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RECIPE | Lasagna with Turkey Sausage Bolognese

12.09.2017 Leave a Comment

photoWe had this amazing from-scratch lasagna Bolognese recently and it was so delicious, I just had to share! I made a few tweaks, so here’s the original recipe from Bon Appetit if you want to stick to the classic.

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 8 TO 10

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup diced carrot
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed in spice mill or in mortar with pestle
  • 1 package Aidells Organic Sweet Basil & Roasted Garlic sausage, thinly sliced
  • 6 large garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes with basil
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 3 cups (packed) coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (12 ounces)
  • 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 16 6 1/2 x 3 1/4-inch no-boil lasagna noodles

Preparation

COOK: 45 MINCOOK: 1 MIN
  • Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrot, and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Add sausage and garlic; sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking into pieces, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine; boil 1 minute. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup basil, and oregano. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup basil in medium bowl; stir to blend. Season with pepper. DO AHEAD Sauce and cheese mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.
  • Place noodles in large bowl; cover with hot water. Soak until pliable, separating occasionally, about 30 minutes. Drain well.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cover with 4 noodles, arranging crosswise. Drop 1/4 of cheese mixture over by tablespoonfuls; spread out. Top with 1 cup sauce, then 4 noodles and 1/3 of remaining cheese mixture. Repeat 2 more times with 1 cup sauce, 4 noodles, and 1/2 of cheese mixture. Spread any remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan.
  • Bake lasagna uncovered until heated through and puffed, about 50 minutes. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes and serve.

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RECIPE | Dill-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Farro, Pea, and Blistered Tomato Salad

04.20.2017 Leave a Comment
EP_04182015_GroceryBag_DillCrustedPorkTenderloinwithFarroPeaBlisteredTomatoSalad

PHOTO BY CHELSEA KYLE, PROP STYLING BY ALEX BRANNIAN, FOOD STYLING BY ANNA HAMPTON

When hosting a dinner party, I try to build menus that are simple, flavorful, and unique– but not too exotic. The fewer ingredients, the better! There is so much coordination making multiple dishes and timing it just right, so the easier the recipe is, the less stressed you’ll be in the kitchen. You should spend your evening enjoying your guests, not hovering over the stove.

So, when I came across Epicurious‘ Spring Grocery Bag Menu, featuring five easy dinners made from one bag of grocery ingredients, I knew I had found my Dinner Party Holy Grail!

The first Spring Grocery Bag recipe I tried was the Dill-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, served with farro, pea, and blistered tomato salad. The recipe was exactly what I was looking for: simple, flavorful, seasonal, and unique. It also helped that Epicurious readers gave this recipe 4 out of 4 Forks, and 100% said they would make it again.

Since there were no leftovers, I’ll have to agree with the Epicurious readers. This was a wonderful dish and I will definitely be making it again! I made a few substitutions, so you can go with the original or use my alternate recipe. I think they’ll both turn out great!

YIELD
Serves 5
ACTIVE TIME
35 minutes
TOTAL TIME
35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 5 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill, divided
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, divided
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 3 cups (loosely packed) arugula (about 3 ounces) [I used a spring mix]
  • 2 cups cooked whole farro [I used cooked barley]
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed (about 4 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup (loosely packed) crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
  • Flaky sea salt (optional)
PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix garlic, 2 Tbsp. dill, 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and pepper in a small bowl with a fork to create a paste. Pat pork tenderloin dry and rub with paste.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 10–12 minutes. Add tomatoes, then transfer to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of pork registers 145°F and tomatoes are lightly blistered and softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl. Add arugula, farro, peas, feta, and remaining 3 Tbsp. dill and 1 Tbsp. lemon zest; toss well to combine (arugula will wilt slightly when dressed). Gently fold in roasted tomatoes.

Slice pork and transfer to a platter; season with sea salt, if using. Serve with farro salad alongside.

Do Ahead

Pork can be marinated 4 hours ahead; keep chilled. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.

Bon appetit! 

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RECIPE | Roasted Butternut Squash + Gorgonzola Lasagna

10.20.2016 Leave a Comment

Image result for roasted butternut squash gorgonzola lasagnaWe hosted our first “formal” dinner in our new home this week (I even used my VIETRI chargers underneath the plates!). We invited our sweet new neighbors and their adorable baby daughter over and had the best time. We are over the moon to have young, cool neighbors next door!

 

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Look Ma! I used my fancy plates!

 

Since they are vegetarian, I scoured the internet for the perfect recipe that would be tasty and satisfying for vegetarians and carnivores alike. I was thrilled to find this wonderful recipe from Gay Lea Foods Co-Operative. This lasagna turned out to be a wonderfully rustic, robust, creamy and delicious autumn entree — and great for serving a crowd! I’d highly recommend this whether you are vegetarian or not!

