National Lasagna Day:Messy Lasagna
National Lasagna Day
In celebration of National Lasagna Day, I wanted to share another one our our favorite Lasagna recipes. My family enjoys Lasagna and is always asking for seconds. This is an easy recipe for busy families and could be made on a meal planning day and frozen.
Messy Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage links, casings removed
1/2 cup onioned, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3 cups , 2 ounces (26 ounces) marinara sauce (homemade is better and can be made on your meal planning day)
4 eggs
1 32 ounce container ricotta cheese (can substitute with cream cheese)
2 cups (8 ounces) mozzerella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 16 ounce package lasagna noodles
Extra parmesan cheese for topping
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large 8 quart stockpot, bring water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions.
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion, garlic, beef and sausage, cooking over medium heat until meat mixture is no longer pink.
Add sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes.
In a 2 quart mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs with whisk. Add ricotta (or cream cheese & cottage cheese), parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
To assemble lasagna, place 2 Tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of a rectangular baker/dish. Top with meat mixture. Spoon ricotta mixture over sauce. Sprinkle mozzerella cheese over ricotta mixture. Repeat layers. Top with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until cheese on top is slightly brown. Serve.
*Recipe Note: If frozen, cook for 45-50 minutes.
Try my Easy Weeknight Lasagna recipe.
As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.com.
Visit my new Amazon Kitchen Store for some of my recommeneded appliances, storage and kitchen needs along with some of my favorite cookbooks and aprons to help you with your family meal planning. For high quality kitchen tools for your kitchen, visit www. NoelsKitchen.com
Would you like to join our growing Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.
Kids Can Have Fun Making Fruity Snacks!
Put some sparkle into snacktime with these Fruity Gelatin Snacks!
Kids Can Have Fun Making Fruity Snacks!
Rubbermaid has these wonderful TakeAlongs Twist&Seal Containers that I use in the kid’s lunch boxes during the school year. They are small enough to fit inside of the lunch boxes perfectly. They have a leak-proof seal which make them great for storing liquids and snacks. Plus, if you need to microwave the contents, the handles stay cool when food is hot. When the kids are not in school, healthy snacks during the summer are just as important for a busy mom to think about. Why spend extra money on those pudding or fruit snacks at the grocery store when you can make your own at home!
It’s real easy to do and the kids can help too! Empyty your favorite gelatin into a bowl, follow package instructions (with some adult supervision for the young ones of course), toss in some of their favorite fruit and pour gelatin mixture in. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. The kids now have an easy snack they can pull right out of the fridge. When their done, wash containers and make more when needed.
Recipe Note: Fill the containers with Fruit Cocktail, Applesauce, Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Jello or as a special treat Pudding.
To get your Rubbermaid TakeALongs Twist&Seal Containers visit Rubbermaid.
These containers are very easy and economical when it comes to saving money on your grocery bill. Snacks for kids don’t have to expensive, but they should be healthy.
As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.com.
Visit my new Amazon Kitchen Store for some of my recommeneded appliances, storage and kitchen needs along with some of my favorite cookbooks and aprons to help you with your family meal planning. For high quality kitchen tools for your kitchen, visit www. NoelsKitchen.com
Would you like to join our growing Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.
Whole Wheat Strawberry Crepes With Vanilla Yogurt Sauce
Did somebody say Crepes?
Crepes are an easy and economical way to change up a meal or impress your family or while entertaining guests. There are many types of crepes, ranging from appetizers to main courses to desserts. I have included a great basic whole wheat batter, to include a wonderful strawberry and vanilla yogurt sauce filling. But don’t stop here – get experimental! Try different flours or liquids in your crepes (even things like juices or lemon-soda) and the types of fillings are endless! Basically, if something is good on its own, its probably good in a crepe! This is a very elegant way to serve casseroles, too.
Whole Wheat Strawberry Crepes With Vanilla Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
Batter:
2 cups skim milk
4 eggs
1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons confectioners sugar
3 Tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon salt
Filling:
2 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup plain nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
Directions:
In a mixing bowl combine, combine eggs, vanilla, sugar and butter. Slowly whisk in flour and whisk until all ingredients are combined.
In another mixing bowl, add strawberries and lemon juice. Lightly stir. Add Tablespoon of maple syrup to yougurt and stir until combined. Set aside.
Preheat your skillet or frying pan to medium heat. Rub with oil or a non-sticking spray can be used. Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet, immediately tilt and tip skillet so that the bottom is completely covered and even. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Flip crepe and cook for another minute. Slide crepe onto plate. Pile crepes on top of each other and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Spoon strawberries onto each crepe and add the vanilla yogurt sauce. Serve.
What are some of your favorite crepe fillings?
Recipe Note: Crepes can be made ahead of time on your meal planning day and frozen. To Freeze Crepes: Pile crepes one on top of the other with a sheet of waxed paper in between. Thaw for 15 minutes before filling.
As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.
Would you like to join our Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.
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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
When it comes to meal planning, soups provide the eqivalent of culinary flextime. Soups can be prepared days or even weeks ahead of time, then reheated at your convenience. I like to make a huge pot on the weekends, refrigerate it for weekday lunches or freeze. The flavors of a soup improve the longer they sit and they freeze very well. Tomato soup is my all time favorite. The rich and creamy flavors of the soup are fantastic and I like to add different things just to vary the taste. I start off with my base recipe, Creamy Tomato Soup and add other ingredients. Mezzetta has always offered good quality products. Their Roasted Red Peppers are sun ripened in California and then flame roasted to sear in their smooth rich succulent flavor. I added a jar of these to my Creamy Tomato soup recipe and it added a great rich flavor.
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock/broth (I like to make my own stock ahead of time and freezer. When I need it, I pull it out of freezer.)
6 cups crushed tomato or Italian stewed tomatoes with seasoning
1 jar Mezzetta Roasted Red Peppers
2 cups heavy cream or milk
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 Tablespoons Italian seasonings
Directions:
Combine broth, tomatoes and red peppers in a large pot over moderate heat. When soup starts to bubble, stir in heavy cream or milk and reduce heat to low. Season with a little salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and simmer gently 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve bowls of soup with sandwiches, salad, bread or homemade baked potato fries.
Recipe Note: Soups usually include fresh or dried herbs. Fresh herbs tend to give up their flavors easily, so make to add them toward the end of your cooking time. Dried herbs and spices tend to hold their flavors and require lots of cooking time to bring their flavors out. Any use of salt, should be added late and after you taste tested your recipe. 
As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.
Inspiring More Families Around The Dinner Table More Often. Eating out is Expensive….Eating With Family Is Priceless
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Easy Pizza Sauce
Our son loves my homemade pizza. By request for his birthday dinner on Friday, he asked me to make him homemade pizza. This is a basic pizza or spaghetti sauce that I make in the crock pot. I love when sauces simmer for long periods of time. The flavors incorporate together for a rich and savory sauce. I use this simple recipe when I make my homemade pizzas. The best thing about this sauce is you can adjust the flavor to your liking. Making your own pizza or spaghetti sauce is simple and definitely saves money your grocery bill.
Easy Pizza Sauce
Ingredients:
1 29 ounce can tomato sauce
2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano seasoning
1 28 ounce can tomatoes in tomato juice
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Basil
1/8 teaspoon Marjoram leaves
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Directions:
Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook 4-6 hours. Use as pizza or spaghetti sauce. Store in air-tight containers in your freezer and pull out when ready to use.
Make Ahead Meals:Crock Pot Vegetable Soup
I love the idea that dinner is cooking even when I’m away at the office, and I absolutely enjoy the aroma when I walk in the door. Whether it’s a pot roast, chicken and dumplings, beef stew or simply a soup-what could be easier! Slow cooking is the easiest cooking technique ever developed.
I always have at least one slow cooker meal a week using leftovers or ingredients on hand in the pantry. Slow cookers are great for convenience. This recipe was created for my Slow Cooker Thursday. I used the vegetables I hand on hand and some of the whole wheat pasta noodles from my Smoked Brats Spinach & Cheese Pasta Bake recipe I made for Tuesday night’s meal. By using similar ingredients throughout your week’s menu plan you are saving a lot of time and making your cooking much easier.
