Bake Me a Pasta Dish Tonight!!

"Lazy Man Lasagna"

 My husband absolutely loves any type of baked pasta dish that is out there and Sunday being the day before Valentine''s Day I figured why not make him something that he would really enjoy. (We always go out for Valentine's Day!) I had some Backyard Tomatoes that were good and ripe, Supreme Dairy Ricotta Cheese, and  some of the NEFF Ground Beef in the freezer. Mr. Linny likes to call this dish lazy man lasagna but, there is nothing really lazy about making your sauce from scratch!
 What is so great about baked pasta is that it is flexible. You can change it as much as you want adding and subtracting ingredients making it a little different each time. If you have sausage or turkey instead of beef it works perfectly. You can add chopped spinach, mushrooms, zucchini or any other vegetable to spice it up of in place of the meat for a vegetarian dish. Oh and holy leftovers... We had enough to share the next day with our friends!

Ingredients

What you will need:

 Large Pot (8 quarts)

 Large Baking Dish

 Medium Mixing Bowl 

 Cutting Board & Knife

 Measuring Cups

 Wooden Spoon

Ingredients:

4 Backyard Tomatoes

1 Yellow Onion (diced)

6 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)

2lbs of Ground Beef (defrosted)

1 Egg

1 bag of Supreme Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 container of Supreme Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

1/2 stick of SommerMaid Butter

2 cups Penne Pasta

1/4 cup of chopped Fresh Oregano

1 cup of chopped Fresh Basil 

1 cup Dry Red Wine or Beef Broth

2 tbs. Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

For the Sauce:

 First I boiled a large pot of salted water and when it came to a rolling boil I dropped in the whole tomatoes for about 3 minutes, or until there skin started to slightly peel back. Once this happened I immediately transfered them to a cool stainless bowl and right to the fridge to keep them from cooking. Once they have cooled chop the tomatoes into 1/2 pieces or crush them ( I prefer the crushing method, it is messy but more fun!)

* I used the same water and pot to cook my pasta in effort to save on time and pot usage. Boil the Pasta to an al dente status. That is when the pasta still has a slight hardness to it but is not hard, it will finish cooking in the oven.

After boiling the pasta strain it and set it to the side. Do not rinse the pasta (reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.)

In the same pot you cooked the pasta in add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and warm the pan up over medium high heat. Once the oil is warm (just before it starts to smoke,) add the beef and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pot so it can brown. Allow the beef to brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes, before stirring the beef. Once the beef is browned add the onions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions are clear. 

 At this point you should have a nice brown bottom on the pan. This is flavor so you do not want to waste it. By adding some liquid, in this case wine, you will bring the flavor off the pot and into the food. After adding the wine use your spoon to scrap off the remaining pieces. Once you have scrapped the bottom of the pan add the tomatoes, butter & oregano. Once the butter is melted turn the heat down to simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes covered. Add the reserved pasta water if it thickens to much (or more wine/ broth.) After the thirty minutes turn the heat off the burner.

In a separate bowl combine the ricotta cheese, basil and egg, incorporating the two together. Spoon in the ricotta a little at a time incorporating it into the sauce after each spoon full. Once fully incorporated you can add the pasta to the pot and toss together. Once all the pasta is covered pour the pasta in to a baking dish evenly and cover with the shredded mozzarella. Bake the pasta in the oven  for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve!

Broiled Citrus Salmon for a Cold Winter Day

February is the American Heart Association Go Red month for the awareness of Heart Disease and how it affects everyone through someone. Our hearts are what keep us here and what allow us to be who we are. Yesterday being Valentine's Day, a day dedicated to the heart, I felt it was befitting to use today as a start of a platform for foods that are good for your heart.
 Salmon is an amazing source of protein, has all the right fats and it also high in Omega's. What most people do not know is that salmon is very easy to cook as well (and it will not stink up you kitchen!) One of my favorite go to Salmon dishes is a very simple citrus marinade that you can spice up and dress up for any occasion.

