Spinach Mexican Lasagna

Spinach Mexican Lasagna 
(From this website)

Ingredients

3/4 cups fresh cilantro leaves

4 green onions

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

10 ounces fresh spinach

1 cup cottage cheese

2 cups grated cheddar/monterey jack/colby jack/whatevs cheese, divided

12 corn tortillas

1 (15 ounces) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup prepared salsa, mild or medium

Avocado (optional) 

 

Directions

1) In a food processor, combine cilantro, green onions, salt and pepper with as much spinach as will comfortably fit; pulse, adding remaining spinach in batches, until chopped.
2) In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese with 1 cup grated cheese.
3) Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Lay 4 tortillas in the bottom of the dish (they will overlap).
4) Layer tortillas with half of the beans, salsa, spinach mixture, and the entire cottage cheese mixture; repeat with a layer of tortillas, the remaining beans, salsa and spinach mixture. Finish with the last four tortillas, any remaining spinach mixture, and Monterey Jack cheese on top, pressing in gently.
5) Cover dish with foil sprayed with cooking spray; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees until bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes; remove foil, and continue baking until golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.  

 

**Top with sliced avocado on each serving if desired.   

Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage, Peppers and Onions

Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage, Peppers and Onions
(Modified from this recipe)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 (16- to 18-ounce) package fresh, shelf-stable or frozen potato gnocchi (do not thaw)
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
2 medium bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
Garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Basil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the gnocchi to the skillet in a single layer. Cover and cook undisturbed until the bottoms are golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss and cover, continuing to cook until the gnocchi is plump and tender, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the gnocchi.

3.Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet until shimmering. Add the peppers and onion, season with the salt and pepper, garlic and basil and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in spots and just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

4.Return the gnocchi and sausage to the skillet and toss to combine with the peppers and onions, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and serve with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Quinoa Chili

I really like this vegetarian chili to mix things up a bit. Great with cornbread or breadsticks!

Quinoa Chili

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed in warm water

1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

 

Directions

1) Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onions, and sauté until tender. Add salt, garlic, green pepper and spices; sauté for 5-10 minutes. 

2) Add rinsed quinoa and stir until combined. Add corn, tomato sauce, and water to onion/quinoa mixture. Simmer together 20 minutes. 

3) Add beans to the pot and simmer another 15 minutes.

Can serve with sour cream or cheese, if you like.

 

Homemade Ice Cream

This is the only recipe you'll ever need for The Best homemade ice cream. You do need an ice cream mixer but get that and this recipe and you're set. 

Uncle Richard's Ice Cream

4 cups pureed fruit of choice--peach, strawberry, raspberry, apricot are all delicious. Or in combo!

4 eggs

2 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Dash of salt

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 pint half-and-half

2 envelopes of plain gelatin (Knox brand) 

 

1. Using a hand mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl. 

2. Add the cream and half-and-half to the bowl and mix together well. 

3. Pour the contents of the mixing bowl into the chilled can of your ice cream mixer. 

4. Add your pureed fruit to the chilled can of the mixer and stir well. 

5. Fill a small mug with 1/3-1/2 c. cold water. Dissolve the two envelopes of gelatin in the cold water. Warm another 1/3 c of milk in the microwave and slowly add that to the gelatin mix. Stir this mixture until its fully dissolve--no lumps. 

6. Pour the gelatin mix into your ice cream can STIRRING THE MIXTURE CONTINUOUSLY WITH A LARGE SPOON while you do. 

7. Now follow the directions from your ice cream mixer--adding ice and salt and all that jazz. Run the ice cream machine until you have delicious ice cream!

Enjoy :)

Healthy 5-Minute Peach Frozen Yogurt

Healthy 5-Minute Peach* Frozen Yogurt

4 Cups peach slices, frozen solid

3 Tbsp. honey

1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Process until creamy, about 5 minutes. If needed, you can add in a small amount of nondairy milk to thin it out to the consistency you desire.

Eat immediately!

*You could use this same recipe for any number of froyos with different fruits. We mainly make it with frozen apricots off our tree!

2-ingredient Bagels

 I love these with breakfast sandwiches, especially, but a good turkey and swiss is fantastic too. 

2-Ingredient Bagels
(From this website)

2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups plain greek yogurt

1 egg

Everything Bagel seasoning

 

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and yogurt together until it forms a shaggy dough. Tip it on to a lightly floured surface and knead it until it forms a nice smooth ball. Flatten the ball into more of a disc and cover with a towel. Let rest for 10 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 before going to step 3. Line a cookie sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

3. Split the disc into eight pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Cover them with the towel again and let rest another 10 minutes. 

4. Lightly coat your hands in flour. Using your thumb, make a hole in the center of each ball of dough about 1 ½ -inch wide, pulling on the outer edge of the dough as you turn it around your thumb to form an evenly shaped bagel. Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

5. Beat the egg with a pinch of salt and then use a pastry brush to brush it on to each bagel. Sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning. 

6. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes.

Pizza Casserole

Saw this on Instagram and tried it out tonight on the pickiest eaters in town and 2/3 actually ate it! Decided I needed to get the recipe down (with the changes in cooking time) before I forget.

Brunch with Babs' Pizza Casserole

16 oz elbow macaroni
3 cups boiling water
24 oz marinara sauce
1-1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
5 oz. pepperoni, divided.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pour macaroni, 4 oz pepperoni, water and marinara sauce into a 9x13 casserole dish. Stir it up and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Pasta should be al dente at this point. Remove from oven and top with the rest of the pepperoni and the cheese. Return to the oven and cook another 10 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then serve.