Tuna Casserole Throwdown

We have had fun over the summer, making 2 different recipes and picking the best one.
We had a burger throwdown, a pasta challenge, a pancake tasting and tonight we are doing tuna casseroles.

Both recipes are from cooking magazine sites and are chef recipes, not home cook recipes.

One is Italian based and the other is more traditionally American.

If one turns out to be excellent it will be the tuna casserole 'Go To' from now on.

I will then tweek it to make it diabetic friendly (if it needs it).

I made 3 ramekins of each one, so The Nudge has lunch for tomorrow.



We both decided that neither one was worth making again.
Back to the drawing board for tuna casserole.

Tomorrow night is Huevos Rancheros.

A Good Morning Start to a Bahhh Day

The remnants of hurricane Nicole has hit the east coast and it will rain until tomorrow afternoon. I needed a good start to a blah day so I whipped up a batch of my Buttermilk-Oat Pancakes.

I did not have buttermilk, but I did have sour cream, so I mixed the sour cream & 1% milk till it measured 1 1/4 cups of liquid.
I pulled out the last of my blueberries and made silver dollar sized pancakes (they are such fun, aren't they?).

I am still amazed at how fluffy this dense pancake can be.
This is one of the best recipes I have developed yet. They can be tweeked so many different ways. Next time I make them I will add some pumpkin puree and spices and make them even healthier and tastier.

You could saute some apple slices and spoon them on top instead of syrup. I am going apple picking on Sunday so I will try that next week.




Today I have to organize my desk and finish the monthly menu. The Nudge asked for meatloaf and Seven Onion Soup,

an Emeril recipe I have been making for years. It is delicious and very diabetic friendly. Onions are good to diabetics & this recipe is good, good, good.

You must make it.






You must bake rolls or bread and have it with this soup. Try Bittmans No Knead Bread recipe and even non-bread makers will bake this all the time. You mix it, let it rise and bake it all in your Dutch Oven. How wonderful is that?
Use Whole Wheat flour and with the soup you can eat 1 nice slice without any guilt.

Moroccan Slow-Cooked Lamb

The Nudge does not like the taste of lamb. I think once it is slow-cooked with all these spices he won't even know it is lamb. He did finally try good grilled lamb chops at Bar American and loved them enough to order them the 2nd time we went there. His whole life, he never ate that much lamb.
My market did not have any shoulder for stewing so I bought a couple of nice sized shoulder chops. Same meat but with a bone, but bones are good in slow-cooking recipes.


Moroccan Slow-Cooked Lamb and Chickpeas
Adapted from Epicurious.com

* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 2 1/2 pounds trimmed boned lamb shoulder
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large onion
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
* 1 cup dried apricots
* 2 large plum tomatoes
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
* 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
* 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro


Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, turning occasionally and adding 2 more tablespoons oil to skillet between batches, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to another large bowl after each batch.


Add onion and tomato paste to drippings in skillet. Reduce heat to medium; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add broth, garbanzo beans, apricots, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and lemon peel and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits.

If using Crock Pot:
Add lamb and ingredients in the saute pan to your crockpot insert. Turn on low for all day cooking or on high for 4 hours.

If stovetop braising:
Return lamb to skillet and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until lamb is just tender, about 1 hour.

Uncover and simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.)

I will serve this with a Mediterranean Bulgur. That is just soaked bulgur in chicken broth and then add some chopped apricots, olives, olive oil and salt & pepper.
You need something to soak up the sauce.

Homemade Chile Sauce & a Tamale Casserole

I love making my own chile sauce. Buying canned and jarred just won't cut it. You just don't know what's in there. I am making a tamale casserole tonight and Huevos Rancheros on Friday so I need a good sauce.


Here's how I did it......



2 New Mexico dried chiles (or dried anchos)
3 cloves of garlic, skins on
1 medium onion, cut in half, skinned
2 cups chicken broth
1 chipotle pepper & 1 tbls adobo sauce
salt & pepper
1 heaping tsp cumin
1 tsp Mexican oregano, rubbed in palm to release the oils
1 28oz can fire roasted tomatoes, Muir Glen
1 good squirt agave nectar

On a broil pan, place dried peppers, garlic and onions and broil until blackened.
Soak peppers in hot water till pliable. Peel garlic and chop onions.
In processor or blender, add peppers, garlic, onions, some soaking liquid and tomatoes.
Process till pureed. It won't be totally smooth because of the pepper skins.
To heavy saucepan, empty contents of processor and add chicken broth, chipotle and adobo, oregano, cumin and agave.
Simmer for 45 minutes. Blend again and strain into pan, making sure to press on the solids. Simmer until thick. Adjust salt & pepper. Store in container and refrigerate.
Makes about 3 cups

Use this as a great enchilada sauce, over burritos, bake chicken in it, serve it over Macaroni & Cheese....the uses are endless.



I found this recipe quite a while ago on myrecipes.com.
I never had a tamale and not sure I would ever make them for just the 2 of us, this looked like a close enough recipe to what a tamale would taste like. I am a big fan of cornmeal and this was one of the easiest dinners to put together.
I love that it uses left-over chicken and a boxed cornmeal muffin mix. A win-win for me.






Tamale Casserole

Ingredients
* 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
* 1/3 cup fat-free milk
* 1/4 cup egg substitute
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
* 1 8.5-ounce)corn muffin mix (like Jiffy)
* 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
* Cooking spray
* 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso) or homemade (recipe above)
* 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
* 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.

4. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces.

Using homemade enchilada sauce made all the difference in the outcome. Some sour cream over the top and.......

dinner is served.

The usual 3 o'clock slump

Tell me I do not need to make dinner and something happens to my day.

By 3:oo I am in no mood to do anything,
at all,
for the rest of the day,
till tomorrow.

Sundays are my days to sit in bed eating bon-bons.

Read a magazine or two, take a little snoozie,
use the remote like a man.....

Do nothing day.

Not having a 'do nothing Sunday' and having a 'don't have to do anything Monday', top that with rain and you have a day made for a lazy 'lil girl.

I should be crock potting a lamb tagine and making a chili sauce.

What I want to do is go upstairs and.....be lazy. I did manage to do the pots and pans so it wasn't a total failure.

I just convinced myself my day is done. I will put on the lights, take the phone with me and head for the bedroom. Cats will come in about the time The Nudge gets home tonight, I'm
GOOD TO GO.

Till tomorrow..........'nite

Good Morning Rainy, Icky Monday Day

Was a nice, busy weekend.

Saturday is chore, shopping day.

Sunday we went to the New Giants Stadium. The Nudge explained to me it was bigger but held the same amount of people...

Huh?

Yup, because of all the luxury boxes that in effect take up the whole 2nd floor (along with an upscale steak house and other expensive restaurants).

I saw a lot of empty luxury boxes, either unsold or just nobody wanted to go to the game. The nosebleed section, where we were, was packed with die hard fans and was lots of fun, even tho they played a horrible game.

It was the perfect football weather day. I grilled sausage, peppers and onion sammies and after the game we had hot dogs. It was cloudy all day, with a nice warm breeze, and just right.

Was a nice day. I took a pic on The Nudge's phone but haven't transferred it to my puter yet.

The Nudge just called, to tell me he is being taken out to dinner tonight, so it is left-over lasagna for me (which I am happy about).

I started the October Menu planner and will just transfer all the recipes I did not make this month to October. Wednesday I will be driving to PA for a visit and not sure if I will be cooking or taken out to dinner. I could make the Tagine today and then just reheat on Wednesday. I could just put it in the crock pot and let it cook while I clean my kitchen and do my work.

Sounds like a plan.

It is a good day to cook. Rainy, damp, cool and dark. I find the kitchen a good place to go when the days are lousy. Is supposed to rain here all week till Friday, but the weekend looks inviting. I would love to pick apples and I know there are many here in Sussex County. After all, we are only 40 minutes away from Upstate NY where there are thousands of apple groves. The Shop-Rite wanted $.99 a pound for the basic apples but I think I can get better apples for the same price. I am tired of Macintosh, Gala, Granny Smith, etc.

I would love to try some of the other, like Winesap or Fuji for instance.

I have never made a pie, ever.........isn't that a sin?

I love fruit pies.
My Mom made a good apple pie, tart and sweet, but not overly spiced.
I guess I never asked to help her that is why I don't bake well.

I do make a pear applesauce that we eat with chicken cutlets all the time. The Nudge likes the blend but I can not buy it anywhere anymore.
I bought out the last that Walmart's sold and I have 1 package left.....so I need to make my own. I think the pear adds a sweetness that works well with the tartness of the apples without adding any extra sugar.

I just checked with The Nudge. The Giants are playing 8PM on Sunday so we are going apple picking!!! Yay for me.

I went online and found a place that has lots of the apples I want to try plusa hayride to the orchard and homemade goodies and pies and cider. Been years since I picked any fruits.

I am really happy to be getting out for a day, I enjoyed it so much yesterday.

Grilled Shrimps on Grilled Grit Cakes with Bacon Vinaigrette

Sound good?

Did to me. That is why it is on the menu.
Two reasons....

1. The Nudge loves shrimp & bacon.
2. I love grits.
3. It is a gourmet, healthy and diabetic friendly meal. Complete without anything else.

You could make a salad and use the vinaigrette on that also (but I think that would be overkill)

You could make some sauteed greens, place it between the shrimp and the cakes. I thought of that but if the chef who developed this recipe wanted that, he would have done it. After all, he is from the south and greens are an integral part of the diet down there. I have to think that there was a reason and the only thing I could think of was he was making a different version of the traditional Low Country Shrimp and Grits and tried to use the same ingredients.

I have decided that some grilled asparagus would be a good side to this recipe since I am grilling everything else.

We all know that anything with a vinaigrette is excellent for a diabetic, so this was a really good choice for dinner.

The Nudge gave it the thumbs up!!!

Bacon anything is a thumbs up.

I actually won a sweepstakes prize package.....

.....you've entered them, you know, while you're shopping or surfing your favorite sites you see a contest for something or other. Click--Enter--Done.

I don't go looking for them but if Cooking.com has a contest for free bowls, I certainly will enter it.

I bought something at Culinary District's website last week, I think it was a long skinny set of 3 bottle brush's. They, in turn, linked me to a site called Zester Daily which is a collection of experienced journalists working to provide readers with the latest news and information from around the globe about all aspects of food and wine. As independent professionals committed to quality journalism and high ethical standards, they follow their instincts and interests wherever it takes them. The result is a constant flow of fresh, lively stories found nowhere else.

