The Best Lasagna EVER!

I never make lasagna because honestly I feel like it takes forever! All of the layering, shredding cheese, and boiling the noodles...ugh...too.much.work. Well, last night I decided I needed to make something that the girls haven't had yet.  They LOVE italian food so...lasagna it is!

I used Ina Garten's recipe for turkey sausage lasagna but of course I changed it!

My changes: no boil pasta vs. regular pasta - way too time consuming to boil my own,  extra lean ground beef and mild italian pork sausage vs. turkey sausage - come on who really likes turkey sausage, and no goat cheese vs. goat cheese - need I say more. (I like goat cheese just not in my lasagna!)

Well, my changes were a success...It was SO SO amazing! I always hope and pray that after spending all that time in the kitchen (and completely butchering someone else's) that I don't completely bomb a new recipe. Well, this was truly amazing! You really can't mess this up...it is all about the ingredients! So choose your ingredients wisely and I promise you won't be disappointed! The first words that came out of Ryan's mouth after the first bite...well I can't write that on here! (: Enjoy! 

Do not cover lasagna while baking.
Bake 30 - 40 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Best Lasagna EVER!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound lasagna noodles (no boil) 
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
• 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

The fresh mozzarella made this lasagna...
and no shredding! Just slice and layer!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and beef and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish.

Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Just a few side notes: I only used half of the pasta...not sure why but that was all I needed. Also, when cooking the beef and sausage, blot as much grease as you can get with paper towels before adding the tomato sauce and paste.

Cranberry Pecan Muffins

I just can't stop baking! I'm not sure what it is...fall season - the changing leaves and cooler weather, my underlying love for baked goods, or that smile that lights up my husbands face every time I pull something out of the oven. Okay, its every bit of it!

As I mentioned in previous postings I bake something for breakfast every weekend. It's usually blueberry muffins but I try to change it up here and there and add something new. So this weekend...Cranberry Pecan muffins. I love fresh cranberries but not so much dried cranberries. I never choose a baked good with dried cranberries...not sure why...I just like fresh better in baking. Who am I kidding I like fresh better in any scenario! These muffins are perfect flavors for the fall! You can add walnuts instead of pecans if you want or add a bit of cinnamon for even more fall flavor! Enjoy!

 

If using frozen cranberries - do not thaw!
Roughly chop in a food processor
 and add to the batter frozen. This prevents the
cranberries from bleeding into the batter.

Cranberry Pecan Muffins

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup quick-oats

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg

¾ cup milk

¼ cup canola oil

1 cup fresh chopped Cranberries

1/3 cup chopped Pecans

1 tbsp fresh orange zest

1. Grease muffin pan. Set aside.
2. In medium bowl combine flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Make a well in center of flour mixture and set aside.
3. In another bowl combine beaten egg, milk, oil, and orange zest.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Do not over mix! 
4. Fold in fresh cranberries and pecans.



Don't leave out the orange zest! It adds tons of flavor!

5. Spoon batter into prepared (spray with Pam) muffin pan. Bake in a 400° oven for 18-20 minutes. Remove from muffin pan and serve warm.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Serve with fresh Basil and Parmesan!

I love tomato sauce! I have always made my own...Why? Because it tastes better and it's ALOT cheaper. I am amazed at the tomato sauces at Whole foods that are $7-$8 for a not so big jar! Yikes! By the time I buy the pasta and meat I might as well go out to eat! Sigh...

This recipe is super easy! Ryan was working late last night and I really needed to make dinner! I have this problem...I feel extremely bad if my kids don't get the best food all the time.  Yes, I know...completely ridiculous! lol! So, I gave the girls some bowls, pans, and spoons to play with in the kitchen floor and I threw some tomato sauce together. I made some rigatoni to go with it- mostly because its the only form of pasta that Olivia likes - Geez 1 year olds! Smh... I also roasted some squash  - the girls LOVE this as well!

Make some sauce...you will LOVE it! If this makes too much for your family, freeze the extras in a ziploc freezer bag or glass jar for later. Enjoy!

Add a little sauce to your cooked pasta after draining water
to prevent the pasta from sticking. Don't use olive oil as it
prevents the sauce from sticking to the pasta.
Then serve extra sauce on top! 

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Ingredients 
2 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes - Preferably San Marzano
1 small onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. Ground beef, browned (optional)

If using the ground beef, brown in large sauce pan. Transfer beef to a bowl lined with paper towels to drain grease. In same pan add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and onions and let cook over medium heat. Once onions become translucent (about 5-7 minutes) add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Season the onions and garlic with salt (approx 1 tsp) and pepper (approx 2 tsp).  Add the 2 cans of crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and 1/2 c. fresh basil, and cooked ground beef (if using) to the onion mixture.  Stir sauce well to combine. Simmer covered sauce over medium low heat for approx 1 hour. Stir sauce often throughout the hour to prevent sticking.

BBQ Baked Chicken and More - SUPER Easy

We are all looking for recipes that taste good but if they take forever FORGET IT! I used to make all kinds of recipes that took hours of prep time and clean up. Of course they all turned out amazing but with kids I just don't have the time during the week to take that on these days.  My homemade tomato sauce that used to take 8 hours now only takes 30min to whip together (recipe coming soon). When you are a mom you learn to do everything FAST!

Therefore, my next recipe posting has to be my BBQ baked chicken. Well, its not really a recipe - you just put boneless skinless chicken breasts in a pyrex baking dish and dump BBQ sauce  (I prefer Stubbs BBQ sauce) on top of the chicken, cover with foil, and pop it in the oven for 35-45 minutes at 375 degrees. Yes, so easy even the worst cook can't mess this up! If you do...nahhh...you just CAN'T! This is a great recipe for kids and so are the sides: Roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. My girls ate everything...even the asparagus!

Just a side note: Don't think that your kids are going to hate something just because you do. We all have our own tastes and likes, so don't ever dismiss foods from your child's diet. Roasting veggies brings out TONS of flavor. I think Asparagus and Brussels sprouts are completely disgusting heated up in the microwave or boiled. When they are roasted with olive oil and a little salt and pepper...simply AMAZING! Remember - Every food has the potential to taste good!

Add color to your plate it makes it more appealing!

BBQ Baked Chicken

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Jar BBQ sauce

Place 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts in a pyrex baking dish. Pour BBQ sauce to your liking over the chicken breasts just to cover - you won't use the whole bottle. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes at 375 degrees.

If you don't like Sweet Potatoes - you will now!

Roasted Yukon Gold and Sweet Potatoes

2 medium sized Yukon Gold Potatoes - leave skin on
1 Large Sweet Potato - skinned
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Line a sheet pan with foil. Cut potatoes in 1 inch cubes and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper on the foil lined pan. Spread the potatoes out evenly. Bake at 375 degrees for approx 30 min until lightly golden brown. Side note: Pierce potato with fork to check if done.

Roasted Asparagus is the BEST! 

Roasted Asparagus


1 bunch of Asparagus, with approx 2 inches cut off bottoms
1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
salt and pepper

Line a sheet pan with foil or you can use a baking dish. Toss Asparagus with olive oil and salt and pepper on the foil lined pan or baking dish. Spread the Asparagus out evenly. Bake at 375 degrees for approx 15 minutes to 20 minutes. Side note: You want the asparagus to be a bit firm. Mushy asparagus is NOT good! (: