Cheesy Chicken and Mushroom Lasagna

ingredients

• 1- 10 oz package cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 1/4 cups shredded roasted chicken
• 3 1/2 cups half and half
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano
• 1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 cups Gruyere, shredded
• 8 oz. mascarpone
• 1 1/2 cup grated fontina
• 1 package no bake lasagna noodles

directions

• 1

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

• 2

  Cook mushrooms, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened. Add wine and simmer briskly for 2 minutes. Set aside saucepan.

• 3

  Melt 4 tablespoons butter in another saucepan , add the flour to make a roux, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. Add milk in a slow stream and whisk until well combined. Add the thyme, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and simmer whisking occasionally until thickened. Remove from heat. Reserve 1 cup sauce and set aside. Stir in the parmesan into the remaining sauce , add the mushroom – chicken mixture and stir together.

• 4

  Combine the mascarpone and fontina together, set aside.

• 5

  Pour half of the reserved sauce into a 9×13 baking pan, spreading evenly . Place lasagna sheets, overlapping slightly, and one third of the mushroom- chicken mixture, spread evenly, sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated Gruyere cheese. Layer with more noodles and top with sliced mozzarella cheese. Add more layers of noodles, top with mushroom- chicken mixture, sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese. Top with another layer of noodles and top with fontina – mascarpone mixture, spread evenly. Top again with noodles and top with remaining mushroom – chicken mixture, spread evenly, sprinkle with grated Gruyere. Top with last layer of noodles and pour reserved sauce over top and spread evenly and sprinkle with remaining Gruyere.

• 6

  Place on foil lined baking sheet. Cover lasagna tightly with foil not touching top of lasagna. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until top is golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to st at least 10-15 minutes before serving.

Penne with Artichoke Cream Sauce

Penne with Artichoke Cream Sauce

• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 2(8.5 oz.) can water packed artichoke quarters, drained
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups heavy cream
• salt and pepper; to taste
• 1 lb. penne, cooked in salted water to al dente
• chopped fresh basil to taste

directions

In a heavy bottomed pot saute the shallots and garlic in the butter and olive oil until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Continue to boil and stir often , be careful not to allow cream to boil over. Cook until sauce is reduced by half. Stir in the Parmesan and the drained artichokes. Toss with cooked al dente penne. Add basil to taste.

Pancetta-Artichoke Frittata

I love frittata’s for a quick meal.

5 oz. diced pancetta

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (8.5 oz.) can water packed quartered artichokes,drained

6 small red potatoes, boiled until tender, then quartered

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tablespoon basil, chopped

10 eggs lightly beaten

4 dashes Tabasco

salt and pepper; to taste

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large non stick pan cook pancetta until crisp. Add the onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and softened. Add the artichokes, potatoes and olive oil and cook about 2 minutes. In a bowl beat together the eggs,basil salt and pepper. Pour into the pan with the vegetables and pancetta. Cook until it begins to set, lifting slightly for uncooked egg. Place in oven to finish baking for about 8-10 minutes until set . Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese.

Artichoke-Pesto Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella on Rosemary Whole Wheat Crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Make dough , while dough is rising make pesto.

Pesto

1 cup basil leaves

3 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 cup, toasted pine nuts or walnuts

1/2 cup -1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

In a food processor fitted with metal blade add all ingredients except olive oil to bowl. With motor running slowly add olive oil. Once added, pesto complete. Store in fridge or you can freeze for later use.

1 cup steamed artichoke hearts

8 oz. fresh mozzarella , sliced

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

Rosemary Whole Wheat Crust

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Tablespoons olive oi

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

3 cups bread flour

2 tsp. active dry/instant yeast

1 tsp. dried rosemary or 2 tsp fresh , chopped

In a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, add water, salt, sugar and oil. Blend on low . In a separate bowl mix together flours,rosemary and yeast.

Slowly add flour mixture to water mixture while mixer is running on low.

Blend together and knead with mixer or by hand until you have a smooth dough.

Place in large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap . Allow to rise until about double in size . Punch down and rise once more. Ready to form crust. Form crust in whatever shape you would like and to whatever thickness you prefer.