They run a contest every month and last month's was a book on Rum Cocktail recipes and a bar ware set.

Last night while checking my Emails, I saw one saying I had won 1 of 10 bar ware packages and the recipe book.

Imagine my surprise....I never win anything, especially online.

The Nudge says.....never mind next summer, we can drink rum drinks in the winter....LOL

Must Read: Corn and Diabetes

I love cornmeal in any form.....white hominy grits, yellow polenta, cakes, muffins, bread and dumplings. I love it all.

I thought that corn would not be a viable ingredient in a diabetic diet but after reading about it, I am happy to say I can have as much corn product as I want......I will eat polenta instead of pasta and rice any day.

The Effects of Eating Corn & Being Diabetic
By Lesley Graybeal, eHow Contributor
Updated: January 15, 2010

1. While corn is a staple vegetable for many people, some may worry about the effects of eating corn and being diabetic. Fortunately for people with diabetes, corn is a nutrient-rich food classified as a starch on the Diabetes Food Pyramid, along with grains, potatoes, peas and beans. With a glycemic index (GI) of 42, corn is also classified as a low-GI food, meaning that corn raises blood sugar by a relatively small amount. The healthy effects of eating corn may be negated, however, by consuming the wrong type of corn products.

Improved Metabolism
2. One of the most important links between corn and diabetes is the high level of pantothenic acid found in corn. A B vitamin used in processing carbohydrates and protein, pantothenic acid is important for helping people with diabetes maintain a healthy weight through improved metabolic function and for managing blood sugar levels.

Improved Heart Health
3. Another one of the major healthy effects of eating corn is a decreased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke associated with folate, another nutrient found in corn. A cup of corn contains 19 percent of the recommended daily value for folate intake.

Improved Digestive Health
4. Fiber in corn and other starches is an important part of nutrition and overall digestive health for people with diabetes. The high levels of folate found in corn that make corn a heart-healthy food also contribute to digestive health as well, with folate offering a lower risk of colon cancer as one of the benefits of eating corn.

High Levels of Sodium and Fat
5. Eating canned corn with salt added, or adding table salt and butter to fresh corn, can cause people with diabetes to unconsciously consume unhealthy amounts of sodium and fat when eating corn with a meal. Butter and other fats should be eaten sparingly in a nutritious diet, so adding them to corn and other starches reduces the healthy benefits.

High Blood Sugar and Appetite
6. The most common negative effects of eating corn products come from high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener made from corn and commonly found in processed foods. A combination of glucose and fructose, high fructose corn syrup may not raise blood sugar levels as much as regular sugar does, but unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate the release of insulin or the hormone leptin, which triggers satiety. High fructose corn syrup, then, leaves people with diabetes in need of insulin to regulate blood sugar and unsatisfied with their meal or snack, resulting in the possibility of overeating.

Now, go eat your corn............

Bar Cookies in a Tart Pan

I have been collecting bar cookie recipes for some time now. I had never baked one and although my favorite is lemon bars, what started this odyssey into actually baking a bar cookie was this.....

The Nudge's Mom has cancer and we finally had to call Hospice Care.
She's 93, had a wonderful life, her death will be a painless one and she has her whole family around her. She's actually OK with it. She said she had to go sooner or later and she's happy she knows how and when.

Pretty nifty lady.

For us to visit her, you have read me mention, was a trip that took over an hour one way so we went once a month when none of the other kids were there so she always had company every weekend.

The last time we were there we noticed she would eat only 2 bites of her dinner (which by the way was a sandwich every night) so knowing she loved Lemon Meringue Pie I found a recipe on Martha's site and thought I would make bite sized Lemon Meringue bar cookies for her to eat.

The weekend we were supposed to visit she wasn't feeling well and we never when.
The desire to be so close to baking my first bar cookie recipe was enough to propel me over the edge.

I was going to make one or give up the chase.

Yesterday was the day...........YAY for me!!!

It was a toss-up between a Smitten Kitchen Blueberry Crumb Bar recipe and a recipe I got somewhere probably before the age of blogging (no name or credits on it), a Streusel Topped Jam Bar Cookie recipe. I choose the Streusel one because the top and bottom where two different mixtures and the crumb bars used the same mix for both.

The Nudge does not like lemon so I let him pick his filling.
He choose Blackberry.

Yesterday it was finally cool enough to crank up the oven and a good day to bake.
Dinner was a one pot pasta dish and easy, so I had the time.

Instead of a 9x9 Pyrex I used my tart pan again. I halved the recipe for the 9" pan but I think I would go up to the next size - to the 10". The crust was pretty thick. It is OK because it's a shortbread recipe and it wasn't overly sweet.

Actually the whole recipe had very low sugar in it. The only thing that was sweet was the streusel topping which I sprinkled demarara sugar on before baking.

The Nudge stopped on his way home for a pint of vanilla ice cream.

Dinner and dessert were deemed a keeper.




Streusel Jam Bar Cookies
Makes 24

Base
1 c. (2 sticks) ICBINB baking sticks, softened
1 c. granulated Splenda No Calorie sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lg. egg or 1/4 cup substitute
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 (10 oz.) jar blackberry preserves

Streusel
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c. cold butter
1/4 c. granulated Splenda No Calorie sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

3. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla extract on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour until well blended.

