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Category: Entrees

Family Lasagna

2.5-3 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage or ground pork
2 cups chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz.) tomato sauce
3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 carton (2 lbs.) Ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

8 oz. Lasagna noodles, no-bake or cooked and well drained
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook ground beef, pork, onions, and garlic in heavy Dutch oven until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain off excess fat.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, 3 Tblsp. parsley flakes, 2 Tblsp. brown sugar, 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. oregano and 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for one hour or until sauce resembles good thick spaghetti sauce; stirring occasionally. Half of the sauce will go in the lasagna, and the other half reserved for serving.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese, the egg, 1 Tblsp. parsley flakes, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. oregano.

In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread enough sauce to cover the bottom. Layer noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese, and cottage cheese in layers (repeat these layers 2-3 times) reserving enough sauce for a thin top layer. Spread sauce over top, sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese. Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes or until cheese is bubbly in center. Let stand for 10-15 minutes after removing from oven. Serves 8.

Chicken Spiedies

3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
6 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

6 skewers
6 Italian-style hoagie buns

Combine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, mint, garlic, sugar, oregano, basil, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a blender. Puree until liquefied, about 30 seconds.

Place chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag, pour in marinade and massage to coat. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.

Remove chicken and place on the skewers. Season with salt. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced slightly, about 2 minutes.

Place skewers on the preheated grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turn and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 5 to 6 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from grill and rest the meat for a few minutes.

Toast hoagie rolls and spread each with some of the reserved marinade. Place a skewer on each roll and carefully remove the skewer, leaving the chicken in the bun.

Instant Pot Baked Ziti

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces uncooked Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups water, divided
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
8 ounces dried ziti or penne pasta
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Turn on an electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot to sauté. Once heated, add the olive oil, followed by the sausage. Break up the sausage into large pieces with a wooden spoon and season with the salt. Cook, stirring and breaking the sausage into smaller and smaller pieces, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Turn the pressure cooker off. Add 1/2 cup of the water and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the marinara and stir to combine well. Scatter the pasta over the sauce-sausage mixture in an even layer. Do not stir from this point on.

Rinse the pasta sauce jar with the remaining 1 cup water (pour the water into the jar, cover, and shake gently) and then pour the water over the pasta. Remember — no stirring here.

Seal the pressure cooker. Use the manual setting to set the pressure cooker to cook for 8 minutes under HIGH pressure. It will take 10 to 12 minutes to come up to pressure.

When the cook time is done, immediately do a quick release of the pressure. Turn the pressure cooker off. Open it, add the ricotta, and stir quickly to combine. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Cover the pressure cooker again and let sit for 3 minutes for the cheese to melt and the sauce to thicken. Serve immediately.

Fried Rice with Kale and Shiitake

2 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup diced pancetta, prosciutto, or bacon
4 oz cooked pork or poultry, diced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
6 scallions, thinly sliced (greens and whites separated)
1 shallot, mined
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup corn kernels
2-4 oz (about 1 cup) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
3 cups kale, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cooked rice (day-old or air-dried)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauce

In a wok or very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Of moderately high hear Add the ginger, scallion whites, shallot, peppers, pancetta, and cooked meat. Cook over, stirring constantly, until veggies are tender, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced shiitakes and corn, sprinkle with a little soy sauce, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and stir-fry until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the cooked rice and stir-fry until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Make a well in the rice and add the sesame oil then the eggs. Cook without stirring until the eggs begin to set at the edge. Using a spatula, scramble the eggs until just set. Stir the eggs into the rice along with the vinegar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Top with green scallions. Serve immediately.

Weeknight Bolognese

1 pound 93% lean ground beef
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp baking soda
salt and pepper
4 cups beef broth
OR 4 tsp Better than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base + 2 cups water
6 ounces pancetta, chopped course
1 onion, chopped coarse
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped coarse
1 celery rib, copped coarse
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
1 pound tagliatelle
* less than 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
* basil
* 1/4 tsp thyme
* 1/4 tsp oregano

Toss beef with water, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper until thoroughly combined.

(Note: If using bouillon + water, this step can be skipped) Bring broth to a boil over high heat in large pot (this will be used to cook pasta later) and cook until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Pulse pancetta in food processor until finely chopped, 15 to 20 pulses. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and pulse until vegetables are finely chopped and mixture has paste-like consistency, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Heat butter and oil in large dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. When foaming subsides, add pancetta-vegetable mixture and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Spread mixture in even layer in bottom of pot and continue to cook, stirring every couple minutes, until very dark browned bits form on bottom of pot, 7 to 12 minutes longer. Stir in tomato paste and cook until paste is rust-colored and bottom of pan is dark brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, add beef, and cook, using wooden spoons to break meat into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch, until beef has just lost raw pink color, 4 to 7 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up and browned bits, and begin to simmer. Cook until wine has evaporated and sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and Parmesan. Return sauce to simmer; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauce will look thin at this point.

