Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Roll-ups with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Lasagna + Mushroom + Gorgonzola = Yum-O

Cook Time: 30 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

16 cremini caps, cleaned with a damp towel and finely chopped in food processor
1 small yellow-skinned onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or the equivalent of freshly grated
2 cups part skim ricotta
8 curly edge lasagna noodles, cooked to al dente (12 to 14 minutes)
1 cup fat free chicken broth
8 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Serving suggestions:

Steamed asparagus (2 small or 1 large bundle asparagus)
Broiled tomatoes (4 vine-ripe tomatoes)


Directions

In a medium skillet over moderate heat, saute mushrooms, chopped onions, and garlic in oil until mushrooms give off their juices and darken and onions are tender, about 7 or 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; the salt will help draw water out of the vegetables as they cook.


Add dry chopped spinach to the pan and heat through for 1 minute. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. Add ricotta and stir into mixture to heat cheese through, 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat but leave in the warm skillet.


Heat broth in a small pan over moderate heat. Melt Gorgonzola into broth and bring liquid to a bubble. Stir in cream and thicken sauce 2 minutes.


Place cooked lasagna noodles on a large work surface or cutting board. Spread lasagna noodles with a layer of spinach-mushroom filling. Roll up pasta and arrange the 8 bundles in a shallow casserole dish. Pour warm sauce over roll-ups and top with mozzarella. Place casserole under broiler to melt cheese. Serve with steamed asparagus and broiled tomatoes.


Steamed Asparagus Tips:

2 small or 1 large bundle asparagus

While you boil your lasagna noodles, place fresh asparagus tips in a small colander over the boiling water in the pasta pot. Place a lid on the colander and steam asparagus while you are cooking your pasta for 4 minutes or until tips are just tender.


Roasted Tomatoes:

4 vine-ripe tomatoes

Split 4 vine ripe tomatoes across the center and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Broil tomatoes.


Serve along side your completed casserole. Top with any fresh herb you have on hand: basil, thyme, or rosemary.

From: foodnetwork.com

Toasted Ravioli

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 2 servings


Ingredients

2 eggs
Splash of milk or half-and-half
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs, eyeball it
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
12 large fresh spinach and cheese ravioli, about 3/4 pound
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 roasted red peppers, drained
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes


Directions

Beat eggs and a splash of milk seasoned with salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Combine bread crumbs with cheese and parsley in a second dish. Coat the fresh pasta in egg then bread crumbs. Heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat in a skillet then toast the ravioli until deep golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.


In a small sauce pot heat the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium low heat. Grind the roasted peppers in the food processor and add to garlic after it sautes for a couple of minutes. Stir in tomatoes and season the sauce with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, transfer sauce to a small bowl. Surround the sauce with toasted ravioli for dipping and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com

Butternut Squash Risotto

Cook Time: 30 min

Level: Easy

Yield: 6 servings

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup water

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, grated or chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

1 (10-ounce) box cooked frozen butternut squash

Nutmeg, grated, to taste

2 tablespoons butter

7 or 8 leaves fresh sage, slivered

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

 

 

Directions

 

Bring 1 quart stock plus 1 cup water to a simmer in a sauce pot then reduce heat to low.

 

 

Heat a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat with olive oil. When oil ripples, add the onions and garlic and soften 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and toast 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and cook it out completely, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle in stock in intervals, a couple of ladles at a time. Allow liquids to evaporate each time. Risotto will cook 18 minutes, total, from the first addition of liquid. Defrost the squash in your microwave in a dish to collect any liquids and stir in squash the last 3 minutes of cook time, season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. In the last minute of cooking time, stir in butter in small pieces, sage leaves and cheese, serve.

 

From: foodnetwork.com

Spaghetti and Meatball "Stoup" (thicker than soup, thinner than stew)

Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into a small dice
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
2 small ribs celery from the heart, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups tomato sauce or 1 (14-ounce) can plus 1 (8-ounce) can
3 cups chicken stock, available in a box on the soup aisle
1 pound ground beef, pork and veal mix (meatloaf mix) available at butcher counter
1/2 cup grated cheese, Parmigiano or Romano, plus more to pass at table
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a few handfuls
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1/2 pound spaghetti, broken in half
1 cup basil leaves, torn or shredded
1 loaf Italian crusty bread, for dunking


Directions

Preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and stock and cover pot. Turn up heat and bring to a fast boil.


While soup comes to a boil, mix the ground meat with cheese, bread crumbs, egg and parsley. Roll into 1 1/2 to 2-inch balls.


Remove lid from soup and slide balls into soup. Bring back to a boil then stir in spaghetti. Reduce the heat and simmer soup 10 minutes more, until pasta is tender and balls have cooked through. Stir in basil and remove "stoup" from the stove. Serve soup with bread and cheese.

From: foodnetwork.com

Steak Bites with Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce

Cook Time: 8 min
Level: Easy
Yield: up to 6 servings (as a starter course)


Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup vodka
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 rounded tablespoon prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 pounds beef sirloin cut into large bite-sized pieces, 1 by 2 inches
Steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper
6 to 8 inch bamboo skewers


Directions

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and onions and saute 5 minutes. Add vodka and reduce by 1/2. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and horseradish. Stir to combine the dipping sauce and return the sauce to a bubble. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings.


Heat nonstick skillet over high heat. Coat meat bites lightly in oil. Season with steak seasoning blend or salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the meat until caramelized all over, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer dipping sauce to a small dish and place at the center of a serving platter. Surround the dip with meat bites and set several bamboo "stakes" or skewers along side meat.

From: foodnetwork.com

Garlic Bread

Cook Time: 3 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 loaf crusty bread, split
3 tablespoons grated cheese, Parmigiano or Romano, optional
Chopped fresh parsley


Directions

Combine garlic, butter, and oil in a microwave safe dish or in a small saucepan. Heat garlic and butter and oil in microwave for 1 minute or in a small pot over moderate-low heat for 3 minutes.


Toast split bread under broiler. Remove bread when it is toasted golden brown in color. Brush bread liberally with garlic oil. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and parsley. If you added cheese, return to broiler and brown 30 seconds. Cut into chunks and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com

Stuffed Steak with Prosciutto and Spinach

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) package chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, 1/4 chopped, 1/4 cut into thin strips, for garnish
2 ounces prosciutto (about 3 to 4 slices), cut into ribbons
Coarse salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs -- eyeball it
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano – eyeball it
2 pound eye round roast, strings cut off
Re-sealable plastic bag


Directions

Defrost spinach in microwave. Wrap in clean kitchen towel and wring chopped spinach dry.


Place a large skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil-to hot skillet. Add garlic to oil. Add onion and red pepper, cook 1 minute. Lower heat to medium. Add the prosciutto and the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Add bread crumbs and cheese to spinach. Turn off heat. Let stuffing cool.


To create the cavity for the stuffing, use a long sharp knife (like a boning knife), and cut a 1 to 2-inch hole through the center of the roast making a lengthwise slit. Turn the meat around and cut another slit in the same spot so that your knife completes the cavity. Insert a wooden spoon into the cavity to make sure the hole is even and goes all the way through.


Put the cooled filling in a re-sealable plastic bag and snip a hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into the cavity. You may need to push it along with your fingers to make sure that it goes all the way through.


Preheat nonstick skillet over high heat. Cut the roast into 6 even slices, being careful to keep the stuffing in each slice. Add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the pan. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and sear in hot, nonstick skillet, 2 minutes on first side. Flip the steaks and sear for an additional 2 minutes then lower the heat to medium-high and cook until done (about 3 to 4 more minutes). Garnish with thinly sliced red pepper.

From: foodnetwork.com