Meatloaf en Croute

I made this tonight and it was well worth the effort. The tomatoes on top of the meat loaf were really tasty. I bought a new digital camera so I could take pictures of the food and the processes. Hopefully they will help you in making this dish - there are a lot of steps. I served this with a broccoli and cauliflower gratin.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T olive oil
2/3 C dark brown sugar
½ C cider vinegar
½ t salt
1 -2 lb firm tomatoes

1 lb lamb, ground
½ lb pork, ground
½ lb ground round
1 head garlic, crushed
1 shallot, minced
¼ C fresh mint, chopped
¼ C fresh basil, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 egg
1 C plain bread crumbs

Puffed pastry crust
1 egg white
1 egg yolk
1 T heavy whipping cream

Preparation:

In a food processor, combine onion, olive oil, dark brown sugar, cider vinegar, and salt until well combined. Slice tomatoes to about 1/8 inch thick. Layer tomatoes in a 9X13 inch baking dish and cover with sauce. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375.

In a bowl, combine lamb, pork, ground round, garlic, shallot, mint, basil, jalapeno, egg and bread crumbs.

Roll out puffed pastry into long rectangle; lay on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper. Make a long loaf with the meat mixture, lay it down lengthwise over the pastry. Finish layering the tomatoes around the meatloaf. Cut the corners of the pastry dough away (use for decorating the top if desired). Wrap the loaf with the dough, ends first. Use the whipped egg white to seal the dough where it touches, avoid sealing the bottom four corners of the pastry to allow passage of fats and moisture during the cooking process. Combine the egg yolk and cream; brush mixture over all of the exposed dough. Sprinkle with kosher salt, about a teaspoon.

Bake for 45 minutes. Check after 25 minutes for browning of the pastry. If the pastry is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the remaining 25 minutes. Check with a meat thermometer for an internal temperature of 160.

Piedmont-style Beef Tenderloin

Piedmont-style beef are tenderloin cooked to near falling apart in a rich sauce. I am making this dish tonight because of its ease and elegance for the holiday. It will be served with a Mushroom Risotto, salad, and fresh dinner rolls.

Ingredients:

4 Beef Tenderloin Steaks

2 T Olive Oil

2 T Flour

Salt

Pepper

2 Slices Bacon, Finely Chopped, Uncooked

2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed

1/3 C Yellow Onion, Finely Diced

1 Pint Tomatoes with Juice, Peeled and Crushed

1 C Red Wine, like Merlot or Cab Sav

1 C Beef Stock or Broth

1 T Herbs de Provence

1 Bay Leaf

1 T Butter

Preparation:

In a flat dish, combine flour, salt and pepper and dredge steaks to completely cover; tap to remove excess flour and set aside. In a saute pan over medium-high, heat olive oil; once hot, add steaks and cook on all sides to get a nice sear, then set aside.

In the same saute pan, now add the bacon and cook until bacon is nearly crisp. Add garlic and onion and continue to cook until onion are almost transparent. If needed, a 1/4 cup of the beef stock can be added at this time to deglaze the pan.

In a crock pot, place crushed tomatoes, wine, beef stock, herbs de provence and everything in the saute pan; stir to combine. Gently lay the seared steaks in a single layer in the sauce; add the bay leaf. Cook over low heat for 4 hours, then turn steaks over and continue to cook an additional 2 to 3 hours, stirring the sauce occasionally.

Once the steaks are falling apart, remove them (as whole as you can) to a serving dish. Remove and discard the bay leaf. To the sauce, add the butter and stir until melted; pour the sauce over the meat and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

- 1 Chicken Breast, Cooked and Cubed

- 8 oz Cream Cheese, Whipped

- 1 T Chives, Finely Chopped

- 1 Small Can Green Chiles

- 1/2 C Pineapple Tidbits

- 1 Small Can Green Enchilada Sauce

- 1 Small Can Sliced Black Olives

- 1 C Cheddar-Jack Cheeses, Shredded

- 1/2 C Heavy Whipping Cream

- 8 Fresh Corn Tortillas

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first five ingredients until cream cheese is blended in well. Fill the eight tortillas and roll into enchiladas. Cover the enchiladas with the whipping cream, then enchilada sauce, then olives, and finally the cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes; remove foil and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly on top. Serve hot.

