Lasagne Roll-ups

I don't know if I can take credit for this techinique, but one time after making lasagne, I had leftover ingredients.  I decided to put the filling in some leftover noodles and rolled them up.  This is what I came up with and I actually like it better because it is easier to serve and does not fall apart like traditional lasagne.

12 lasagne noodles

1 lb. ground beef or sweet Italian sausage, browned and drained

(the demonstration used 1 lb. beef and ½ lb. sausage)

24 oz. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 t. dried basil or 2 T. fresh basil
1 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. nutmeg
½ c. parmesan cheese
2 c. mozzarella cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Cook noodles until soft enough to roll (about 6 minutes from the time you place them into the boiling water); stir constantly so that they do not stick together.  Drain and cool the noodles on cookie sheet. 

Mix ricotta, eggs, and spices. 

Brown meat; drain, and add sauce. 

Spread ricotta mixture and mozzarella cheese over a noodle.  Roll up and place seam side down into dish that is greased and has a layer of sauce. 


Pour remaining sauce over rolls and top with parmesan and mozzarella.  For more intense flavor, rinse out your spaghetti sauce jar with ¼ c. red wine, and add to sauce.

Bake at 350º for 45-60 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Petite Cheese Cakes

2 8oz. packages cream cheese (room temperature)
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
½ t. vanilla extract

Cream cheese and sugar together.  Add each egg separately and cream well.

Place small paper liners into tassie pans.  Use small liners.  Fill each to the top, using a pastry bag or large Ziplock bag with the corner cut.

Bake in a 350º oven for 20 mintues.  Cool on wire rack.  Cheese cakes will fall slightly as they cool, making a perfect indentation for filling.

Refrigerate, then fill and serve.  Fill with any kind of canned pie filling (cherry was used for the photos).  Makes 3 dozen.

Creamed Garden Fresh Beans with New Potatoes

Some foods take me back to my childhood.  Every summer, one of the first dishes my mother prepared was this one.  The recipe was passed down from generation to generation.  Mom had her own method of making the cream sauce for this delicious dish.  Several years ago, I came across a simpler recipe that I actually like better and has a much fresher taste.  I hope you will try this recipe.

2-3 c. fresh green beans (I used a mixture of greeen and wax beans), washed and cut into bite-sized pieces.
12-14 new potatoes, washed and cut in half (leave the skins on)
8oz. cream cheese
½ c. milk
½ t. salt
3-4 T. minced chives

Wash beans and trim stem end off.  Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Wash 12-14 new potatoes and cut in half (leave the skins on).

Place into a pot and cover with cold water.

Bring to a boil and simmer until the beans and potatoes are tender (do not overcook).  Drain in a collander.

In a microwave oven-safe bowl, cut 8oz. cream cheese into cubes.  Add milk and salt.  Heat in microwave for 60 seconds and stir.  Continue heating in 60 second intervals, until sauce is smooth.

Pour beans and potatoes into serving dish.  Pour sauce over beans and potatoes, and toss with spoon.  Sprinkle with chives.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe also works well with fresh peas instead of the beans.  This recipe can also be halved, for fewer servings.

Shrimp Royale

1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 med. onion, chopped
1 c. celery, finely diced
2 4oz. cans crabmeat, drained well
24 cooked shrimp, tails removed
2 T. dill weed
dash hot pepper flakes
1½ c. mayonnaise
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. buttered cracker crumbs (2 T. butter)
juice from half lemon

In a large bowl, combine the bell peppers, onion, and celery.  Add the crabmeat, seasonings, and lemon juice.  Place in buttered 1qt. casserole dish.  Melt butter and add to cracker crumbs; sprinkle over mixture.  Bake at 350º (uncovered) for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Crab-stuffed tilapia with beurre blanc sauce

Crab Stuffing:
2 6oz. can crabmeat, drained
1 c. mayonnaise
1 T. dijon mustard
1 c. soft bread crumbs
3/4 c. half and half
½ c. chopped shallots
¼ c. chopped green olives
2 T. chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside

Tilapia:
4-6 tilapia fillets (fresh or frozen) - rinse in cold water and dry with paper towel.  Coat both sides of fillets with salt and pepper.

