Inspired Lasagna (GF, nut free)

I've titled this blog entry "inspired" as the universe was poking at me today in an effort, I believe, to get me to make something Italian for dinner. I was up in the middle of the night last night and came across this delicious looking Italian chicken dish via Pinterest, which originated at the blog Our Story. That was the first inkling. Then,  I read my friend Deborah Sissions blog entry at Messy Cooker where she made spaghetti for 15 people, including noodles from scratch. Goodness, I have one of those attachments for my Kitchen Aid, but have not attempted anything so daunting. Kudos to her for both the number of people she fed and for not going to box noodle route. Finally, this afternoon I enjoyed a little me time and watched two of my favorite cooking shows. Bobby Dean's new show Not My Mama's Meals was dedicated to lightening up his mother's lasagna (and if you saw the calorie count for both a slice of his mama's lasagna and her dessert, you'd nearly choke; all I could say was "wow"). Bobby's recipe included a few things I adapted in my version: 1) a 90/10 ground beef for the meat, and 2) he incorporated mushrooms into the red sauce, along with the beef, to get a more meaty texture with fewer calories. Next, I tuned into America's Test Kitchen to watch Christopher Kimball and staff make a very tasty looking vegetarian lasagna that featured zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant. I found a non-AMT copy of it for you so have provided the link. I learned a few things from watching ATK as well:  1) use two types of "sauce" in your lasagna - a traditional tomato sauce and a alfredo like white sauce, and 2) cook your veggies before assembling the casserole layers.

With so many instances in a 24 hour period, I called "uncle" to the universe and accepted it as divine inspiration that my family was going to have something Italian for dinner. After a quick trip to the store to gather a few ingredients that I didn't already have on hand, I was ready to start. 

I've outlined everything below in case you want to recreate my version. I have to say that this is probably the best lasagna I've ever made. I've tried many, many different approaches to lasagna over the years, but the mushroom/beef mixture was really meaty and good, while the alfredo and veggie mixture added a creaminess you don't get from the traditional ricotta filling. Finally, when the red sauce and the alfredo come together as you cut through the layers on your plate, the coupling is pretty darn good. Yep, for me, this one is a keeper. It doesn't mean I won't try my hand at other lasagna recipes in the future, but when we want something hearty and satisfying, this will be my go to recipe for sure!

~Enjoy


Inspired Lasagna

The Red Sauce

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1 carton sliced white button mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 large red onion, medium dice
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil 
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
• 2 tbsp dried parsley, crushed in your hand to release flavor
• 1 tsp dried marjoram, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp minced garlic, I use the jar type (I know, I know)
• a good size pinch of kosher salt
• pepper to taste
• EVOO

The White Sauce & Veggie Layer

• 1 small container (8 oz or so) Buitoni alfredo sauce
• 3 cups zucchini, small dice
• 2 cups matchstick carrots
• salt and pepper to taste
• EVOO

Between the Layers:

• Gluten free lasagna noodles, I use De Boles rice noodles
• 1 16 oz block of part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater
• 4 oz of grated parmesan

Pre-heat oven to 350. Place a 5 quart dutch oven over medium heat and add enough EVOO to skim the pan. Add the onion and mushroom and stir. Allow mushroom/onion mixture to cook until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add the dried herbs and garlic to the pan and stir. Allow garlic to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to keep it from burning. Add the ground beef to the pan along with the salt and pepper. Break up the meat with your cooking spoon and stir frequently to ensure all pieces are cooked through. Add both cans of tomatoes to the pan and stir to incorporate. Turn the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer while you cook and assemble the vegetable layer.

Place a medium large skillet over medium heat and skim with EVOO. When the oil shimmers, add the zucchini and carrots. Stir to ensure all are covered with the oil and allow to cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat. Place the alfredo sauce in a medium heat proof bowl and stir in the cooked vegetables being careful to cover all of the vegetable pieces with the sauce.

Spray or brush a 13x9 glass casserole dish with EVOO or cooking oil of your choice. Ladle in enough of the mushroom/meat sauce to cover the bottom of the dish with appx 1/2 inch of sauce (you will need the moisture to cook the noodles). Layer with 3 lasagna noodles running the length of the pan. You will have space left at the end of each row of noodle. Break one more lasagna noodle into thirds and use each piece of broken noodle to complete the row so that all of the noodles reach from one end of the pan to the next. You will see that there's a bit of space between the rows of noodles. I used to worry about this and fret over layering my noodles from top to bottom, side to side, but have found that the dish is just as yummy, with a few less calories, if I use a minimum of noodles. So, I make two noodle layers and don't sweat the small amount of space between them. Top the first noodle layer with a few more ladles of red sauce to ensure even coverage.

