Monthly Archives: September 2014

Summer Squash & Zucchini Lasagna With Sausage

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The weather was getting a little cooler this week and I was craving something warm and comforting to help cope with the fact that summer is on its way out. I had some lasagna noodles on hand and decided I’d experiment with that. I couldn’t decide if I wanted a veggies or meat, so I added both! The asparagus was a last minute thing I threw in and it ended up being my favorite part of it. This was a very easy meal to make, perfect for lazy weeknights when you want something good, but not complicated!

Ingredients:
8 lasagna noodles, cooked per instructions (a little al dente is better)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 summer squash, grated
1 zucchini, grated
1/2 white onion, minced
Handful asparagus, chopped small
3 sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1 15oz ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 cup marinara sauce
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil some water and cook the lasagna noodles per the box instructions. I like to add a little olive oil to the water so the noodles don’t stick together. Do not cook them all the way though, leave them a little al dente as they will continue cooking in the oven.

Add some olive oil to a large skillet and cook the garlic and onion for a few minutes. Next, add the sausage and cook thoroughly, making sure to break it up into small crumbles. In a large mixing bowl, add the ricotta, squash, zucchini, asparagus, Parmesan cheese, and egg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a baking dish, pour a little marinara sauce on the bottom. Add some lasagna noodles to create a layer. Next scoop some of the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Next add a layer of sausage and onion, followed by a light sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers two more times- noodles, ricotta, sausage, cheese. Top with one more noodle layer and pour the marinara sauce over the top evenly. Sprinkle with a good handful of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in oven for 20 minutes or until bubbling. Remove the foil and cook for another 5 minutes. Let cook for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 

Roasted Poblano & Tomatillo Salsa Verde

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As soon as I saw tomatillos in my CSA bag this week I knew I wanted to make salsa verde! It was my first attempt and it couldn’t have been easier or more delicious! I roasted some garlic, poblano peppers, and onion to add some nice flavor. I ate mine with an entire bag some tortilla chips, but you could add it to the table on taco night or even enjoy with your steak!

Ingredients: (makes about 2 cups)
12 small tomatillos, husks removed
3 small poblano peppers
1 jalapeno, roughly chopped and seeds removed
1/2 small yellow onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the tomatillos, poblano peppers, onion and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast for 30 minutes or until the poblanos are slightly browned and the tomatillos are beginning to burst. I removed my tomatillos after about 15 minutes and kept the rest in for the remaining 15 minutes. Once everything is cooked, let cool enough that you can run the poblanos under cool water and remove the skins. Alternatively, you can place the peppers in a zip lock bag which helps steam the skin to make easier to peel. Remove the stems and seeds of the poblanos before adding to the blender.

Place all the roasted ingredients into the blender with the cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice. Blend until smooth. If needed, you can add splashes of water to get the consistency you like. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Thai Chicken Bibb Lettuce Wraps

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I love lettuce wraps! They’re so easy to make, and you can’t really go wrong with whatever you throw in there as long as you have a good amount of spices so it’s not just bland meaty lettuce pockets. I got a large Bibb lettuce and bag of basil in my CSA bag this week, so I thought it was a perfect meal to make. The whole thing took about 20 minutes and was a perfect healthy weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground chicken
1 bell pepper, chopped small
8oz sliced water chestnuts
1/2 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
8 large romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons lemongrass powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 lime, juiced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce:
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste)
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced

Add some olive oil to a large pan and cook the ground chicken. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and water chestnuts, cooking until the onions are translucent. Add the lemongrass, ginger, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well into the meat. Next add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Lastly, toss in the basil and cook for another minute or so, then turn off the heat and squeeze in the lime.

For the dressing, simply mix together the rice vinegar, scallion, sriracha, and lime juice. Place some ground chicken mixture into the lettuce, topped with a drizzle of the dressing and enjoy!