Creamy Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna

This recipe comes from the January 2013 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. I love that it only makes four servings. Most lasagna recipes make enough to feed an army (or at least a large gathering of folks). I wish it had fewer calories and I will definitely reduce the garlic. Otherwise, I think this will be wonderful!

Creamy Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 10-oz. package frozen leaf spinach
1 10-oz. package frozen broccoli florets
1 15-oz. container part-skim ricotta
6 oz. part-skim mozzarella, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup grated Romano cheese
1 cup whole milk
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces
Pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, ¼ each salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

While the onion is cooking, thaw the spinach and broccoli according to package directions. Squeeze the spinach of excess moisture and pat the broccoli dry. Roughly chop both and place in a large bowl. Mix in the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Romano.

Add the milk to the onions and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the cream cheese, nutmeg and remaining ¼ cup Romano. Gently simmer (do not boil), stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 ½ noodles (breaking as necessary to fit). Spread a third (about 1/3 cup) of the remaining sauce over the top. Dollop with a third (about 1 1/3 cups) of the ricotta mixture. Repeat twice.

Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella, cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the noodles are tender (a sharp knife should go through with no resistance) and the top is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings, at 662 calories per serving.

Ambrosia Cream Cheese Mold

My all-time favor cookbook is The Southern Living Cookbook. This recipe comes from that. It is the first cookbook I reach for when I need something right now. You probably know what I’m talking about.

In this case, I needed a congealed salad to take to church for the feeding of a family in mourning. I offered to bring a casserole or dessert. I was told they had plenty of those but really needed a congealed salad or a fruit salad. I quickly considered what I had on hand and volunteered to make a congealed salad. Have I mentioned that I generally don’t eat congealed salads so I rarely make them?

This one turned out wonderfully. Even I liked it. LOL It just tastes tropical. Of course, I did change things up a bit. I can’t seem to find a 15 ½-oz. can of pineapple chunks so I used an 18 oz. can. It worked just fine. I also didn’t have a fresh lemon so I used RealLemon juice. Oh, and instead of peeling an orange (which I did have) I used a small can of orange slices. And I left out the pecans because, while I love them, sometimes it’s not good to add nuts when you’re taking something off from home and you don’t know the folks who’ll be eating it all that well.

I also didn’t use a mold. I have several Tupperware molds. And if I’d had a day or two or a week or so I would have surely found one of them. But time was a factor so I opted to use a take-off-from-home container that I wouldn’t need to get back. It’s also easier to transport. When I take food for something like this, I always try not to take something that requires someone to wash and return a bowl to me. I figure the family or, in this case, the ladies organizing things have enough on their plate without added dish washing and delivery.

I did, however, put a little bit of the salad (before it had firmed up) in a small container and set it aside for me. I figured I probably needed to at least try the salad to make sure it was okay before I took it off from home. It was. Wonderful. Really. So good! I may have to make another one, even though I really don’t eat congealed salads. LOL

Ambrosia Cream Cheese Mold

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
½ cup cold water
1 (15 ½-oz) can pineapple chunks, undrained
1/3 cup sugar
Juice of one lemon
2 (3 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 orange, peeled, sectioned, and diced
½ cup flaked coconut
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute.

Drain pineapple, and reserve juice; add enough water to juice to make 1 cup. Place juice in a 2-quart saucepan; heat to boiling. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, lemon juice and cream cheese, using a wire whisk to blend. Chill until consistency of unbeaten egg white. Fold in pineapple chunks, orange, pecans, and coconut.

Spoon mixture into a lightly oiled 1-quart mold. Cover and chill until firm. Unmold on lettuce. Garnish with lemon slices, is desired.

Makes 6 servings.

St. Patrick's Day Green-and-White Cookies

How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Some of us simply ignore the day. Others might wear green (to keep from getting pinched) but otherwise just go about a normal day. Others really, really celebrate with parades and drink and a big party.

One town celebrates by hosting the world’s smallest St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Seriously. One person, dressed appropriately in green or other St. Paddy’s Day décor, walks down the street. Folks like the sidewalks and cheer. It’s great fun and a little ridiculous when you think about it. But, hey, it brings folks downtown and gives us all a reason to smile.