4. Press into prepared pan. Heat the strawberry preserves until melted. Spread over the base to within 1/2" of edges.

5. Streusel: Combine streusel ingredients til crumbly using a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle evenly over the preserves. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in airtight container.

And yes, for dessert, we eat off paper plates. I do enough dishes in this house.

Orecchiette with Veal, Capers & White Wine

I love orecchiette pasta. I have not eaten pasta in 6 days. When I put pasta on the menu now, it's once a week when it used to be 2x. Maybe not a big deal but to me it is. I do not eat bread, OK, I do but maybe 5x a month. I do like rice and pasta, so for me to cut down 6 days of pasta and rice dishes to 2 a week is a good thing. We are eating grains & beans 4 days a week.

When I do eat pasta now, the dish better be outstanding.
This one is.....

You could substitute ground white meat chicken to cut down the cholesterol if you need to dietary wise, but veal has a zero GI and it is OK for a diabetic and it does lend more flavor to this dish.


Orecchiette with Veal, Capers and White Wine
(Adapted from Food and Wine)
Servings: 4
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 pound ground veal
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
* 2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed
* 3/4 pound orecchiette
* 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
* 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and minced 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.

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

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 and chopped parsley. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowls and serve right away.

Martha Stewart on Hallmark Channel

I never got into the habit of watching The Martha Stewart Show but since she moved to the Hallmark Channel this month I tend to leave it on while I am working and find that I enjoy the older shows, but not her live audience ones.

She is full of information and I love to watch the detail in all her endeavors.

I especially like the guest chef's because they usually are pushing a cookbook, and being these are older shows (like maybe 15 years) I can now get the used versions of books I forgot or didn't know existed for about $2.99.

It's a good thing.

Brand New Alphabetized Glycemic Index PDF

Took me all of yesterday afternoon and then 1 hour this morning to complete an alphabetized Glycemic Index list of foods in PDF format.

Click here for Alphabetized GI Downloadable PDF.

I will also post the link in the GI-GL tab at the top of this bog.

I had one finished last night but the columns did not line up so I redid it this morning. I have to say it is beautiful. I would like to find pre-made boxed foods and fast-foods and restaurant foods if I can and if I do I will ad them and update the list.

I know that, unlike us (who haven't set foot in a Micky D's, Burger King, Wendy's in over 10 years), most people eat in a fast food joint at least once a week.

I have nothing against and nothing to say to those people.

I'm sure they know what you are doing by ordering the best choices when in there and feeling it is better than no meal at all......
Yes, you are right.

BUT

Most people eat super-sized fried foods and the sodium alone would give me a heart attack.

Those if us with Diabetes, will look at a fast food menu and shake our heads. I suppose the salads are the best choices but as we learn from Oprah and Dr. Oz.....it is deceiving and confusing.

You could go out and buy all those Eat This, Not That books and make the author rich or we could just look up the information on line. I believe it is now a law that restaurants of any chain have to list the nutritionals for each item.

I have found a nutrition list for top fast-food joints and the foods they sell. Click on the tab at the top of this blog and then the link to access Fast Food Facts.

You can chose by restaurant, food category or specific item name. It's a great tool to have access too. Be prepared to be shocked at the reality of what you thought was a better fast food choice.

Roast Red Snapper in Sake Broth

This recipe originally called for Monkfish, but we tried 3 fish stores and last week they had them, this week they are out.

I knew I should have bought them when I could but The Nudge assured me they would have them again this week.

WRONG!!!

Why do I continue to listen to that man?

Out of all my choices of fillets, I chose a Red Snapper because I needed a fish that would not flake and have some heft to it. Red Snapper or Grouper would do but The Nudge called out "Snapper", so snapper it is.

The inspiration for this dish is this huge container of blonde miso that has been sitting in my fridge for weeks now. I typed in Miso at the Food and Wine site and this was one of my choices.
Since I adore Eric Ripert and my wish before I die is to eat at his restaurant, it was a natural selection for me.

You can make all the different components, except the roasted fish, ahead of time and just reheat and assemble. It is easier then it looks.

Roast Snapper in Sake Broth
(adapted from Food and Wine)
Servings: 4

Ingredients
Turnip Puree
* 1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Sake Broth and Mushrooms
* 1 tsp fish broth concentrate or boullion
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 cup sake
* 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon sliced fresh ginger
* 1 scallion, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white or blond miso
* 2 teaspoons soy sauce
* Salt and freshly ground white pepper
* 6 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced

Snapper Fillet
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* Large fillet of a firm whitefish (haddock, Cod, Snapper, Grouper or Monkfish)
* Salt and freshly ground white pepper
* 2 teaspoons crushed Sichuan peppercorns
* Wondra flour, for dusting

Directions
1. MAKE THE TURNIP PUREE: In a saucepan, cover the turnips with water and bring to a boil. Add the ginger and simmer over moderately high heat until the turnips are tender, about 20 minutes; drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and the ginger. Transfer the turnips, ginger and cooking liquid to a blender, add the butter and puree until very smooth. Season with salt and white pepper and keep warm.

2. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE SAKE BROTH AND PREPARE THE MUSHROOMS: In a saucepan, combine the fish boullion with the water, sake, garlic, ginger and scallion and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine strainer and return it to the saucepan. Whisk in the miso and 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce and season with salt and pepper.

3. In a small skillet, combine the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the sake broth and the remaining 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the mushrooms are tender, 2 minutes.

