Easy Creamy Lasagna

This recipe is really just an adaptation of two different lasagnas. The first was a classic lasagna as presented on the back of the Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles box. And the second was fed to me at a neighborhood dinner. Since the maker of the second lasagna doesn't use a recipe, per se, I combined her secret ingredient with a typical recipe and the result was delicious!

The ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

1 1/2 c. water

1 3/4 c. ricotta or small curd cottage cheese (I actually prefer cottage cheese)

2 c. shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (or 2 T. dried parsley)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream  (<--SECRET INGREDIENT)

9-12 pieces lasagna noodles, uncooked

The instructions:

Heat oven to 350^F.  In a 3-quart sauce pan over medium high heat, brown meat, and drain.  Add spaghetti sauce and water.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta,half the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper.  Pour about 1 c.  meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch pan.  Spread 6 heaping spoonfuls of sour cream on top of the meat sauce in pan. Arrange 3-4 UNCOOKED noodles over top of sauce.  Cover with more sour cream, and 1 cup sauce. Spread half of cheese filling over sauce.  Repeat layers of lasagna, sour cream, meat sauce, and cheese filling.  Top with layer of lasagna and remaining sauce 6 more spoonfulls of sour cream. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

((Seriously, folks- the sour cream makes all the difference! It is SO GOOD!))

Granola

This recipe is so EASY! It is also one of my favorites.  For some reason I am much more fond of brown sugar as a sweetener as opposed to honey.  So maybe that is why this recipe appeals tome.  One way or another, it is so easy and practically fool proof!

The ingredients:

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. rolled oats

1 c. coconut

The instructions: 

Melt butter then stir in brown sugar.  Add remaining ingredients and pack into a 9X13 inch dish.  Bake in a 325^ oven for 25-40 minutes (depending on how crunchy you want it).  Either cut into bars, or crumble up and put in a large can to use as a snack, or yogurt topping.

((If you want you can also add raisins, flax, bran, nuts, craisins, chocolate chips, etc.))

Cheesy Eggs and Toast

This recipe was introduced to me by my husband.  His mom always called it Eggs Benedict.  Which was NOT the same.  My husband ordered eggs benedict a few years back at a restaurant and was, quite frankly, disgusted by what he was served.  The next day I made him his mom's cheesy eggs and toast.  It is an Easter tradition in our house.  As are egg salad sandwhiches. 

The ingredients:

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

1-2 c. grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

3-4 hard boiled eggs, chopped up or diced

Toast

The instructions:

In a medium sauce pan melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and stir with a whisk until the roux turns a golden color (about 2 minutes or so).  Quickly add all the milk and stir with a wisk until mixture boils.  Add salt, pepper and cheese.  Once the cheese is melted, add chopped boiled eggs.

Serve over warm buttered toast.  OH so yummy!

Corned Beef and Cabbage

So for St. Patrick's day, I make Corned Beef and Cabbage every year. Last year, I made one that was (for lack of a better description) "Eh." So this year I did a bit more searching for the RIGHT recipe. And I do believe I found it! This is adapted from cooks.com.

The ingredients:

1 (2 1/2 - 3 lb.) corned beef
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 lb white onions, peeled (or a couple handfuls of dehydrated onion)
1 can beef (or chicken) broth
2 cups water
3-5 potatoes (I used plain ol' idaho baking potatoes), sliced in 1/4 inch slices
1 lb baby carrots
1/2 to 1 head cabbage (to taste or as much as fits!), quartered and de-cored

The instructions:

This is prepared in a pressure cooker for best results. Place water and broth in cooker with rack. Cut slits in beef and place sliced garlic in the slits. Place meat on rack. You may need to adjust the amount of water/broth based on the size of the beef and the size of the pressure cooker (the instruction manual should tell you how much). Close cover and cook on medium high until rocking. Turn down to medium(it should continue to rock) and cook for 1 hour. Run pressure cooker under cold water to release pressure. Once safe, open lid and add all the vegetables and as much cabbage as you can fit until it hits the "full line."

Replace lid and cook on medium high heat until rocking. Lower heat to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes. Run under cool water again until pressure is released, then removed lid and serve!

((I suspect this recipe would be fantastic if crock potted. I would suggest you cook the meat for 8-10 hours on low. Adding the veggies about half way and adding the cabbage an hour or so before serving since cabbage cooks quickly. If any of you try this in the crock pot PLEASE lemme know how it turned out!))

**UPDATE**  

I DID make this in the crockpot, and it was fantastic!  Enjoy!

8 Can Enchilada Soup

I found this recipe online, and was pretty happy with the flavor. Spicy, but not too much. MY husband is unable to eat corn, so most taco/enchilada soups are out of the running. I was excited to finally find one I could make! Enjoy!

The ingredients:
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can corn
1 can white chicken breast
1 can northern white beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes (whichever flavor you like best- I like mild...I'm a pansy.)

The instructions:
Add all cans not drained in a large pan and heat through. Just until it boils then turn down the heat. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, and cheese.

Creamy White Chili

This recipe has become a family favorite of ours. It is mild in spice, and has such a unique flavor for a chili. It is also pretty easy to make, and therefore is a winner in my books.

The ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 medium onion

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

2 15 oz cans white beans rinsed and drained

1 4 oz can chopped green chilies

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (more or less as preferred)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 14.5 oz can chicken broth

1 can green beans (chopped)

1 cup sour cream

½ cup whipping cream

The instructions:

In a crockpot add chicken onion and garlic powder. Add broth, chilies, and seasonings and cook on low for 4-6 hours until chicken is cooked through. Take a pair of tongs and squeeze the chicken breasts to shred them (or use two forks). Add white beans, green beans and creams. Continue cooking on low until heated through. Serve immediately.

Peanut Butter Play Dough

Ask any young child and they will all tell you the same thing... Playing with your food is FUN! This recipe is the perfect one for playing with, in fact it is highly encouraged! My kids get pretty excited when I make this. Not only do they love play dough, but is there anything better than eating your creations when you are done sculpting them?!

The ingredients:

3 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

4 cups powdered sugar

3 1/2 cups honey

4 cups dry milk powder

The instructions:

Cream together peanut butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Beat in honey. Fold in milk powder. More milk powder can be added if dough seems too sticky. Divide into 15 equal portions and store in refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Can be refrigerated for up to five days. Do not reuse.