This recipe comes from the March 2013 issue of Family Circle magazine. It seems like the perfect hostess gift or festive snack for this awesome day.

St. Patrick’s Day Green-and-White Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2 minutes. Add buttermilk, egg and vanilla, beating until smooth. Gradually beat in dry ingredients until combined.

Chill batter for 15 minutes.

Drop batter in 2 tablespoon mounds onto ungreased baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 13 minutes, until just set. Remove from sheet onto a wire rack and cool.

Frosting

2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon mint extract
Green food coloring

Beat together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth and a good consistency, adding an extra 1 to 2 teaspoons milk if needed.

Into half the icing, beat in mint extract and a few drops green food coloring.

Spread half of the flat side of each cooking with white frosting. Let dry. Spread other half with green icing and allow it to dry.

Makes 24 cookies

Mac and Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

It was the photo that got me. I turned the Woman’s Day magazine (March 2013) as I finished it and there, staring up at me, was a scrumptious looking casserole. I had to read the ingredients. I had to share the recipe.

Easy Mac and Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

4 tablespoons Country Crock Spread, melted, divided
1 cup 2% milk
8 oz. cooked rotini pasta
2 cups diced cooked chicken
4 cups frozen vegetables, thawed
2 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine 3 tablespoons Country Crock with the milk, pasta, chicken, veggies and cheddar cheese in an 8-inch baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and remaining Country Crock in a small bowl; sprinkle on top.

Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings.

English Toffee

I’ve never been one to make candy. That was always what my Mother did. I baked. I love to bake. But sometimes you’ve just got to give in and make a little candy.

This recipe comes from a yellowed newspaper clipping. I have no idea which newspaper.

English Toffee

1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup milk chocolate, shaved

Sprinkle ½ cup almonds on buttered 10-x-6-inch baking pan.

Combine butter and brown sugar to medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to full boil. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches hard crack stage, or temperature of 290 degrees on candy thermometer, approximately 12 to 14 minutes.

Pour mixture over nuts. Sprinkle shaved chocolate on top of nut mixture. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.

When cool, break into pieces.

Makes 1 lb., or about 12 servings.

Parslied Buttermilk Biscuits

My Grandmother made the best biscuits ever. She would throw together the ingredients in her flour bowl, mix the ingredients with her hands, pat them into balls and place them in a greased pan. She dabbed a bit of grease on top and baked them until they were brown.

I wanted desperately to learn how to make those biscuits. And she was willing to teach me. But she couldn’t. She was one of those Southern cooks who never measured anything. By the time I came along, I don’t think she even thought about it as she made the biscuits. She’d just made so many over the years it was as natural as breathing to her.

This recipe comes from the November 1990 issue of Redbook magazine. Yeah. I know. Another clipping I saved. And, yes, I can make biscuits that are pretty good but not as good as the ones my Grandmother used to make.

Parslied Buttermilk Biscuits

2 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ solid vegetable shortening
2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¾ cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly green large cookie sheet.

Sift 1 ½ cups flour and salt into large bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in parsley.

Pour in buttermilk all at once; stir with fork until dough just holds together. Don’t overwork; dough should be wet, sticky and a little lumpy.

Flour hands with some of the reserved flour; pull off ¼-cup piece of wet dough. Toss dough lightly in bowl of flour to coat; roll gently into smooth ball between palms of hands. Inside of biscuit will still be very wet; place biscuit carefully on prepared cookie sheet.

Repeat procedure with remaining dough, flouring hands as necessary and placing biscuits as they are made on cookie sheet so they just touch. Pat each gently to flatten slightly.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Makes about 8 biscuits, at 202 calories per biscuit.

Note: If desired, use 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted with 5 teaspoons baking powder instead of self-rising flour. Increase salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

This recipe comes from Pillsbury. What a wonderful, tasty appetizer!

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

 

1 can (8 oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz.) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet

2 tablespoons ranch dressing

1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces or 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz.)

1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

 

If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12-x-4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12-x-4-inch rectangle.

 

Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions. Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Makes 16 servings.