Next, place the veggie alfredo layer on top of the meat and mushroom sauce, spreading the veggie mixture evenly to cover the entire pan. Top with the second layer of lasagna noodles using the same technique as above. I do try to alternate the end with the broken pieces of lasagna for stability, so if the first layer lays from left to right with the broken noodles on the right, I alternate the next noodle layer so that the broken noodles are on the left. This helps, I think, with stability. Top the second layer of noodles with enough red sauce to fully cover them.

You are now ready to bake your lasagna. Cover the casserole with foil and place in the middle of the preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. When the time is up, remove the pan from the oven and the foil from the pan. Sprinkle the final layer of cheese on the top of the casserole and return it to the oven for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted. 

Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 to 30 minutes. I find that if I begin serving the lasagna lengthwise, rather than cutting it across the short end of the pan, I have less mess and the whole thing stays together a bit better so future servings are as yummy as the first ones from the pan.

Serve with a green salad and red wine of your choice.

Weekend Roast Chicken

I laughed a bit when I titled this post. I was looking for a way to differentiate this roast bird from the crock pot version I make on week days, so, viola, it must be a weekend version!!! In theory, you could make this chicken in the crock pot too, I suppose. You'd miss out on the super crackly deep brown skin though and I'm not sure the wine would cook out to something mild and delicious, but hey, give it a try and let me know how it works out. Who knows, maybe there's a crock pot chicken two just waiting to be shared :)

I like to make this roast chicken when we have company, when I have extra time and want a special meal for my darling family, or when I just find myself craving it. It's super easy, so if you're in the cooking mood, you can add some special sides. I love to serve this with homemade mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. Risotto would be nice too since you can use the same wine in both recipes and get that symbiosis that makes food go together so well on one plate. 

If you find yourself in the fortunate situation of having leftover chicken -  sometimes the bird is just picked clean, as was the case the last time I made it for visiting family members - it's terrific in a simple salad or, a really good lunchbox sammie with slices of the chicken, some really good mayo and high quality bread (in our case, GF of course). 

Whatever you decide to add to the menu on the first serving or to do with the leftovers, please just make it. Yep, it's that good!

Weekend Roast Chicken

• 1 good quality whole chicken, the best you can buy
• 2 celery stalks, clean and cut into large chunks
• 3 carrots, large, clean and cut into large chunks
• 1 large onion, clean and cut into wedges
• 1 bunch fresh herbs appropriate for poultry (sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
• good white wine
• fresh ground black pepper
• Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange celery stalks, carrots, onion wedges and fresh herbs in the bottom of a heavy pan that has a tight fitting lid. I use my 5 qt Dutch oven or a ceramic baker that came with a lid. Wash your bird thoroughly, letting fresh cold water run through it until clear. Set the chicken on a stack of paper towel that you've placed on a plate, cutting board, etc. and dry it thoroughly with more paper towel. Set bird in the center of the carrot, celery, onion and herbs. Pour enough white wine in the pan that it comes an inch or so up the side of the bird. You don't want too much or the skin won't crisp nicely (I know, I've made that mistake). You want just enough to provide delicious steam for the bird to absorb while cooking and so that you have a lovely pan sauce when you're done. Cover the bird generously with salt and pepper, place the lid carefully on top and put the whole thing in the oven. 

Allow your chicken to roast covered for the first hour, then remove the lid and allow to roast uncovered for approximately 90 minutes or until the juices run clear. If you're having a bit of trouble getting the thighs and legs to fully cook, make an incision around the leg to let in more heat and allow this part of the bird to fan out a bit and finish cooking. I had to do this the last time I made this recipe and it really improved the cooking time, which meant that my chicken didn't dry out and everything was cooked through. 

I like my chicken to be well done, no pink even close to the bone and the meat is tender and soft. This way, I always get a juicy bird that come off the bone easily and makes carving and eating a breeze. 

Once the chicken is done, remove the pan from the oven. Place the chicken on a large plate, platter or cutting board (not the same one you used when it was raw!!!!). Place a strainer over a large bowl and pour the juices, veggies and herbs through it so that you capture all of the lovely juices that have collected in the bottom of the pan. Discard the veggies and herbs and place the juices back into the pan you cooked the chicken in or reserve for the second day if you don't want to serve pan sauce right away.

Place the pan with the juices on a burner and turn it to medium high. Allow the juices to come to a boil and reduce by 1/3. Add either a slurry of cornstarch and cold water or cream/half & half to the liquid (just a few tablespoons), some fresh chopped herb that you used in the bottom of the pan and, if you're really going for broke, a nob of butter (1 tbsp), unsalted of course. Taste sauce for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Serve along side bird.

One last little thought on this chicken. I've made it with all types of white wine, including the sparking variety like Champagne and Prosecco. What you get is generally a bit sweeter sauce, but a lovely bird that's fit for a special occasion. 

~Enjoy!