Lasagna Rolls

The other day I got a notification that the Tasting Table was live on Facebook from Don Angie Restaurant, in New York, making the famous lasagna for two!  It looked amazing and I realized I had similar ingredients in the house. The restaurant used a Bechemel sauce instead of the ricotta.

It was a simple dish to put together. The boiled Lasagna noodles are dried and ricotta is spread over them. Next sauce goes on top of the ricotta, I left the meat to the side and just used the tomatoes. Then a sprinkling of shredded Mozzarella and Parmesan goes over the sauce. A little sauce is added to the bottom of a baking dish. The noodles are rolled up and placed in the baking dish, standing up. More sauce is added to the top of the lasagna. The meat from the sauce is placed around the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top, cover the dish with foil, and place in a 350˚ preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Delicious!!!

And of course we needed Italian Bread.

Chinese Barbecue Ribs

A busy, busy Sunday. Did a lot of cooking, sorry no sneak peaks for this upcoming week. Our day started with the most delicious Lemon and Blueberry Scones. Seriously these were amazing. The recipe was from Add A Pinch. I kept them in the oven a bit longer than the recipe said, my dough seemed a bit moist. The flavors were over the top. Nice start to the day.

Chris was busy today putting together our new grill. Yes, tomorrow the grill will officially be opened. Can't wait to try some recipes from my Pinterest board, The Grill Is Open.

 

Dinner. Well let's just say it received rave reviews. Chinese Barbecue Ribs. The recipe is from the Tasting Table. The meat fell off the bones. The sauce was literally finger licking good. Yes Julie, finger licking good.

Do you want to try the scone recipe? From Add A Pinch, Lemon and Blueberry Scones-

Ingredients-
 2 cups all-purpose flour½ cup sugar + more for topping
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter + more for topping
zest and juice of one lemon
¾ - 1 cup heavy cream
1 cup fresh blueberries, tossed in 1 tablespoon flour
Optional Glaze
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method-
Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a rimmed baking sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking sheet.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter to the bowl and cut into the flour with a pastry blender until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of a pea and the flour mixture resembles coarse meal. Add zest and juice of lemon. Stir in ¾ cup of heavy cream. Press dough together between the palms of your hands. If it doesn't just hold together, add more heavy cream until is just holds together. Add vanilla extract. Fold blueberries into the dough.
Pour dough onto a lightly floured counter top or a pastry board. Pat dough into a large round disc, about an inch thick. Cut dough into equal sized wedges and place onto prepared baking sheet pan.
Bake scones for 20-25 minutes or until they are just beginning to turn lightly brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. You can also drizzle a warm glaze on top of the scones, if you'd like. Just whisk all of the glaze ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and then drizzle on top of each scone.


Yes, you want this Rib recipe. I made 1/2 the recipe. From the Tasting Table, Chinese Barbecue Ribs.

Ingredients-
8 cups chicken stock
¼ cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, peeled
One 6-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 pieces1 medium carrot, diced (about ½ cup)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
2 racks baby back pork ribs, about 4 pounds total (racks cut in half if using a Dutch oven)

Glaze
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
¼ cup sliced scallions
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
1 cup dark corn syrup (I used Light Corn Syrup)
¼ cup ketchup
1½ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
1½ teaspoons sambal oelek chile paste

Method-
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large Dutch oven or roasting pan, combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, carrot, onion and celery and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and nestle the ribs in the braising liquid.

Cover the Dutch oven (or cover the roasting pan tightly with foil) and bake until the meaty part of the ribs are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 90 minutes.

While the ribs cook, prepare the glaze: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, ginger and scallions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, hoisin, corn syrup, ketchup, five-spice powder and chile paste; increase the heat the high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 20 to 25 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on the baking sheet. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and place them, meaty side up, on the rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Brush a thick coating of glaze on the top of the ribs. Bake for 45 minutes, brushing the ribs with additional glaze every 15 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into one- or two-rib portions and serve immediately.

 Meanwhile, a certain gray cat was being very fresh...

