Ravioli Vegetable Salad

Courtesy of the Food Network

As a follow up to saving in these tough economic times here is another recipe that will certainly taste good and put some money back into your pocket. I recommend you substitute the Provolone cheese with say swiss cheese, substitue the Aspargus for additional spinach,fresh corn, Mushrooms, or eggplant. Remember whatever taste good to you and is affordable. I rather use fresh spinach for these kind of recipes but frozen in your supermaket could be cheaper. For the Ravioli don't feel you have to use the brand mentioned in the recipe. Supermarkets nowadays carry a wide selection or pasta on sale, if you look around you should be able to find one on special. Better yet substitute another kind of pasta for the recipe.

To save time cooking make up a good size for two nights dinner--estimate the recipe based on your family's size and that way you don't have to keep using gas or electricity for cooking every single day. See below the recipe.
2 packages chopped frozen spinach, defrosted in microwave
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans quartered artichokes in water, drained well
Salt and pepper
White Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup cream or half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
Salt and black pepper
1 sack, 2 cups grated provolone or Italian 4 Cheese Blend, from dairy aisle, 10 ounces
1 large package (marked "Family Size") fresh ravioli, such as Contadina brand, 24 to 28 ounces, or choose your favorite filling, such as wild mushroom or 4 cheese
1 pound thin asparagus spears, trimmed of tough ends
Bring a pot of water to boil for ravioli.
While water comes to a boil, drain defrosted frozen chopped spinach by wringing it dry in a kitchen towel, working over a garbage bowl or your sink. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons or 2 turns of the pan, and the garlic. Saute garlic in oil 1 minute, then sprinkle spinach into the garlic oil. Add artichoke heart pieces to the pan and turn to combine and heat through. Season vegetables with and remove from heat to a bowl. Place skillet back on the heat and melt butter. Whisk flour into butter and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk stock into flour and butter and let it bubble. Whisk in cream and Parmesan. Season sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper and thicken 1 to 2 minutes.

Preheat broiler to high. Set rack between middle of oven groove and top rack groove, about 8 inches from heat.

When water boils, salt water, add ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Ravioli should be less than al dente, still a bit chewy -- it will continue cooking when combined with sauce and vegetables. Place a colander over ravioli as it cooks and add asparagus to it. Cut thin, trimmed asparagus into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Steam the chopped asparagus while pasta cooks, 2 to 3 minutes, until just fork-tender, but still green. Remove asparagus and add to bowl with spinach and artichokes. Place colander in your sink and drain ravioli.

Drizzle a touch of extra virgin olive oil onto the bottom of a medium oval casserole or a rectangular baking dish and brush pan to coat evenly. Arrange a layer using 1/2 of cooked ravioli in the dish. Layer 1/2 of the cooked vegetables over the ravioli. Next, add a few ladles of sauce, then vegetables, then top casserole with the last of the ravioli. Dot top of "lasagna" with any remaining sauce and cover liberally with gratedprovolone or 4 cheese blend. Brown cheese 8 inches from broiler, 5 minutes.

Ingredienti:

• Asparagi
• Besciamella
• Dado da cucina vegetale
• Dolce sardo
• Olio extravergine di oliva
• Parmigiano grattugiato
• Pepe bianco
• Peperoncino macinato
• Porro
• Prosciutto cotto arrosto
• Provola
• Sale
• Sfoglia pronta per lasagne (Fini)

Preparazione:

Portate a bollore dell’acqua e sciogliete il dado da cucina vegetale in modo da ottenere un brodo leggero.

Lavate gli asparagi molto bene ed eliminate la parte dura del gambo. Tagliate ciò che resta in quattro parti e fatelo rosolare con l’olio extravergine di oliva e il porro tagliato a mezze lune. Aggiungete qualche mestolo di brodo, coprite e fate cuocere a fiamma media.

Gli asparagi devono cuocere fino a quando non saranno ben morbidi. Se necessario aggiungete del brodo in modo che non si brucino.

Quando gli asparagi saranno pronti, salate e pepate e fate cuocere scoperto per asciugarli bene. Una volta asciutti fateli raffreddare da parte.

Tagliate il formaggio a cubetti piccoli e tenetelo da parte.

Scottate le sfoglie per lasagne in acqua salata bollente con l’aggiunta di un cucchiaio di olio per commensale (per non farle attaccare tra loro) e lasciatele raffreddare su uno straccio da cucina umido.

Con la besciamella ungete bene la teglia da forno e disponete sul fondo le sfoglie in modo che le sbordino (serviranno per chiudere).