Meat Loaf with Mushroom Gravy

My husband is really not all that into traditional meat loaf with the ketchup style topping. While I love it, he thinks it's just too weird. So, I made this for dinner tonight to change his mind about meat loaf in general. He loved it and told me to write it down, so I am.

Meat Loaf

Ingredients:

- 1 lb Ground Lamb

- 1/2 lb Ground Pork (plain)

- 1/2 lb Ground Round

- 4 Cloves Garlic, Crushed

- 1/2 t Ground Cumin

- 1/2 t Ground Chili Powder

- 1/2 t Onion Powder

- 2 T Worcestershire Sauce

- 1/2 C Italian Bread Crumbs

- 2 Egg Yolks

- 1 t Salt

- 1 t Ground Black Pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Place mixture into a large loaf pan. Bake for one hour; remove and cover with foil. Let stand 15 minutes, slice and serve with mushroom gravy (recipe below).

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:

- 3 t Beef Bullion Granules

- 6 t Cornstarch

- 2 1/2 C Water (Potato water if you made mashed potatoes)

- 1/2 C Red Wine (I use Merlot)

- 8 or 9 Crimini Mushrooms, Sliced

- 1 Shallot, Minced

- 2 T Olive Oil

- Black Pepper to Taste

Preparation:

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, cook sliced mushrooms, shallot, and black pepper in olive oil, stirring frequently. Cook about 20 minutes or until mushrooms and shallots are very tender. Remove from pan and set aside, covered.

In a pyrex measuring cup, combine bullion granules and cornstarch. Add 1/2 cup potato water (best if still hot) and mix until the bullion and cornstarch are dissolved. Add the wine and remaining water to the mixture and pour into the same saucepan the mushrooms were previously in. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, add the mushroom mixture and stir. The sauce will thicken. Serve hot over meat loaf and mashed potatoes!

Roasted Lamb

For our small family of three, a boneless leg of lamb is the perfect size!

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 lb boneless leg of lamb w/sleeve

- 3 T fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

- 3 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped

- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 T olive oil

- salt and pepper

Preparation:

Place lamb in small roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over lamb. Liberally salt and pepper top. Add remaining ingredients. Rub the lamb to spread the ingredients all over, getting as much to stick to the lamb as possible. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast lamb in covered roasting pan for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches between 145 and 170 degrees with a meat thermometer.

Let stand for about 10 minutes, slice and place back into juices. Serve with mint jelly.

Meaty Chili

One thing people assume about chili is that it has beans in it. If you've ever been to a chili cook-off, you'll notice there are no beans involved in chili at all. Beans are considered a filler in chili, which is really just a spicy meat stew/soup. There are a lot of ways to serve chili - in a bread bowl, topped with cheese, sour cream, diced onion, chopped tomato, salsa, chili sauce, or hot pepper sauce. I'm sure there are a lot of other ways people eat their chili, but these are just a few suggestions. I like to use chili on my taco salads, too.

Here is a recipe for some meaty chili (without beans) I made for my family last night. We ate the rest of it tonight - so it does make great left overs!

Ingredients:

1 lb - ground lamb

1/2 lb - ground round

1/2 lb - ground country sausage

1 - yellow onion, diced

2 - carrots, diced

2 - stalks celery, diced

10 - crimini mushrooms, finely chopped

2 - small green bell peppers, diced

4 T - extra virgin olive oil

1 14.5 oz can - diced tomatoes, with juice

1/4 C - sun dried tomato pesto

1/2 C - roasted red bell pepper, diced

1 t - mole (make sure it is blended well)

2 t - chili powder

2 t - ground cumin

1/2 t - onion powder

1/2 t - garlic powder

1 C - beef broth

Directions

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, green bell pepper, mushrooms, and all meat. Cook until meat is no longer pink and resembles medium to fine crumbs. While the meat and veggies are cooking, mix all other ingredients, except beef broth, in a bowl. Once meat is ready, add the sauce and mix well. Add the beef broth, stir and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes and serve. Enjoy!

Salsiccia Salato

Very savory pasta sauce with sausage.