Maiale al Latte

Well, I don't know how you spend a rainy Saturday but I was in the kitchen, and at the Vet with Lucy. I got an eblast from Tasting Table this week with the recipe, Maiale al Latte. The recipe originates from Emilia-Romagna. I was intrigued. I was leery about milk, but wow. Okay, it did boil over in the oven. Drats. But the meat. My God the meat was amazing. So tender, knives are not needed. And the flavors! Rosemary, Sage and Lemon. My taste buds are smiling.

And while I was in the kitchen I tried a new cookie recipe. Buttery Nutella Rolled Cookies. The recipe is from Cooking With Nonna. Oh, I love that blog! I think I have a new favorite cookie recipe. Seriously, this IS my new favorite cookie.

Now about the Vet visit with Lucy. Anyone out there have any experiences with epileptic fits in cats. Lucy had a seizure last night and I googled epileptic fits in cats after it happened, hoping nothing would show up. But what I read was exactly what happened. It was scary. Very scary. We will get the blood work results on Monday. Fingers and paws crossed.

Steak and Cheese Pie, Farro and Sping Vegetable Salad and a Special Cake

Let's start with dessert. Friday was the 7 year anniversary of my mom's passing. All weekend I wanted to make one of her recipes. On Thursday night I was reading Living the Gourmet blog entry entitled Green Apple Cobbler. It reminded me of my mom's 4 Egg Cake.

Finally today I baked the cake. I used my Mom's 2 Egg Cake recipe and used the Living the Gourmet recipe for the apple topping. How was it? Oh it was good. It was really, really good. The sauteed apples were not too sweet. I know my Dad would have said it needed vanilla ice cream, and yeah that would have been a nice addition.

Two Egg Apple Cobbler Cake
From a recipe card in my mom's recipe drawer. Topping from the Living Gourmet. 

Ingredients for the Cake -
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, my mom called it Spry
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Ingredients for the Apples -2 green apples – peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon butter
¼  tsp. cinnamon

Blend shortening, sugar and eggs.
Stir in dry ingredients alternate with milk and vanilla.
Peel and slice the apples. Heat a large frying pan on low with the 2 tablespoon of butter. Place the sliced apples in the pan add the lemon juice and dust the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
As soon as the apples are coated remove from the heat.
Butter an 8 ½ inch baking pan and place the apples on the bottom.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Gently loosen the edges with a spatula and place a serving plate over the pan and turn over. Mine did stick a bit on the sides, just one side, the side that is not in the photo!

Yes this is a dinner blog...
Steak and Cheese Pie. Actually Steak, Onion and Cheese Pie. I had some Pate Brisee with Pepper in the freezer from the Easter Meat Pies. I sauteed the onions and steak. Rolled out the crust and added the steak, onions, some Provolone and American Cheese. Best part about this was the crust.

And the side dish, or what am I eating for lunch this week. Farro Salad with Spring Vegetables and Feta. Yeah that was good too! But the recipe said 2 serving. 2 servings for 3 days! This got a good review from Chris. The dressing so basic but it is all the dish needed.

Farro Salad with Spring Vegetables and Feta , from The Tasting Table

Ingredients -
Farro, 1 cup
Vegetable broth or water, 2 cups
Dried bay leaf, 1
Kosher salt, 21/2 teaspoons, divided
Lacinato kale, 4 leaves (tough stems removed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces)
Small radishes, 2 (thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler or a mandoline)
Small carrots, 2 (peeled and thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler or a mandoline)
Small celery stalk with leaves, 2 (stalk thinly sliced and the leaves left whole)
Feta cheese, 4 ounces (crumbled; about 1/2 cup)
Fresh tarragon sprigs, 3 (leaves removed and finely chopped)
Fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons
Extra-virgin olive oil, 6 tablespoons
Freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon
Small red beets, 2 (peeled and thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler or a mandoline)

Method -
To a medium saucepan, add the: Farro, Vegetable broth or water.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the: Dried bay leaf, 2 teaspoons kosher salt.

Simmer until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the farro to a fine-mesh sieve to drain off any excess water, then turn it out into a medium bowl. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

To the cooked farro, use a wooden spoon to stir in the: Torn kale, Shaved radishes, Shaved carrots, Sliced celery, Celery leaves, Crumbled feta cheese, Chopped tarragon, Lemon juice, Extra-virgin olive oil.

Stir in the: Remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper
Then gently fold in the: Shaved beets.

Serve.