Condite con gli asparagi, il formaggio a cubetti e grattugiato, la besciamella e il prosciutto (a fette). Coprite con una sfoglia e ripetete l’operazione fino al bordo della teglia. L’ultimo strato deve essere di asparagi perchè poi con le prime sfoglie si chiuderanno le lasagne a scrigno.

Terminate la preparazione coprendo la superficie con la besciamella, gli asparagi, il formaggio a cubetti e in ultimo il formaggio grattugiato che servirà per gratinare.

Infornate nel forno gia caldo a 220° per circa 20 minuti poi toglietele dal forno, fatele riposare un minuto e servite.

Provate anche:

Lasagne con fave fresche

Lasagne vegetali

But wait…. Let me back up.

Remember that TV I found near the dumpster the other day? It worked, it didn’t have a problem other than it was so old, it didn’t have RCA adapter jacks built into it. I was planning on looking for a 2 dollar VCR to wire into it or something, but it was not my first choice in the matter. I knew the TV would be temporary, but I didn’t know how temporary until the next night.

It was 11 pm and I was coming home when I passed the dumpster and there it was. A 26 inch TV, just sitting there. Well it wasn’t thrown IN the dumpster so I would imagine it still worked but had problems... I looked for RCA adapters and BINGO, there they were.

 I picked it up and put it in the car and it promptly fell over and cracked the Housing on it...

Shit… well it was a small crack, but let’s see if it still works.

The reason it was out there is because it takes about 5 minutes to warm up and then the picture is as clear as a day. So a question came to me:

Should I use this 26 inch TV with the pain in the ass TV tube with the RCA jacks or should I put it back, and use the 19 inch TV with no RCA jacks but seems to work well even though I have only seen static on the TV?

Then I had a second thought? I wonder if I could sell the 19 inch TV on Craig’s List?

This is exactly what I did. I took a picture and uploaded it to Craig’s List price a low low price of 10 dollars. I was getting it for free, but I just pretended it was like Marine Salvage rights, but without the marine part. I put it out there at 11pm and by the morning I had an offer for the TV. Within 13 hours I had ten sweet dollars in my hand and I deposited it into my petty cash fund…Well since ‘petty cash’ is relative, lets just say I put it into my Folgers 401k can.  

With ten dollar in hand and having to go out to work my second job last night, I found I had to drive by the Habitat for Humanity store.  They have pretty cheap used stuff. I bought a frying pan there for 25 cents but the last two times I drove past and went it, they had no lasagna dish…

Well this time was different. I picked up a 9X13 lasagna dish that was not only 2 dollars; it matches the corning dishes I picked for a dollar-fifty a few weeks ago.

So the Lasagna dish saga is done. I can obsess about something different now. And I’m eight bucks richer than when I started

"Some people like spaghetti, and some like lasagna.  You might expect me to like lasagna, I mean, your lasagna is really good, by lasagna standards, but I really like spaghetti. I always have."

Name or Nick Name : Bryan
Country or City you are from: : Little Rock, Arkansas
Your Age : 29 (When did I turn 29!!!)
Your Gender : Male
What did you come out as? : Gay
What other words would you use to describe yourself? : I was once described as one of those rubber balls that bounces in different directions... I took it as a compliment.
How old were you when you first realised your identity? : About 13
How old were you when you first told someone? : 22
Did you plan it? If so, how? : I was 22, and fed up with lying about who I was. I wanted the people close to me to really know me.
What made you choose that person to tell? : She was a good friend.
Can you remember exactly what you said? : "Some people like spaghetti, and some like lasagna.  You might expect me to like lasagna, I mean, your lasagna is really good, by lasagna standards, but I really like spaghetti. I always have."  Poor girl. She still didn't undersand.
How did you feel? : Hungry for Italian food, and like a weight had been lifted from my chest.
What was the person’s reaction? : Confusion at first.  She thought I wanted to go to Olive Garden. Then I blurted out, "I'm gay,"
What did they say? : and she said, "um, yeah.  We all knew that a long time ago."
What was your relationship with the person like afterwards? : That year was one of the best of my life... and my friend was a huge part of that.  Oh, the clubs we danced at!
What’s it like now? : We've drifted apart - years and distance will do that, but we would still call each other "friend."  I'll see her again for the first time in two years in December.
If you’ve been outed unwillingly, who did it? :
What happened? :
What were peoples’ reactions? :
If you’ve experienced homophobia etc, please give an example. : I'm a lucky one - everyone in my life has been very supportive.
Since coming out how out are you at school? : not_applicable
Since coming out, how “out” are you at work? : all_out
Since coming out, how “out” are you with family? : all_out
Since coming out, how “out” are you with your friends? : all_out
What does being out mean to you? : Living my own personal truth.
What differences, if any, did your cultural background make to your experience of coming out? : Religion made me fear who I was, but spirituality has made me adore who I've become.
What does the concept of the closet mean to you? : A cage of self-loathing and self-hatred.
What advice would you give someone wanting to come out? : Make sure you can support yourself or have a backup plan if you face rejection - and then be yourself.
If you could do it all again, would you do it any differently? If so, how? : I would have come out much younger. I missed out on so many years!
Anything you want to add? : You are not damned to hell or loneliness. The world is waiting on you.

