Lasagna Soup

This recipe was suggested to me from one of my new good friends from school, Stephanie! I believe she posted a bowl of this goodness on Facebook one day and I had to have the recipe. I decided to make it for a teacher lunch since we really don't need this much goodness in our house while me and my husband are dieting. :-P I served it up with our favorite homemade Italian bread. 

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

Soup:

* 2 tsp. olive oil (I would leave this out. The sausage produces a lot of fat)

* 1.5 lb. Italian Sausage

* 3 cups onion, chopped

* 4 garlic cloves, minced

* 2 tsp. dried oregano (I used italian seasoning)

* 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

* 2 Tbsp. tomato paste

* 1 (28oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes

* 2 bay leaves

* 6 cups chicken stock

* Salt and Pepper to taste

Cheesy Yum:

* 8oz. ricotta

* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

* 1/4 tsp. salt

* Pinch of ground pepper

* 2 cups mozzarella, shredded

Toppings:

* 8 oz. pasta (I used rigatoni)

* 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (for topping)

* Additional mozzarella

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into tiny pieces. Brown for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the onions and cooked until softened, about 6 minutes.

3. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, then cook an additional minute.

4. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook 3-4 minutes or until paste turns rusty brown.

5. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. At this point you may choose to add pasta and cook until al dente (barely cooked), but I just cooked mine separately to ensure it didn't get overcooked.

6. While the soup cooks, make the cheesy yum by combining all ingredients listed under "cheesy yum". 

7. To serve place basil, noodles, and cheesy yum into a bowl, then spoon soup over top. Enjoy!

Extra-Easy Lasagna

This post is a bit late, but better late than never! For Brian's birthday dinner this year, he found this recipe and asked that I make it for him. He LOVES lasagna, and especially cheesy lasagna, which this definitey was. I actually really liked this recipe and the ease of it all gives my normal lasagna recipe a run for it's money! This is a must try! The original recipe can be found here.

Extra-Easy Lasagna

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. lean ground beef

* 4 cups tomato basil sauce (I used whatever I had on hand)

* 9 uncooked lasagna noodles

* 1 (15oz.) container ricotta cheese

* 10oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

* 1/4 cup hot water

Directions:

1. Brown beef in a large skillet over medium heat. 

2. Stir in pasta sauce.

3. Spread 1/4 of meat mixture in the bottom of a lightly greased 11x7 baking dish. 

4. Layer 3 noodles and 1/3 of ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

5. Repeat the process twice. On top layer add more sauce.

6. Add 1/4 cup hot water to edge of pan, then tightly cover with 2 layers of aluminum foil.

7. Bake in 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes. (Make sure to check on it!)

8. Uncover, then add last bit of mozzarella cheese to top. Bake uncovered another 10 minutes.

8. Best enjoyed with cheesy garlic bread and Robertson King wine (from the Sumner Crest Winery).

Italian Bread Loaf

So...As you may know, I bought a bread maker and have been trying out recipes. This one was a huge hit with my hubby. I loved it too! I will definitely make this again! My friend Amanda originally made this recipe and that was the real reason I decided to get a bread maker. I had no idea how easy making bread could be. The recipe was a googled recipe called "Jo's Rosemary Bread" found here.

Italian Bread Loaf

Ingredients:

* 1 cup water

* 3 Tbsp. olive oil

* 1 1/2 tsp. white sugar

* 1 1/2 tsp. salt

* 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

* 1 Tbsp. rosemary (I just used extra italian seasoning because I didn't have any!

* 1/4 tsp. italian seasoning

* 2 1/2 cup bread flour

* 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

Directions:

 1. Pour 1 cup water in the machine.

 2. Add 3 T. olive oil distributing evenly between all 4 corners.

 3. Add 1 1/2t. sugar

 4. Add 1 1/2t. salt.

5. Add Seasonings (1T. rosemary and 1/4t. italian seasoning).

6. Add 1/4t. pepper.

 7. Even off with the 2 1/2 cups bread flour.

 8. Bury a hole in the center to add 1 1/2t. active dry east.

9. Set machine to White Bread, Light, and 1.5 lb. loaf.

10. Enjoy!

1.