Ingredients:

4 - Plain Brats

1/2 C - Cabernet

1/2 C - Beef Broth

1/2 C - Roasted Red Bell Pepper - Finely Chopped

1/3 C - Kalamata Olives - Finely Chopped

2 T - Capers - Chopped

1/3 C - Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

3-4 T - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions:

In a saute pan, roll brats in 3-4 T olive oil, then heat pan to medium heat and cover. Cook about 10 minutes, then turn brats. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Remove brats - slice in half lengthwise, then into half moons about a 1/2 inch thick. Place brats back into pan with juices and oil. Add all remaining ingredients, combine gently and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce continue to simmer until the liquid has been cut in half. Serve over pasta and enjoy.

Split Pea and Ham Soup

Another yummy soup. I knew I wanted to make split pea and ham soup, but really couldn't find a recipe that met my needs for timing AND simplicity. So, this morning I made this recipe up and hoped for the best! I had already purchased the ham hocks and split peas in anticipation of making the soup.

Ingredients:

1 lb bag dried split peas, rinsed

2 ham hocks

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery stick, diced

3 bay leaves

3 T Ham Boullion

6 Cups water

Directions:

In your slow cooker (crock pot), place the items, without stirring, in this order, spreading somewhat evenly: peas --> onion --> celery --> carrot --> ham hocks --> (water with boullion mixed in) --> bay leaves. Make sure ham hocks are completely under the water. Cover and cook 8 to 10 hours. Remove ham hocks completely - they will fall apart, so make sure to get all of the bones and fat out. Find any meat on the ham hocks you can and add it back to the soup. Remove the bay leaves (they should be floating on top). Stir the soup, serve and enjoy!

This soup is so simple and yummy! It only takes about 10 minutes to put together and about another 5 minutes to finish up at the end of the day. I served with warm French rolls.

Potato Chicken Chowder

I love making soup in the fall. What I really like to do is make up my own versions or variations of common soups, stews and chowders. I made this one up this morning and we just had it for lunch. There is so much of it, about 12 servings, I'm giving some to my mother-in-law and freezing the rest for a meal later in the month.

Ingredients:

3 T - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 - Medium Yellow Onion, diced

3 - Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

2 - Celery Stalks w/Leaves, diced

1 - Large Carrot, diced

2 - Broccoli Crowns, chopped

6 - Potatoes, small to medium, diced

8 - Cups Ham Broth

1 - Rotisserie Chicken, skin, fat and bones removed, chopped

4 - Cups Milk

1/4 - Cup Flour

1/4 - Lb. Gruyere Cheese, Shredded

1/3 - Lb. Cotswold Double Gloucester with Chives and Onions, Shredded

Ground Black Pepper

In a large stock pot (with lid), cook the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and broccoli in olive oil over medium heat until onions are nearly transparent. Add the potatoes and ham broth, bring to a low boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning ingredients on the bottom of the pot. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat the milk using a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the flour to the milk so that it is completely combined and there are no lumps.

Add the milk mixture to the stock pot and bring back to a low boil, stirring constantly. When steam begins to form, add the chicken and cheese. Stir to combine until cheese is melted. Lower heat to low. Pepper to taste.

This soup is not overly cheesy nor creamy. If you want a cheesier or creamier chowder, add more cheese to the chowder or more flour to your milk.

Chile Verde

2-3 Lb. Pork Shoulder Roast
1 Cup Beef Broth
Chili Powder
Ground Cumin
Garlic Salt
Black Pepper
3 or More Fresh, Whole Jalapenos
1 Large Can Diced Green Chiles
1 Jar Green Salsa (I use La Victoria)

In a crockpot, lay the roast fat side up. Add broth and lay jalapenos to the side of the roast in the broth. Over the fat only, trying to avoid adding too much to the broth, sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper liberally. Cook on low for 12 to 13 hours.

Remove the roast from the crockpot. Remove the fat and bones from the roast; shred the meat into large chunks. In a large bowl, add the shredded meat, green chiles and salsa. Strain 1 to 1/2 cups of the broth from the crockpot into the bowl and combine. Empty the crockpot of everything else and add the meat mixture to the crockpot.

Serve with brown beans and tortillas.

Chili with Beans

1/2 Lb. Ground Lamb
1/2 Lb. Ground Round
1 Medium Yellow Onion, Diced
3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
Olive Oil
1 Jalapeno, Finely Diced w/Seeds
2 Pints Seeded and Peeled Tomatoes w/Juice
1 Can Rinsed Black Beans
1 Can Rinsed Kidney Beans
Salt and Pepper
Ground Cumin
Chili Pepper

Cook lamb and ground round with onion and garlic in olive oil until meat is almost cooked through. Add jalapeno, ground cumin, chili pepper, salt and pepper. Continue to cook until meat is completely cooked through. Add beans and tomatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

I serve this chili in a bread bowl with shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion and sour cream!

