April 11, 2011 Tacozagna!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey or ground sirloin
• 1 zucchini
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons chili powder, 3 palm fulls
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2/3 palm full
• 1 tablespoon coriander, a palm full
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup beef stock
• 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded Chihuahua cheese or Monterey Jack
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large high sided skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the meat and brown, 5 minutes. While meat browns, grate the zucchini and carrots with a box grater. Add the vegetables to the meat and grate in the onion and garlic. Season the meat with chili, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and cook 7 to 8 minutes more to soften vegetables. Stir in beef stock. Grease a 8 by 13-inch baking pan with vegetable oil. Layer in 3 overlapping flour tortillas and top with 1/3 meat, 1/3 cheese. Repeat the layers twice and bake 10 to 12 minutes to brown cheese. Top with scallions, lettuce and tomatoes, cut into squares and serve.

April 10, 2011 Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 ozs. Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1 cup) (I've always used parmesan though)
2 Tbs. heavy cream
½ lb. thick-cut bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces (ok, the recipe technically calls for .5 lb, but we like it closer to .75 lb)
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. fresh coarse ground pepper
½ cup dry white wine
1 Tbs. salt
1 lb. spaghetti

Preparation:

1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta. Whisk the eggs, Pecorino Romano, and cream together in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 Tbs. of the bacon fat. Add the shallot, if using, and sauté about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and pepper to the skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk the garlic mixture into the egg mixture.
3. Add the wine to the skillet and simmer over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk the wine mixture into the egg mixture.
4. Meanwhile, add the salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Immediately pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss to combine with 1⁄2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Add the bacon and thin the sauce with the remaining cooking water as necessary. Garnish with the basil and serve immediately.
Notes: Curdled eggs will ruin your carbonara. To prevent this from happening, whisk constantly when adding the hot ingredients to the egg mixture. Pecorino Romano has a sharper flavor compared to Parmigiano Reggiano, but you can use it in a pinch. Pecorino also gives it a creamier texture.

Lasagna

Ingredients (serves 12)
For Meat Sauce:
2 tbs. olive oil
1 med. yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 # Italian sausage
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 24oz jars Barilla tomato and basil sauce
 2 tbs. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper

For Bechamel sauce:
2 cups whole milk or 1/2 & 1/2 (heated, not boiled)
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt

For ricotta mixture:
2 eggs
1 15 oz container whole milk ricotta
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

For assembly
1 tbs olive oil
1 package barilla no bake lasagna noodles
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 oz grated mozzarella
1 1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped

Preparation
1.  Make Bechamel sauce.  In sauce pan, barely melt butter and remove from heat.  Whisk in flour.  Return to medium heat and gradually whisk in 1/2 and 1/2.  Continue to cook at low boil, stirring frequently, for approx 3 minutes until sauce thickens.  Add salt and set aside.

2.  Make Meat sauce.  Add t 2bs olive oil to large skillet or Dutch oven.  Add onion and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to soften but not brown.  Add sausage and break up into small pieces.  Cook till meat loses its pink color but not browned.  Push meat to sides and add minced garlic to middle with a tad of olive oil.  Cook till fragrant, approx. 1 minute.  Stir all together.  Add heavy cream, stir.  Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.  Bring to simmer for 5 or 10 minutes.  Set aside.

3.  Make Ricotta mixture.  In large mixing bowl, whisk 2 eggs.  Add ricotta cheese and blend together.  Add Parmesan cheese and nutmeg and mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

4.  To assemble:  Lightly oil a 9 x 13 x 3 inch non aluminum dish.  Spread a thin layer of bechamel sauce topped with a thin layer of meat sauce on bottom.  Place on top 4 sheets lasagna.  Add 1/4 in. bechamel sauce, then 1 to 1 1/2 cups meat sauce, then 1 cup mozzarella, topped with 3/4 cup basil.  Place on top of this 4 more sheets lasagna.  Add 1/2 in ricotta mixture, then 1 cup meat sauce.  Place on top of this 4 more sheets lasagna.  Add 1/2 in ricotta mixture, then 1 cup meat sauce.  Place on top of this 4 more sheets lasagna.  Add remaining ricotta mixture and Bechamel sauce topped with 1 to 1/12 cups meat sauce.  (Make sure you have at least 1 cup meat sauce remaining for last layer.  Add remaining basil.  Place on top of this last 4 sheets lasagna.  Add remaining meat sauce, Parmesan cheese, remaining mozzarella.

5.  Preheat oven to 375 deg.  Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with olive oil and place oiled side down covering lasagna.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes until bubbly.  Uncover and continue to bake 8 or so more minutes until cheese is well melted (Let stand 15 minutes before serving).  (I would have put a piece of aluminum foil under the pan to catch the part that boils over!  Or even just a rimmed cookie sheet.)