Broiled Citrus Salmon

2 8 oz Fillets of Salmon Thawed

1/4 cup of Munroe Dairy Orange Juice

Juice of 1/2 Lemon  

2 tbs of Olive Oil

zest of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 tsp of Thyme

Salt & Pepper to Taste

 Combine all ingredients in a glass baking dish with the salmon. Cover and return to the refridgerator.

Marinade the Salmon in the citrus and olive oil for at least 30 minutes before cooking. 

 Place the marinaded salmon onto a parchment covered baking sheet. Sprinkle the salmon with the lemon zest, thyme, salt & pepper. Place the cookie sheet on the top rack of the oven  under the broiler (high) for 8 to 10 minutes. When you can seperate the flakes of the salmon with a fork it is done.

 The other half of the lemon can be cut into wedges and served as a garnish! 

*Linny's Tip

 Asparagus is a great accompianment for Salmon and can be broiled in the oven on the same pan, saving you one less dish to wash!

Spice Up the Night with Coconut Chicken Curry

 A few years ago we had gone to a friends house for dinner on a cold winter's night and as soon as we had walked in the door we were welcomed by the warm and inviting aroma of curry and coconut. On the stove was a wonderful dutch oven full of Coconut Chicken Curry. She had noticed my spike of interest in what was brewing and followed with and explanation of how easy the dish was to make! My friend being a school teacher who always stays in the classroom long after the last bell has rung knows the importance of flavorful yet time saving dinners for weekday nights. 

 Every since first having this version of Chicken Curry it has become a staple in my house and is often made in abundance with hopes of visiting friends and leftovers for lunch. 

Coconut Chicken Curry:

Serves 6-8

8 pieces of Chicken Breast cut into 1/2" cubes

2 Yellow Onions Diced

1 Green Bell Pepper Diced

2 Carrots sliced into rounds

2 cup of Chopped Cauliflower

2 cloves of Garlic crushed

1 cup of Peas

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 cups of Chicken Stock or Broth

1 can of Low Fat Coconut Milk

2 tablespoons of Curry Powder

Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven or 6qt stock pot warm the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is warm add the chicken spreading it evenly over the bottom of the pan. Let the chicken cook for 4 minutes and then turn in the bottom of the pan, cook for another 3 minutes. Next add the all of the remaining ingredients bring to a boil. Once the pot comes to a boil turn the burner down to low/ simmer and cover for 30 minutes. 

 This dish can be dressed up with a wedge of lime and chopped cilantro! Serve it over Jasmine Rice for a heartier dish. 

Snow. Snow Everywhere... Eggs in a Snow Bank for ME!

So far this year the North East has been getting hit one after another by snow storms. With just three days left to the month we are ranked as the fourth snowiest January on record with third place just an inch away to break the 1904 record. The streets are getting so narrow that even a for a Prius it is getting tight. Sidewalks are walled by three and four foot banks of snow. 

 Ever since the Blizzard of 1978 Rhode Islanders have created habit that whenever they hear hint that snow flakes will start falling they all run to the store for bread and milk in an complete an udder mode of panic. Luckily for our customers than can usually rely on their milkman to deliver in rain, snow or shine. I say usually because this year the storm have been so fierce with blinding blizzard winds, wet heavy slippery snow, and just horrible timing we have been forced to postpone delivery three times already. When we postpone delivery it means in the end there is a lot of confusion for everyone, no matter how hard you try to get the message across, and we all end up having to work on Saturday. And guess what, we have another storm coming next week!

 Well anyway. I have found the most perfect breakfast (or lunch) dish to celebrate all of this snow that we have and it is called Eggs in a Snow Bank!

Thank you, Foodiva's Kitchen!

  So this fluffy snow ball like dish is made by whipping up your egg whites and dropping the yolk in the center then toasting it up in the oven and serving with toast, home fries or both.  In the post on Foodiva's Kitchen she has it serves on toast fresh bread with oven roasted tomatoes stacked with pear and topped with pureed potato. Yum Yum!  Tomorrow this will be my breakfast adventure with just a few changes to the recipe and dish. 

