Our go-to lasagna recipe

I have tried just about every version of vegetarian lasagna on the planet, and this is the one that we keep coming back to time and time again, I keep tweaking and re-tweaking the recipe, but here is the latest, after a few failed attempts I have figured out how to not pre-cook the lasagne noodles and have it still come out good:

Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium chopped red bell pepper
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1/2 large bulb fennel, chopped
• 1 small zucchinni, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, minced (or some spicy sauce)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1(26 ounce) jar pasta sauce, or 1 big can tomatotes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 (15 ounce) container 2% cottage cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large frying pan, melt a little butter or oil. Fry mushrooms in oil in a single layer in the pan without moving them until they start to brown, then stir and cook until brown on all sides as much as possible. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, cook and stir fennel, green peppers, onion, garlic, and zucchinni in oil. Stir in pasta sauce or canned tomatoes, cooked mushrooms, and basil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until it tastes good. Taste for salt and pepper. 
3. Mix together cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and eggs.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread 1 cup tomato sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer 1/3 each, uncooked lasagna noodles, ricotta mix, sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Make sure noodles are covered with sauce, if it doesn't cover add a little water to the sauce. Repeat layering, and top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
5. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover lasagna, then bake for an additional 20 minutes or until brown on top. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Why did I not think of this before: Easy way to peel butternut squash

Okay so I wanted to eat Ina Garten's Butternut Squash Salad but I was not looking forward to the somewhat arduous task of peeling the squash. So I made Mahesh do it.

Just kidding! I turned to my good friend Google for advice. I found a blog suggesting to poke the squash with a fork a few times and then microwave it for 3 minutes to soften the skin before peeling.

I tried it and it worked like a charm! The squash was peeled and cubed before the oven was preheated. Great tip!

Vegetarian split pea soup

There's nothing better on a cold winter day than a big pot of healthy soup. This version comes together super-fast due to the use of a pressure cooker.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups dried split peas, yellow preferably
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 cups water
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or savory, or both (UPDATE: I have recently decided I don't like dried thyme and now use fresh instead)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a pressure cooker over medium high heat, saute the oil, onion, celery, bay leaf and garlic for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, then close pressure cooker and cook for 4 whistles. Allow pressure to come down naturally, it can take a long time for a very full pot.
3. Puree the soup and taste for seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

hot cereal for breakfast -- seven grain cereal

I am mostly an eggs-for-breakfast (and lunch, and dinner) type, but every once in a while I go on an oatmeal kick. I bought this seven grain cereal from our local co-op, and it does not come with cooking instructions on the bag, so in between kicks I always forget how to cook it. So, for future reference, here is the recipe:

-- 1 cup dried seven grain cereal (the one I buy is steel-cut and takes a long time to cook)
-- 4 cups water
-- dash salt

Put ingredients in pot, bring to boil, simmer for 25 minutes on low, or until cooked through, stirring every few minutes. Eat immediately, with any of the following toppings:

-- brown sugar and milk
-- chopped apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, a little sugar microwaved for 1 minute until cooked
-- berries, microwaved with a little sugar or raw
-- savory oatmeal
-- anything else your brain can think up!

Makes 3 servings, leftovers can be refrigerated and re-heated throughout the week, mix up the toppings for variety.

-----------------------------------

For future reference, here are ingredients and nutrition information for a similar product,

Ingredients: organic whole grain cracked wheat, organic steel cut oats, organic whole grain barley grits, organic soybean grits, organic wheat bran, organic whole grain buckwheat grits, organic yellow corn grits, organic whole grain hulled millet.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/3 cup (44g)
Servings Per Container: 14
Amount Per Serving
Calories 140			Calories from Fat 10
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g							2%
	Saturated Fat 0g						0%
	Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg							0%
Sodium 0mg							0%
Potassium 290mg							8%
Total Carb. 28g							9%
	Dietary Fiber 6g						25%
	Sugars 0g
Protein 8g
Vitamin A		0%	•	Vitamin C			0%
Calcium		2%	•	Iron			10%
Thiamin		20%

Apple Cake

Very simple and very good, this apple cake is a recipe I don't want to lose. Everyone loved it at the New Years gathering I attended last night.  Happy New Year everyone!

Apple Cake

As seen on The Amateur Gourmet


Marie-Helene's Apple Cake
from Dorie Greenspan's "Around My French Table"


3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (I used the last of the box of local apples I bought months ago, a little shriveled but very good)


2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled


1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.

3. Peel the apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.

4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and, when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter.


5. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's evenish.


6. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.


7. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

Awesome pumpkin lasagna!

When I saw this recipe of a lasagna that was layered inside of a pumpkin, I was amazed. It looked so delicious! I immediately thought it was the kind of recipe I would admire from afar but never try to put together myself. THEN I saw sugar pumpkins on sale at NOWBC, and I decided to go ahead and try to make the lasagne myself. The rest is history.