Butternut Squash and Carmazlized Onion Lasagna

Ingredients:
3 medium-large butternut squashes (I used two but 3 will give you the perfect amount of filling)
1 pound of Lasagna Sheets
1 teaspoon sage or 1 tablespoon fresh sage
Enough oil to coat butternut squash
1 onion thinly sliced
A couple of tablespoons of olive oil to cook onions
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the cashew cream sauce
5 cups soy milk
9 oz cashews
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
2 cloves of garlic minced
A pinch of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Peel and then Cut up the squash into cubes. Toss with some olive oil. Season with Salt and Pepper and roast for about 30 mins until slightly caramelized.
While the squash is roasting prepare the caramelized onions. Heat up a pan with oil to medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions to the pan. Cook for about 25 minutes until nice and caramelized.
Now its time to get your salted boiling water started for the lasagna. Once it is boiling add the lasagna and cook according to the package.
For the cashew cream add the soy milk and cashews to a blender. Mix until the cashews are well grinded and everything is nice and smooth. Add the maple syrup now. Heat up a small saucepan with oil. Add the garlic and sautee for 1 minute. Add the cashew cream and cook for about 3-5 minutes until thickened don't bring it to a really high boil.
The squash should be ready now. Take it out and tranfer the squash to a medium size bowl. Mash the squash with a potato masher. Add the carmalized onions and sage. Season with salt and pepper. I suggest that if your squash is not sweet to your liking add some maple syrup. I should have done this and I will next time.
The lasagna noddles should be done by now. Drain them and coat with some oil to prevent sticking. Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease a 9 by 13 baking dish. Add about half a cup of the cashew cream sauce at the bottom of the baking dish. Then layer it with 4 sheets of lasagna noddles. Spoon some of the squash mixture over the lasagna sheets. Then drizzle it with some of the cashew cream sauce. Repeat 3 more times. Top off the lasagna with the remaining cashew cream sauce.
Bake for 30 minutes covered and then 5-7 minutes uncovered.
It's important to let it rest for about 10 minutes so it cuts perfectly.
Enjoy!

Koop ‘n halwe gaar geroosterde hoender en ‘n bakkie pesto by die supermark op pad huistoe, en jy’s reeds halfpad gereed om aandete voor te sit.

Maak 4 porsies

400g skoenlapperpasta (farfalle)

1 klein geroosterde hoender

½ k (125ml) basilliekruid- of koljanderpesto (sien Huiskombuis –groentesop met roosmarynpesto – vir resep)

2 groot aartappels, gesny en in 2cm blokkies gesny

12 sondroë tamatiehelftes

1 pakkie (100g) amandelrepies

2 E (30ml) olyfolie (opsioneel)

½ k (125ml) gerasperde Parmesaan

Sout en peper

1.      Kook die pasta volgens pakket aanwysings in 4 liter kookwater met 4 t (20ml) sout.

2.      Rooster die amandelrepies goudbruin in ‘n droë swaarboompannetjie oor medium hitte, skep uit en hou opsy.

3.      Braai intussen die aartappelblokkies bros in die olyfolie oor medium hitte. Skep uit met gaatjieslepel en dreineer op kombuispapier.

4.      Snipper die sondroë tamaties in kwarte met ‘n skêr.

5.      Verwyder die vel en bene van die hoender en kap die vleis in 2cm blokkies. Sit saam met die aartappelblokkies, amandels, tamaties en pesto in ‘n mooi opdienbak.

6.      Dreineer die pasta en tuimel dadelik oor die pesto-hoender. Roer baie goed deur, en geur met ekstra olyfolie, sout en peper.