4. PREPARE THE FISH: Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil. Season the fish with salt, white pepper and the Sichuan peppercorns and dust with flour. Add the fish to the skillet and cook over high heat until golden on 3 sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the fish for about 5 minutes, until a metal skewer inserted in the center feels warm to the touch. Transfer the fish to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.

5. Slice the fish 1/3 inch thick. Reheat the sake broth and spoon it into shallow bowls. Spoon the turnip puree into the bowls, top with the fish and mushrooms and serve.


This dish was very good, very light and surprisingly easy to make. I would make it again but with the monkfish.
I think I am starting to really like this miso product. Lots of flavor but it's soy...how can it be bad?

Exchanges:
3 meats
1 1/2 non-starchy vegetable
1 fat

A Cup of Coffee and Some Random Thoughts

My Chai Cheese Tart was so good we polished it off last night. The 8" tart pan was the perfect size.











I bought the Wilton 3-piece tart pan set years ago and I usually make the larger tart but I am beginning to warm up to the smaller one. You can get tired of the same dessert in as many nights no matter how good it is.
Two nights is a good length of time.
I think I will take my Jam Struesel Bar Cookie recipe and make it in the tart pan instead of my trusty Pyrex.


Up date on the Hash Brown Pancakes.

The Nudge liked them so much he asked for me to make them as he said

"I can see these with 2 fried eggs on top for breakfast one Sunday".

YAY!!! I did it.........and they were delicious. So good we ate 3 between us and The Nudge took one to lunch with him along with the rest of the chicken. He will have a nice lunch today.

Next time I will be making more of them. I think they will freeze well and reheat marvelously and so easy to make. Use your processor to shred the potatoes and that's all the prep work you need to do. Always, always have either home roasted red peppers in the fridge or a good quality jarred brand. The home made ones will keep in the fridge for weeks as long as your pour olive oil to cover. After eating all the peppers you can use the olive oil for cooking and dressing a salad.


If you haven't had the Select Harvest Chicken Noodle Soup.....save yourself the trouble and a few dollars. It was horrible. I opened a can for lunch yesterday and couldn't finish it.

I love the Wedding Soup and the Clam Chowder and I even will tolerate the 'Healthy Request' version of those 2 soups but stay away from the Chicken Noodle.

The Nudge loves the condensed Chicken and Noodle soup and I always keep him stocked for work on those days when he either forgets his lunch or there is no leftovers. I really don't think he likes the idea of leaving a warm office to go buy a sandwich in the dead of winter.

Three cans and a sleeve of Saltines is all he needs in his office pantry cabinet.

Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto and Muenster

As the days get cooler my time to grill grows shorter. I am not one to stand outside in freezing weather to grill a burger, sorry, just not me.

Next weekend we are going the Giants vs. Tennessee game at the new Stadium and it's the early game which means lots of morning sun and good tailgating goodies.
I am not one to want to sit in Giant Stadium when the sun goes down, it is windy, breezy and very cold in the Meadowlands. I like that we can come out after the game, re-lite the grill for a quick burger while the parking lot empties and the traffic is gone.

Tonight is the best night this week to grill, rain predicted tomorrow into Thursday, so I am happy to make one of our two favorite styles of cooking chicken......Stuffed and Beer Can.

Grilled Chicken Stuffed with Muenster and Prosciutto
(Adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

* 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves(about 12 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and skin
* Table salt
* Vegetable oil for cooking grate
* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
* 4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
* 2 ounces muenster or fontina cheese, cut into four 3 by 1/2-inch sticks
* 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
* Ground black pepper

1. Starting on thick side of breast, closest to breastbone, cut horizontal pocket in each breast, stopping 1/2" from edge so halves remain attached. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 1 quart cold water in large container. Add breasts, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Arrange all coals over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate until hot, about 5 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when coals are hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 2 seconds).

3. Meanwhile, combine butter, shallot, and tarragon in small bowl. Roll each piece of cheese in 1 slice prosciutto. Remove breasts from brine, dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towels, and season inside and out with pepper. Spread equal amount of butter mixture inside each breast. Place 1 prosciutto-wrapped piece of cheese inside each breast and fold breast over to enclose. Evenly space 3 pieces kitchen twine (each about 12 inches long) beneath each breast and tie, trimming any excess.

4. Place chicken breasts, skin side down, over hot part of grill and cook until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until second side is just opaque, about 2 minutes. Move chicken, skin side up, to cool side of grill, with thicker side of breasts facing fire. Cover grill and continue to cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of stuffing registers 160 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, tented with foil, 10 minutes. Remove twine, then carve breast meat from bone (see photo below). Carve into 1/2" thick slices and serve.

I am a big fan of hash browns.....

.....crunchy, salty, maybe with a fried egg on top.
I used to make them every Sunday with my over easy's.
I miss them.

A LOT.
I know I can eat potatoes as long as I pair them with foods with a low GI.

My mission is to make hash browns that I can eat.

Tonight.

With dinner.

With my grilled stuffed chicken.

Using the same cheese in both dishes.

I am thinking Rosti. A stuffed Rosti to be exact.

A thin layer of shredded potatoes, baked on a sheet pan, then stuffed with cheesy, gooey vegetables and served with poached or over easy eggs.

The Nudge would even like that.

I have 1 1/2 baking potatoes in the fridge, roasted red peppers and Muenster cheese. I need a side for dinner tonight.