 

Eggs in a Snow Bank served with oven roasted Backyard Farms Tomatoes and Wilted Olivia's Organics Baby Spinach with a side of Fortuna's Maple Breakfast Sausage Cheddar Hash.

For the Eggs:

4 - Country Hen Organic Eggs (Large) Separated - yolk individually separated

pinch of Salt

fresh ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350* degrees

Put the egg whites in a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites until stiff fluffy peaks are made. 

On a parchment lined cookie sheet spoon 4 large clouds of egg whites. 

Using your fingers create a well in the center of the whites large enough for the egg yolk. 

Drop the individual yolks into the wells. Sprinkle the yolks with salt & cracked pepper. 

Pop them in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the whites have turned golden brown. 

Oven Roasted Backyard Farm Tomatoes:

2 Backyard Farm Tomatoes Sliced

1/2 cup of Panko Bread Crumbs*

1/2 cup of flour

1 egg beaten 

Preheat oven to 350*

Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Set on a paper towel or tea towel. 

In shallow bowls line up the flour, egg, and Panko crumbs for dredging. 

Dredge the tomatoes first in the flour, next the egg and final coat evenly in the Panko Crumbs. 

Set the covered tomatoes on a cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 12- 15 minutes.**

*I like to add either some Herbs d'Provence or Italian Herbs to my bread crumbs for extra flavor

** Can be baked at the same time as the Eggs in a Snow Bank

Fortuna's Maple Breakfast Sausage Hash & Cheddar Cheese

1 package of Fortuna's Maple Breakfast Sausage defrosted and cut into bite sized pieces

5 Narragansett Red Bliss Potatoes diced in 1/4" pieces

1 Yellow Onion Chopped

1 clove of Garlic crushed

1 cup of shredded Cabot Cheddar or Supreme Cheddar Cheese

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil (separated)

Salt & Pepper

Soak the chopped potatoes in a large mixing bowl with cold water and salt for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain before using. Toss the drained potatoes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and crushed garlic.

In a large skillet over warm heat brown the sausage. Add the chopped yellow onion cook until the onion peels are translucent. 

Remove the sausage and onions from from pan and set aside. 

In the same skillet add the remaining oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes and layer evenly across the bottom of the pan. Let the potatoes cook for 3 to 4 minutes before turning or until golden brown. Once brown toss the potatoes and cook for another few minutes to brown the other sides, refrain from continuously turning. 

Finally add the sausage and onions to the skillet toss to combine. Once combined add the shredded cheddar cheese and it is ready to serve. 

Potato Leek Soup - Topped with Bacon & Cheese

 Last night little Mr. Jack Frost came to visit New England and he brought with him below zero temperatures. In his honor I made some hearty and near healthy Potato Leek Soup. I added some bacon and cheese to the soup making it more like a bowl full of loaded baked potato.
  If it was not for the use of bacon in this dish I could call it healthy Potato Leek Soup. Last night it was too cold for me to venture to the store to get turkey bacon to substitute for the real thing. However, having the real bacon does add such a better flavor to the soup.

NY Daily News

Potato Leek Soup
Serves 6

8- 10 Narragansett Potatoes Red or White (washed peeled and chopped to 1/2" pieces)
1 medium Yellow Onion chopped
3 Leeks chopped and rinsed very well
1 Celery rib chopped
16 oz. of Chicken Stock (low sodium/ no MSG)
1/2 cup of Dry White Wine
1 cup of  Munroe Dairy Low Fat Milk
1 cup of Cabot Light Sour Cream
2 tablespoons of Herbs d'Provence
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 Bay Leaf

 1/2 lb of Bacon
1 cup of Shredded Supreme Cheddar or Narragansett Creamery Cheese Atwell's Gold

 * Keep the chopped potatoes in a bowl of cold water on the counter while prepping the rest of your ingredients and strain before use. This will make the potatoes less starchy in the soup.