7.      Sit teen kamertemperatuur voor, met gerasperde Parmesaan om oor te strooi.

PASTA AL FORNO – lasagne gebak met tamatiesous, en vier soorte kaas

Lasagne klink nie soos ‘n dis wat blitsvinnig aan mekaar geslaan kan word nie – tensy jy, soos in hierdie resep, slegs tamatiesous en kaas by die pasta bak. Gebruik die kitsklaar lasagne-soort wat nie vooraf gekook moet word nie. Bykans die grootste inspanning wat hierdie resep verg is om die oond aan te skakel. Dit, en ‘n bietjie roer.

1 pakkie (250g) kitslasagne

2 k (500ml) water

2 E (30ml) olyfolie

1 k (250ml) room

3 k (750ml) tuisgemaakte tamatiesous (sien Huiskombuis - spaghetti napoletana vir resep

1 k (250ml) gerasperde Parmesaan of pecorino

1 1/3  k (350g pakkie) ricotta

½ k (125ml) gerasperde gruyere of bloukaas

3 k (300g pakkie) gerasperde mozzarella

‘n Handvol basilliekruidblare

Sout en peper

1.      Voorverhit die oond tot 200 grade Celsius en spuit ‘n 30cm x 25cm x 5cm oondvaste bak met kleefwerende sproei.

2.      Week lasagnevelletjies vir 30 minute in 2 k (500ml) koue water. Dreineer, en meng met 2 E (30ml) olyfolie sodat dit nie vaskoek nie.

3.      Meng al die kase saam.

4.      Skep 4 E (60ml) tamatiesous in die bak, en smeer oor die bodem. Bedek met  lasagnevelletjies.

5.      Skep 1 k (250ml) van die tamatiesous egalig oor die pasta, en strooi ‘n derde van die kaas bo-oor. Geur met sout en peper.

6.      Snipper drie basilliekruidblare met ‘n skêr op en strooi oor die kaas.

7.      Herhaal met lasagne, tamatiesous, kaas en basilliekruid tot alles opgebruik is – jy behoort vier lae lasagne te hê met drie lae vulsel tussen-in, en op te eindig met tamatie en kaas bo.

8.      Drup die room egalig oor die lasagne en geur met sout en peper.

9.      Bak teen 200 grade Celsius vir 35 minute, tot die pasta die sous geabsorbeer het, en die kaasbolaag goudbruin is.

10.  Sny in porsies en sit warm voor.

WENK:

1.      Die lasagne vries uitstekend. Sit dit in die vrieskas voordat dit gebak is, en ontdooi in die mikrogolf of oornag in die yskas voordat dit gebak word.

VARIASIE:

1.      Braai 300g lamswors of boerewors gaar. Trek die velletjies weg, krummel die vleis en strooi saam met die kaas oor die pasta.

              Friday, September 19^th at 7:00pm

“Jaz, do you want red or white?” I asked her grabbing a multi-colored wine glass.

“Red for I am in a pensive mood tonight. Oh I love that glass! Where did you get it?”

“Pier  1.  I must ask, what is wrong with this picture? We are home on a Friday working on an Internet dating profile for Cindi. Shouldn't we be out on dates ourselves?”

“Oh please girl, what are you talking about? You have Chris and you just need to be patient during these first three months.  You don't have to be around him all the time.” Jaz pointed out fiddling with the veggies on the stove.

“Darling, and you are dating George. What’s up with you guys lately?”  I started to serve our quickie dinner of veggie lasagna a la Whole Foods. I also looked at her for possible signs of trouble because it always seems like George was never really around anymore. She could so do better.

“Oh we are just there. I think he is out with the guys tonight at some bar or ball game. We are just in the couple-ly state you get to when you’ve been dating for 8 years.”

“Well you need to spice it up because I need something to look forward to like a wedding one day! Ummm …where did you get that fabulous purse!?” I exclaimed handing her the plate.

“Girl, Nido’s in Georgetown. I got like 10 compliments on the way here.” She responded touching her new purple purse with gold hardware. "You should stop by there over the weekend before all the new stuff's gone."

Friday, September 19^th at 8:00pm

“So how do we start this?” Jaz asked as we both stared at the laptop.

“Darling, my co-worker said that we could go online and search the Match.com database first to see who is on there.  To be honest, I am actually curious as to the kind of guys who participate on this site.” I started the search.

“You are typing 28 to 32 as the age range she would like, but I think she would prefer someone her age or older. Try 30 to 34.” Jaz commented and I typed her suggestions. I ran the search.

“These guys are kinda cute. It’s so funny some of them seem familiar but then again they really don’t. How do you make a decision with so many choices?” I asked while scanning the pages upon pages of pictures.