Crockpot Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
4 cups broth (Turkey, Chicken Vegetable or Beef)
1 28 ounce can peeled tomatoes
1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup spinach
1 cup baby Bella sliced mushrooms
1 15 ounce can red kidney beans drained
1 1/2 cups whole wheat spiral pasta noodles
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Add ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on low heat 6-8 hours.
Slow Cooking Tip: Save time with patience. Each time you open the lid, built up steam escapes. This can delay your cooking time by 2o minutes. There’s no need to peek under the lid anyway. The great thing about slow cooking is that it takes care of itself.
Busy Mom Family Meal Planning:Smoked Brats, Spinach and Cheese Pasta Bake
Busy Mom Family Meal Planning
It’s such a relief when you know what’s for dinner-even when your family plans change at the last minute-at least you’ve got a PLAN, so you can adapt to whatever happens!
This recipe is part of my Monthly Menu Planning for Busy Moms. Tuesday night’s menu theme was Pasta. Pasta is a great base ingredient for other foods. And it’s a fantastic and fun way to get your spouse and especially the kids to eat more of their veggies or introduce new ones.
Dried pasta keeps forever on your pantry shelf and takes only 8-10 minutes to cook. A great tip on adding some flavor to your pasta is to add the salt late. Pasta cooked without salt tends to have a flat taste. Add the salt just as the water starts to boil. Otherwise, the salty flavor will become too concentrated as the water evaporates during heating.
I found a similar recipe on a fellow FoodBuzz blog and made my own version with the ingredients I had on hand. It was quite tasty and I was able to introduce Spinach in a different way to the kids.
Smoked Brats, Spinach and Cheese Pasta Bake
Ingredients:
1 (1 pound) package whole wheat spiral pasta noodles
1 pound smoked Brats
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 can (28 ounce) Itlalian style peeled tomatoes
1 package pre-washed spinach leaves
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese (leftover ingredients from Monday night’s recipe)
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta, set aside.
In a large skillet, cook smoked Brats, onion and garlic over medium heat until browned and onions are tender. Add salt, pepper and tomatoes with their juices. Chopping tomatoes and stirring. This is where one of my kitchen tools come in handy. The Mix n Chop is a great tool to have in the kitchen. Perfect for chopping foods while their cooking and it’s great for mashing potatoes.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture and spinach.
Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. I used my Deep Covered Baker for this recipe. I can cook just about anything in it. It retains heat so my just-out-of -the-oven foods stay hot longer. Top with half of Cheddar Jack cheese mixture. Repeat with pasta mixture, Cheddar Jack Cheese and top with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Would you like to join our Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.
Inspiring More Families Around The Dinner Table More Often. Eating out is Expensive….Eating With Family Is Priceless
Traditional Family Favorite Dishes:Gnocchi with Roasted Pepper and Spinach Sauce
Traditional Family Favorite Dishes
Gnocchi was one of my favorite traditional family meals growing up and an amazing dish that I remember fondly as a child. It is a very simple dish to make with practice. Gnocchi are potato dumplings that are cooked like pasta. Gnocchi should be very light and delicate. If they are heavy, you’ve used too much flour. In this recipe, you’ll want to slowly add the flour a little at a time. This recipe calls for three simple ingredients: potato, egg and flour. It’s a very budget-friendly meal to make for your family. Serve it with your favorite sauce. Today, I made a Roasted Pepper and Spinach Sauce. This is the first time I created this sauce and it came out rich and creamy.
Gnocchi with Roasted Pepper and Spinach Sauce
Gnocchi Ingredients:
8 Russett potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 egg
1 cup flour
Directions:
Fill a large pot with cold water. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Add potatoes.
Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender throughout, approximately 45 minutes or easily pierced with a fork. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon. Do not get rid of the water, you will use it later when cooking the Gnocchi. Let potatoes cool.
Once cooled, spoon the potatoes into a potato press. I happen to have a great potato press kitchen tool that not only lets me press potatoes, it also is a cookie press. Very easy to use. (You can visit my link to the Kitchen Store on my homepage for this perfect kitchen tool.) Press potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Using a spatula or simply your fingers, press the potatoes lightly together.