Onion Soup

2 Large Vidalia Onions, thinly sliced 1/2 moons
1 Medium Yellow Onion, thinly sliced 1/2 moons
1 Shallot, minced
6 Cloves Garlic, crushed
6 Crimini Mushrooms, finely diced
1/2 t. Dried Parsley
3 Bay Leaves
8 Cups Beef Broth
Olive Oil

In Olive Oil, cook onions, shallot, garlic, mushrooms and parsley. Cook until onions are transparent, add bay leaves. Slowly add broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low to medium-low heat for 1 to 2 hours.

Black Beans, Rice, and Sausage

Cooked White Rice - 2 Cups
1 Can Black Beans with Liquid
4 Brats, Sliced
1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion, Chopped
Small Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
Small Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
Olive Oil
1 t. Garlic Salt
1 t. Ground Corriander
1/2 t. Chili Powder
1 t. Onion Powder
1 Cup Beer

Cook brats with onion and peppers in olive oil until brats are fully cooked. Add beans and all spices/seasonings. Add beer and rice, cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes.

BBQ Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

4 Green Bell Peppers, Cored and Cropped
1 Lb Ground Beef
Salsa
Taco Sauce
Chili Powder

Mix beef, salsa, taco sauce and chili powder until well combined. Stuff peppers. On BBQ, lay foil down the middle along the entire width and middle of the grill. Cook peppers on low heat with the lid down for 30-35 minutes.

Kielbasa Potato Chowder

This is a great chowder, super easy and fast!! I served it with grilled panini's (tomato, mozzarella, spinach, hummus, and pesto on ciabatta). I also modified the original recipe by adding a small, cooked chicken breast and decreasing the amount of sausage.

Servings: 4
Time: Prep - 15 minutes, Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used Turkey and it was great.)
1-1/2 cups water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 teaspoon chicken bullion granules
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 kale leaves, torn or 1/3 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or 2% milk

Directions:
In a large non-stick skillet, brown kielbasa and bacon; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. Ad onion and garlic; cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender.

In a large saucepan, bring broth and water to a boil. Add the potatoes, bullion and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the meat mixture and kale or spinach; cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until leaves are wilted. Reduce heat. Add the cream; cook 1 minute longer or until heated through. Yield: 4 cups.

Note: If you decide to add a small chicken breast, decrease the amount of sausage to about 1/3 lb if you want to. Also, I cooked the finely cubed, cooked chicken with the sausage, bacon, onion, and garlic all at the same time to let the chicken soak up some of the flavor from the other ingredients. I also added all of it to the cooked potatoes portion, including drippings (with the chicken, there really aren't much as far as drippings are concerned).

Cafe Rio-Style Salad

A few weeks ago, our friends Staci and Jethro had us over for a party and they made Cafe Rio salads. Here is the recipe that Staci passed along. I especially love the cilantro ranch dressing.

Sweet Pork
2 lbs of pork
3 can Coke, not diet
1/4 c brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 cup water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (ex. Old El Paso medium spiciness)
1 c brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c of brown cugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water and garlic salt in crok pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily but don't let it get too dry). Remove pork form crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup you can add a little more or less to taste). If it looks to thick, add more Coke little by little. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 more hours.

Clinatro-Lime Rice
1 c uncooked rice
1 t butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t fresh lime juice
1 - 15 oz can chicken broth
1 c water
1 T lime juice
2 t sugar
3 T fresh cilantro, chopped

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Black Beans
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c tomato juice
1 1/2 t salt
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
*optional* add a drained can of corn with a dash of cumin and chili powder

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat unitil you can smell it. Add beans, tmato juice and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Cilantro Ranch
1 packetTRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 c mayo
1 c buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (keep the seeds in for a spicy dressing, remove to make it mild)
mix all ingredients in a blender

To put it all together...
Buy the aluminum deep-dish pans found in the grocery store. Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions. Add guacamole, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips, a shake of parmesan cheese and a few cialntro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch dressing.

Baked Spinach-Feta Shells

This is a fresh tasting dish with a variety of interesting hints of flavor. From the cinnamon, feta, walnuts, and mint in this dish, you really get the individual flavors in every bite! From Everyday Health.