“I know.  So many.  So cute.  Maybe I should sign myself up!  It's so interesting how this one guy, BRWNSKNCUTEY looks just like George. Can you believe that?  I wonder if there is a Chris lookalike? This is fun.” Jaz stated while commenting on the various quirky usernames.

“Jaz sweetie, are you sure that guy was not George? Same age, same smile, same height, same job. Can’t believe the he makes that much! Wow! Umm, so what do you think?” I asked, biting down on my lips and waiting without taking a breath. Time to drink some more wine! This is not good.

She clicked back to the profile in question and after rereading and rereading and looking at his other photos especially the one from a few years back of the two of them, only in this version she was cropped out of the shot she stood up unexpectedly. Luckily, I caught the computer in the nick of time before it went flying off the couch.

“Why would he have a profile on this site! Out with his friends? Oh my goodness, my mother was right. I’ve wasted all my ‘good years’ on a cheater! That little S@#$#@$%^W&! How could I be such a fool?”

“Jaz calm down! You have to calm down. I know this is weird but you are going to have to talk to him. This is such a weird situation. Are you ok?”

“How else can I be? Potentially the guy I’ve been dating for the last 8 years has been openly cheating on me. What do women normally do in this sort of situation?  I probably need to take an AIDS test.”

And so she went on and on. What do I do?

Friday, September 19^th at 10:00pm

Text message to Cindi: “On Match.com last night with Jaz. Found out George is cheating! Yikes!”

Text message from Cindi: "What the hey?! Where is she?"

Text message to Cindi: "Here at my house."

Text message from Cindi: "Coming over in a few"

 Picture

To make it more interesting, we opened a bottle of 2006 Castle Rock Pinot Noir. Smooth and curvaceous, it didn't disappoint. I scored this vintage at Richfield liquors, on sale, for $9.99. An unbelievable value for a wine rated best value under $15 by Food and Wine magazine.

I set myself a budget of ten dollars and stuck to if religiously. It yielded a bunch of cooking and glass storage containers that would have cost me around 90 dollars… so I’m pretty happy. But no Lasagna dish… they are between six and nine dollars at the store. It’s not too rich for my blood, but I would rather find it for a dollar at a garage sale… no rush. Patience is a virtue…until it becomes a nuisance.

This week I was more organized and hit only a few places as time dictated. I go with a list of items and a few ‘can’t beat the price’ items on a piece of paper. If it’s not on the list, I don’t even look at it, no matter how tempting.

I completed my list of Garage sale kitchen items and began on some of the furniture Items I was looking for as well. I had a bigger budget this time. In fact twice as much. Twenty dollars!!!

The small cabinet to hide the modem took up half of that budget and the kitchen stuff took the rest. I got a bunch of spoons, more storage containers and a coffee bean grinder, which was on my list of ‘can’t beat the price’ items. Two dollars made it worth every penny.

Then, as chance would have it I found a solid wood bookcase selling for ten dollars… hmmm, should I or shouldn’t I? It was also on my list, but it would put me over budget. I decided to get it anyway. It’s worth about 150 dollars at least and it’s in primo condition.

Take a look for yourself:

This rounds out the office. All that needs to go up are the movie posters I already own and a few other various and sundry items. But this room is complete. I don’t need to find anything else.

I will look again for a Lasagna Dish next weekend. I'm Beginning to feel a little like Captain Ahab at this point.

This picture says it all. Perfectly composed, steaming hot, homemade lasagna! Amy aced this one.

What's your favorite home-style dish? Share you thoughts with Dinnerboy.

dedicated untuk my PPgurls ^^

Bahan :

1bungkus (250gr) pre-cooking Lasagna (ini lasagna instan, ga perlu direbus...tp kalo mo pake yang 'biasa', rebus selembar2 ya...pake air mendidih yang udah dikasih minyak dan garem sedikit, trus setelah lunak langsung disiram air dingin biar ga lengket)

Saus Keju

3sdm mentega

3sdm tepung terigu

2gelas susu cair

keju cheddar parut ato keju parmesan bubuk secukupnya (aku pake keju cheddar parut sekitar 1/4 block @ 250gr...soalnya suami suka keju...^^)

garam dan merica secukupnya
How to :

1. Lelehkan mentega, masukkan tepung terigu, aduk rata.

2. Angkat dari kompor, masukkan susu cair, aduk rata.

3. Masak lagi dengan api yang sangat kecil, tambahkan merica dan garam sambil diaduk2 terus, tambahkan juga keju, masak sampe keju meleleh dan larut.

