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by kkregel | January 23, 2012 · 8:14 am

{Make Ahead Meal} Butternut Squash Lasagna

Since going back to work I’ve relied heavily on make ahead meals that allow me to put homemade dishes on the table while spending my post-work time with the fam instead of prepping food. About once a month I’ve spent a full weekend afternoon making 4-5 freezer friendly meals that will get us 8-10 dinners. I’ll be sharing lots of make ahead meals this year but lasagna is a hearty go-to.

The Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce recipe I shared last week does double duty for me in this veggie-focused lasagna. I add Italian sausage at the request of my husband but you could easily skip it or substitute with portabellas for a completely vegetarian meal.

Butternut Squash Lasagna
1 pkg lasagna noodles
1 1/2 lb ground italian sausage
15 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
1 C parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed & drained
2 C mozzarella, shredded
salt, pepper
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
2 9×9 aluminum foil roasting pans
heavy duty aluminum foil
parchment paper

In a large stockpot, boil enough water to cover the lasagna noodles. Once water comes to a boil, heavily salt water and add noodles, cooking according to package directions until al dente. Rinse with cold water to prevent sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, cook italian sausage completely, about 8-10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine egg, ricotta, 1/2 C parmesan and spinach. Season with salt and pepper.

Trim a noodle to fit your pan using a kitchen shears. Use that noodle as a template to trim the rest of your noodles. You’ll have some small loose end pieces, which can be used for your middle layer of noodles without sacrificing the structure of the lasagna. Begin by layering three full, trimmed noodles in the bottom of each foil pan. Visually divide cheese and sausage into 4 portions in your head. Spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles in both pans. Top with 1/4 of the sausage. Top with a layer of squash sauce. Next, sprinkle each pan with 1/3 C mozzarella cheese.

Add another layer of noodles, using end pieces as needed. Repeat layers. Finally, top each pan with another layer of complete noodles, a thin layer of squash sauce and the remaining 1/3 C mozzarella. If freezing, trim a piece of parchment paper to fit the top of each pan and cover lasagna. Use two layers of heavy duty foil to wrap tightly around pan.

If serving, bake at 400 for 50-60 minutes or until center is fully cooked and cheese topping is golden.
If freezing and serving, remove from freezer about 24 hrs before serving to partially thaw. Bake at 400 for 60-75 minutes. NOTE: I recommend setting your timer for 60 minutes and checking the temperature from there. Depending on how thawed your lasagna is your baking time will vary.

Each pan serves 4 large servings.

5 Comments

Filed under Healthy, Main Dish, Make Ahead Meal

Tagged as butternut squash lasagna, freezer friendly lasagna, freezer meals, make ahead meals, veggie lasagna recipe

by Stef | January 20, 2012 · 8:00 am

Beef, Barley and Sweet Potato Stew

Winter storms are brewing, so pull out that crock pot and some nice winter produce and whip yourself up a body warming stew. This is perfect after a shoveling session or snow angels with the babes.

Beef, Barley & Sweet Potato Stew

1-2 lbs. beef stew meat
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 medium sized yellow onion, diced
2 whole carrots, peeled and diced
2 TBSP diced sun dried tomatoes
1 TBSP minced garlic
2 C beef broth
1/2 cup marsala wine
1 tsp pepper
1/2 TBSP oregano
1 C barley
2 TBSP flour

Layer vegetables on bottom of slow cooker. Pour broth and wine over vegetables. Add barley, mix until all barley is covered in liquid. Lay beef over top and add spices. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. In last 30 minutes of cooking, add 2 TBSP flour and mix thoroughly.

6 Comments

Filed under Cook, Main Dish

Tagged as barley stew, beef and sweet potato stew, beef stew recipes, Slow cooker recipes

by Anne | January 18, 2012 · 8:42 am

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

My family loves having a big breakfast over the weekend when we have a little extra time on our hands. This pancake recipe is one of our favorites. It is my Grandma’s basic buttermilk pancake recipe with just a few extra special ingredients. You can make the pancakes any size, but for some reason I love making these almost as big as the pan!

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted butter or oil
2 eggs
2 bananas, chopped into small pieces
1/2 – 1 cup mini chocolate chips
(optional – 1/2 cup chopped walnuts)

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Mix the buttermilk, melted butter or oil and eggs in a small bowl until combined. Mix the wet ingredients to the dry.

Finally, mix in the chopped banana, mini chocolate chips and nuts if you are using them. Mix well, smashing the banana chunks as you go.

Ladle into a well oiled pan (that makes them nice and crisp on the outside) and flip once you see bubbles form on the top.

Eat them warm with syrup. They are sweet, indulgent and oh so delicious!

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by kkregel | January 16, 2012 · 7:53 am

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Happy 2012! I got a little obsessed with squash last fall, as some of you may remember, and became especially addicted to this butternut squash pasta sauce I created. It’s a nice way to mix things up from the standard red sauce and a healthier, lower fat creamy option than an alfredo.

