if you can, sub in the mozzarella that is still in a brine to have a super creamy version).

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine (I used a mixture of spinach fettuccine and regular)
  • Cooking spray
  • 2/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved (about 10 large)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 3 cups)
  • 4 ounces burrata cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Continue reading Fettuccine with Seared Tomatoes, Spinach, and Burrata

Shrimp Florentine Pasta

My boyfriend is allergic to shrimp. And I swear knowledge of this allergy makes me inexplicably crave shrimp. All. The. Time. So I wait for weekdays to make shrimp as much as my little heart desires. Another plus is that shrimp is a super quick meal. This Cooking Light recipe took a whopping 30 minutes from start to finish. And who doesn’t like shrimp, pasta, lemon, and spinach?
Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine (I used fresh pasta so it would cook faster)
2 tablespoons Melt buttery spread (or other margarine)
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
the juice and zest of 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

Cook pasta according to package directions. If using fresh pasta, it will be done in 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Add Melt to a saute pan over medium heat. When melted, add the shrimp, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. (It’s easiest to use tongs so that you can flip the shrimp after 2 minutes).
Add the cooked pasta, lemon juice and zest, black pepper, and spinach. The spinach will wilt significantly, so don’t worry if it seems like there is too much.
Cook for 3 minutes, or until the spinach begins to wilt. Serve immediately with a lemon wedge on the side.
I was not prepared for how strong the red pepper would be. If I made this again, I’d cut the red pepper in half. I actually ended up adding a tablespoon of whipped cream just to cut some of the heat.
I also wanted a bit more of lemon. I ended up adding lemon to  the pasta throughout eating the dish. But the base flavors here were good! I just need to adjust the amount of ingredients and it would be a keeper! So, to recap: more lemon, less red pepper = perfect.

Artichoke, Spinach, and Feta Stuffed Shells

I have been making a bunch of freezer-friendly meals lately. You never know when you will come home and just be too exhausted to cook, and frozen meals can really save the night. This one also happens to be vegetarian. I found this recipe in an old Cooking Light. I absolutely love artichokes and spinach so I knew I’d like this!
Ingredients:
(makes 5 servings. serving size 4 shells)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini peppers (they come in a jar)
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded provolone/mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (9-ounce) can artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
2 garlic cloves, minced
20 cooked jumbo shell pasta (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
Cooking spray

Cook the shell pasta according to directions on the box. Drain and set aside on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil so they don’t stick together. Take a 13×9 cooking dish and spray it with cooking spray.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Add the oregano, pepperoncini peppers, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup provolone/mozzarella (I used “pizza” cheese) and the feta, cream cheese, black pepper, artichokes, spinach, and garlic.
To make it easier to fill the shells, add the mixture to a ziplock bag. Close the bag, and snip off one of the bottom corners.
Pipe the mixture into the shells. (Note: some of the artichokes might get stuck a bit while doing this so be careful you don’t end up with more mixture than you want coming out!) Add the stuffed shells to a 13×9 baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Spoon the tomato mixture over the shells.
Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese melts.
You can freeze them after stuffing the shells, freezing the tomato mixture separately and doing the last few steps later. I personally prefer frozen meals that can just be popped into the microwave or oven and the only additional step is that I have to consume the meal.
This is really an awesome recipe. I usually only have plain stuffed shells with tomato sauce and cheese so I liked the addition of the spinach and artichokes. The peppers added a little bit of pizazz to the dish without making them really spicy. (You can leave them out if you don’t want a little heat).
I did, however, crave a little bit of extra sauce (I love love sauce), so I’d suggest adding another can of puree to the mix. Past that, a good solid recipe!

Guest Post: Gourmet Turkey Burger with Island Slaw from Positively Cooking

I have another amazing guest post for you today! Adrienne, from Positively Cooking, agreed to share one of her delicious recipes with us. Positively Cooking is chock full of delicious and nutritious meals that use easy to find ingredients. Her Gourmet Turkey Burger with Island Slaw is not only beautiful (I mean, look at these photos) but it is a healthy and delicious meal as well. Check out her recipe below and be sure to pop over to Positively Cooking to see all of the other mouth watering recipes her blog has to offer!
 A savory, juicy burger is pretty hard to beat. When that burger is full of nutrients, easy on your waistline, easy on your budget, and needless to say tastes delicious, a burger is near impossible to beat.  Using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, I have developed my Gourmet Turkey Burger w Island Slaw from my own personal cravings for a filling, tasty meal.
You don’t need to wait until sweet summertime to enjoy burgers from the grill. Since I am an Ohio girl (and stuck inside during the winter months… ugh), I grilled mine stovetop on a griddle and also tried it on my George Foreman – both will leave your burgers beautifully cooked through and juicy. That being said, I am already looking forward to enjoying this recipe with some Sangria this weekend because hey, enjoying refreshing dishes like this helps an Ohio girl like me get through the winter!Enjoy!