 Warm a 8 qt or larger stock pot on the stove at medium heat. Add the 1/2 lb of bacon to the pot, cover with a splatter screen and cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove from bottom and lay bacon on a paper towel to strain the grease. Pour the excess greases from the bottom of the pot into a safe container and not down the drain.
  Add the white wine to the remaining bacon grease to deglaze the pan of the bacon. Using a wooden spoon or spatula scrap the bottom of the pan loosening the bits of remaining bacon. Once finished add the onion, leeks, celery, potatoes, and bay leaf. Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables and the salt & pepper/ herbs d'Provence. Cover the pot and let simmer for 15- 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and be pierced easily with a fork or knife.
 Once the potatoes are cooked turn the heat on the stove burner off (removing the pot from the burner if necessary.) Add the milk and sour cream to the pot. Also if you have scraps from grating the cheese add them as well. Using an immersion blender in the pot puree the ingredients. If you do not have and immersion blender you can use a regular blender, (covering the top with a tea towel*) using a hand mixer, or potato masher.
  Top each serving of the soup with pieces of bacon (crumbled) and cheese.
Left over can be frozen in freezer safe container or in zip lock bags.

*When using your blender to mix warm ingredients never use the cover. The expansion of the ingredients will cause the top to blow off and cause a big mess in your kitchen. - Trust me I know from experience

Hearty Healthy Cottage Pie (well almost healthy...)

While doing some research on what makes the best Shepherd's Pie I came to find that never have I been making  what is the traditional Shepherd's Pie but, in fact making a Cottage Pie! A real Shepherd's pie is made with lamb or mutton meat (either ground or stew meat.) Where the Cottage Pie is made with beef ( or ground poultry.) After that fact the rest of the pie is exactly alike both, have a crust made of potatoes a gravy and some veggies of varying sorts. 

Cottage Pie is a great dish that can be eaten as a full meal or to follow a winter salad. The vegetables that are added can be different every time really utilizing what you have in your refrigerator. The Cottage pie originated as a peasant and servants meal in Western Europe during the late 1700's.  During this time high nutritional value of the tuber was discovered and many began adding them to their dishes to make them last longer and feed more mouths.  Traditionally tables scraps were used to fill the contents of Cottage Pie from what was being made for the the masters of the land. 


While most comfort food is the food of peasants, I love the warm and comforting feel of a good Cottage Pie. Nevertheless, like all other tasty foods they are made with lots of butter, cream and other gluttonous flavorful goods. This has led me to take on the task of creating a healthier version of the dish. I cannot say that it is healthy... I do not have any nutritional value for it but, based on substitutions and subtraction I believe it is healthier than what the traditional one is. Also, FYI I am not one to sacrifice flavor for a few calories. That is just silly to me.

Linny's Comforting Cottage Pie!
Serves 6- 8 people

Ingredients:


2 lbs of RI Royal White Creamer Potatoes (about 8) cut into 1" cubes*
1/2 cup of Low Fat Cabot Sour Cream 
1/2 cup of Low Fat Munroe Dairy Milk
4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic 
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 lbs of NEFF 80% lean Ground Beef or Misty Knoll Ground Turkey
1 Carrot Peeled and Diced
1 Yellow Onion Chopped
1 Rib of Celery Chopped
1/2 cup of Frozen Peas
1/2 cup of Frozen Corn 
1 cup of Beef/ Chicken Broth
2 tablespoons of Flour
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon of Paprika
2 tablespoon of water