Saus Daging

3sdm minyak sayur

3-5ons daging giling

2 tomat besar (rebus, kuliti dan potong kotak2 kecil)

1 bawang bombay, cincang halus

2 siung bawang putih, cincan halus

saus tomat secukupnya

saus cabe sesuai selera (optional)

merica dan garam secukupnya

1-2 sdt italian herbs (ini campuran macam2 bumbu2 italia...utk praktisnya aku pake ini...tp bisa jg pake 1sdt oregano ma 1-2 lbr bay leave)

How to :

1. Tumis bawang bombay dan bawang putih sampe wangi.

2. Masukkan daging giling, tumis sampe daging berubah warna jadi coklat...tunggu sesaat sampe air daging agak kering.

3. Masukkan rajangan tomat rebus, aduk-aduk dan tambahkan saos tomat dan saos cabe.

4. Masukkan bumbu2nya (merica, garam, italian herb) sambil diaduk2 terus sampe saus meletup2.

How to make Lasagna :

1. Olesi loyang (aku pake loyang alumunium foil sekali pake uk. 20x10x5) dengan mentega, tipis2 saja.

2. Dasari loyang pake saus daging, ratakan.

3. Masukkan selembar lasagna, tuangi saus daging lalu saus keju...begitu seterusnya sampe habis.

4. Panaskan oven, setel di suhu 180' C, panggang selama 30menit

note : dengan resep diatas, bisa jadi 2 loyang lo... ^^

Beberapa hari yang lalu ku juga sempet bikin MACARONI SAUSAGE AND CHEESE...

Ni resep simpel banget, sejak jaman masih tinggal sendiri dulu...dan ga mampu beli di Pizza Hut sering2...hahahaha (benernya ga mirip banget ma yang dijual di PH, tp paling ga, ini mah Pasta juga...jadi dimirip-miripin...^^)

Bahan :

semangkuk sup macaroni (seadanya bentuknya...^^) direbus dengan sedikit minyak dan garam sekitar 10menit lalu ditiriskan dan disiram air dingin

mentega untuk menumis

1/2 bawang bombay, cincang halus

1 siung bawang putih, cincang halus

saus tomat dan saus cabe sesuai selera

1/2 tomat, dipotong panjang2 saja

2 sosis ayam, diiris-iris serong

Merica, garam dan italian herbs secukupnya

Keju chedar parut sesuai selera

How to :

1. Tumis bawang bombay dan bawang putih sampai harum.

2. Masukkan sosis, aduk rata.

3. Masukkan tomat rajang, saos tomat dan bumbu2 sesuai selera.

4. Masukkan macaroni, aduk sampe rata.

5. Angkat, taruh di mangkuk, taburi dengan keju cheddar parut.

optional : boleh juga dioven sebentaaar aja, cuman biar kejunya meleleh...dan kalo versi aku, masih ditambah ma sebuah chicken cheese sausage yang dipanaskan bentar, plus garlic bread! hahaha

hem....see what's makes my hubby getting chubby rite? haha (really love you mas:*)

I've laid in bed most of today, with the exception of a few trips to the laundry room, a long bath, and an hour in the kitchen making an abstract deconstruction of lasagna.

There's another party in Brooklyn. It's not like anyone expects me there.

So I'm still in bed, wearing my big Cubs shirt, smoking the last of my marijuana, flipping between Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the First Wives Club. I'm beautifully high. My friend calls and tells me to go.

So guess what I do.

I'm almost done Ben's hat! It would be more exciting if it were colder out or if it were actually near his birthday. I think this is definitely the fastest scarf and hat I've ever knitted! Especially the hat! I started last night, and I think I have about 5 rows to go! I mimicked the cables in the scarf and just went for it. I really like it, and I think it coordinates really well. AND I didn't need any more yarn because I have that fancy maroon stripe. I'm totally tricky.  I'm wearing my adorable llama earrings that Jessie gave me!  You can't see it in this picture, but I'm also wearing my yarn necklace that I bought from etsy seller, Mack.  I'm so fiber themed!

In food news I made lasagna!

mmm! I was part way into it, and I realized- hey I don't have a recipe! I just sort of bought things that go into a lasagna, and made it! Next time I think I'll buy regular noodles. I bought the Trader Joe's no boil noodles, and they did not float my boat. I made asparagus and meatballs (frozen) to eat with it. It was great! I can't wait to try again (this time with more ricotta! But I think everything needs more ricotta!).