Gourmet Turkey Burgers 
1 lb. ground turkey
1 bell pepper, chopped and seeded
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
Honey Mustard, to garnish
Avocado, to garnish
Cheese slices, to garnish
Whole wheat buns
In a medium-size mixing bowl, place your ground turkey. Add in all ingredients [OTHER than garnishes – Honey Mustard, Avocado, and Cheese] Combine thoroughly.
With meat-mixture, form into one big “ball” and divide into 4-6 even sections. Form each section into a burger patty. [Tip: make the center of your patty thinner than the rim, to ensure it is cooked through.]
Grilling? Place patties on foil, and grill at medium-high heat for about 8 minutes on each side. Remember, your George Foreman counts!
Cooking stovetop?Lightly coat skillet with cooking spray. Cook patties over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, turning once.
Serve your burgers with desired toppings [As mentioned before, I suggest honey mustard, avocado, cheese, and of course Island Slaw]
Tips: Sub ground beef for the ground turkey if that is what you prefer.
Island Slaw
1 bag shredded cabbage
¾ cup All-Natural Light Coleslaw Dressing OR Light Poppyseed Dressing
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
½ cup walnuts, crumbled
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for coleslaw. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips: I encourage you to enjoy the Island Slaw right on top of your Gourmet Turkey Burger
Doesn’t this sound like the perfect way to make you feel like warmer weather really is just around the corner? The Island Slaw has such beautiful colors in it; pineapple, mandarin oranges and walnuts together must be heavenly! And that is one snazzy looking burger; I love that it has spinach as well as chili powder to add some extra flavor. 
Many thanks to Adrienne for sharing this recipe! Don’t forget to stop over at Positively Cooking to say hello and check out all the other yummy meals Adrienne has cooked up! (Some of my personal favorites include Blackberry Salmon, Skinny and Spiced Jalapeno Poppers, and Coconut French Toast with Sauteed Peaches)

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Vegetables

Pasta is definitely one of my weaknesses. I would eat it every day if it was socially acceptable to do so. But alas, all those carbs probably wouldn’t be best. Adding vegetables to a pasta dish always makes me feel a little bit better about my choice though. MyRecipes.com had an awesome sounding recipe for Creamy Lemon Pasta with Vegetables.


Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup 1% milk
1 cup whole cream
Zest and juice from 3 lemons
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
16 ounces spinach fusilli pasta
2 pounds trimmed asparagus
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Season with salt. Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces.
Add the asparagus to a steamer and add it to the pot. Cover and steam for 3 minutes. Set aside. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Add the olive oil to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in the milk, cream, zest, and juice from 3 lemons. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Cook the pasta according to package label directions while the cream mixture is simmering. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add the cream mixture to the pasta and stir to coat.
Add the Parmesan cheese, asparagus and tomatoes and mix to combine.
Serve with more cheese and lemon zest, if desired.
This dish includes some of my favorite flavors! You can use normal pasta but I thought that the spinach pasta would add nice flavor and color.
The asparagus stays crispy which is nice with the creamy pasta.
The tomatoes add a burst of bright flavor which makes it feel really fresh.
The lemon flavor is throughout the whole dish but isn’t overwhelming at all.
Plus, look how pretty it is!

Guest Post from Christina of Spaghetti & Meatballs

I am so excited to announce my first guest post on I Can Cook That! I couldn’t ask for a better first guest poster. This delicious risotto recipe comes from Christina of Spaghetti & Meatballs. I’ve mentioned on here quite a few times my affinity for risotto. It was actually the first dish I made that helped me realize cooking isn’t nearly as difficult as I imagined. This particular risotto is a must try: the creaminess you expect from a risotto without the 30 minutes of constant stirring!
 
But first, a little bit about Christina and her blog. Christina invites us to explore Italian through her blog. She is a truly wonderful writer (she works as a freelance writer in the Philadelphia area) with posts that contain not only recipes that make your mouth water, but information about Italian food products (tomatoes, pasta, etc.), commentary on interesting articles from magazines, and a look into some of her family’s Italian food traditions. Definitely take the time to check out her blog, it is a great source of information, recipes, and just an overall great read!

