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Chicken Lasagna

April 29, 2010 By Kate 9 Comments

A good lasagna is definitely right at the top of my list of comfort foods. I think I could honestly make a pan of lasagna just for myself and eat it every day until it was gone without getting tired of it. And I love all kinds of lasagna.

A few years, my step-sister-in-law told me about a casual wedding she went to where the reception was a potluck. Only it was no ordinary potluck – it was a lasagna potluck! Everyone was asked to bring a different kind of lasagna and to be as creative as possible. Now that’s my kind of party!

I know lasagna takes more effort than a lot of meals, but I always feel that the end product is so worth it. Plus, a 13×9 pan of lasagna will serve our family of 6 for 2 meals. So when I divide that prep time by time, it really isn’t bad at all. And I can’t think of a meal that’s any more stolen moments friendly than this one since everything can be made in stages and the lasagna itself can sit in the fridge all day before being baked.

Chicken Lasagna

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 small zucchini (or 1/2 a large one), diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 c. frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 16 oz. container ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 t. Italian seasoning
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. garlic powder
  • 1/2 t. black pepper
  • 1/3 c. butter or margarine
  • 1/3 c. flour
  • 3 c. milk
  • 2 c. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 t. nutmeg
  • 1/4 t. black pepper
  • 9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
  • 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Dice the zucchini, onion and carrots until finely chopped. Add to the skillet with the chicken. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the spinach and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder and pepper.

4. While the chicken and veggies cook, melt 1/3 c. butter or margarine in a sauce pan. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, bring to a slow a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and pepper.

5. In a 13×9 casserole dish, pour a thin layer of the Parmesan cheese sauce. Top with 3 cooked lasagna noodles. Spread a layer of chicken and veggie filling on top of the noodles and pour on more Parmesan sauce. Continue repeating layers until done, ending with a layer of the Parmesan sauce. Top with shredded cheese.

6. Cover lasagna with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Make sure to check out all the great Foodie Friday offerings at Designs By Gollum.

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Meatball Marinara Subs

April 28, 2010 By Kate 1 Comment

On the weekends, we always love to have a dinner that is a little different, a little fun, and definitely conducive to a fun family night of movie watching or game playing. It’s always a bit of a challenge for me to come up with something new though. I tend to rely on our stand-bys of nachos, homemade appetizers or pizza. And while those three options are always a hit, we all welcome a little mix up in the routine every so often.

Enter these Meatball Marinara Subs. Although they’re not necessarily eating-on-the-couch food, they do work perfectly for a family game night around the table. Plus, they are completely stolen moments friendly. That means I can make them as I have time throughout the day or even the day before. So I get more time to enjoy the family during family night. After all, that’s the most important thing!

Meatball Marinara Subs

  • 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/4 onion, diced
  • 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 2 t. Italian seasoning
  • 2 t. sugar
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. black pepper
  • 1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
  • Meatballs (use frozen, your favorite recipe or these Parmesan Meatballs)
  • Sliced mozzarella cheese
  • Hoagie/sub rolls

1. In a food processor or blender, process diced tomatoes with garlic and onion until everything is broken down but still a little chunky.

2. Add diced tomato mixture, tomato paste, tomato sauce and seasonings to a large skillet. Bring to a slow boil and simmer about 15-20 minutes, until sauce is thickened.

3. Add meatballs to the skillet and heat through. Spoon meatballs and sauce on hoagie rolls and top with sliced mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and rolls are just slightly crispy.

This marinara sauce is thick, but that’s the point. I wanted a sauce that would cling to the meatballs without running and dripping all over the place.

You can add any additional toppings onto the subs that you’d like. My husband enjoyed the subs a lot, but said they would have been much better with the addition on some fried onions and mushrooms on top. Personally, I liked them just they way they were (although I do see his point…fried onions and mushrooms make lots of things better!) and so did the kids.

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Parmesan Meatballs

April 27, 2010 By Kate 4 Comments

I ordinarily use a very simple recipe when I make meatballs. In fact, I actually use the same recipe for meatballs that I use for my meatloaf. It just makes it easier when I’m working with a bunch of ground beef at a time for a batch cooking session. I usually start with 5 pounds of ground beef and make a traditional meatloaf or meatloaf cups and then I turn the rest of the mixture into meatballs.

But sometimes, I want our meatballs to be a little different so that they can stand on their own. If I want to add something special to a spaghetti dinner or make a yummy batch of meatball marina subs (recipe coming tomorrow), I’ll whip up a batch of these Parmesan Meatballs. The Parmesan cheese adds a little extra flavor and bite to the meatballs, not to mention the ooey goodness of melted cheese in every bite.

Parmesan Meatballs

  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 c. bread crumbs
  • 1 c. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 T. finely minced onion
  • 2 T. tomato paste
  • 2 t. Italian seasoning
  • 1 t. garlic powder
  • 1 t/ salt
  • 1/2 t. black pepper
  • 1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix together until well combined. (I usually use my hands for this, but I love Amy’s idea of using a potato masher too.)

2. Roll into evenly sized balls. I tend to make these bigger than ordinary meatballs just because I consider them something special and I like to make sure they stand out!

3. Place on a baking pan or in a casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until fully cooked.

These meatballs make a killer meatball sub! I can’t wait to share that yummy recipe with you tomorrow.

Until then, what are your favorite ways to serve meatballs?

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