Recipe: Worlds Easiest Homemade Lasagna

From Denny: Found yet another great recipe for lasagna that is simple. This one has pesto in it, a real favorite of mine. This is also kid friendly and convenience oriented. Who said fast food had to be boring? Not this gem of a tasty recipe! Besides, we love Italian dishes at our house so you can never have too many versions of lasagna recipes (or chocolate ones either).

From Atlanta Journal-Consititution: To streamline the cleanup, we've devised this recipe using mostly ingredients that come in pre-measured containers that can be tossed away once emptied.

Hands on time:
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 10

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/4 cup prepared pesto
2 (28-ounce) jars (about 6 cups) pasta sauce
1 (8-ounce) box (12 pieces) no-boil lasagna noodles
4 cups shredded Italian cheese blend

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine the ricotta and pesto. In a 13-by-9-inch microwavable casserole dish, spread about 1 1/4 cups pasta sauce. Top with 3 pieces uncooked noodles in a single layer. Noodles shouldn't touch each other or touch the sides of the pan since they will expand as they cook.

Dot with 2/3 cup of the ricotta cheese mixture and spread evenly with back of the spoon. Spread another 1 1/4 cups of the pasta sauce evenly over ricotta, covering noodles completely. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese.

Lay 3 more pieces of noodles on cheese, spread with another 2/3 cup ricotta, another 1 1/4 cups sauce and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Add another 3 pieces noodles, remaining ricotta, 1 1/4 cups sauce and 3/4 cup cheese. Reserve remaining shredded cheese. Top with last 3 noodles and cover with remaining sauce.

Cover with microwavable plastic wrap and microwave on high for 13 to 15 minutes, turning twice.

Remove from microwave, carefully remove plastic wrap and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Replace plastic wrap, return to microwave and cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Remove plastic and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Notes:

When layering the ingredients, there's no need to be a stickler for measuring; so long as you can eyeball the approximate amounts given, you can save yourself from washing a single measuring cup.

If you can't fit a 13-by-9-inch pan in your microwave, an 11 1/2-by-8-inch pan should work. Just don't overfill the pan when you get to the top layers and break the noodles to fit. Barilla makes no-cook lasagna noodles that work well in this recipe.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 333 calories (percent of calories from fat, 54), 18 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 20 grams fat (11 grams saturated), 64 milligrams cholesterol, 267 milligrams sodium.

Video: Dinner Under $10, Angel Hair Frittata

From Denny: School is back in session and families are looking for quick, easy and inexpensive dishes for dinner. Here's a tasty quick idea of what to do with leftover pasta noodles: turn them into a frittata omelette cake with cheese!

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Recipes: Fried Nutella ravioli with mascarpone, toasted hazelnuts. more great pasta dishes

From Denny: Now if this doesn't take the cake, uh, pasta, for an unusual and tasty idea for using chocolate! Found this over at NBC's The Today Show. These are all recipes featured from the FRESCO restaurant run by the Scotto family in New York City.

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From: FRESCO restaurant by Scotto

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS


Filling

• 1 jar Nutella (hazelnut spread)

Ravioli

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 tablespoons melted bittersweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups semolina flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs

Mascarpone cream

• 1 container of mascarpone (500 g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Toasted hazelnuts for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Raviolis

1. Combine cocoa and hot water to make a paste. Combine cocoa paste, bittersweet chocolate, semolina flour, sugar, 2 eggs in a mixing bowl with dough hook. Mix dough until smooth, remove from bowl and knead adding flour as necessary until dough is no longer sticky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Pass dough through a pasta machine according to manufacturer’s instructions to make 2 sheets measuring 6-inches by 15-inches.

3. Cut pasta sheet into 3-inch squares. Place 1 tablespoon of Nutella spread in the center of each square. Lightly beat 1 egg and brush the edges of the pasta squares, then fold diagonally over the filling, pressing gently to seal.

4. Preheat the oven to 200° F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350° F.

5. Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Then, transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and rewarm in a preheated 375 degrees F oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.)

Mascarpone cream

Mix 1 container of mascarpone (500 g) with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Place a dollop of the mascarpone cream in the center of a plate, surrounded by 5 ravioli; sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and serve.

***

And the pasta recipes:

Artichoke linguine with wild mushrooms and goat cheese

From: FRESCO by Scotto

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, trimmed, washed and dried (any combination of oyster, shiitake, or trumpet mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes cut in half
• 1 cup frozen or canned artichoke hearts or bottoms, washed and drained
• 1/2 cup fresh frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 pound fresh baby spinach, trimmed, washed, and pat dried
• 3 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine
• 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons salt.

2. Meanwhile, in a large 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium to high heat or until almost smoking. Add the garlic and scallions, sauté until lightly brown. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until mushrooms are soft, follow by adding cherry tomatoes and artichokes; season with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes; set aside.

3. Drop the pasta into boiling water and cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes; drain.

4. Add the hot pasta to the large sauté pan containing the vegetables by stirring gently over medium heat. Add the peas, spinach and soft butter, toss until butter is melted and spinach is wilted. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

Serve immediately.

***

Penne with pesto sauce, string beans and Yukon gold potatoes

From: FRESCO by Scotto

Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS


Pasta

• 1/2 pound string beans, blanched; cut in half
• 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, diced small and blanched
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1/2 cup basil pesto (see recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon julienne shallots
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Pesto sauce

• 4 cups basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 lemon, juice only
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, roasted
• 2 ounces Parmesan, freshly grated
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Pasta

1. Sauté garlic and shallots over medium to high heat 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Add string beans and potatoes and sauté for about 1 minute.

2. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook penne according to package directions, drain and add to sauté pan containing the string beans and potatoes.

3. Simmer for about 2 minutes over medium heat, then add basil pesto and toss.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Pesto sauce

1. Pick over basil leaves, wash and dry in a salad spinner.

2. Place basil in a food processor with the garlic and lemon juice, process until well combined.

3. With machine running, drizzle in olive oil. Add pine nuts and Parmesan and process briefly to retain some texture to the pesto.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Video and 3 Cake Recipes: Tunnel of Fudge Cake, Wacky Cake, Cold Oven Pound Cake

From Denny: This is so my kind of food video depicting comfort cakes with the best ingredients: sugar, flour and CHOCOLATE! :) My favorite is the Tunnel of Fudge Cake. This Cold Oven Pound Cake is a recipe I've never heard of and am curious to try. Apparently, it comes from the early 1900's (which is why I've never heard of it) and is a much lighter pound cake because it is started in a cold oven rather than a hot one. This chef from Cook's Illustrated is really interesting with the historical trivia for these recipes and food science explanations of why things work in these recipes. Take a look and a listen. Enjoy baking these easy comfort cakes!

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RECIPES

Tunnel of fudge cake

From: Chris Kimball, editor of Cook's Illustrated

Serves: 12 to 14

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting pan
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups pecans or walnuts, chopped fine
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

Chocolate glaze

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Do not use a cake tester, toothpick, or skewer to test the cake — the fudgy interior won't give an accurate reading. Instead, remove the cake from the oven when the sides just begin to pull away from the pan and the surface of the cake springs back when pressed gently with your finger.

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder. Pour boiling water over chocolate in medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Whisk cocoa, flour, nuts, confectioners' sugar, and salt in large bowl. Beat eggs and vanilla in large measuring cup.

2. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. On low speed, add egg mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Add chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in flour mixture until just combined, about 30 seconds.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth batter, and bake until edges are beginning to pull away from pan, about 45 minutes. Cool upright in pan on wire rack for 1 1/2 hours, then invert onto serving plate and cool completely, at least 2 hours.

4. For the glaze: Cook cream, corn syrup, and chocolate in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Stir in vanilla and set aside until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Drizzle glaze over cake and let set for at least 10 minutes. Serve. (Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

Wacky cake

From: Chris Kimball, editor of Cook's Illustrated

Serves: 6 to 8

This moist cake gets even better when served with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup water
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 8-inch-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in pan. Make one large and two small craters in dry ingredients. Add oil to large crater and vinegar and vanilla separately to remaining small craters. Pour water into pan and mix until just a few streaks of flour remain. Immediately put pan in oven.

3. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan, then dust with confectioners' sugar. (If tightly wrapped, cake will keep for three days at room temperature.)

Cold-oven pound cake

From: Chris Kimball, editor of Cook's Illustrated

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

You'll need a 16-cup tube pan or angel food cake pan for this recipe; if not using a nonstick pan, make sure to thoroughly grease a traditional pan. In step 2, don't worry if the batter looks slightly separated.

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Grease and flour 16-cup tube pan. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Whisk milk and vanilla in measuring cup.

2. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of milk mixture. Mix on low until smooth, about 30 seconds. Use rubber spatula to give batter final stir.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Place cake in cold oven. Adjust oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake, without opening oven door, until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 65 to 80 minutes.

4. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Serve. (Cooled cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

Video and Recipes: Love Crab Cakes? Try Caribbean Version from Florida Chef

From Denny: We love crab cakes in the South and this chef from Florida has a fabulous recipe available! I just love it when chefs come on national TV and share their recipes as promotion for some new restaurant they are opening like this lady. These recipes are such a treat! Take a look - try and not salivate too much - you still have to get through your work day before you can get home to make this delicious dish! :)

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Caribbean tropical crab cakes

From: Chef Cindy Hutson

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS


Caribbean tropical crab cakes

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
• 2 each scallions, chopped, greens only
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 cups panko
• 1 pound crabmeat, jumbo lump
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Mango papaya salsa

• 1 teaspoon chives, chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar (adjust to sweetness of papaya)
• 3 limes, squeezed
• 1/3 cup scallions, chopped (green only)
• 1 teaspoon Scotch Bonnet sauce – to taste
• 1 cup papayas, diced
• 1 cup mangoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro. chopped

DIRECTIONS

Caribbean tropical crab cakes

Beat eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire and curry powder in a large bowl. Set aside and let the curry bloom for 15 minutes. Add scallions, parsley, red onion, red and yellow pepper and toss with curry mixture. Add the crab, panko, salt and pepper to taste. Toss ingredients together gently. Form into 3-ounce servings. Sear off in hot skillet with butter until golden brown on each side. Finish in the 400 degrees oven for about 8-10 minutes. Serve with mango papaya salsa.

Mango papaya salsa

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.