Whisk the egg and add to potatoes. Add flour a little at a time. Using a spatula, incorporate the ingredients together making sure you scrap the bottom and sides of bowl have flour thouroughly incorporated and a light dough consistency. The dough should be moist, but not sticky.
Taking a little at a time, roll out into a log shape. Cut with a serated knife at an angle.
Place on a cookie sheet. You can shape the Gnocchi with a fork, your thumb or simply leave them as they are. Cover with plastic wrap if you are not using right away.
Reheat the water from boiling the potatoes and bring to a boil. Drop Gnocchi in boiling water in batches.
I usually cook 20 at a time. They are done when they float to the top.
I usually give them one quick light stir and remove them with a slotted spoon onto a serving dish or bowl, making sure all the water is drained off. Soggy Gnocchi doesn’t taste very good. Continue to cook the Gnocchi until all are cooked.
Add your favorite sauce or I chose a new creation; Roasted Pepper and Spinach sauce (see recipe below) to individual dishes or bowls of Gnocchi. It should be a light dressing of sauce, you want to be able to taste the Gnocchi and not just the sauce. Grate some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top and serve.
Roasted Pepper and Spinach Sauce
I found this great jar of Zergut Peppertizer, Roasted pepper appetizer sauce I really had no use for other than serving over cream cheese. It can be used as an appetizer dip or side dish. It’s made primarily with peppers, eggplant, onion, and hot peppers.
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup Zercut Peppertizer sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chopped frozen spinach, drained
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 cups half n half (I improvised as I ran out of heavy cream)
1 cup milk
Pinch of parsley
Pinch of Oregano
Salt and pepper
Directions:
In a large pot add butter and olive oil.
Add onion. Saute 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and Zercut Peppertizer sauce. Mix together until incorporated. Simmer on Low-Medium heat so your sauce is not popping out everywhere.
Add spinach and garlic. Give it a quick stir and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add half n half or heavy cream and milk. Stir in spices. Taste before you add the salt and pepper and adjust measurement to your tasting.
It’s always a good idea to taste as you go. Cook for another 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Spoon over Gnocchi.
I’ve made gnocchi many times and I love the different variations. Some make with Ricotta cheese and Parmesan with a lighter tomato sauce or even a pesto sauce or a brown butter sauce are fabulous. Enjoy your traditional family favorites.
Eating Out Is Expensive…Eating With Family Is Priceless…
Crockpot Bean Chili:Cooking For A Big Family
Cooking For A Big Family
I really enjoy making this recipe. It’s very tasty and a meal the whole family enjoys. I serve it with warm cornbread or fresh baked bread. You basically throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and simmer 4-6 hours and it’s done. This recipe uses similar ingredients to those I use for my Fiesta Taco Soup or my Southwestern Turkey Chili. Tip: By buying ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes, you can save money on your grocery bill.
When it comes to the holiday week when everyone’s running around buying gifts, cleaning house and spending time with family and friends, this is a simple meal that can be thrown together ahead of time so you can get focus on getting your tasks done.
Crockpot Bean Chili
Ingredients:
1 30 ounce can Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
2 15-16 ounce cans Pork and Beans
2 15 ounce cans Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 ounce can yellow corn
4 cups Quick Spaghetti Sauce
2 Tablespoons cumin
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons Taco seasoning
Directions:
Rinse and drain kidney and pinto beans. Add to slow cooker. Add remainining ingredients and cook on low heat setting for 4-6 hours.
Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash
Any type of squash is delicious on a cold winter day. I happen to have a beautiful acorn squash today that I’ll be stuffing with some hearty vegetables and sweet Italian sausage. It’s a simple meal that is not only delicious but very comforting.
Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 acorn squash
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon poultry season
Salt and Pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon butter
Parmesan Cheese, shaved
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degress. Cut acorn squash lengthwise and scoop out inside.
Place face down in baking dish with one-inch of water. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute in 1 Tablespoon of butter onion, carrot and celery until tender. Add garlic. stir and remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl mix together bread crumbs, Italian sausage, vegetable stock, poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Remove squash from oven, drain water and turn face up. Stuff squash with mixture and cover with foil. Cook for one hour or until squash is tender. Remove foil, sprinkle with brown sugar and butter and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven a sprinkle freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve.
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