So before I ramble on, let me pass it on to Christina:

Risotto is so deliciously decadent that it can turn any dinner into a special occasion. But despite my soft spot for the dish, risotto was relegated to the once-in-awhile section of my recipe book. Every risotto I’d made required significant prep time – including at least 30 minutes of nonstop stirring as the rice cooked.
Then I found a Real Simple risotto recipe that sounded too good to be true. Instead of constantly stirring, waiting for the rice to thicken, you just pop the entire pot into a preheated oven. I’d never heard of making risotto this way, but since Real Simple is one of my favorite recipe sources, I decided to take the leap.
Ingredients:
(this makes 4 servings)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup frozen peas
4 ounces flat-leaf spinach, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce), plus more for serving
Heat the oven to 425° F. Melt the butter in an ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot is soft.
Pour in the wine and stir until it has almost evaporated. Then stir in the broth and rice. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Cover the pot and put it in the preheated oven. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy, about 20 minutes. (While the risotto cooked, I had plenty of time to chop spinach and grate Parmesan for the next step.)
Stir in peas, spinach, Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and serve.
The risotto turned out just as creamy and rich as others I’ve made the traditional way. I’m thrilled I found a time-saving technique for one of my favorite dishes that doesn’t sacrifice taste for convenience.
I can’t believe I’ve made it 26 years of my life without knowing this technique. It’s brilliant! And the colors are just beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing this with us Christina! To check out additional recipes and posts from Spaghetti & Meatballs, pop on over to her blog!

Spice Rubbed Salmon with Lemon-Garlic Spinach

If you’re like me, you can never have too many salmon recipes. If I could, I’d eat salmon every day, so I prefer some variety with how it’s prepared. Cooking Light had a recipe that incorporated some really interesting spices: coriander, cinnamon, cumin and paprika. I was excited to see how this would turn out. The recipe also pairs the salmon with a wilted spinach, one of my favorite sides.
Ingredients (this makes one serving)
Salmon:
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon paprika
a pinch of ground cinnamon
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 5 oz salmon fillet
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
Cooking spray
chopped cilantro, for garnish
lemon wedges
Spinach:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large handfuls uncooked baby spinach
zest from one lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
the juice of half a lemon

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. To prepare the spice rub, combine the salt, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, and pepper in a bowl.
Rub the mixture evenly over the salmon.
Thinly slice your onion. Add the onion to a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Add the salmon on top of the onions. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until flaky.
When there is about 5-10 minutes left on the salmon, prepare the spinach. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add one handful of spinach.
Cook for one minute, stirring. Add the remaining handful of spinach and cook for 4 minutes or until wilted, stirring frequently.
Add lemon zest and salt. Stir in juice and remove from heat.
Serve the salmon with the onions and spinach.
Sprinkle salmon with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.
You’d think all of those powerful spices would overwhelm the salmon. Not at all. The flavor was fantastic!
I can’t even describe it. But my taste buds did a little dance.
The lemon added a nice tanginess to the spinach, which was a great contrast to the sweet caramelized  onions.
I think the next time I make this, I will check the salmon after 15 minutes of cooking. The salmon was slightly overcooked for my liking. Past that, this recipe is a definite keeper!

Spinach Spaghetti with Salmon Cream Sauce

Have you ever bought a bunch of ingredients just because they sounded good? I try to stick to a list, but this time I couldn’t help myself. I found fresh spinach spaghetti and it just sounded so wonderful, I had to buy it. I wanted to make a simple but flavorful dish so I was pretty happy to find salmon as well. I already had heavy cream and parsley in my fridge so this recipe for Spinach Spaghetti with Salmon Cream Sauce was the result!
Ingredients:
  • 1 package fresh spinach spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 8 oz fillet of salmon
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • freshly grated Parmesan

Continue reading Spinach Spaghetti with Salmon Cream Sauce

Bacon, Egg & Toast Cups with Spinach

I came across this Martha Stewart recipe this week and was kind of mad at myself for not thinking of it first. It’s brilliant. I love the idea of an entire breakfast within one little “muffin”. This would be a wonderful idea for a breakfast with guests: they look wonderful and really don’t take much time or preparation at all.
Ingredients: (makes 4)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 slices sandwich bread (I strongly suggest the Rye-Pumpernickel Swirl bread)
4 slices bacon
12 spinach leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Continue reading Bacon, Egg & Toast Cups with Spinach

Spinach with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins

I am still on a Wilted Spinach with Garlic Vinaigrette kick, but my CSA gave me a bag of spinach about the size of my torso, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to branch out and try other spinach side recipes. I had all of these ingredients on hand, so this recipe from Cooking Light (August 2006) seemed like a good choice.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup golden raisins
4 cups spinach
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted

First place golden raisins in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water and let stand for 15 minutes or until raisins expand. Drain and set aside.

Place the pine nuts in a saute pan over medium heat. Shake the pan frequently to keep them from burning. When fragrant and browned, remove from heat.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and 2 tablespoons water.

Cook for 3 minutes or until the spinach wilts.

Remove from pot and wipe the pot dry. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pan and add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the spinach and raisins. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for 1 minute or until heated. Stir in pine nuts and serve.

I would have never thought to put something sweet like raisins with spinach, but they really worked well together. The pine nuts added a bit of crunch, as well as some flavor from toasting the pine nuts. Although I’m not willing to shelve my go-to spinach recipe, this one will definitely be added to my recipe arsenal!