Spread pesto on top of crust, then arrange cheese slices . Sprinkle on the Artichokes, olives and parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated 450 degree oven until bubbly and crust is golden.

Polenta with Chicken, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

Polenta:

2 cups chicken stock

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup hot sauce

1 cup fine ground polenta

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper; to taste

Sauce:

4 cups polenta cubes

8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and slices

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced

1/4 lb. arugula

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp chopped basil

salt and pepper; to taste

1/2 cup soft goat cheese

Polenta:

Place stock in a pot with the garlic and hot sauce; bring to boil. Whisk in the polenta and continue whisking until very thick. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper; to taste. Spread evenly the polenta into a small rimmed, greased baking sheet . Place in refrigerator and allow to firm up for 1 hour. Cut the ploenta into 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside.

Sauce:

In a heavy pot heat the oil over high heat and sear chicken and cook until cooked through. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock ; bring to boil and reduce slightly. Add the olives and tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in the arugula and cook until it just begins to wilt. Add the polenta cubes; toss to mix. Add the vinegar and basil. Season to taste. Add goat cheese and toss. Serve hot and top with goat cheese.

Tuscan Bean and Barley Soup

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 oz. pancetta, diced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 fresh sage leaves or 2 tsp. dried

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

6 cups cooked white beans or 3 can undrained white beans

1 cup , peeled , seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes or canned diced

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup barley

chicken stock to thin out soup if needed

Olive oil for drizzling

In a large skillet , saute the pancetta until golden. Add the carrots, onions and celery, saute until tender. Stir in garlic , sage and marjoram.

In soup pot add vegetables and beans. On very low heat simmer until vegetables are completely tender. Remove beans and vegetables to blender and blend until mixture is slightly smooth with some coarse bits. Return blended mixture to soup pot along with barley. Cover and simmer slowly until barley is tender. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

Salmon and Asparagus on Farfalle with Mustard – Cream Sauce

1 lb. salmon fillets

1 -1 1/2 lbs. Asparagus, remove tough bottom part of stems, slice on diagonal in bite size pieces

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 tsp. dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add prepared asparagus and blanch 2 minutes, remove and place in ice water bath; set aside. In same pot of boiling water once asparagus is removed, bring back to boil and add farfalle, cook to al dente. Drain and place in pasta bowl.

Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to skillet on med high heat. Cook salmon fillets until done , flipping once. Remove fish from pan and keep warm. To the skillet add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Let reduce the wine by half. Add the cream, mustard, zest and tarragon to the skillet and let come to simmer until the sauce reduces slightly. Pour over pasta and add the drained asparagus and flaked salmon. Serve warm.

Fresh Egg Pasta Dough

3 cups all purpose flour

4 eggs, room temp.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon water

1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend until the mixture comes together.Scrape down sides as you blend. Remove dough and knead together. Divide into 4 pieces and wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to come to room temp. Roll dough out to desired form, either by hand or pasta machine.

Fresh pasta cooks very fast, about 2 minute in salted rapid boiling water. Dough and made pasta freezes well.

Spinach, Bacon and Tomato Sauce

1lb.Black Pepper Bacon, Diced

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp. dried Basil, even better with fresh basil

5 oz. baby spinach

2 15 oz.cans fire roasted, diced tomatoes

Saute bacon until just crisp, add onion and cook until translucent. Remove bacon and onion with slotted spoon and set aside. Pour out the bacon fat. Return bacon, onion, garlic, basil ,red pepper flakes, tomatoes and spinach; saute until spinach is just wilted.

Pour over and toss with pasta of your choice; sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Fiesta Ole Pasta

1 lb. penne pasta

1 1/2 lbs. skinless boneless chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups salsa, your favorite

1- 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes, diced

1-10 oz. Mexi- corn

1 – 15oz. can black bean or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1- 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder

1 – 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Cotija cheese for garnish and 1/2 of the chopped cilantro for garnish

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add penne and cook to al dente.

Slice seasoned chicken into 1/4 inch slices. To a large pot add chicken, salsa, garlic and roasted diced tomatoes. Bring to boil and simmer covered and poach chicken until done. Once chicken is done add the spinach, corn , beans , spices, half of the chopped cilantro and cream cheese. Over med-low heat stir until combined. Salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in penne.

Garnish with cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.