I made a few substitutions, and ended up with not quite enough filling to fill my pumpkin to the top, but it turned out really good:


My very own lasagna layered inside a pumpkin! And it tasted great. Here is the recipe I used (tweaked to provide more filling that would actually fill the pumpkin next time), slightly adapted from the original recipe:

PUMPKIN LASAGNA

1 med sugar pumpkin, about 9 inches in diameter, mine was about 5 lbs
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ginger (big pinch)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (big pinch)


For the mushroom filling:
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 shallot, diced (or 1/2 onion, diced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 cup portabello or crimini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thinly
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme (could use sage instead)
1/4 cup white wine (or marsala wine, or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
approx. 2/3 c. pumpkin puree (made from the flesh of the roasted pumpkins)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound sunchokes (jerusalem artichokes), cleaned and diced into 1/2 inch dice -- (can substitute 12 chestnuts, diced, or 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped)
1 yellow or green zucchini, washed and sliced thinly
7 lasagna noodles, cooked and sliced in half (I always make a few extras in case I make a mistake)
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

For the bechamel:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk (I used 1% and I wouldn’t recommend using anything with less fat than that)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Begin by preparing your pumpkin. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and dry your pumpkins, then cut off the tops. You can save the tops to use as a garnish when you serve, but it’s not necessary. Scoop out the seeds and membrane, and either discard or keep the seeds to use to make roasted pumpkin seeds.

2. Rub the insides of your pumpkin with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ginger. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and the flesh is easy to scoop out.

3. Scoop a little flesh out of the pumpkin, but leave enough so that the pumpkin remains firm enough to support the lasagna you are going to bake inside of it. You should get about 2/3 cup of flesh. Mash up the pumpkin flesh as much as possible. Set the pumpkins and the puree aside.

3.5. Next, if you are using Sunchokes, you'll need to cook them. Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a frying pan on medium, and add in the diced sunchokes. Cook 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until brown on most sides and tasting good. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sunchokes never really get soft like potatoes.

4. Now, make your mushroom filling. Begin by melting a tablespoon of butter in a small pot or pan, then add in your diced shallot. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, cook for a minute or two, then add in the mushrooms, and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes, until softened. Add in the sprigs of thyme or minced sage, then add in the 1/4 cup of wine and cook over medium heat until the wine has mostly evaporated, another 8 minutes or so. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for a bit.

5. When the mushrooms have cooled, remove the stems from the thyme. Place the mushroom mixture in a bowl along with the ricotta cheese, pumpkin puree, sunchoke or nuts, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and taste, seasoning as you see fit. Set aside.

6. Now it is time to make your bechamel sauce and cook your lasagna noodles. Boil your water for the lasagna noodles, and cook them according to package directions. You can leave them in the water, off of the heat, for up to 10 minutes while you are assembling.

7. Melt your tablespoon of butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat, then add in the tablespoon of flour and whisk until combined. Do not let the roux brown or you will have to start over. Add in the cup of milk, whisking the whole time, then turn up the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and continue to whisk while you turn the heat down to medium-low, bringing the bechamel to a simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until reduced and thickened.

8. Now, assemble your lasagna. Start by placing half of a lasagna noodle at the bottom of your roasted pumpkin. Top with a dollop of your ricotta mixture, followed by some sliced zucchini, a teaspoon of bechamel, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Layer another noodle on top, then another dollop of the ricotta mixture, zucchini, bechamel, and Parmesan cheese. Continue until you’ve reached the top of your pumpkin. Be sure to press the mixture down every so often so that you can make as many layers as possible. I did about 4 layers in mine. For the last layer, lay down a lasagna noodle, then top with the remaining bechamel and Parmesan cheese.

9. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or so, until the cheese is bubbling and the filling has heated through. Serves 3-4, depending on how much you plan to eat.

Mahesh loved this recipe so I wanted to be sure to blog it before I forgot how I made it. It was time consuming but I think worth it, especially for a semi-special occasion. Or, in this case, Thursday. Also, it's not too unhealthy as far as lasagna goes. And, besides, how cute is that:


Right?

--- added on Jan 17 2012 ---

Okay, so I was making this and overcooked the pumpkin so it collapsed. SO I layered it all into a traditional lasagne and it was great! For that I did 2 layers of noodles (8), at least double the mushroom mixture, and 1.5 cups of bechamel. Probably a bit more parmesan too. Delicious! Even better than in the pumpkin because there's more other stuff, IMO.

Apple Crisp

OK so this recipe is one that I had made a million years ago, loved, and then forgot where I had found it. For years it was lost in the wilds of the internet, causing me to turn to other, lesser apple crisp recipes, but it has finally made its way home. Welcome home, Crisp. UPDATE April 7 2020 - We found this was too sweet so I reduced the sugar from 1 cup to 3/4 cup in both the apples and topping.

VERY GOOD APPLE CRISP

Ingredients

• 10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I like granny smith apples which are not as sweet as other apples and stay firm when cooked)
• 3/4 cup white sugar (can reduce if using sweeter apples)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan.
3. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples.
4. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 - 45 minutes, until apples are cooked and top is browning.

slightly adapted from allrecipes.com