Lasagna is for Lovers

 

Lasagna from scratch takes patience and time. It’s for the committed lovers, the ones who are knee-deep in that unconditional love that can only reveal its depth after sleepless nights and crying babies. It’s for that love that is hard and messy but also transparent and true. It’s for us, learning love from the ground up.

Pork + Red Wine Lasagna

Recipe from What Kate Ate

12 ripe vine tomatoes

10 cloves of garlic, (8 left whole & unpeeled, 2 thinly sliced)

Large handful each of fresh basil, oregano & thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

10 oz ground pork

10 oz ground beef

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large yellow onion

14 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 cup full-bodied red wine

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 1/4 cup water

1 cup of finely grated parmesan for final topping

Bechamel Sauce

5 tbsp. butter

1/3 cup flour

2 1/4 cup whole milk

1 cup finely grated parmesan

salt & white pepper

pinch of nutmeg

When I make my noodles from scratch I use this recipe.

Otherwise use 8 oz of dried lasagna noodles and cook as directed on package.

Instructions-

Preheat oven to 350. Cut tomatoes in half and place them on a baking sheet, cut side up.  Sprinkle tomatoes with half of the chopped herbs, salt and pepper.  Slice 2 cloves of garlic and place one slice on top of each tomato. Leave the rest of the garlic cloves whole and unpeeled and spread them throughout the tomatoes.   Bake for 90 minutes.

Meanwhile heat a large pot on medium heat with 2 tbsp. of olive oil.  Sautee onions for 3-4 minutes until soft and fragrant.  Add ground pork and beef and cook about 5-7 minutes until browned.  Add can of tomatoes, wine, balsamic vinegar and water.  Add a few generous pinches of salt and pepper and the rest of the fresh herbs.  Bring to a boil and immediately lower heat to simmer for 90 minutes, allowing the ragu to thicken.

Once tomatoes are roasted, place them in a blender or food processor.  Remove the peel from the garlic cloves and add to the tomatoes.  Blend until smooth.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Once ragu has cooked and thickened, add pureed tomatoes, and let marinate and simmer for 15-20 minutes while you prep your noodles (either from scratch or store-bought,) and then make the bechamel sauce.

Increase the oven temperature to 400.

In a small saucepan melt butter.  Add flour and stir to form a thick paste.  Continuously stir the paste for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn.  Very slowly pour in warm milk while continuing to stir until you have a thick creamy sauce.  Add salt, white pepper, nutmeg and parmesan, stir and set aside.

Finally layer the lasagna. Spoon a layer of pork ragu into the pan, approximately 13×9, and spread evening over the base. Next cover with a layer of the béchamel sauce, and layer with enough noodles to cover the area without overlapping. Repeat the layering process three times, finishing with the last layer of béchamel. Sprinkle with finely granted parmesan and fresh basil.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Burrito’s Prepared in Advance (Tired Mama’s Burritos)

I’ve been a mama for over two years now but I seem to wear it so differently than before.  There are signs of motherhood all over me.  Maybe they’ve been there all along, or maybe I can just appreciate them in a whole new way.  I can see my beautiful girls in the dark crescent moons beneath my eyes and a mark on my belly that whispers, life was here.  I can see them in the bizarre thinning of hair that frames my face. I can see them in all the new happy lines that frame my mouth.  Some days I am knee-deep in spit up and overflowing milk, while diffusing tantrums, and hoping scotch, but I am bathing and sometimes drowning, in the most beautiful love story I’ve ever known.  My tired body and eyes might not look so full of life, but each night I lay my head for rest with the fullest heart I’ve ever known. I am loving this season and slowly but surely I am getting the hang of it.  Most days.  Or at least I think I am until six o’clock comes around and I have no inspiration for dinner, in fact I had not even thought about it.

It turns out, I am not alone.  I’ve asked a lot of other tired mamas lately for some ideas and inspiration.  When I ask how they make dinner happen, most of them laugh and say, “i don’t.”  Mac and cheese and take out are their dear friends.  Quite honestly, if our budget allowed that I would be taking full advantage, especially since we live on a street with some of the best food Portland has to offer.  But that is not an option in this season of our lives and I really do find so much joy in cooking for my family, I just need a little creativity these days.

