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Three Cheese Mostaccioli

31 Dec

Three Cheese Mostaccioli

My mom and sister discovered this recipe on the back of a box of Creamette mostaccioli noodles.  It’s a little time consuming to prep, but turns out really tasty!

 

Three Cheese Mostaccioli

What you need:

1 pound mostaccioli noodles
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
4 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded swiss or mozzarella cheese

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in flour, basil, garlic salt, and pepper.  Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly to avoid getting lumps.  Continue to stir and cook until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat.  Stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar and the Parmesan cheese.  Mix in with cooked noodles.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Spread half of the pasta in the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle with the swiss or mozzarella cheese.  Add remaining pasta noodles.

Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until bubbling.   Remove foil and immediately sprinkle with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.  Let stand for 10 minutes to cool, and serve.

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Lasagna using Egg Roll Wrappers

27 Nov

 

I meant to get a picture of this before we started eating, but forgot!  Anyway, I had gotten a package of egg roll wrappers from a friend who wasn’t going to be using them.  I didn’t have vegetables for egg rolls, so I decided to explore other things I could use the wrappers for.  Turns out there is a lot!  My husband and daughter have been asking for lasagna, and I had cottage cheese in the fridge, so it was an easy decision!  This was quick to put together and didn’t take too long to bake.  This only took 4 wrappers, so I have plenty left to try something new tomorrow night!  Now, my husband could tell a difference in using wrappers over dry noodles from a box.  I couldn’t tell much different, but wrappers are a lot thinner, so it’s not as bulky.  But, something different to try, and if you have a few wrappers left from another meal, this is a great way to use them up.

 

Lasagna using Egg Roll Wrappers

What you need:

2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup chopped spinach
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper
2 cups tomato or meat sauce
4 large egg roll wrappers

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix together cottage cheese, egg, spinach, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

In an 8×8 baking dish, cover the bottom of the dish with a little of the sauce.  Place egg roll wrapper down on the sauce.

Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture over wrapper.  Spread sauce over the cheese mixture.  Then, place a wrapper.  Continue until cheese mixture is out and you end with a wrapper on top.  Pour remaining sauce over the top.  Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on the top.

Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Remove foil, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until cheese on top has melted.

 

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Green Chile Mac and Cheese

29 Aug

With the guacamole pack I contributed for a couple of weeks ago, there were some green chiles.  I had been craving some macaroni and cheese, and thought it would be great to add green chiles as I had before.   My older daughter loved this, as did my husband and I.  It’s spicy, but not overly spicy.

Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Original recipe here

What you need:

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-fat milk
1 4-oz. cans chopped green chiles, drained OR 1/4 cup fresh, roasted green chiles, peeled, stem and seeds removed, and diced
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed corn chips, optional (I omitted)
Salt and pepper

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until al dente, about 8 minutes, or as the box directs. Drain; rinse under cold water.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Raise heat to medium and slowly bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in green chiles. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese to skillet, stirring, until all cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Add cooked pasta to the skillet; stir.

Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and pour in pasta mixture.

In a small bowl, combine corn chips with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese; sprinkle over pasta.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until pasta mixture is bubbling and top is golden. Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

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Slow Cooker Lentil and Kale Soup

12 Aug

 

I have been on the hunt for recipes using lentils since I got a 25 pound bag recently from Bountiful Baskets.  After getting Tuscan kale this weekend from Bountiful Baskets, I started to look at soup recipes online to see what I could find.  So, I came across this recipe, that also used celery and carrots, which I also got from Bountiful Baskets, and onion, which I have plenty of on hand.  I thought this was very good, my 5-year-old enjoyed it as well, although she ate mostly the kale.  My husband and 3-year-old turned up their noses at it, but their loss, more for me!