Place fillet on flat surgace (tail end toward you).  Put a generous layer of crab mixture on top of the fillet.  Start in at the tail end and roll up to the wider end of the fish and secure with toothpicks or string to keep in a tight roll.  Lay in a greased baking dish, seam side down.  Slice one lemon into ¼ inch slices and place between each roll.  Top with additional salt, pepper, and paprika.  Add one pat of butter to each roll. 

 

Preheat oven to 375º.  Cover dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until fish is flaky and stuffing appears to be cooked through.

Beurre Blanc Sauce:
While fish is baking, add the following to a saucepan:
¼ c. dry white wine (chardonnay)
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 T. minced shallots



Over medium high heat, simmer until reduced by half (approx. 3-4 minutes).  Then, add 1 T. heavy cream and cook for another 1-2 minutes, but do not boil.  Remove from heat.  Slowly with a whisk, add 1 c. butter, cut into pats. (If using unsalted butter, add salt to taste).

Next, add the following:
1 T. lemon juice
¼ t. lemon zest
2 t. thyme, chopped
2 t. parsley, chopped
2 t. chives, chopped

Serve with your favorite rice side dish (wild rice, pictured) and pour sauce over fish.

Swedish Chef's Cabbage Rolls (Kåldolmar)

The Swedes call them kåldormar.  The Polish call them golabki.  Everyone else refers to them as "pigs in a blanket", "cabbage rolls", or even "Polish hand grenades".  Whatever you call them and whatever recipe you use, they are delicious!

As a child, my father made the Swedish kåldormars.  Rather than cooking it in spaghetti sauce, his were simmered in beef broth.  I prefer to make them the way my wife did, using spaghetti sauce and sauerkraut. (Italian and German influence).


1 large head or 2 small heads of cabbage
2-2½lb. meatloaf mix (beef, veal, pork)
1 small onion, diced
½c. rice
1c. water
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 egg
16oz. jar sauerkraut, drained
24oz. jar spaghetti sauce + 1c. water

In a large pot, add about ½ inch water.  Tear off any damaged or spotted cabbage leaves from the head.  Remove core and place cabbage in pot with cored end up.  Cover and steam to loosen leaves.  Remove and allow to cool on baking sheet.

Using a paring knife, remove the ribs from the cooled leaf.  Try not to cut a hole in the leaf (this will make the leaf easier to roll). 

In a bowl, combine meat, diced onion, allspice, salt, pepper, and egg.



In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup rice and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil and cover.  Remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes with lid on, then remove lid and allow to cool.  Rice may be a little firm, but will be cooked further in the cabbage rolls.

Add cooled rice to meat mixture and mix by hand until well incorporated.

Spray a large dutch oven or 2qt. casserole with cooking spray.  Line the bottom of the pan with some of the smaller cooked pieces of cabbage.

Lay cabbage leaf on surface with ribbed end facing you.  Make a football-shaped meatball appropriate to the size of the cabbage leaf.  Fold rib end over meatball, then sides.  Continue to roll until all of the leaf is used and place into baking dish, seam side down.

Continue to roll until you have the first layer completed.

Empty 16oz. jar of sauerkraut in a strainer and rinse with cold water.  Allow to drain.  Cover first layer of cabbage rolls with sauerkraut and continue rolling the second layer just the same as the first, covering with final layer of kraut.

Any meat left over can be made into meatballs and cooked with the casserole (for non-cabbage roll lovers).  Cover with the jar of spaghetti sauce.  Tomato juice can be subtituted.

Pour 1 cup water around the sides of the casserole.  Cover and heat oven to 350º and bake for 1½-2 hours or until sauce is bubbly.

I like to serve these with mashed potatoes.