And so, the tired mama’s burrito was born.  I have made these twice since Bijou was born.  I cook and prepare them one day out of the week and freeze them for later.  When reheated in the oven they become perfectly crispy and then topped with avocados, salsa and sour cream they suddenly become attractive.  The best part is that they taste great and require very little effort on the day you actually eat them. They also happen to be budget friendly, working out to be a little more than $2 a burrito (using all organic ingredients.)  You can follow the recipe or make it your own. Any type of meat would be great. I also think adding grilled corn and sliced olives would be super yummy. You get the idea. The burritos themselves are pretty simple, and I feel so tempted to want to make them fancier but I suppose simplicity is the point here. And the concept of freezing them is worthy of sharing.

Tired Mama’s Burritos

Makes 10

10 flour tortilla’s

4 cups of cooked brown rice

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

15 oz. can of black beans

1 cup of salsa

1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

2 packets of simply organic taco seasoning

4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Bake, grill or boil chicken until cooked. Let cool and shred chicken into small bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Meanwhile cook your rice as directed on package.

In a large skillet on medium heat, saute onion in olive oil until soft and translucent.  Add shredded chicken, drained beans, salsa, lime juice, rice and cilantro.  Mix until combined.  Mix the taco seasoning with water (see ratios on package) and pour into large skillet.  Mix until everything is saturated in the taco seasoning.  Turn off heat and set aside.

Shred your cheese, place in a bowl and set aside.

Arrange your ingredients in a way that is easiest for you to build your burritos.  I keep the skillet on the stove, place the bowl of cheese and tortillas near by on my counter and prepare  the burritos one at a time and on a large plate or cutting board.

First start with the cheese.  This is important because it is the top of your burrito and will keep the cheese from melting out of the bottom.  Sprinkle a large handful of cheese, top to bottom inside your tortillas.   You want to leave about 3 inches on the top and bottom of your tortilla so you can wrap it well.

Next scoop out your chicken beans and rice and spread on top of cheese, top to bottom.  I have not ever measured the exact size of my scoop but I would guess it’s about 1 cup.  There really is no exact science here, you can build them as little or big as you want, however the bigger they are, the harder to wrap and keep together.  Just experiment as you go.

Fold the top and bottom parts of your tortilla into the middle.  Next bring in the sides.  Let the sides fold as needed to make an even rectangle.  It will freeze in the position you wrap it and this ensures the filling will not come out once it is reheated in the oven.  After each burrito is wrapped, transfer them, (folded side down) to a large baking sheet and place them side by side.  Repeat this process with all 10 burritos.

Place baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours.  This keeps them from freezing to each other.  Once they are completely frozen you can place them in any sort of storage you prefer.  I used large ziploc bags.

On the night you want to eat them...preheat your oven to 400.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until slightly golden and crispy.  Serve with sliced avocados or guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.  Of course you can also microwave if you are in a hurry but I prefer how the oven makes it nice and crispy.

 

 

 

 

Baked Sweet Potatoes & My Favorite Chili Fixings

Sometimes there is nothing really  innovative or special about the every day things we eat, and yet still we eat them, because they are practical, easy, and tasty.  Curry, and vegetables over coconut rice, sweet potato tacos, chili and cornbread, or my favorite go-to salad with homemade naan are the meals we eat most often, and now this baked sweet potato with chili fixings just joined the collection of go-to winter meals.  I decided to share this recipe, which doesn’t really feel like a recipe at all, because simplicity is attractive, and is something most everyone I know desires and craves, especially come dinner time.

If given the opportunity, I could, and would spend uncomfortable amounts of money on food.  Some women have retail therapy, I have grocery therapy.  It’s my thing.  I’ve accepted it, but I’ve also grown a new enthusiasm to save up before baby #2 is born.  So, it’s my mission to reinvent beans, and rice, potatoes, and eggs.  I’m confident, and committed until I make my way to the cheese section.  I can’t walk near it without being lured in, and tempted by all the lovely varieties, hence why I caved and bought my favorite sharp cheddar.  It’s a deal breaker on this potato though, and since my dairy intolerance is slim to none while I am pregnant, I’ve decided to just indulge.