 

Slow Cooker Lentil and Kale Soup
Original recipe here

What you need:

1 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
8 cups water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 1/2 cups carrots, finely diced
1 1/2 cups celery, finely diced
2 whole onions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups kale, leaves removed from stems and chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sage
salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.  Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

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Spinach, Feta, and Pesto Pizza

5 Mar

This cauliflower pizza crust is really growing on me.  I was skeptical as first, but the second time around, it turned out great again.  I did notice that with 1 large pizza, the center stays a little soft, but I think that might be solved by making individual size pizzas.  Even with it a little soft, no complaints in this house, and everyone just used a fork to eat it.  Even my kids gobbled this up, and I love getting an extra veggie in them for the day hidden in the crust.  This time, instead of tomato sauce, I made Spinach Basil Pesto for the sauce. Then, I put chopped red onion, sliced black olives, torn fresh spinach leaves, a 4 oz container of crumbled feta cheese, and a 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.  I had forgotten how much I love feta cheese on pizza.  This was a delicious meal!

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Alternative Pizza Crusts

19 Feb

We don’t have any dietary restrictions in my household, but I have some friends who eat gluten-free or low-carb.  These 2 pizzas are both gluten-free and low carb (I think, correct me if I’m wrong, please!).  My friend, Jen, is the one who had posted about the cauliflower pizza crust, and once I saw it, I knew I wanted to try it.  I love cauliflower, and it’s been cheap at the store lately.  The eggplant pizzas I found on allrecipes.com, I just modified it slightly. You do have to like the taste of eggplant to enjoy this one, but it’s a wonderful way to cook the eggplant.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Recipe from Jen D.

What you need:

1 large head cauliflower
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 eggs, beaten
3 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
Olive oil (optional)
Pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings (I used diced mushrooms)

How to make it:

Take the head of cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together cauliflower, egg, and mozzarella.  Add oregano and garlic salt, stir.  Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using the spoon or your hands, pat out into a 12″ round.  Optional: Brush or spray olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.

Bake at in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  It should look like this:

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese.  Return to the oven and cook for 5 more minutes, or until cheese has melted:

 

 

Eggplant Pizzas
Based on recipe here

What you need:

2 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (you could use almond flour instead)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1/4 cup olive oil
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza toppings (I used mushrooms)

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat the eggs in a bowl.  Mix the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and oregano in a separate bowl.  Dip each eggplant slice in the egg, then in the cheese mixture one at a time, making sure to coat both sides.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Place the eggplant slices in the skillet to cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Drain the eggplant slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Arrange the eggplant in one layer on a baking sheet. Spoon enough pizza sauce to cover each eggplant slice. Top each eggplant with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until the mozzarella cheese is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.

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Spinach Lasagna Rollups

10 Feb

I had some lasagna noodles in my pantry that I wanted to use, but I wasn’t sure how I wanted to do lasagna.  Then, I remembered the Cheese Lasagna Rollups my mom used to get from Market Day, and decided I wanted to try to make some of my own.  It worked out that cottage cheese was on sale, and I had spinach, basil, and oregano in my fridge that I needed to use.  The filling I made just like my Spinach Manicotti recipe, and the sauce was the Tomato Sauce I made a couple of days ago.  It turned out great!

Spinach Lasagna Rollups

What you need:

9 lasagna noodles
2 eggs
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb fresh spinach, chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried basil (or 2 tsp fresh basil)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tsp fresh oregano)
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 cups Tomato Sauce

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook lasagna noodles according to directions on box.  Drain water and cool on a piece of aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, beat eggs in a medium bowl.  Stir in the ricotta (or cottage cheese), 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, garlic, spinach, basil, oregano, and parsley.  Pour 1 cup of the Tomato Sauce into a 13 x 9 baking dish, or enough to make sure to cover the entire bottom of the dish.  Spread filling on each lasagna noodle and roll the noodle.  Place seam side down in the dish.  Pour the remaining sauce over the rollups, then sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella.  Cover tightly with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until sides are bubbling and the cheese is melted.

