Spinach Lasagna

A few weeks ago I had abdominal surgery (everything is fine).  During my recovery, my work family supported me so much by bringing food, helping me watch Trevor, and continuously checking on me.  The next few recipes will feature some of the great food that they brought me.  Today's recipe comes from Shelly - Spinach Lasagna!

I remember the first time I ate this lasagna - I loved it!  Shelly's mom brought a pan of this lasagna to the office.   I have to admit that I am not a fan of spinach, but this lasagna is sooooo delicious.  It is super easy to make as well.



Here are the ingredients:



2 10 ounce packages of frozen spinach, defrost and wring out water
1/4 cup milk
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 14 ounce ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
3 eggs
1 box lasagna noodles, cooked al dente


Mix all ingredients together and layer with the lasagna noodles.  Layer sauce between each layer and on top.


Sauce:

1 stick butter
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons garlic salt


Melt butter in sauce pan and add cream, parmesan and garlic salt.  Pour over noodles, in between each layer and on top.


Bake the lasagna at 350  degrees for 40 minutes.

Shelly claims to be Italian, but she eats at Olive Garden!  Any true Italian would not step in the front door (except for the salad and breadsticks)!  Italian or not, this recipe is a keeper, just like Shelly!  She is a blessing in my life - a caring, loving friend who is humble and serves others before herself.  I am blessed to have her in my life!

Mangia!

What a Difference a Year Makes!

So many changes since the last post!  We still have Trevor, who is now 18 months old.  He is so sweet!

  He is an amazing little boy!  He makes me smile everyday and he tests my patience everyday!

Jonah is turning out to be a wonderful young man.  He is 15 now and although he wants his independence, I see that there is still work to do.  I'm not going to let go until I know that he will be a man, willing to serve the Lord, serve his family and work hard. 

Recently we moved into a rural community.  We have about an acre of land.  It is peaceful and beautiful!  I have to get used to bugs everywhere!  I am excited about planning my garden for next year and hope to plant some fruit trees as well. 

More recipes will follow as I'm determined to get back into blogging.  I miss it and have a couple recipes lined up!

Tried and True Recipes #21

What a great week!  The weather has been wonderful and the garden is starting to produce a few things.  We had some great recipes this week - lots of sweets!  Here are two of my favorites:

Rolo Milkshake by Life With the Crust Cut Off

Katira by Treat and Trick

Time for a new week!  Don't forget to grab a button! 

Remember the rules:

1. Link up a family recipe or craft
2. Please follow my blog - I'll follow you back
3. Please link to this post in your blogs-there is a button on my sidebar to make it easy
4. No spam, contests or giveaways please
5. Please note that by linking up your posts and projects you are giving me permission to use your photos in the featured posts and possibly on my social media outlets. All photos will be linked back to your sites and your posts
6. Visit at least two of the links and comment on the page so the blogger knows you visited

Have fun!

Eggs Benedict

My all-time favorite breakfast is Eggs Benedict.  After watching an episode of Master Chef, I realized that I've never tried to make it.  I was determined to master the ever testy hollandaise sauce.  Here are the ingredients I used for the Eggs Benedict:

2 English muffins, halved, toasted and buttered
4 slices Canadian bacon
2 sticks butter
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons white vinegar
Chives
Dash cayenne or paprika

The first step is to make clarified butter.  This is simple - melt the butter in a sauce pan.  Skim the bits of milk fat that rise to the top.  What you have left is clarified butter.

 Set the clarified butter aside.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg.  Add the yolks to a double boiler, whisking constantly.  Do not let the water get so hot that it starts to cook the egg.  If the water gets too hot, remove from the heat immediately.  Slowly add the clarified butter, whisking constantly.

When the clarified butter has been incorporated into the yolk, remove from heat.  Stir in lemon juice, and a dash of paprika or cayenne.  You will also need to salt your sauce.


In a saute pan, brown your Canadian bacon.  Place on top of the buttered, muffin half.

In another sauce pan, heat up water with the vinegar.  This is the water you will poach your egg.  The water should be right at the boiling point, but now bubbling.  Poach your eggs after your sauce is  made.  The egg should stay in the water 3 minutes.  Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and place on top of the bacon, which should be on top of the muffin.

Add hollandaise sauce on top of the eggs.  Add fresh chives.

Enjoy!

Penne With Chicken and Roasted Vegetables

The last recipe from the Utah trip belongs to my sister Tonette and her better half Jerry. They made a fabulous pasta with roasted vegetables and grilled chicken.  Think of a primavera pasta with chicken.  It was really good!

Here are the ingredients:

3 boneless chicken thighs
4 links Italian sausage
1 small bundle of asparagus
1 small head of broccoli
1 onion
1 tomato
1/2 pound mushrooms
1/2 bag frozen peas
1/2 bag fresh spinach
1 bottle of Italian salad dressing
2 pounds penne pasta
1 cup olive oil
1/2 bulb garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 stick butter
1 teaspoon each - fresh oregano, basil, parsley
Salt and pepper

Marinate the chicken in 1/2 bottle of salad dressing, salt and pepper.  Let that marinate for 2 hours.  Grill the chicken and sausage until mostly done.  Set aside.


Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil on asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in 350 degree oven.

Cut the broccoli, onion, tomato and mushrooms.  Place in an oven proof pan.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 cup salad dressing.  Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes.

Cook the penne al dente - still a slight crunch.  The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.  Right before you are ready to drain the pasta, add the peas and spinach.  Drain and add to an oven proof pan.  Pour the chicken, sausage, and roasted vegetables in the pasta.

Saute the garlic with 3/4 cup olive oil.  Add wine and chicken stock.  Add fresh herbs, salt and pepper.  Melt the butter and incorporate that into the sauce.  Pour sauce on top of pasta.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. 

Mangia!

Tried and True Family Recipes #20

It is hard to believe that this has been going for 20 weeks.  I have enjoyed every minute of it-finding new blogs, gaining new friends, learning great cooking techniques.  Thank you for participating and coming back each week.

This week I had a sweet tooth.  Here are two of my favorite recipes:

Mom's Applesauce Cake by BeBetsy

Lemon Curd Pavlova by My Cake Porn

Time for a new week!  Don't forget to grab a button! 

Remember the rules:

1. Link up a family recipe or craft
2. Please follow my blog - I'll follow you back
3. Please link to this post in your blogs-there is a button on my sidebar to make it easy
4. No spam, contests or giveaways please
5. Please note that by linking up your posts and projects you are giving me permission to use your photos in the featured posts and possibly on my social media outlets. All photos will be linked back to your sites and your posts
6. Visit at least two of the links and comment on the page so the blogger knows you visited

Have fun!

Lunch at Saint Raymond's

Every Wednesday, Saint Raymond's Marionite Cathedral hosts a Lebanese lunch.  My sister is the parish secretary and she has the pleasure of working with Father Mo.  I had the pleasure of visiting them for lunch before leaving for vacation and loved learning about Lebanese food and trying new food!

The first dish I tried was Kibbee - cracked wheat made into a pocket, filled with ground beef, onions, allspice, mint, salt and pepper.

The next dish I tried were grape leaves and stuffed cabbage leaves.  These were stuffed with ground beef, rice, onions, allspice and tomato sauce.  The grape leaves had a layer of lemon over the top.    They were both yummy!

The lentils and rice were the best I've ever had.  For me, it was the highlight of the lunch.

To finish the lunch, I had home made hummus and flat bread.  If you get a chance to stop by Saint Raymond's for lunch - DO IT!

Father Mo told me that he is going to have me over and give me a cooking demonstration, which will include tabouleh!  I can't wait!