Be sure to swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make sure it is vegetarian-friendly! Also, next time, I might do toasted pine nuts in lieu of walnuts for a more nutty, earthy taste.

I served the lasagna with a beautiful autumn apple kale salad I found on Pinterest – here’s the recipe! We finished the meal with a spectacularly delicious (and hassle-free) apple crisp pie from the Fresh Market with caramel ice cream.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Cut the squash into small equal-sized pieces (about 1/2-inch/2 cm). Toss the squash and onion with half the butter, the honey, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper until well combined. Spread in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roast, turning occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes or until very tender (rotate the baking sheets halfway through cooking). Cool slightly; combine with the cottage cheese, milk, broth and Gorgonzola.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch (3 L) casserole dish. Spread one quarter of the cottage cheese mixture evenly into the dish. Cover with an even layer of noodles, trimming to fit. Repeat layers of cheese and noodles twice. Spread the remaining cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.
  3. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss breadcrumbs with walnuts, parsley, and remaining butter; sprinkle the lasagna evenly with breadcrumb mixture. Broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

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RECIPE | Quick “Skinny” Vietnamese Beef Noodle Pho

09.24.2015 Leave a Comment

phoMy husband and I love Vietnamese food, and often will order take-out pho from one of our local Vietnamese restaurants in the winter and fall. Pho is the perfect cure for a sore throat or cold, but comforting even when you’re not sick!

Last night I tried my hand at making pho tai (beef noodle soup) at home, and it was a pretty big success! To make it a bit healthier, I substituted Shirataki noodles for the rice noodles, which is what the recipe calls for. If you haven’t tried these noodles– they are uhhh-mazing because they are ZERO CALORIES! They also soak up the flavor of whatever you’re cooking them in, so they were perfect for the pho. You can buy them in the natural foods section of the grocery store, or click the image to the left to purchase online.

So, according to MyFitnessPal, one serving of regular pho has 518 calories– this skinny pho has only 281 calories!

Anyways, here is my  super-quick, super-healthy recipe for Skinny Beef Pho. Enjoy!

Skinny Pho Thai

Serves two

Ingredients

Broth

  • 2 pho cubes (found in Asian markets or click here)
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 T low-sodium soy sauce

Pho Thai

  • 1/2 lb. round eye beef
  • 3 green onions
  • 2 Serrano peppers
  • 1 lime
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 2 bags of Shirataki noodles, divided
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves

Extras we love: Hoisin sauce, sriracha, chili garlic sauce, black bean garlic sauce

Instructions

  • With a sharp knife, cut beef into very thin slices (no more than 1/4″)
  • Finely slice your green onions and peppers, and quarter the lime
  • Wash, drain, and dry Shirataki noodles, divide into two large bowls
  • Top noodles with desired amount of beef
  • In a large pot, bring broth ingredients to a boil.
  • Pour over beef and noodles, allowing the broth to cook the beef through
  • Garnish with green onions, peppers, lime, bean sprouts, basil and desired sauces.
  • Enjoy!
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RECIPE | Spice Rubbed Flank Steak + Salsa

09.01.2015 2 Comments

Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Fresh Salsa RecipeThis recipe comes from the 2013 edition of Best of Cooking Light, and is a great weekend or weeknight meal to toss on the grill. I served with French-cut green beans and herb-roasted fingerling potatoes.

I also doubled up this recipe to make steak + bleu cheese salads for lunch the next day.

I recommend tenderizing the flank steak before seasoning (we love our  Jaccard tenderizer, which you can purchase on Amazon.com).

Ingredients

Salsa:

  • 2 cups chopped seeded tomato
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Steak

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to high heat.

2. To prepare salsa, combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl.

3. To prepare steak, combine garlic powder and the next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon). Brush both sides of steak with olive oil, and sprinkle with spice mixture. Place the steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut the steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with salsa.sign

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RECIPE | Three Cheese Prosciutto + Peach Pizza with Honey-Balsamic Reduction

06.28.2015 1 Comment

This is a perfect seasonal pizza recipe that is a definite crowd pleaser! It’s fun and easy to make, and all of the flavors perfectly compliment each other. Fun for a Sunday supper or weeknight meal!

