Lasagna Bites

If you have ever been to the St. Louis area, then you have probably been introduced to toasted ravioli – those yummy deep fried breaded pillows of meat or cheese. The Midwest is typically the only place that you can find these delightful little treats whether it is in a restaurant or in the frozen section of your local grocer.

So why ravioli when I have title the recipe lasagna bites? When I saw Aaron McCargo Jr. on Big Daddy’s House make his lasagna bites, I had to try it out for myself. The ending product that we had for dinner tonight reminded me more of a really good ravioli then lasagna – maybe that’s because I have never had deep fried lasagna before.

This time I decided to create my own stuffing as opposed to following another’s. Taking the tips that I saw on the show – use manicotti noodles stuffed and cut in to thirds and the most important step – breading the stuffed lasagna. Mr. McCargo had a terrific way of remembering the order of the steps in which to bread a particular item – February - more specifically “FEB.” – flour, egg, bread crumbs. Considering that I normally suck at breading, with the majority of it remaining in the deep fryer, I was excited to learn to see if this new trick would work for me. I was met with great success.

Serve these deep fried goodies, normally served as an appetizer, with your favorite spaghetti sauce mixed with parmesan cheese. Of course, a nice alfredo sauce would work as well. As Mr. McCargo pointed out, if you do not want to fry your lasagna bites, you can just as easily bake them in a 375 degree oven, just be sure to cover them with sauce.

Lasagna Bites
Prep and frying about 45 minutes
24 pieces
8 manicotti noodles, boiled to al dente, drained and placed in cool water for easier handling
Spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese

Stuffing – combine the following
15oz ricotta cheese – lite
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup of shredded parmesan cheese
1 egg
8 oz of sausage (mild or hot, your choice), browned in a skillet and drained – I made sure mine was in small pieces
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. Garlic powder
2 tsp. Onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Half a bag of spinach, cooked, drained and chopped

Breading
Flour
3 eggs, beaten
Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Putting it all together: Hold the noodle in your hand on top of a paper towel so that it will not slip out of your hand. Spoon the stuffing mixture in to the noodle – try not to tear the noodle but don’t worry if you do, the breading will keep it together in the fryer. After you have stuffed all of the noodles, place them in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes. This will help firm the stuffed noodles so that you can cut them in to thirds.

While you are waiting, plug in your fry daddy and prepare your breading materials. In separate containers (pie plates work well), place your flour, eggs and bread crumbs (FEB) and create your assembly line in that order. After you remove the noodles from the fridge and cut them in to thirds, start breading them – having someone else helping you at this time will make it go quicker. I personally breaded all of my pieces first before placing them in the fry daddy.

Frying (it only takes about a minute and 10 seconds): Be sure to have a pan or plate lined with paper towels ready so that you have something to drain the fried lasagna bites on. Start frying; I did three pieces at a time. After draining the bites, place them on a serving plate and sprinkle with parmesan cheese – do this as you go.

Hints for breading:
Make sure that the entire bite including the ends is covered in flour before rolling it in the beaten egg.
You will want to knock of any extra flour before placing them in the egg.
Roll the floured bites in the egg, again making sure that the egg covers the entire bite.
Same goes for the bread crumbs.

More hints:
After you cut your noodles in to thirds, you may have to push some of the stuffing back in to the noodle.
Again, don’t worry if the noodle ripped. Simply push the noodle back together. The stuffing and the breading will keep it in place.
I cooked my spinach in the same pan that I had cooked my sausage in. I also seasoned the spinach with salt, pepper, a little garlic powder and Italian seasoning
Be sure to drain the spinach after it cooks down. Do this by placing it in the middle of a clean dish cloth (one that you no longer like), twist the cloth making a ball with the spinach and squeeze or continue to twist the water out. After it is drained, cut it in to small pieces.
Flavor is important with the stuffing so don’t be afraid to taste the meaty cheese concoction before placing it in the noodles. Nothing is worse then having flavorless lasagna.

Serve immediately and above all, Enjoy!

Just for the Halibut

Taking the idea from a recent episode of Triple D – Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, I have put my own spin on this delicious halibut sandwich. As luck would have it, my grocer did not have halibut so I used Tilapia. I cut the fillet in half for easier flipping. I should have gone to Bob's Fish Market (because I live in St. Louis). Now if I was in KC, I would go to Bubba John's Seafood.

Ingredients:
Halibut – one piece per sandwich
Pecan panco bread crumbs or if you must Bread crumbs
Garlic lemon butter
Butter
Garlic powder
Fresh lemon juice
Avocado
Creamy cole slaw (see recipe below)
Onion (optional)
Manchego cheese
Sandwich Thins, Kaiser roll or your favorite roll, pita bread, etc.

Pat dry your pieces of halibut and dredge in pecan panco bread crumbs. Take a basting brush and brush garlic lemon butter on one side of halibut before placing it on your griddle or your George Forman, just leave the lid up (buttered side down). Brush other side of halibut with garlic lemon butter before flipping. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on the halibut as your second side cooks.

In the meantime, place your roll on the grill – a couple minutes on each side depending on how hot your grill is. This is optional and I actually forgot to do it lol.