I also made garlic bread

It wasn't my best attempt, but I think it was definitely the most fattening!
I took a loaf of store bought bread (one of the loaves in the bakery section- I think this one was "rustic"), and I sliced it. Then I melted a stick of butter, put about 4 tbs of already chopped garlic into the butter until it was fully melted. I poured the butter on each piece of bread until the butter was gone, and then I topped it with a mozzarella/ parmesan combo. YUM! I wasn't quick enough with the camera to be able to show you how much there was, but it was delicious!

I haven't spent this much time on dinner for a while and I must say that I felt like I dirtied every pot and pan in my kitchen. That being said, it was well worth it. To quote my hubby, "This is really good lasagna." He even repeated it again the next day and he's not a leftovers fan.

This white lasagna requires boiling noodles, a spinach filling, a mushroom filling and a bechamel sauce.  Don't let it intimidate you though.  Each component is super easy to make.  And it's delicious!  (Although next time, I might try combining the spinach and mushrooms to make one filling mixture.)

Spinach Mushroom Lasagna
adapted from this Marth Stewart recipe I found on Is It EDible?

For the spinach filling:

1 T butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs spinach leaves, chopped
10 oz ricotta cheese-- I added more cheese to make up for the missing lb of spinach

For the mushroom filling:

1 T butter
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 c chicken stock
2 T chopped fresh parsley

For the sauce:

4 T butter
3 T flour
1 12 oz can evaporated milk + enough chicken stock to make 2 c of liquid
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 c shredded mozzarella
dash of nutmeg

For the rest of the lasagna:

12 lasagna noodles, cooked
8 oz shredded mozzarella

1. To make the spinach filling: Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until slightly golden. Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes or until wilted. Drain well. Mix in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To make the mushroom filling: Melt butter in a separate large pan over med-lo heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and add parsley. Set aside.
3. To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over med-lo heat. Slowly add the flour, whisking to form a roux or paste. Cook the roux for about a minute, whisking constantly. Gradually pour in the milk as you whisk to avoid lumps. Cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg and grated cheese.
4. Preheat the oven to 350. Assemble the lasagna in a lightly greased pan (I used a 9 x 13 which was way too big. Next time I'll use an 8 x 11). Lay down 3 noodles and top with 1/2 of the spinach filling. Ladle 1/4 of the sauce over the spinach. Lay down 3 more noodles and top with all of the mushroom filling. Ladle 1/4 of the sauce over the mushrooms. Lay down another 3 noodles and top with the other 1/2 of the spinach filling. Ladle 1/4 of the sauce over the spinach. Top with the last 3 noodles, ladle the remaining sauce and evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella on top.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil after 30 minutes and continue to bake an additional 15 - 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

I had to make a few modifications because I didn't have everything on hand. Chris also detests shiitake mushrooms so I left those out. I should have added more regular mushrooms to make up for that. My mushroom layer turned out really thin.

This was obviously the case for me one fine winter day. The following is a sample of one page of notes, which we shall dissect further following initial observation.

Clearly, I was being starved in such an inhumane fashion that even weird, squiggly balls of fluff (dust bunnies? broccoli?) looked appetizing enough to be served alongside cake and pie.

First of all, this is lasagna. Yes, lasagna. "Who draws lasagna?" one may ask. Probably a girl who spent a lot of money, time, effort and emotion to pull together a fabulous lasagna dinner only to have it criticized and picked apart. Or, you know, maybe just some weird chick. Whatever.

What I really do wonder, though, is when I drew this. Was it before the dinner, in anticipation of the big event? Or was I drawing after the dinner as some sort of consolation or therapy?

French bread goes with lasagna. That's pretty much a fact. The French bread I made was stuffed with garlic and cheese and amazing spices and was so good, I'm getting hungry right now thinking about it.

This pie (which I have never in my life made properly) appears to be bending in a concave fashion from the bottom, which I find amusing. Also, I think the crust is actually a cleverly disguised bowling ball.

Mmmm...cake.

"What is that?" you might shout, pounding your fists in frustration. "It doesn't look like anything edible...or inedible! What kind of artist are you?"

I'll tell you what kind of artist I am. I am the kind of artist who deviates from the norm and, instead of drawing a traditional doughnut, draws a crueller that has been beaten in on all sides with a screwdriver. That's the kind of artist I am.

Crispy Wontons
18-27 Wonton Wraps (9 per desired layer)
Vegetable Oil
Salt

In a large pot, heat 2-3 inches of Vegetable Oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the Wontons until golden and crispy on both sides, about 60-90 seconds. Remove the Wontons from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with salt and reserve until ready to assemble the lasagna.