Roasted Potatoes with Cheese and Red Peppers has a GI of 27.....
Good enough for me.

Here's how I made them:


I shredded 1 large Idaho Russet, soaked in water, drained them and squeezed them dry.


I sprayed a small non-stick pan with PAM and placed 1 cup of the shredded potatoes in and flattened them with a spatula. I then sprayed the top, covered with a lid and, on low, cooked them for 3 minutes.


I removed the lid and placed a thick slice of Muenster cheese in the center. Re-covered and let the cheese melt for about 1 minute, just to make it pliable.


I then added a 2" slice of roasted pepper on one half of the potatoes.


With a spatula I folded one half of the potato over the other and removed to a sheet pan. Just like you would a pan omelet.


I will throw the pan in the oven right before eating. Bake it on a high 450F until the cheese is melting out of the Rosti.
Remove to cool slightly and serve with your meal.

Now for the Nutritionals:


I believe I now have a hash brown potato pancake I can eat, even with my 'over-easy's'.

Pork and Spinach Pot Stickers with Citrus-Soy Sauce

I love pot stickers. The only place I could have them was at TGIF.
I was very happy because I like the place but I do not like the food, well, except for those pot stickers. They come served on a bed of shredded cabbage with a traditional soy-sesame dipping sauce but with more vinegar than usual. I liked that after eating the dumplings I would pour the remainder of the sauce over the cabbage and get a salad as a bonus. There were 6 of them but they were larger then the ones that are made with Gyoza skins.

When they removed them from the menu a while back, we stopped going there. The rest of their menu is so-so and the pot stickers were really all I liked to eat there.

The Nudge would always get a burger but I always ordered the pot stickers.


When I could not ease my craving for pot stickers anywhere near here, I had to learn to make my own. Besides the fact that they seem labor intensive, you can knock out 30 of them in about an hour. Best thing to do, as with any Chinese dish, get your mise en place in order before you even attempt to make them. Once you are set up it's boom boom done. You really can't cook them ahead, they don't reheat well, so I have them lined up on a sheet pan with a towel over them, ready to go when The Nudge gets home. They only take 20 minutes to cook.

I could not find Gyoza skins so I used Wonton wrappers which are thinner and square.

The beauty of wonton wrappers is that the GL is 3, which means they are excellent for diabetics.
The Nutrition Facts are excellent and the filling, as with most Chinese-based dishes is low in calories, fat and carbs.

The one thing I did wrong was I did not use a non-stick pan and even though the bottoms got crispy, after I poured the water into the pan and slammed the lid down to capture the steam, they managed to stick to the bottom as they cooked. Next time I will use my non-stick pan.









They looked terrible so I borrowed a picture off the web of pot stickers made with wonton wrappers and also using the dumpling tool.

I made mine with ground pork but chicken would also be good. If I was serving these as a side I would have made them totally vegetarian but they were the main dish and The Nudge likes something more substantial so I added the meat. I followed the recipe as is but added ground pork and used wonton's.



Gyoza with Soy-Citrus Sauce
Adapted from My Recipes

(makes 28 dumplings + 8 tbls sauce)
* 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
* 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
* 8 ounces button mushrooms, chopped
* 2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 2 garlic cloves
* Cooking spray
* 6 ounces chopped fresh spinach
* 28 gyoza skins
* 2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
* 1/2 cup organic vegetable broth, divided
* 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
* 1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
* Fresh chives (optional)

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor, and process until finely chopped.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork and brown, then add mushroom mixture and spinach to pan; cook 10 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Cool slightly.

3. Moisten edges of gyoza skin with water, working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to prevent drying). Spoon about 1 tablespoon spinach mixture into center of circle. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Place dumpling, seam side up, on a baking sheet (cover loosely with a towel to prevent drying). Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers and filling.

4. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of dumplings to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and remaining dumplings. Add 1/4 cup broth, 1/3 cup juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and vinegar to pan; bring to a boil. Place dipping sauce in a small bowl.

5. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth to pan; bring to a boil. Add dumplings; cover and cook 2 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan. Serve with dipping sauce; top with chives, if desired.

Nutritional Information per serving size:

' I Discovered Chai ' Cheese Tart with Roasted Pears

I week or so ago, I tried to make a faux rice pudding. I made it correctly, just did not like the Amaranth. One thing I did discover though.....I love Chai. I do not drink tea so black, green and Chai were foreign to me until now.

I never knew that the basic combination of the 3 C's and ginger make a wonderful, warm, cozy taste and smell which is probably why Chai is good as a tea.

I am hooked, at least for the winter. In the spring I will discover something else and become obsessed once again. Thank God for that. This way I never stop learning and trying new food tastes.

I have done Moroccan, Egyptian, and Mediterranean and time to move on. I would like to do research on Syrian foods, Lebanese and Turkish, along with South African, Sudanese and Nigerian recipes. There are not enough nights to make all the recipes I want to try. I need to host a holiday dinner so I can make 3-4 dishes at one time.

I have been wanting to try a recipe that I concocted in my mind for about 2 weeks now.
I have a habit of tucking bricks of cream cheese and containers of creme fraiche & mascarpone away amongst the veggies. I forget they are in there, only to have them reemerge whilst looking for veggies for a meal.

