Roasted Squash, Spinach and Caramelized Onion Lasagna (Sandra)

This recipe comes from the "Kitchy Kitchen" Blog. We had this at our last gourmet night- it is one of the best lasagna's I've had.

4 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes

16 oz spinach, washed and dried

3 onions, thinly sliced

1 lb lasagna strips (enough for three layers)

12 oz ricotta

3 balls buffalo mozzarella (or about 2-3 cups regular mozzarella)

1/2 cup grated parm (or any other hard cheese, I sometimes use gouda)

chili flake

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup basil, julienned

Olive oil

Butter

for the beschamel:

1 3/4 pints milk

several sprigs of parsley

1/4 teaspon nutmeg

10 peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon chili flake

1 bay leaf

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup grated parm

Preheat oven to 425F.  Drizzle the butternut squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the butternut squash for about 30 minutes, or under soft and browned.  Meanwhile, over medium heat, saute the spinach in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add 2 minced cloves of garlic and a pinch of chili flake.   It should be totally wilted.  Set aside on a paper towel to drain.  To caramelize the onions,  melt 1 tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the onions with a big pinch of salt and cook down for about 30-40 minutes (just be patient, it's worth it), until a dark brown.  Halfway through add the remaining two cloves of  minced garlic. Set aside.  

Boil the lasagna noodles until just al dente (one minute before what the box says to cook it to).  Set aside in a bowl of cool water (from the tap is fine).

Slice the mozzarella into 8 slices per ball.

For the beschamel:

Bring the milk and everything else except for the butter, flour, and pram to a simmer.  In a separate sauce pan, melt the butter and add the flour.  Stir until doughy and smelling a bit nutty (about one minute).  Strain in the milk about a half cup at a time, whisking to incorporate with the butter and flour mix.  It should be smooth and velvety, not chunky or too thick.  If it is, just add some more milk to thin it out.  Add the parm and set aside.

Pre heat the oven to 375

In a pyrex dish, place a layer of noodles, a bit of the veg, the mozzarella, dot with a third of ricotta, add the basil, and cover with a 1/4 of the beschamel.  Repeat three times, and finish with the remaining beschamel and grated parm.  

Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbling.  Turn the broiler on and bake for another 5 minutes, or until brown and crunchy on top.  Allow to sit for 20 minutes.  Enjoy

Primavera Pesto Pasta (Dorothy)

300 g. uncooked fettuccine noodles
1 cup fresh asparagus, cut diagonally into 1' lengths
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup (1/2 of 250 g. tub) herb & garlic cream cheese
1/2 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
1/4 cup Kraft Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pesto Parmesan Dressing
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta as directed, adding asparagus to the boiling water for the last minute.  Meanwhile heat large skillet on medium heat.  Add cream cheese, broth and dressing, cook until sauce just begins to thicken, stiring constantly.  Stir in peas and onions, cook 2 min. stiring occasionally.  Drain pasta mixture and add to sauce mixture in skillet.  Cook 1 min. or until heated through.  Top with basil.

Sesame Noodles (Dorothy)

300 g. uncooked spaghetti (I use rice noodles)
1 cup snow peas, cut in half
1 red pepper, cut in thin strips
1 cup matchstick carrots
3 green onions
2 Tbsp. smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup Kraft Asian Sesame dressing
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts

Cook spaghetti or rice noodles as directed on package adding snow peas to boiling water in the last 30 seconds.  Reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, drain noodles & peas. Mix peanut butter, Asian dressing and soy sauce.  Gradually stir in reserved water.  Place noodles and vegetables in large bowl.  Add peanut butter mixture and toss to coat.  Top with chopped peanuts.

Sundried-Tomato Chicken Pasta with Feta (Suzanne)

3 cups uncooked Brown Rice Penne Pasta
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 red onion - diced
1 zucchini - diced
1 yellow pepper - diced
1 1/2 cups carrots - peeled and diced
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes cut into bite size pieces ( I soak them in hot water to soften)
1/4 - 1/2 cup Sundried tomato dressing (Renee's brand - Sundried tomato and black olive)
1/2 cup Feta cheese - crumbled

Cook pasta in large pot boiling water (according to pkg directions do not over cook)
Using a large skillet, heat skillet and add 2 tbsp of dressing and the diced chicken pieces.  Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and remove the meat from the skillet.  Add another 2 - 3 tbsp of the dressing and add veggies.  Cook until tender.  Add sundried tomato pieces and chicken and top with crumbled feta.

Grilled Onion and Asparagus Risotto (Sandra)

1 lg red onion sliced into rounds
1 lb asparagus
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
4 shallots, finely chopped
1 c arborio rice
1/4 c med dry white wine
4 c hot chicken stock
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 c shredded aged white cheddar

Preheat grill to med-high. Toss together onion, asparagus, vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt & pepper. Place in a grill basket and grill 15 min. Remove from grill and coarsely chop.To prepare risotto, in a large saucepan heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil. Add the shallots and cook for 30seconds. Stir in the rice and cook 1 min, stirring constantly. Stir in the wine and reduce liquid by half. Add 1/2 c stock, stirring constantly,and waiting until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock. Continue this, until rice is tender but slightly resistant to the bite (15-20min). Stir in the onions, asparagus, thyme and cheddar cheese. Season with salt & pepper. Serves 4.

Mexican Chicken Manicotti - Jennifer

1 pkg         Manicotti
2c              Chicken - cooked and cubed
2c              Montery Jack Cheese - shredded and divided
11/2c         Cheddar Cheese - shredded
1c              Sour Cream
1 small       Onion - diced
1-4oz can  Green Chilies
1 can         Cream of Mushroom Soup
2/3c           Milk
1c              Salsa

Cook noodles.  In a large bowl combine chicken, 11/2 c  Montery Jack Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, sour cream, 1/2 of  the onion and 6 TBSP Chilies.
In another bowl combine soup, milk, salsa, remaining onion, and chilies. Spread 1/2c of this mixture in 9x13 pan. Stuff manicotti with 1/4c of the chicken mixture and put in pan.  Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.  Cover and bake at 350 for 30 min.  Uncover and sprinkle with remaining Montery Jack Cheese.  Bake 10 min. longer.

Lasagna ( Elsie)

1 pound Italian sausage
4 cups ( approx) tomato sauce (  I use plain tomato sauce and add garlic and Italian spice to it)
Lasagna noodles, 8 0r 9 strips are usually enough)
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
2 tbsp parsley flakes
2 beaten eggs
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

Take sausage out of casing  and brown, spoon off excess fat.
Cook noodles in large amount of salted boiling water.
Combine remaining ingredients except mozzarella cheese.
Place half the noodles in 9x13 baking dish; spread with half the ricotta cheese filling, top with half the mozzarella cheese, half the tomato sauce and half the meat. Repeat layers.
Bake @ 375 about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes or so to set before cutting into squares.
May be assembled earlier and refrigerated; allow 15 minutes longer in oven.