A Weekend Wrap Up

Yes we had dinner this week.  We actually had some very good dinners this week. Just could not find the time to post so here we go...

Monday, September 17

French Onion Grilled Cheese

Yes you read that correctly! I found this recipe on TasteSpotting. Caramelized onions. Actually Wine Braised Onions. It tasted like a bowl of soup! So comforting.


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
I am not cooking tonight.

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

No Post!  : (

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

No Post!  : (

Tuesday, September 18

Farro Soup With Chorizo

First let me say, "Happy Anniversary Stephen and Ann!"
Farro Soup with Chorizo. This was from Real Simple. I do love that site for easy but very good recipes. Today it was stormy out so the soup hit the spot. And best part is there was enough for another meal so we have soup in the freezer!


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Jalapeno Popper Dip followed by Sole Meuniere

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Chicken and Thyme

Wednesday, September 19

Pork Meatballs

     

What? Pork Meatballs! Oh wait... first HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEIDI! Okay back to dinner. I found this in a Tasting Table newsletter. Something completely different. Who would have thought to have meatballs without sauce! We had it with the grainy mustard the recipe recommends. Loved this. The spiciness of the paprika and the crushed red pepper. Really nice.


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Baked Macaroni

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?
Quinoa with Ground Meat and Soy Sauce

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

 

Thursday, September 20

Chicken Pot Pie

Happy Anniversary Carlo and Tara!
And it is the time of year that we can start eating meals like Chicken Pot Pie. First off I cheated. I was rushed and I had to make a quick Pot Pie. I felt bad but what could I do? Yes I used Cream of Potato soup. Sigh. I did not have time to make the roux and the thought of the pans was something I was not ready to jump into. The result was a damn good pot pie. LOL! Of course the crust was perfect, that is the best part. But the next pot pie will be truly homemade... I promise.


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Butternut Squash Soup

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?
Pasta with White Sausage and Greens

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Roasted Chicken Purses

Red-Wine-Braised Pork Butt with Apples and Thyme

Before I get to tonight's post there is something I would like to address.
First have you seen this video-

Gosh it makes me so annoyed. You have to read the fine print on EVERYTHING!
So today's lesson is to freeze your own darn veggies!

Today was a an unusual day. I actually said to Chris, "Well the pork butt is in the oven." Never did I think I would say that. And before I put it in the oven I had to take a picture... it looked so pretty! Pork butt, pretty... good grief. The recipe is from Tasting Table.

The recipe suggested serving the pork with a salad. That is what we did and it was a wonderful meal.

Roman Stracciatella (Egg Drop Soup)

I hope everyone who reads this blog also gets the Tasting Table eblasts. It is great a source of recipes and food news. Tonight's soup recipe is from last week's blast. Roman Stracciatella (Egg Drop Soup).  Simple, very simple to  make. I used my homemade broth and we used oregano as garnish instead of the basil suggested in the recipe. And adding lemon juice was a nice touch!

 

To go along with the soup I made Grilled Provolone, Broccoli Rabe and Tomato sandwiches.
This was the perfect midweek quick fix dinner.

Bavette in Guazzetto

One of my favorite eBlasts that I receive is the Tasting Table. I bookmarked this recipe awhile back and finally made it tonight. Why did I wait so long. It was wonderful. It reminded me of my mom's Christmas Eve Fish Sauce. And that says alot! But I forgot to add the breadcrumbs before I took the photo : (

Ingredients

6 ounces skinless cod fillet, cut into 3-inch-wide strips
Sea salt

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 garlic cloves, crushed
 (I used one and kept it whole so I could remove it)
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
One 28-ounce can peeled whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 pound linguine fini pasta
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about ½ cup)

12 basil leaves, chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs, toasted in olive oil until golden brown

Directions

1. Generously cover each piece of fish with salt and let stand for 12 minutes to firm the flesh. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry.
2. In a deep saucepan, heat ¼ cup of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the fish and cook until the cod turns opaque and starts to lightly brown, about 3 minutes; turn the fish over and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the cod begins to flake easily when pierced with the tip of a knife, 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and add to the tomato sauce, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Stir the pasta water into the sauce until emulsified, then add the parsley and basil and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper and divide among plates. Sprinkle each plate with bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.