Cheese,

I love you.

Baked Sweet Potatoes & Chili Fixings

Serves 4

4 medium sweet potatoes

1, 15 oz. can of black beans

1, 15 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 avocado

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Sour cream or plain yogurt to taste

Wrap sweet potatoes in foil and bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes, or until tender.  About 20 minutes before you want to eat, combine black beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and cilantro in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  In another pan, saute red onions in olive oil, on medium heat, until translucent and tender, (about 6-8 minutes.)  Grate cheese, cut avocado, and set aside.

When potatoes are baked, remove from oven and slice down the middle, lengthwise.  If you desire, spread a tbsp. of butter on each.  Build your potato starting with the red onions, black beans/tomatoes, cheese, avocado, sour cream/yogurt, and green onions.

Naan Pulled Pork Tacos

Naan has become a new favorite in the DeLaney house.  Naan and soup, naan with curry, hummus, or even eggs.   I have been lying awake at night wondering what else would be good with naan, because I can’t seem to get enough of it.  Pulled pork tacos were the first thing that came to mind.  Then I couldn’t sleep thinking about all the BBQ juice having something soft, warm and chewy to absorb into it.  I love taco’s but sometimes the breaking, leaking corn tortilla’s disappoint me.  Sometimes I just want the deliciousness without the mess.  The naan cures all of that and does not disappoint.  I made up my own BBQ sauce, with my sercret ingredient…cacao!  If you don’t have the time or energy to make your own, your favorite store bought one will do the trick too.  Just watch out for ingredients because a lot of BBQ sauce has high fructose corn syrup.

BBQ Sauce-

5-6 medium tomatoes

½ cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup filtered water

¼ cup brown sugar

4 cloves of garlic minced

2 tbsp. worchestire sauce

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. molasses

3 tbsp. cocoa

3 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. paprika

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tbsp. thyme

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. cayenne

Slice tomatoes in quarters. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes at 375.  Let cool and puree in food processor.  In a large skillet place tomato puree and add all other ingredients.  Let simmer for a few minutes and pour over pork shoulder in crockpot.

Pulled Pork-

2lb pork shoulder

BBQ sauce

Place everything in a crockpot early in the morning and let cook on low for about 8 hours. Once it is tender and falling off the bone, use two forks to shred the pork.

Naan-

2 & 3/4 cup bread flour

2 ¼ tsp yeast

2 tsp sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ¼ cup hot water

¼ cup plain greek yogurt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Oil-

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove of garlic minced

¼ cup cilantro chopped

Sesame seeds for sprinkling

Since this takes a few hours with rising, rolling out and cooking on skillet, make sure you start the dough about 3 hours before you want to eat and roll out dough about an hour before.  The first time you don’t want to be rushed.  It keeps well in a warm oven.

Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in stand mixer and mix for a few minutes. Add hot water, yogurt and olive oil. Let mixer knead for about 5 minutes.  Dough should not stick to the sides but it might still stick to the bottom of the bowl a little bit.  I like to knead mine by hand for another minute or two.  Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with a towel and put in the oven with the light on. Dough should double in size. This can take as little as 1 hour but I usually give it 2 hours.  Drizzle pan with olive oil and warm up on medium heat while you separate dough into 12 small balls.  On a floured surface, roll out dough into small circles.   Let sit for about 5- 10 minutes and make your oil for brushing on bread.

With a pastry brush put mixture on each Naan dough.  Place on skillet, oiled side down, 1-2 at a time, depending on the size of skillet you have.  Brush oil on other side of dough quickly before it starts to puff.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Let cook for about 3-5 minutes, until dough starts to puff and other side becomes golden brown.  Flip dough and cook for another 3-5 minutes.  Transfer to warm oven and continue cooking the rest of Naan on the skillet.

Fixings-

Romaine lettuce leaves

Sautéed onions

Avocado slices

Feta Cheese

Fresh squeezed lime juice

Cilantro

Place romaine lettuce leaves inside Naan and place pork inside  each bed of lettuce.  Garnish with Caramelized onions, avocado slices and feta cheese, lime and cilantro.

Nanny and Octave sharing a taco.