Day 5 ....mmmmmm....food...

Day 5: Your favorite recipes

Oh Goodness! This has the potential to be the longest post of all time! I'll keep it short and only give you a couple!

Lasagna from scratch (Serves 10)

INGREDIENTS
• 1 lb. Italian sausage

• ¾ pound lean ground beef

• ½ cup onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 – 28oz can crushed tomatoes

• 2 - 6oz can tomato paste

• 1 - 14oz can tomato sauce

• ½ cup water

• 2 tablespoons white sugar

• 1 ½ tsp dried basil

• ½ tsp fennel seed

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1 ½ tablespoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley (double if using fresh)

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• 12 lasagna noodles

• 1 egg

• 16 oz ricotta cheese

• ¾ lb shredded mozzarella

• 2 cups shredded Parmesan


DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Drain grease. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and ½ of the parsley. Simmer, covered for about 1 hour stirring occasionally.


2. Soak raw, hard noodles in a large bowl of very hot tap water for 25 min. then drain.


3. In a mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, ½ tsp salt, nutmeg & remaining parsley.

4. To assemble, spread thin layer of meat sauce in bottom of 9x13 in. (or larger) baking dish. Place layer of noodles over meat sauce, spread 1/3 ricotta mix top with 1/3 mozzarella, add another layer of sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup parm., etc making sure the top layer is sauce, mozzarella then sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.


5. Spray a piece of foil with non-stick spray to prevent from sticking and cover with foil


6. Bake in 375°F preheated oven for 30 min, uncover and bake an additional 25 min. let stand 15 min before serving.


***Tip: Assemble the night before you’d like to serve this dish. When ready to cook take out and let sit at room temp for 1 hour prior to cooking & bake as directed***


Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS



• Ready made pie crust (pack of 2)

• 1 cup sliced carrots

• 1 cup frozen peas

• ½ cup corn

• 1 potato peeled & cubed

• 1 ¾ cup chicken broth

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1/3 cup onion, chopped

• 1/3 cup flour

• ½ tsp. salt

• ½ tsp poultry seasoning

• ½ tsp. pepper

• ½ tsp celery salt

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• 1 pound chicken breast (chopped/shredded) (I just buy a small pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and just use the breast)

• 2/3 cup milk


DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. Boil peas, carrots, corn & potatoes in chicken broth for 10 min. Strain & set aside in large mixing bowl with shredded chicken. (Save 1 & 3/4 cups of broth)

3. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat, sauté onions until translucent, stir in flour, salt, pepper, celery salt, and garlic powder. Reduce heat to medium low and slowly add broth and milk, stirring until thickened.

4. Place bottom crust in pie dish and bake for 5 minutes.

5. Pour sauce over chicken/veggie mix and stir

6. Pour/spoon mixture into pie crust, place top crust and seal edges. Cut several slits in top crust and Bake for 40 min.

Happy Cooking!