Last week I was putting the groceries away and discovered 2 bricks of cream cheese. As usual one of the exp. date was about due and I knew I needed to use it up by the end of this month along with a cup of homemade creme fraiche I made last week.

Pear season brings memories of cinnamon and cloves and warm spices, so naturally, my new obsession 'Chai' came to mind.

I put all three components together and this tart was developed.

I roasted 3 pears, halved and cleaned (skins on) in a butter (2 tbls), honey (1 tbls), fig jam (1 tsp) mixture with a 1/2 tsp Chai spice blend (see recipe below) for 30 minutes (at 375F).

Once done, I drained (syrup reserved) and refrigerated the pears.


Using the reserved syrup to make the crust, I mixed 1/2 cup WW pastry flour and 1/2 cup Almond flour with the syrup, pressed it into a small tart pan and baked that for 15 minutes. Removed to cool while I made the filling.

I made a spice blend of 1/2 tsp cardamon, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger and a 1/4 tsp cloves (makes 1 1/2 tsp).

What's wonderful about this spice blend is the way my fingers smell after pinching it between them. YUM

Chai Cheese Tart Filling
* 1 brick cream cheese (low fat, fat-free, original), your choice room temp
* 1/2 cup creme fraiche (homemade or store bought)
* 3 tbls sugar or substitute
*1/2 tsp salt
* 1 egg or 1/4 cup egg sub
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 tsp Chai spice blend

Before you add the egg, taste for sweetness and amount of spice. The Nudge does not like overly sweet deserts so I go light on the sugar and until he tries the Chai spices, I went light on that also. If you like more, then just add more.


I blended it in my mixer, but you could use your processor. Pour into baked and cooled crust.
In 325F oven, bake until set (about 25-30 minutes).
Cool and refrigerate.
Before serving, slice pears into 1/4" slices and fan on top of tart. Serve with whipped cream and if you warm the tart, cinnamon ice cream would be wonderful.

Enjoy!!!

An Italian celebrates Yom Kippur

I am not Jewish but my best friend is. For years he has been telling me about all his holidays and the traditional foods and I always look up them up and make them.
I love Jewish cooking. It is a lot like Italian. Use the very best ingredients, make them simply prepared and make them with love.

His wife, also a Diabetic, and I share tips with each other about our diets.
Jewish religion is based on the earth and the seasons, eating healthy and respecting where you came from and where you are today.

Well, that's my version of it, looking in from the outside.

Traditional Jews do not eat shellfish because shellfish are bottom feeders and therefore not healthy to eat. I can eat shellfish, so I combine tradition with what I like to make it a multi-cultural meal.

I found this recipe for caviar scallops over potato pancakes and then in the Shop-Rite's Jewish Calendar there was a recipe for Garbanzo Bean Potato Latkes.

I thought that by combining the 2 recipes I could make it Diabetic Friendly.

You could use Roasted Monkfish medallions or a nice firm whitefish in place of the Scallops.

When you have a high GI food like potatoes halving it with a low GI food like Garbanzos, makes the average GI well within the 'Under 50 GI' acceptable level for a diabetic and you can have potato latkes. Everyone wins !!!!

Garbanzo Bean Potato Latkes
* 1 baking potato, peeled
* 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
* 2 cloves garlic
* 3/4 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp kosher salt
* 1/2 tsp ground pepper
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 3 tbls matzoh meal
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 1/4 cup grated onion
* Vegetable oil, for frying

Scallops and Creamy Wine Sauce
* 3/4 cup Chardonnay or Sparkling Wine
* 4 black peppercorns
* 2 thyme sprigs
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 1/2 tablespoons crème fraîche
* 3/4 stick (6 tbls) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
* Salt
* 8 large sea scallops (1/2 pound)
* 1 tablespoon minced chives

MAKE THE PANCAKES:
1. Coarsely shred the potatoes and squeeze out any excess liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the egg, matzo meal, onion and a large pinch of salt.
2. In food processor, blend beans, garlic, cumin, pepper and baking powder until almost smooth.
3. Stir in potato mixture.
4. Shape the mixture into 8 scallop-size cakes, about 1/2 inch thick; press the cakes to compress them.
5. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the pancakes over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Lower the heat if the pancakes brown too quickly and add more oil if necessary. Transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

PREPARE THE SCALLOPS AND WINE SAUCE:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the Champagne with the peppercorns, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, shallot and lemon juice and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 15 minutes.
3. Strain the sauce into another small saucepan. Stir in the crème fraîche and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season lightly with salt. Cover the sauce and keep it warm.
4. Heat grill. Salt & pepper scallops. Brush with oil and grill, about 3 minutes each side. Remove.
5. Rewarm the potato pancakes in an aluminum pan on the grill. Arrange the pancakes on a platter and set a scallop on each one. Add the chives to the wine butter sauce and spoon over the scallops. Serve right away.
(Wine pairing: Marques de Riscal Rueda Verdejo (Spanish White)

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes and Me

I finally did it....I made buttermilk pancakes that The Nudge approved of. He even requested the blueberries.

I'm in complete shock.
Thank you, than you Smitten Kitchen and Martha.

I don't own a Martha Stewart cookbook but I think I am going to try to get her Original Classics Cookbook. I seem to see a lot of blogs using her recipes with great success.

I will tell you, these pancakes were the best. I still love my buttermilk oatmeal recipe but I will try to duplicate this recipe using GF flour and Xantham Gum.
At least I know I will be able to eat 2 on a Sunday when I make them for him.