You’ll need some time to make the sauce since roasting the squash takes a little while but once made, you can easily refrigerate it for about a week or freeze it for later meals. I’ve been using it in two great recipes, one I’m sharing today and the second I’ll share next week!

The first dish I put together was this Butternut Squash Gnocchi, which sounds fancy but by making the sauce ahead of time and using store-bought gnocchi, it takes no time at all to put together. You get a really great balance of flavors – sweetness from the squash, earthiness from the mushrooms and sage, creamy tang from the goat cheese and of course the smoky-saltiness of the bacon.

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/2-1 C chicken broth
2 Tbsp sherry
1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sage
2 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Remove skin and seeds from squash. Chop into small square chunks and place on a cookie sheet. Add chopped onion and whole garlic cloves to cookie sheet, mixing among the squash. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper, using a spatula to turn and coat the squash evenly with the oil and spices. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until squash is soft and has a roasted golden brown coating.

Transfer vegetable to a large food processor. Add 1/2 C chicken broth and blend to puree. Drizzle in sherry and vinegar and continue pureeing. Taste and season with sage, along with additional salt and pepper as needed until flavors pop and continue pureeing until very smooth. Puree in additional chicken broth as needed to reach desired consistency. Sauce should be semi-thick and creamy but still sauce-like. NOTE: The amount of chicken broth required may vary depending on the size of the squash you used – larger squash may need more broth to reach the right consistency.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Goat Cheese & Bacon
2 pkgs prepared soft gnocchi
1 pkg baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
3-4 oz goat cheese
6 slices bacon
handful fresh or dried minced sage

In a small saute pan, heat butter or olive oil and add mushrooms. Saute over medium heat until mushrooms are cooked, about 4-6 minutes. Once mushrooms are mostly cooked, add half of squash sauce to the saute pan and stir to incorporate mushrooms. Warm sauce over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a separate pan or in the microwave, about 5-7 minutes. Let bacon cool for 1 minute and chop into small chunks or crumbles. Boil water and cook gnocchi according to package instructions.

Plate gnocchi. Top with squash sauce, crumbled goat cheese, bacon bits and a dusting of sage.

Stay tuned next week for part two of my butternut squash sauce: Make Ahead Butternut Squash Lasagna!

3 Comments

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Tagged as butternut squash gnocchi, butternut squash pasta sauce, gnocchi bacon goat cheese

by Stef | January 12, 2012 · 7:49 am

{Budget Friendly} Spicy Tomato Soup

Like many of you, the new year always brings similar resolutions. Be healthy. Save money. This year I plan to share with you some of my belt and budget shrinking recipes to help you stay on track with your 2012 goals. This tomato soup has been a staple in my household for some time. Made with pureed beans and carrots, it’s creamy without the calories. Best of all, you can make the entire batch of soup for less than $6. That is a $1 per person, take that McDonald’s dollar menu!

Spicy Tomato Soup
Makes 4-6 servings

1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
3 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can Navy Beans, rinsed and drained
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Rosemary Whipped Topping (optional)
1 C heavy cream
1 TBSP lemon juice
rosemary (leftover from soup recipe)

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add broth, carrots, beans, tomatoes, rosemary (leaving a tiny pinch behind), salt, pepper and red pepper. Bring to a boil, cook until carrots are softened, about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, throughly blend soup until thick and creamy. (If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer soup to blender or food processor in batches until all is smooth).

In a cold metal bowl, whip heavy cream on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Slowly add pinch of rosemary and lemon juice until combined.

Ladle soup into bowl, top with one teaspoon of whipped cream.

The extra tablespoon of whipped topping is not necessary, but adding a real creamy texture to the soup. The extra tablespoon is worth the few extra calories in my book, but if you are really cutting down, leave it out. It is delicious either way!

8 Comments

Filed under Budget Friendly, Cook, Healthy

Tagged as budget friendly meals, healthy tomato soup, meals for under $1, spicy tomato soup

by Anne | January 10, 2012 · 12:36 pm

Grapefruit and Avocado salad

Now that the holiday rush is over, I find my self craving fresh and light meals. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cookie plates and green bean casseroles as much as everyone else, but now that it’s over my body is asking for a little bit of a detox.

I sometimes find it hard to make really delicious salads throughout the winter due to the lack of fresh, ripe ingredients. This grapefruit and avocado salad has become a staple for me. Delicious Grapefruits and avocados can be found just about anywhere this time of year and they add a refreshing flavor to any salad. I like to finish mine with shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. I have found that this salad has so much flavor that I can skip the dressing all together.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

1 grapefruit, sliced into wedges
1 avocado, sliced and scooped out
lettuce
Shaved Parmesan
Olive oil

Simply top your greens with the sliced avocado and grapefruit. Add your favorite cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

5 Comments

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Tagged as grapefruit and avocado salad, winter salads

by Stef | December 29, 2011 · 2:36 pm

Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip

We interrupt this regularly scheduled holiday break with a word from our sponsors: Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dips!