Chickpea and Spinach Stew

A friend sent me this recipe from Food & Wine, and I somehow had all of these ingredients on hand (yes, including the saffron and golden raisins… don’t judge me). This recipe said it would take 30 minutes, so I thought it would be a great weeknight meal, plus any time I can make something somewhat healthy, it’s a win.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
10 ounces baby spinach
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
Kosher salt
Pinch of saffron threads
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas with their liquid
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato—peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
Crusty bread, for serving

To cook the spinach, boil the water in a pot and add the leaves. Stir frequently until wilted (about 2 minutes). Drain the spinach in a strainer, pressing the leaves against the sides to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Coarsely chop the spinach and set aside.
In retrospect, I feel like using frozen chopped spinach that has been defrosted would work just as well, and save some time.
Using the flat side of a knife, mash the garlic into a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the saffron.
kind of coarse, but oh well

In a small bowl, mix the garlic paste, paprika, cumin, cloves, and black pepper and mash until combined.

Stir in 1/4 cup of the chickpea liquid.

To seed the tomatoes, cut the tomato in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds.

I decided not to peel the tomato because I wanted the pieces to retain their shape. Feel free to peel them, it will make for a more soft and more incorporated into the dish.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a dutch oven or pot. Heat over high heat and add in the onion and tomato, (I forgot about the onion, oops) and stir occasionally until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the spiced garlic sauce to the pot and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chickpeas and the liquid they came in to the pot. Add the raisins and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the spinach, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top and serve with some crusty bread.

This didn’t have as much hit-you-over-the-head flavor as I was expecting (when cumin is in a recipe, I tend to prepare for some kick). But, the more I ate, the more I really enjoyed it. If I make this in the future, I will probably use more tomato, I was really craving more. Also, I hope to remember to use onion next time! Darn me. This is one of those dishes that will probably taste better the next day, when all the flavors have time to meld. (Update: it was delicious the next day!)
it’s great as an appetizer too

Lasagna

Lasagna. It seems like such a simple dish that will result in many freezable meals (9 to be exact). Always looking for a way to have already-prepared lunch or dinner options, I decided this weekend was the time to conquer the classic Italian food. I mean, how much work can layering different ingredients be?
Three hours later, I ended up with this:
Not too shabby. Just a long process!
Ingredients for Lasagna: 
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for the lasagna 
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk at room temperature 
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (recipe below) 
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground chuck beef
1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese 
3 large eggs
1 pound lasagna sheets, cooked al dente 
1 package (16 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 cups shredded mozzarella 
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Ingredients for Tomato Sauce:
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can pureed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon each of dried: thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary and parsley

The tomato sauce takes a good hour itself, so start this before anything else. While making the sauce, leave the milk on the counter so it can reach room temperature. Also leave out the frozen spinach to thaw.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add cans of tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and the rest of the spices (bay leaves through parsley). Simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Remove bay leaves and remove pot from heat.
Feel free to use just some store-bought sauce. I personally can’t do it. Who told all the sauce companies that sugar should be a main ingredient?  Gross. So yeah, the 25% of me that is Italian absolutely cannot handle sauce out of a jar. I digress…

Next, to make the béchamel sauce, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in another pot. When the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.

um. “smooth”? yeah, I don’t know what happened
Gradually add in milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat. Make sure the heat isn’t up too high; you don’t want the milk to burn! Stir until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes.
it should coat the back of a wooden spoon, like this
Remove from heat and add to tomato sauce. Stir until well combined. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
While the sauce is cooling, cook the lasagna according to the package directions.  Lay lasagna pieces out individually on a tin foil so that they don’t stick together.
In a sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Break up large clumps to make sure all parts of the meat are browned, until there is no more pink meat. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
To assemble (in a lasagna pan):
line bottom with lasagna sheets
add 1/3 of bechamel sauce
add all of the ricotta mixture
add all of the spinach
another layer of pasta sheets
add all of the meat
add half of the mozzarella cheese (1 bag)
add another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce
one last layer of pasta sheets
add the last of the bechamel sauce
top with remaining mozzarella cheese
add Parmesan cheese and thin slices of 2 tbsp of butter
To cook, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the lasagna pan on top, cover with tin foil and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake until the top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes.
woo! finally done!
Allow to cool if you plan on putting into individual containers (as I did). I find it hard to believe that something with this much cheese, pasta, and sauce could honestly taste bad. But seeing how much not-so-good-for-you things went into this, I think I’d sub in some “less” bad ingredients next time (skim milk, partially skim cheese, low fat ricotta, ground turkey).

Although this was quite the task, I think it was totally worth it. I’ve already had this for lunch one day this week and have plenty more stored away in my freezer for future meals. Yum.

so. many. meals.
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