Fried Rice
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
14 oz. can of Mixed Chinese Vegetables (I use La Choy)
1/4 cup Onions, chopped
2 Eggs, beaten
4 cups of cold cooked Instant Rice (Prepared according to directions on package)
1/4 cup Green Onions, chopped
4 tablespoons Soy Sauce

In a wok or frying pan, heat the Vegetable Oil until its hot. Stir in the Mixed Chinese Vegetables, Onion, and Green Onion. Add 1 tablespoon of Soy Sauce and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Eggs and stir until scrambled. Add the cold, cooked Rice and continue stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of Soy Sauce and Green Onions, stirring until the Rice is heated all the way through.  Remove from heat and reserve until ready to assemble the lasagna.

Cashew Chicken
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Ginger, ground
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/4 cup Green Onion, chopped
3-4 Chicken Breasts, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
2 tablespoons Honey
1-2 cups Cashews
1/4 cup Chicken Broth
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce

In a wok or frying pan, heat the EVOO and Sesame Oil until its hot. Add Garlic and Ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Add Onion and Green Onion. Cook for 2 minutes and stir occasionally. Add Chicken pieces and cook until almost done. Add Soy Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, and Honey. Stir thoroughly to coat the Chicken and cook for 1 minute. Add Cashews, Chicken Broth, Cornstarch, and Oyster Sauce. Stir thoroughly to coat the Chicken and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens. Remove from heat for assembly of the lasagna.

Cashew Chicken Lasagna Assembly
In a square pan, approximately 8" x 8" begin placing Wontons on the bottom of the pan overlapping each other. Approximately 9 Wontons should be used per layer. Scoop a layer of the Fried Rice onto the Wontons. Scoop a layer of Cashew Chicken mix onto the Fried Rice. Place another layer of Wontons and repeat the process until all of the mixture is used.  Cut into pieces and serve. Enjoy!

Presentation Tip: For better presentation, place a single Wonton on a plate. Proceed to scoop Fried Rice directly onto the Wonton, followed by a scoop of Cashew Chicken. Add another Wonton on top and another scoop of Fried Rice and Cashew Chicken.  This method is easier if you are trying for an impressive presentation. Also, try topping with a few Green Onions for some color to the dish.

Over in Italy, M&D had an Italian cooking class, where our dad made an incredible lasagna... and he's promised to make it again for us when they get back home. :D

Breakfast

I started my morning bright and early with my power-bowl: yogurt, nectarine, flax, kashi go lean. Nectarines are definitely my very favorite fruit---I wish they were seasonless : ( 

Lunch

It's yoga day which means Ezekial+PB and cottage cheese for some protein. Yum! I'm all out of my Zeke's though and I'm trying to hold off grocery shopping till the end of next week when MY MOM COMES TO VISIT!!! Ehhh, there's no way I'm making it that long. I'm sure I'll end up going this weekend. I wish I had a car and that healthy food wasn't so expensive. BOO. 

Snacks

I packed up some snacks to eat while I was at work (forever!) today. I had an AMAZING apple. Yayyy for fall and apple season! And the love-of-my-life PB Larabar. Heavenly.

Dinner

For dinner I had another Amy's frozen meal--Veggie Lasagna. Once again, this was unbelievable. It's so tasty and satisfying, and really filling. I love these! To go with it I picked up a salad from the campus center.

And while I was there I picked up a new product that I just had to try:

These were really good. I know that rice cakes are traditionally associated with "diet food" but I seriously love them. These ones were really good, they had icing drizzled on them so they were a little sweet. I'll definitely be buying these again!

Dessert

Obviously no day is complete without a nighttime treat:

Now I'm off to work on fun stuff like this:  and 

woohoo economics!

On second thought, you might want to skip imagining this one.  I generally have fairly good luck in the kitchen (especially since I don't often attempt very complicated things!) but I was disappointed in last night's effort.  My expectations were high: umm, squash IN lasagna?  How can that be bad?  It was also a Martha Stewart recipe, and I generally like those. 

But for whatever reason, this recipe fell flat. 

Oh.  Hmm.  Perhaps, in addition to RTFR, I should also read the comments!  Because lookee here, Comment #3 says exactly what I felt was wrong with the dish: it was WAY too salty!  Maybe the recipe doesn't figure that you'll use real Parmesan cheese, but if you do, I'd absolutely recommend trying it without adding any salt to the cheese layer (you'll want to add it to the squash though).  And more spices in the squash layer couldn't hurt either.  I don't know, though.  I'm still looking forward to experimenting with squash lasagna, but I doubt I'll ever make this one again.  (The Boy gets brownie points for eating his whole serving AND saying that it wasn't too bad!)