Rinse pot that held broth. While sauce simmers, bring 4 quarts water to boil in now-empty pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta. Add pasta to pot with sauce and toss to combine. Adjust sauce consistency with reserved cooking water as needed.

Slow Cooker Garlic Thyme Chicken

1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
3 lbs bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed and cut in half (or 2 lbs of boneless breast halves)
1 tbsp olive oil
20 garlic cloves, light smashed and peeled (about 2 large heads of garlic)
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh-ground black pepper

Lightly oil the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Evenly place the sliced onion along the bottom.

Place the chicken into a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add the peeled & smashed garlic cloves and toss to combine. Sprinkle the seasonings across the top of the chicken-garlic mixture and toss until chicken is well coated with seasonings.

Transfer the chicken-garlic mixture to the slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, or high for 2-3 hours.

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

1 (16-oz.) can or 1 1/2 cups soaked & cooked garbanzo beans
1 (16-oz.) can or 1 1/2 cups soaked & cooked black beans
1 (16-oz.) can or 1 1/2 cups soaked & cooked red kidney beans
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
1 cup tomato salsa
1/2 cup salsa verde
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt & pepper to taste (about a half teaspoon each)
2 bay leaves
1 lb. chicken, large pieces
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Place all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn on low, cook for 4-6 hours. Serve over a bed of rice, or with a side of cornbread or warm tortillas.

Note: For dried beans, place 1/2 cup of each bean type in slow cooker with enough water (about 8 cups) and desired spices, like bay, cumin, paprika, garlic, and granulated onion (NO SALT WHILE COOKING!). Start the beans on Low about 4 hours before the salsa chicken start time (8-10 hours ahead, total). After 4 hours, reserve 1 cup of liquid and drain. Add the beans and reserve liquid to the recipe like canned beans.

Slow Cooker Cassoulet

** 1/2 pound dried cannelini/northern beans
2 bacon slices
1.5 pounds lean boneless pork chops, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound reduced-fat or turkey smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups chopped onion
—– 1c carrot (optional)
—– 1c celery (optional)
—– 1c red bell pepper (optional)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine
** 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained $
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 teaspoons finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)
8 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

** If using canned, instead of dry beans, use 2 15-ounce cans of beans (drained and rinsed) and omit chicken broth.

Soak beans overnight.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion, (optional carrot), (optional celery), thyme, rosemary, and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add wine, let simmer 1 minute. Stir in crumbled bacon, salt, pepper, (optional red bell pepper), and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Combine beans, pork, and sausage; stir well. Place half of bean mixture in a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker; top with half of tomato mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

1 pound pasta (orcchiette, penne, fusilli, etc)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound italian sausage, casings removed
1 head broccoli (about 3/4 pound)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (about 1 can)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup grated parmesan

Prepare pasta in boling water, but stop cooking a minute or two early when the pasta is very al dente. Set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and break it up while cooking until well browned (about 7 minutes). Remove cooked sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add broccoli florets to the hot pan and leave un touched for 2 minutes, until they begin to brown. Toss the broccoli, add in a couple tablespoons of water and cover for 2 minutes until al dente. Remove lid. Add garlic and shallots, cook for 1 minute.

Add chicken broth, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and add the seasonings. Bring to a boil. Return pasta and sausage to the pan, stir til combined and simmer for 1-2 minutes, when the sauce thickens. Add the parmesan and toss before serving.

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice, optional
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup sliced cabbage
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups sugar snap peas
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce

Toss chicken with 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When oil begins to smoke, add chicken and stir fry until cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Return pan to heat.

Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan over medium-high heat and quickly stir in onion, garlic, and ginger root. Stir fry until onion becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add chicken and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes. Add green onions, cabbage, bell pepper, peas and cover for 2 minutes. Remove lid, return chicken to the pan and stir fry until vegetables are cooked.

In a small bowl, mix the 1/2 cup broth/water, soy sauce, sugar, garlic chili sauce, and cornstarch. Add sauce mixture to wok/skillet and stir until chicken and vegetables are coated with the thickened sauce. Serve immediately, over hot rice if desired.