Zucchini Lasagna (lizzy original)

Zucchini is in season..so I had to give this recipe a try! I'm not a big fan of zucchini, but I thought if I sliced it thin enough it would be good..and I was right! I free-handed this recipe with help from other recipes. Here it is!

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

* 2 large zucchinis

* 1/2 cup egg substitute

* 1 (15oz.) container of Part Skim ricotta

* 2 1/2 cups part skim shredded mozzarella 

* 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

* 3 cups Prego Traditional sauce

* Mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

1. Broil each zucchini for 2-3 minutes.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel ribbons off of the zucchini and place in a long tray with salt to allow the zucchini to "cry". Once all the zucchini are ribboned, salt down and let sit at least 10 minutes. Blot with a paper towel to collect excess liquid. **This step is VERY important..even after doing this your lasagna will still be a bit watery, so blot as much as possible**

3. Meanwhile mix entire container of riccotta with 1/2c. egg sub, 2c. mozzarella, and 1/2c. parm cheese. 

4. Spread 1c. sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

5. Lay zucchini ribbons slightly overlapping over sauce.

6. Carefully spread 1/3 of cheese mixture over zucchini...topping with mushrooms. (I used my hands for this and kind of broke it up while laying it).

7. Spread 1/2c. sauce over cheese.

8. Repeat steps 5-7 twice.

9. Carefully lay a final layer of zucchini ribbons and top with 1/2c. sauce.

10. Sprinkly remaining 1/2c. cheese over top. Cover with foil and place in pre-heated oven (375). Bake 45 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.

11. Serve!

Breakdown (1/8): 7WWPP

HG Lasagna Cupcakes

This is a hearty little cupcake! Personally, I'm not a huge fan of meat sauce, so it didn't do much for me in that sense, so next time I may try with just marinara sauce, or use veggie sausage crumbles. Brian gives this one a 3.5 rating out of 5. The recipe comes from Hungry Girl: 300 Under 300, page 188.

HG Lasagna Cupcakes

Ingredients:

* 12oz. raw lean ground turkey

* 1/4 tsp. salt, divided

* 1/8 tsp. pepper

* 1 cup chopped onion

* 1/2 cup chopped mushroom (I used 1 can, drained)

* 1 (14.5oz) can crushed tomatoes

* 1 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic, divided

* 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning

* 1 (10oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed

* 1 1/2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese (I use low fat)

* 1/4 cup fat free liquid egg

* 24 small square wonton wrappers

* 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Bring large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add turkey and season with 1/8t. salt and 1/8t. pepper. Cook and crumble until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

3. Add 1c. onion and 1/2c. mushrooms and stirring often cook until veggies are soft, about 6 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low and add can of crushed tomatoes, 1t. garlic, and 1/2t. italian seasoning to the skillet. Stir occasionally and simmer 10 minutes. Set aside.

5. Meanwhile, squeeze out liquid in thawed spinach with a paper towel.

6. Combine spinach, 1 1/2c. ricotta, 1/4c. egg sub, remaining 1/8t. salt, and 1/2t. garlic. Mix well and set aside.

7. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray and press 1 wonton wrapper in each cup. 

8. Evenly distribute about half of spinach mixture and press into the cup.

9. Top with half of tomato mix evenly distributed between each cup and pressed in.

10. Top with 1 T. of mozz cheese on each cup.

11. Place another wonton wrapper onto each cup and press in carefully.

12. Evenly distribute remaining spinach mix between cups.

13. Top with remaining tomato mix, pressing in.

14. Sprinkle each cup with another 1T. of mozz chz.

15. Bake in the oven about 10 minutes (until cheese melted and edges are browned.

16. Allow to cool and then enjoy!

Breakdown (per cup):

165 cal

4.75g fat

390mg sodium

14g carbs

1.25g fiber

3g sugar

15g protein