During the week I will make mine.

The key to fluffy pancakes is not to overmix the batter; it should not be beaten smooth. If serving these pancakes with bacon, reserve half a teaspoon of bacon drippings to grease the griddle instead of butter.

I nuke my bacon so there were no drippings. I also put 12 blueberries in each pancake, so they didn't even need syrup the berries were so sweet.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes
(makes 12 - 6" pancakes)
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 3 cups buttermilk
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle

1. Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps.

2. Heat oven to 175 degrees. Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess.

3. Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

4. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve warm.

Flat Bread Pizza

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Pizzas with bleu cheese, roasted red peppers, scallions, mozzarella, pepperoncini asiago, mascarpone and tomato sauce finished with sea salt and EVOO.

The beauty of using flat breads is you do not have to mess with making dough, which makes it perfect for tailgate parties. Prepare the toppings, place them in separate zips and assemble once you get the grill up and going.

I made 3, but a package comes with 5 in it. You could just double the ingredients to make the package or, since I made much more than I needed (these babies were overflowing), you could honestly get away with making all 5 pizzas with the recipe amounts listed.

Buffalo Chicken Flat Bread Pizzas
* 3 Onion flat breads
* 1/2 rotisserie chicken breasts, shredded
* 2 tbls mascarpone cheese
* 2 tsp Franks hot sauce or Buffalo Sauce
* 1/4 cup pizza sauce or pasta sauce of choice
* 2 scallions, sliced, white parts only
* 1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles
* 1/3 pound shredded mozzarella (if using pre-shredded, about 1 cup)
* 1/2 cup Pepperoncini Asiago or Peppper Jack cheese, shredded
* 1 whole roasted pepper, minced
* Sea Salt & a good finishing EVOO

1. In a large bowl (before taking to go or before grilling), place shredded chicken, mascarpone, cheese crumbles, hot sauce, scallions and nuke for 1 minute to soften the mascarpone and make it easier to blend.

2. Divide mixture into as many flat breads as you are making and spread evenly on breads leaving 1/4" edge.

3. Sprinkle with asiago or pepper jack, mozzarella and then peppers.

4. Set grill to 3 zones (coals against opposite walls and an empty space down the middle) placing the breads in the middle. If the grill is small then make a 2 zone setup and place all the coals on one side and leave the other side empty. You are basically baking the breads to melt the cheeses. Cover the grill for about 15-20 minutes or until cheeses melt.

5. When cheese is melted, place breads directly over coals to crisp the bread and remove when browned to perfection.

6. Remove from grill, finish with sea salt and the oil, slice into pieces and......pizza is served.
(Wine pairing: Martin Codax (Spanish White)

All I can say is.....WOW, this was good, baby!!!

Homemade Goat Milk Pasta Sheet Lasagna

Wow, that is a mouthful.

While drying my pasta sheets they started to crack. I made them on the thick side just like boxed lasagna and I guess fresh dries differently. It's OK, in a lasagna, you never see the splits and cracks in the pasta with all that sauce and filling and of course the melted cheeses in it.

Because they are fragile until cooked, I am simmering them in a frying pan for 5 minutes.




After 5 minutes I then put them in a container with olive oil and water until I am ready to use them. They will keep this way for about 1 hour. They are still firm so any water they absorb will not make them mushy.

The filling will be chevre, sauteed mushrooms, fresh spinach (1" slices), mozzarella cheese, fresh ricotta cheese and grated parmigiana. I will use a small amount of the red sauce I made last night to keep it moist while it bakes, but basically it is a white lasagna.


Ladle a spoon of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish of choice. I love this one from Kohls because it is enough for dinner for 2 plus a lunch for The Nudge.


Layer the noodles until the bottom is covered, tucking in where needed.


Spread 2 large spoons of filling over the noodles and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Cover with grated mozzarella and repeat making 3 full layers, ending with a layer of filling, Parmesan and mozzarella.


Place on a baking sheet with foil (to protect the pan from drippings, and there will be drippings).


After 30 minutes of baking at 350F, place a foil sheet that has been sprayed with PAM over the lasagna (do not crimp over the pan, just lay it on top).
Up the oven to 400F and bake an additional 30 minutes.


Top pic is before foil, bottom is the lasagna after 30 minutes more with foil.
Remove and let it settle. Baked pasta dishes are notorious for tasting better the next day or after it has cooled and the juices are absorbed into the pasta.

This is going to be a good and healthy lasagna.

YUM!!!

Goat Milk Lasagna Sheets with Mushrooms, Chevre and Ricotta

* 1 shallot, minced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup ricotta cheese (homemade if possible, recipe on this blog)
* 1/4 cup goat cheese
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
* 3 shiitake mushrooms chopped
* 1 large portobello mushroom, diced
* 3 cremini mushrooms, diced
* 2 good handfuls fresh spinach, sliced 1"
* 2 tbls hvy cream
* 2 tbls vermouth
* 10 basil leaves, chopped
* 1 beaten egg
* Salt & Pepper
* 2 tbls butter and EVOO

Saute shallot and garlic in butter/EVOO. Add mushrooms and brown. Deglaze pan with vermouth. Add spinach, goat and ricotta cheese till melted, then add cream, egg and basil.
Remove from heat and cool.
Assemble lasagna as shown above.
Enjoy!!