It is almost New Year’s Eve and my guess is that many of you will scramble around the house this weekend looking for a quick and easy appetizer to bring to your New Year’s Eve party. Typically, I am a make (at least partially) from scratch kind of girl but sometimes, let’s face it, we don’t have time (or energy). We recently had the opportunity to taste a few of the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dips and they are the perfect quick and easy fix. These lower calorie dip options can be found in the refrigerated area of the produce section of your grocery store (amongst refrigerated salad dressings, etc.) There are five delicious options: Cucumber Dill, Spinach Artichoke, Salsa Cilantro, Chipolte Cheese and Garden Herb Ranch.

Greek yogurt has been all the rage in 2011 and I don’t think the trend is going to stop any time soon and why should it? Greek yogurt provides that thick, creamy texture you would normally get out of sour cream or mayo without all the extra fat. I tried three out of the five flavors and sampled them each in different ways.

The winner for me has to go to the Cucumber Dill dip. Maybe it is because it reminds me of summer or my short trip to Greece a few years ago, but I loved the cool taste of the cucumber combined with the not too strong dill flavor. I spread the Cucumber Dill dip on a pita and topped it with sliced grape tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives and chopped cucumbers. This made for a different and delicious easy lunch, but would also work as an appetizer. You could also substitute the Cucumber Dill Veggie Dip for the cream cheese base on a veggie pizza.

I tasted the Spinach Artichoke with some garlic pita chips and veggies. I preferred the dip with the chips, maybe I just like some extra salt. The dip has a great texture and leaves you feeling much lighter after you eat it than your typical spinach artichoke dip. Lincoln loved it with the pita chips (veggies, hoorah)!

Last, I tried the Salsa Cilantro. I know cilantro can be an acquired taste for some, but this dip has just a touch of cilantro and a hint of southwest. It was great as a straight veggie dip and also good spread on a tortilla with some black bean and corn salsa.

These dips would be great served side by side with a lovely array of colorful veggies or separate and highlighted in their own ways, like some of the quick recipes I have described. However you decide to serve them, I think you will be pleased with the reactions of your guests.

So focus more on your glittery ensemble or fabulous cocktail this New Year’s Eve instead of your bring along appetizer, because Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip has it covered.

We will see you next year!

HAP was one of the blogs selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip review. They provided us with product to test and compensation for our time. However, our opinions are entirely our own.

HAPpy Holidays!

This year for the holidays HAP is going on holiday. We’d love to say it’s an exotic holiday to Rio or Bali but instead we’re just taking time to slow down and enjoy time with family and friends…and honestly, that’s just as great. We’ll be back in early January with lots of great new recipes and ideas!

HAPpy Holidays!

Mexican-Themed Christmas Fiesta

As I mentioned last week, my family and I decided to celebrate in a different way this year, Mexican-style! We celebrated this past weekend with festive drinks, food and desserts. It was a Feliz Navidad indeed.

To start the party out, I served Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas using a recipe I found on the blog, My Life as a Mrs. Potent, but festive!

After making a special trip to my new favorite grocery store, El Rey, I put together a spicy Mexican meal that got us all in the Christmas mood. The shining star of the meal was the Chipotle Pulled Brisket Taco. Cooked in a slow-cooker, the beef was juicy and tender with a little kick.

Chipotle Pulled Brisket Tacos
Serves 6-8 people

3 lbs brisket
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1 can diced tomatoes
1 TBSP chili powder
1/2 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely diced
1 TBSP adobo sauce
guacamole
Queso Fresco
flour tortillas, warmed

In a slow cooker, place brisket. Pour in apple cider vinegar and diced tomatoes, including the juices. Add minced garlic. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, cumin, coriander and sea salt. Shake evenly over beef. Add chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Make sure tomatoes and peppers are evenly spread across the brisket. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. 30 minutes before serve time, take two large forks and shred beef. The beef should easily tear apart. Mix throughly, reduce to warm and cover until serve time.

Place guacamole in bottom of warmed tortillas. Layer beef into taco. Sprinkle Queso Fresco over the top and serve with Spanish rice.

We rounded the meal out with an easy and beautiful Dulce de Leche dessert I found over on Oh My Sugar High. This dessert took less than 10 minutes to whip up and wasn’t too heavy after a big meal. I plan on making different variations in the future!

Wishing all of you love and joy this holiday season.

From my table to yours, Feliz Navidad!

6 Comments

Filed under Christmas, Cook, Drinks, Holidays, Main Dish, Treats

Tagged as Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas, Ducle de Leche dessert, Feliz Navidad, Pulled Brisket Tacos, Spanish Rice

by Anne | December 21, 2011 · 8:35 am

{Homemade gifts} Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Over the past month, I have made and frozen dozens of cookies. This weekend I pulled out all of the cookies to put together cookie plates for neighbors and friends but I quickly realized that I was short cookies. Looks like my husband and I may have stolen too many cookies out of the freezer!

I had a day to come up with something else to deliver to friends. I pulled out my favorite Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread recipe and purchased disposable holiday tins from Michaels. They came together so quickly and were the perfect gift.