Ingredients:

12 pasta, jumbo shells

1 handful of spinach

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

1/4 cup walnut gems

1 egg white

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 small can diced tomatoes with juice

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tomato paste

1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint

1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package direction: drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, chop fresh spinach. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, feta cheese, ricotta cheese, walnuts, egg white, cinnamon, and pepper; set aside.

3. For sauce, combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, mint, sugar, and garlic. Stuff each pasta shell with 2 slightly rounded tablespoons of the spinach filling. Arrange filled pasta shells in an ungreased 2-quart square baking dish. Spoon sauce over shells. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Yield 6 servings.

Indian Beef Patties with Cucumber Sauce

This is a recipe from Everyday Health. The recipe is only for two servings, but can be easily calculated for more. I made this dish last night for eight servings.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 29 minutes

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 241, Saturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 377mg, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Total Fat: 12g, Carbs: 8g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Protein: 24g.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup yogurt, low-fat plain*
1/3 cup cucumber, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, diced
1 tablespoon mint, fresh, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon (or 1 clove) garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 oz. beef, lean ground
Indian flat bread*

Preparation:
1. For sauce, in a small bowl, stir together yogurt and cucumber. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
2. In a medium bowl, combine onion, jalapeno pepper, mint, cumin, garlic, and salt. Add ground beef; mix well. Form mixture into two 3/4 inch thick patties.
3. Place patties on the rack of an uncovered grill* directly over medium coals. Grill for 14 to 18 minutes or until patties are done (160 F), turning once. If desired, serve the patties on flat bread. Spoon sauce over patties.

* I, of course, made some changes to the recipe. I don't particularly like yogurt, so I made the sauce with light sour cream. While I was at it, I also added some finely chopped mint leaves and curry powder to the sauce. I also used pitas instead of Indian flat bread. I cooked the patties in a pan instead of out on the grill. Finally, I added about a cup of fresh spinach to the top of the pita, then laid the patty on top of that with some of the sauce plopped on top. This added more greens to the menu and less fat over all (the pitas have far less fat than Indian flat bread).

Garden Vegetable Lasagna

This recipe comes from Everyday Health and is delicious!

Prep Time: 45 min
Cook Time: 55 min
Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 283; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Cholesterol: 77 mg; Sodium: 648 mg; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Sugars: 6 g; Protein: 28 g.

Ingredients
- 9 pasta, lasagna noodles
- 6 cups broccoli florets
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium yellow summer squash
- 2 eggs
- 16 oz. low fat cottage cheese
- 15 oz fat free ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
1. Grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside.
2. Cook lasagna noodles in salted water until tender but still firm. Rinse in cold water.
3. In a large steamer, cook broccoli, red bell pepper, zucchini, and yellow summer squash until tender-crisp. Let cool.
4. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, cottage cheese and ricotta cheese until well-combined. Add the basil, thyme, garlic, salt, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper.
5. Layer 3 noodles in the prepared baking dish. Spread with 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, then 1/3 of the vegetables, then 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
7. To serve, preheat oven to 375 F. Bake lasagna, covered, for 55 to 65 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

I created this recipe based on a recipe I found on Everyday Health that used a ham hock instead of sausage, and took about 2 1/2 hours to make. I didn't have that much time, or all of the right ingredients. I used what I had in the kitchen. We had this filling soup with country French bread.

Makes 10 servings

Prep 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Olive Oil

1 lb. lean steak/roast, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 lb. link sausage*, sliced

2 medium yellow onions, chopped course

4-5 leaves, fresh basil, chopped medium

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped course

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 pinches Kosher salt

15 oz can, white kidney beans

1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes

2- 6oz. cans tomato sauce, sodium-free

6 cups water

5 bay leaves

3 teaspoons beef bullion, instant

Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil has heated up, add the steak, sausage, and salt. Heat, continuing to stir until all meat has been covered in the oil. Add the chopped onion, basil, spinach, and carrot. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, bay leaves, and beef bullion. Increase the heat to medium high and stir. When the soup begins to boil, turn the heat down to medium low and stir frequently. The soup will be ready when the carrots are cooked through and tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

* I used chicken and apple sausage, but you can almost completely change the tone of the soup by using a spicy Italian sausage, or a sweeter sausage.