 In a large pot of cold water add the potatoes and garlic cloves. Bring water to a boil and cook simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Strain the potatoes and return them to the pot adding the Cabot Sour Cream, Munroe Milk and salt & pepper. Using a masher combine all of the ingredients until the large lumps have been incorporated. (If using a potato ricer - Rice the potatoes into the pot then add the milk and sour cream mixing them together.)
 In a microwavable safe bowl add the broth and microwave until warm/ hot. Add the four and Worcestershire to the mixture and work until fully combined with no clumps. 
 On the stove warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of water and the broken meat. Spread the meat evenly over the bottom of the skillet until the bottom is brown and then take your spatula to turn it and brown the rest of the meat (add more water if necessary to keep to the meat from sticking.) One the bottom layer is browned add the onions, celery, and carrots to the skillet. Cook the mixture for 4 to 5 minute, or until the onions are clear. Then add broth/ flour mixture to the pan and the corn and peas. Bring to a boil and then cook for 1 minute after to let thicken. 
 Spoon the meat mixture into the bottom of your dish evenly and making sure to get all of the juices from the pan into the casserole**. Next spoon the potatoes on top of the meat and use a spoon or spatula to spread it out evenly cover the surface of the pie (the potato acts as the top crust locking in all of the moisture when it goes into the oven to brown.) Top the potatoes with a dusting of the paprika.
Finally put the casserole dish on the top rack of your oven under a preheated broiler ( on medium/ low if you have a choice.)  Let the casserole sit under the broiler for 6-8 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Carefully remove from the oven and let stand 5-8  minutes before serving. 
*I have been known to sneak in cauliflower as a substitute for potatoes. To do so steam the cauliflower and mash it just like the potato. I would suggest either using an immersion blender or potato ricer for the cauliflower. Also sweet potatoes can be exchanged for white potatoes with the same preparation method.
 **If we are having friends for dinner I prefer to use individual crocks or dishes to serve the pie just for presentation. Though if it is for family I will use a large casserole dish that is at least 2" deep.  



  

Let it Snow... Let it Snow... Let it Snow...

Here in Rhode Island we are anxiously waiting our turn to get walloped by the snow just like many of the fair states before us have. The fair city of Atlanta came to a halt after being covered by a blanket of snow just 6 inches deep. With just two plows and 8 trucks for sanding the city came to a literal stand still on Sunday evening. Out west Utah, who is having a great ski season, just got a huge dumping of snow in the past two days. Oh how I would love to be stuck out there right now!
  Nevertheless, here we are on a Wednesday getting ready to be snowed with a prediction of 1 to 2 feet of snow to fall in the next 24 - 36 hours. The milkmen are being sent home at the end of the day today and told not to return until Thursday with deliveries to be made on Saturday.
 Tomorrow is looking like a great day to go outside make some snow angels, sled down Jencks, and then come back in for some chowder and Stuffies!

  Often times I like to take certain already prepared foods and tweak them to make them all my own with minimal amount of work and all of the flavor. Chowder & Stuffies are two of the things that I like to do this to the most. Chowder is one thing that can take a long time to make properly and when you want to go out and enjoy your day the last thing you want to be doing is being a slave to the stove. 

 The Blount Family makes a mighty fine chowder that can be used as a base to your very own creation. If you are a fan of the chowder from the Black Pearl in Newport just add some chopped clams, milk and dill to pot to get a summertime favorite. For something a little heartier and smoky try adding some frozen corn and bits of apple-wood smoked bacon. Make 20 ounces double to 40 ounces just by adding chopped, onion, celery, corn and milk (add some more clams if you want too!) 

 As for the Stuffies, I will let the frozen ones defrost. Once they are fully defrosted scoop out the stuffing into a big mixing bowl and starting adding the ingredients. In New England the traditionalists like their Stuffies with just stuffing and clams. Some may spice it up with chopped celery and onions, maybe some bacon bits, finished off with a dusting of paprika and a sprig of parsley. The Portuguese will all linguica. Italians like to add crumbled sausage (hot, sweet or Italian.) Me I like to make my additions based on how I feel, not so much based on tradition. 

 For me there is the Veggie where I will toss in some zucchini, bell peppers, celery, onions, corn and top off with half a cherry tomato. One can take the Veggie and add some Fortuna's Sausage crumble up or Misty Knoll Farms ground turkey. This brings me to another favorite of spinach and feta added to the Stuffies, one may call it a Greek... In the summer fresh grilled corn is just perfect with a pinch of fresh chopped basil. Through them on the grill with a pat of butter and off we go!

The Veggie

The Greek

 To everyone in New England... Have fun in the SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!