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Ingredients

  • Pizza dough (pre-made or homemade)
  • 3 T olive oil, divided
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 package Prosciutto di Parma (about six slices)
  • 1/4 c. Ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 c. fresh Mozzarella, sliced
  • 1/4 c. Asiago cheese, shredded
  • 1 large peach, thinly sliced
  • 4 cups fresh basil, gently packed, minced
  • 1/4 c. honey
  • 1 c. Balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450.
  • In a deep saucepan, combine balsamic vinegar and honey. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Set aside to thicken and cool.
  • In a small sauce pan, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, and sautée for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.
  • Form dough in circle onto pizza stone (we love this one from Crate & Barrel). Brush approximately 3 T. olive oil across the dough, then sprinkle minced garlic evenly. Salt and pepper dough to taste.
  • Place thin slices of Prosciutto across dough, leaving about an inch on the perimeters for crust.
  • Spoon small dollops of Ricotta across Prosciutto, followed by slices of Mozzarella. Sprinkle Asiago on top of all of this.
  • Arrange peaches on top of cheese. Sprinkle fresh minced basil on top of this.
  • Bake pizza in oven for 12-18 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Drizzle desired amount of honey-balsamic reduction on pizza.

Serve warm.

What’s your favorite summer pizza recipe? Leave your recipes in the comments below!

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RECIPE | Grilled Kickin’ Chicken Thighs + Adobo Corn

06.25.2015 3 Comments

Tried this Sunday. So good!!!! New fav way to cook corn. Grilled Corn on the Cob - Easy Recipe

Summer is the perfect time to rekindle your love of grilling. This easy, delicious recipe is perfect for a summer weeknight meal, but can be easily doubled (or tripled!) if you are entertaining guests for a summer BBQ.

Grilled Kickin’ Chicken Thighs + Adobo Corn

Serves 4

Ingredients — Chicken

  • Four chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup Crystal hot sauce (can be replaced with your favorite hot sauce)
  • 4 T Weber Kick’n Chicken Seasoning
  • 1 gallon-sized Ziploc bag

Ingredients – Corn

  • Four ears of corn, husked
  • Four pads of butter, separated
  • 4 t Adobo seasoning (I use the seasoning blend from Wildtree)
  • Aluminum foil

Directions

Combine chicken, hot sauce, and seasoning in gallon Ziploc bag. Gently shake to cover all chicken thighs. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Prepare corn by placing one ear on square of aluminum foil. Add pad of butter to top ridge, and sprinkle with 1 t of Adobo seasoning. Gently wrap corn and secure the ends by twisting into small handles.

Preheat oven to 350-400 (medium high heat). Add chicken and corn to the grill. Corn should be turned frequently, and cooked for 18-20 minutes.

Chicken should cook 8-10 minutes on each side.

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Five Hearty Soups to Warm You Up

02.11.2015 1 Comment

There’s nothing more comforting on a chilly winter night than a piping hot bowl of hearty soup. Here are five of my favorite recipes to keep you warm and toasty!

1. Hearty + Healthy Lasagna Soup

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Click here for the recipe!

2. Chicken and Brisket Brunswick Stew

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Click here for the recipe!

3. Beef and Veal Osso Bucco Soup with Barley

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Click here for the recipe!

4. Mushroom and Farro Soup

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Click here for the recipe!

5. Rustic Tomato Soup

Click here for the recipe!

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RECIPE | Baked Chicken Pesto Parmesan

01.27.2015 Leave a Comment
Simple Baked Chicken Parmesan recipe...followed the gist of the recipe and it was good!

Pinterest

Last night, I had a few girlfriends over for dinner to watch The Bachelor. All day, I was wracking my brain for a simple, easy recipe for a crowd that would be delicious and hassle-free, as I didn’t have much time to cook between work, the gym, grocery shopping, and Prince Farming. So, I planned to make Eggplant Parmesan. However, Kroger was…wait for it… out of eggplant. People must have been stockpiling eggplants before the “big” snow!

Anyways, I decided to do this recipe instead, and I’m really glad I did. It was easy, delicious, and pretty healthy since there was no frying or breading involved.

Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • 1 jar of pesto (or make your own)
  • 2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
  • 1 jar of tomato sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
  • Oregano, salt, pepper, and basil to taste
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400F
  • Toss chicken breast tenderloins in pesto in a large Pyrex rectangular baking dish
  • Arrange pesto-covered tenderloins so they lay flat and are evenly spaced
  • Pour tomato sauce over chicken
  • Sprinkle mozzarella, Parmesan evenly over sauce
  • Sprinkle spices over cheese to taste
  • Cover baking dish with tin foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove tin foil. Bake for additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
  • Garnish with small, ripped pieces of fresh basil. Serve over angel hair pasta or with spinach salad.

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RECIPE | Pesto Shrimp with Zucchini “Noodles”

01.20.2015 Leave a Comment

photo credit: galleryhip.com

 

Have you heard of the Vegetti? Yeah, I hadn’t either until a few weeks ago. This amazing gadget turns fresh vegetables into “noodles,” cutting major carbs, calories, and fat out of your favorite meals.

Last night, I made a Zucchini Pesto “Pasta” with Sauteed Shrimp and it was delicious! And, less than 300 calories.

Ingredients

  • 1 large zucchini
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 cup shrimp, peeled, de-veined, cooked.

[Read more…]

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