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Moussaka (Eggplant Casserole)

16 Jan

Moussaka is a dish that I have never helped make nor have I made it myself.  It’s been on my list of recipes to try for a while, and I knew it was close to Pastitsio, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.  When I got eggplant in my Italian themed veggie pack from Bountiful Baskets, I decided it was time to give it a try.  Normally, you would need more than one eggplant, but I decided to make it as an eggplant and zucchini casserole since zucchini was on sale at the grocery store this week.  I also wanted to use the mushrooms I got in my basket, so I incorporated them into the meat sauce.  It turned out amazing, I’m very happy with the results!  It’s somewhat lighter than Pastitsio, because it’s vegetables instead of pasta.  Next time, I think I may come up with a mix of the eggplant, zucchini, and noodles.

If you would like to make this meatless, substitute another package of mushrooms, diced, or some diced zucchini and/or eggplant for the 1 lb of ground beef or lamb.

Moussaka

What you need:

Filling:
1 eggplant, cut lengthwise, 1/2 in  width
3 zucchini, cut lengthwise , 1/2 in width
Salt
Olive oil
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 lb ground beef or lamb (for meatless, use more mushrooms, or diced zucchini or eggplant)
1 8 oz package whole mushrooms, diced
1 medium onion
1 12 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Grated Kefalotiri, Parmesan, or Romano cheese

Cream sauce (krema):
2-1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and set on paper towels for 15-20 minutes to let them drain.  Pat tops with a paper towel.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown eggplant and zucchini slices.  Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown onion and ground beef or lamb.  Add mushrooms, tomato paste, and seasonings.  Cook for 5 – 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make cream sauce. Melt 1/4 cup butter and pour in 1/4 cup flour; brown slowly. Beat 2 eggs with 2-1/2 cups milk, salt, and pepper, and pour into butter and flour mixture very slowly; mix well. Cook over low heat until it thickens.

To assemble, grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle bread crumbs to cover the bottom of the pan.  Lay out eggplant in a single layer.  Spread half of the meat sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with grated cheese.  Lay out zucchini in a single layer.  Spread the remaining meat sauce over the zucchini.  Pour cream sauce evenly on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes, or until golden brown.

Freezes best unbaked, thawed for 1/2 hour, then baked as above.

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Spinach Mushroom Quiche

10 Jan

 

Since pie crusts come 2 in a package, I had 1 crust I left from when I made Sweet Potato Pie at Thanksgiving time.  I wanted to come up with a way to use some of the spinach I got in this week’s Bountiful Baskets, so I decided a quiche would be perfect.  I’ve made quiche a lot of different ways, but also wanted to use up some ingredients in my fridge, so I used parts of a few different recipes I’ve used in the past.  This is a great, versatile dish.  If you feel like adding meat, add in some cooked crumbled bacon, or cooked diced ham.  If you would like to make this gluten-free or don’t like pie crust, omit the crust, lightly grease a deep dish pie pan, and pour filling directly into the pan.  The amount of cook time should remain the same, but you may want to check it earlier just in case.

 

Spinach Mushroom Quiche
Serves 6

What you need:

4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced mushrooms
2 cups chopped spinach
4 eggs
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 9 in refrigerated pie crust

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large skillet, melt butter.  Add onions and cook until soft and translucent.  Add mushrooms and spinach, cook until mushrooms soften and spinach is wilted.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat eggs.  Stir in cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese and spices.  Add the spinach mixture and stir.

Place pie crust in a 9 in deep dish pie pan.  Pour in the filling.  Place in preheated oven and cook for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Macaroni and Cheese

23 Dec

 

My sister first had this at a friend’s house for dinner and found the recipe online for it.  She has made it for us every time we come for a visit, and it’s so delicious.  It’s a little different from a traditional cheddar macaroni and cheese; it uses white cheddar and romano cheeses.  Tonight, we had it with peas and Avanti’s bread.  For those of you not familiar with Avanti’s bread, it’s from a restaurant in Central Illinois that is a sweet bread and is very good.  I may see if I can find a recipe for it some day.  Anyway, back to the macaroni and cheese, it’s a recipe from Martha Stewart Living.  It is a little time consuming to make, but well worth it in the end.

 

Martha Stewart Macaroni and Cheese

What you need:

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
  • 6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
  • 5 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
  • 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces)
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni

How to make it:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.

While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.

Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer’s directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.  Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.

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