Lasagna Soup

-1 pound lean ground beef

-1 pound ground sausage

-1 yellow onion, chopped

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-2 T tomato paste

-24 ounces marinara

-1/4 t red pepper flakes

-2 t dried parsley

-1/2 t dried oregano

-1 t dried basil

-4 cups chicken broth 

-4 cups beef broth

-9 ounces lasagna noodles broken into pieces

-10 ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)

-1 cup shredded mozzarella

-1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

-Garlic Salt

-Parsley

Brown meat and drain.  Add in onion and garlic.  Add in marinara, paste, and broths.  Season with herbs.   Mix ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan with garlic salt and parsley.  Set aside.  When soup begins to boil, add in broken lasagna noodles and boil for 10 - 12 minutes.  Place soup in bowl and serve with a dollop of the ricotta mixture on top.

Crustless Spinach, Mushroom, and Onion Quiche

 

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small sweet onion , diced
• 4 ounces mushrooms , sliced
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 10 ounces chopped frozen spinach , thawed and drained
• 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk (1%, 2%, or whole)
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. 
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in onion and mushroom and saute until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Turn off heat and stir in spinach, feta, and cheddar cheese. Spoon mixture into the prepared pie plate. 
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the spinach mixture in the prepared pie plate. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until eggs are set. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving. 

SHOULD I USE A DEEP-DISH PIE PLATE OR A SHALLOW PIE PLATE?

This recipe is designed for a standard deep-dish pie plate that has a depth of 2 to 2.5 inches. There are generally two different pie plates that are sold in stores. One is a standard deep dish, and another is a more shallow dish (1 to 1 1/4 inch deep). With a quiche, you want to make sure you have a good thick layer of filling so a standard deep-dish pie plate will work best. 

CAN I ADD A CRUST TO EASY CRUSTLESS SPINACH QUICHE?

Yes! You can easily add a crust to this recipe. Use frozen, pre-made, or make your own fresh. Instead of spooning the pie filling into an empty pie plate, you’ll spoon it directly into the crust. No par-baking required.

CAN I USE FRESH SPINACH INSTEAD OF FROZEN AND THAWED? 

Yes, you can!  You’ll need to remove stems, cook it in a skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, and then (just like frozen) remove as much liquid as possible from it.

Orecchiette with Veal, Capers, and White Wine

From the kitchen of Kevin Kmetz 

(courtesy of foodandwine.com)

Serves 4 (double batch serves 8)

- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lb ground veal
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay works well)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp chopped thyme
- 1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
- 2 Tbsp small capers, rinsed 
- 3/4 lb orecchiette 
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter 

Step 1) 

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until softened (about 5 minutes).  Add the veal, season with salt and pepper, and raise the heat to high.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veal is no longer pink and any liquid has evaporated (about 8 minutes).  Remove excess grease.

Step 2) 

Add the white wine to the skillet and boil over high heat until nearly evaporate (about 5 minutes).  Add the chicken stock, rosemary, and capers and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half (about 10 minutes).

Step 3)

Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.  Drain the pasta well and add it to the skillet along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, and butter.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until sauce is thick and creamy (1-2 minutes).  Transfer to bowls and serve right away