Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagna

How many of you head to the computer when you're looking for a meal idea or for a particular recipe?

I love paging through magazines and cookbooks but find myself turning more and more often to the internet - to Pinterest or various recipe sites for ideas.

Lately, I've been intrigued by several chicken lasagna recipes I've seen on the internet 

and decided to experiment with the fall flavours of butternut squash and sage.

Here's what we had for dinner tonight.  I must say it was delicious.

1 small head garlic

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons olive oil (2nd amount)

1 Butternut squash, peeled and seeded (I use a potato peeler)

salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh sage chopped fine (1st amount)

2 cups cooked chicken, sliced

2 cups fresh spinach

1 leek, washed, halved and sliced

2 tablespoons butter

1  1 /2 cups Ricotta cheese

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

3 cups white sauce

1/2 cup butter 

1/2 cup flour

3 cups milk 

3/4 tsp fresh sage, chopped fine (2nd amount)

salt and pepper to taste

12 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

sliced Mozzarella cheese

1/2 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped fine (3rd amount)

1. Heat oven to 400º F.
2. Remove outer paper skin from garlic head, slice the tips off of the whole head and place on a square piece of foil.
3. Drizzle the garlic with 1 teaspoon olive oil, gather the four corners of the foil and twist.
4. Place garlic in oven and roast for 20 minutes or until tender.
5. Cut squash into 1/4" slices and then cut again to make 1 inch pieces.
6. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage.
7. Lay squash pieces on parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in oven alongside the garlic.
8. Roast squash for 12 minutes or just until tender.
9. Saute' leeks in butter until tender.
10. Mix Ricotta cheese with egg and Parmesan cheese.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.
11. Make white sauce by blending melted butter and flour, adding milk and seasoning. Stir and cook until thickened. ( I do this in the microwave)
12. When garlic is done, squeeze the cloves out of the paper skin, into the white sauce and whisk until blended.
13. In a 9"x 13" pan or two smaller pans, assemble lasagna in layers as follows:

1st layer: Spread 1/4 cup white sauce  in the bottom of the pan and cover with lasagna noodles, 

2nd layer: 1/2 of the chicken slices, spinach,  1/2 of the leeks, 1/2 of the butternut squash, 1 cup or so of white sauce

3rd layer: lasagna noodles, 1/2 of Ricotta cheese mixture, remaining chicken, squash and leeks, cover with white sauce

4th layer: lasagna noodles,, remaining ricotta cheese, white sauce 

5th layer: sliced Mozzarella cheese, 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage.

  14. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 350º F oven for 40 minutes.

  15. Remove foil and continue to bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese begins to brown and the casserole bubbles.

  16. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting and serving. 

Reuben Meatloaf

I like reuben sandwiches so why not a reuben meatloaf? It's very tasty, I love the pairing of sauerkraut, ground beef, and swiss cheese in this recipe. If you wish, you can put a layer of corned beef slices on top of the sauerkraut which would add an authentic taste as in a reuben sandwich. Leftovers are great served cold for sandwiches.

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, I used lean
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons cucumber relish
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup Thousand Island Dressing
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained and chopped
• 1 cup grated swiss cheese, divided
• Aluminum foil

1. In a bowl, mix together the first eight ingredients.
2. Lay out a piece of aluminum foil, spray with cooking oil. Pat meat mixture onto the foil into a rectangular shape that will fit your  9" x  5" (approx) baking pan.
3. Spread with thousand island dressing, top with sauerkraut, and half of the grated swiss cheese.
4. Roll up jelly roll style, peeling away the foil as you roll. Seal the seam and ends.
5. Place in a greased baking pan.
6. Bake uncovered in a 375º oven for 50 to 55 minutes. When cooked, drain off any juices collected in pan.
7. Sprinkle the other half of the swiss cheese over meatloaf, place back in oven, and bake a few more minutes until cheese is melted.
8. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing, using a sharp knife.
9. Delicious served with mashed potatoes, creamed peas and a salad. 

Lazy Linguine for Two

One-dish pasta recipes having been making the rounds on pinterest recently. Most serve four to six...and since there are just two of us for most meals...I decided to try a pared down version recently.  My husband is wondering when I will be serving it again! How much simpler can it get...than throwing everything into one pot and having it on the table a short while later?

• 6 oz. linguine (half of 12 oz / 375 gr package)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small onion, julienned (cut in strips lengthwise)
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 1/4 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for  serving

1. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and basil in a skillet or stock pot.
2. Add water or broth and olive oil.
3. Sprinkle with pepper flakes and salt.
4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes (stirring frequently)...or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring to distribute juices evenly.
7. Dish into two pasta bowls.
8. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired.
9. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

 * Double or triple the recipe to serve four or six.

Enjoy!

Tacosagna

Here is a recipe that is a perfect mid week night dinner. Quick and easy while you are rushing off to the next soccer game or music lesson.
It comes together quickly. Can be assembled ahead of time and baked when needed.

• 1 package of 6" soft tortilla (8 in a package)
• 2 pounds of lean ground beef or chicken / turkey
• 1 - 19 ounce / 540 ml can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 jar (about 2 cups) of medium salsa
• 4 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt (I used 1/4 cup of each)
• 2 cups low fat shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar Cheese or a combination of both (whatever kind you have on hand)

1. Brown the beef and drain the fat if needed.
2. Add the taco seasoning, beans, corn and salsa.
3. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. In a 9 x 13 inch pan layer a bit of salsa, tortilla shells, sour cream mixture, cheese, beef, and continue with repeating the layers. It should give 4 layers.
5. Top with the final amount of cheese.
6. Bake in 350 oven for 20-30 minutes and all the cheese is bubbly and melted.
7. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
8. Serve with a fresh crisp salad.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

One of my favourite things about summer is the wealth of 
fresh locally grown tomatoes.

Here is a lovely fresh pasta side dish you can make for
 one of those warm summer evenings.

There is no cooking required for the sauce so you are 
out of the kitchen in no time.
Add some left over grilled salmon and you have a fresh tasting main dish.

• 8 ounces / 250 g  linguinni or fuselli (small spirals)
• 1 large Beefsteak tomato or several smaller ones  If you can get them, Heirloom tomatoes would be a good alternative to the Beefsteak (a variety of cherry tomatoes halved also works)
• 8 ounces / 225 grams brie cheese*
• 1/3 cup / 50 ml good quality olive oil
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon / 5 ml salt
• 1 teaspoon / 15 ml freshly ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 handful fresh basil, coarsely chopped or julienned
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives (if desired)

1. Chop tomato and place in a large serving bowl.
2. Cut up Brie cheese.  You can leave the rind on or discard it, if you prefer. Add to tomatoes in bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients and  stir just to combine. Set aside to allow flavours to meld.
4. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water.
5. When pasta is cooked to your liking, drain it (do not rinse) and turn it out of the colander on to the sauce in the serving bowl.
6. Toss until the cheese starts to melt, and serve immediately..

*I've also done this using 1 package of cream cheese, cubed, instead of the Brie.

Cuban Rice

This is a good recipe to use left over chicken or any kind of left over roast.  I usually add a few shrimp at the end just to bring variety to this dish.  This recipe can easily be doubled.

• oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 of a red or green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups of rice
• 1-7oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon, dried oregano
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can of beans, your choice, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups of left over chicken
• several raw shrimp

1. In a large skillet with a lid, put in a bit of oil, onion, pepper, oregano and saute until softened.
2. Add the rice and stir.
3. Add the garlic, broth and tomato sauce, beans and bay leaf.  Cover and simmer until rice is almost cooked, about 15 minutes.
4. Add the cooked chicken and raw shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp is pink.