Start stacking your components: avocado, slaw, halibut fillet, cheese, and onion (your choice on layering order). Substitution toppings could be lettuce, spinach, tartar sauce, onion, pickles, blue cheese, etc. Have fun with the toppings. If they don’t work for you, scrap them off and put something else on.

CREAMY COLE SLAW:
½ head of cabbage finely chopped
¼ c. carrot, shredded
Pre-shredded slaw is a nice easy way and it was cheaper than buying cabbage and carrots.

OPTION 1 FOR MAYONNAISE DRESSING:
(combine all ingredients until smooth; add enough cole slaw to create a nice consistency)
¼ c. milk
½ c. mayonnaise
¼ c. buttermilk
1 ½ Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
⅓ c. sugar
½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. lemon pepper
⅛ tsp. ground pepper

OPTION 2 For a healthier mayonnaise Dressing:
(combine all ingredients until smooth –you will need to use a blender or mixer; add enough cole slaw to create a nice consistency)
Dana Jacobi, Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces firm lite silken tofu
2 canned anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove, chopped

Deep Fried Hot Dogs

In an earlier post, I mentioned that my husband and I are trying to watch what we eat and get in shape for an upcoming trip. After a particularly hard day at work, I decided on the drive home I wanted to eat something comforting and I didn’t care how it was going to affect the "diet". My choice of yummy goodness: deep fried hot dogs.

I'm fairly certain that the idea came from an episode of Triple D - Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (if you haven't watched this show, might a make a huge suggestion - START!)

Deep frying the hot dog adds a nice snap to the skin or if you by Nathan's Hot Dogs (YUM) a crispy skinless hot dog. The process is easy: plug in your fry daddy, let it heat up, pat the hot dog down with a paper towel to dry it off before gently placing them (I kept it to two at a time) in to the hot oil and let them fry. Nathan's hot dogs will go directly to the bottom of your fryer and will pop up in almost exactly 2 minutes. Once they pop up, continue to fry for 2 1/2 minutes -you will notice a difference in the hissing of the oil and that is when you should take them out and place them on a few paper towels to get excess oil off.

Proceed by using your favorite toppings to create a terrific tasting hot dog. I topped one of mine with Taylor’s Chili http://www.taylorschili.com/, grilled onion, shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. The other hot dog was covered with sauerkraut, grilled onion and mustard. Now I am not a fan of sauerkraut but my husband loves it on his hot dogs and brats. I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and try some on my hot dog. Much to my amazement – I loved it!



Another suggestion comes from my brother Wayne, a concoction that he created for his business "Pick'n 'N' Grinn'n BBQ" - The Hairy Dog - hot dog covered in pulled pork and cheese. Is your mouth watering yet?

Enjoy!

Shiitake Mushroom & Asapargus Risotto

I've never made risotto before tonight. When I saw the idea for a wild mushroom and asparagus risotto I wanted to see if I could make it. I typed the title of the recipe in to the search engine and the first one that pulled up was a recipe from Alton Brown. So I printed out the recipe, headed to the store and cooked up a pretty tasty risotto.

It took me 50 minutes to make the risotto so give yourself some extra time. If you figure out how to make it quiker, let me know LOL.

I'm not much of a lemon person either, so next time I will be leaving the lemon zest out and add garlic to taste. I would also saute the asparagus in butter and garlic but not for too long. The al dente texture of the asparagus with the creamy goodness of the rice works really well together.

I will say that I did not originally add the salt and pepper that Mr. Brown had and wish I had. I'll be honest, I did not read the recipe correctly.

Other ways to change up the recipe would be to add a different type of cheese. I'm looking forward to making this recipe again and before adding the Parmesan cheese, divide the rice in to 3 or 4 bowls and adding different cheeses - maybe a nice asiago, permigiano reggiano, manchego maybe even a mizithra cheese. Now I'm not saying that any of the above cheeses will work but I will let you know.

Anyway, go to the link that I have provided and you will find Alton Brown's recipe for Wild Mushroom & Asapargus Risotto.

Enjoy!

Pecan Panco Encrusted Salmon

My husband and I are getting ready for a trip to Hawaii in June. We are trying (big word) to eat healthy whenever we can; so the other night I decided to make salmon for dinner with a side salad.

I get nervous when cooking fish mainly because of the inconsistency in my results. There are a few rules that I always try and remember. 1) Fish can absorb a flavor quickly so be careful when seasoning/marinating your fish. 2) Let it marinate in lemon, lime or another acidic substance and you will get ceviche (cooking fish without cooking). 3) a little lemon goes a long way - I like to add a squeeze of lemon after I have already flipped my fish once. 4) be sure not to over cook or under cook your fish. If cooking in a skillet on your range top, the fish will slowly start changing color from the bottom up to the middle. When the color has almost reached the middle, flip your fish and repeat on the other side allowing the color to almost reach the middle again but not quite. The fish will continue to cook a little after removing it from the heat source. 5) just because one piece is finished, it does not mean that the other piece is. Be aware of the difference in thicknesses. 6) Fish is great to cook because you only need to flip it once allowing you plenty of time to prepare your side dishes.

Pretty simple rules to remember, until you get excited about how your fish is going to taste and pull it off the heat to soon which is exactly what I did this particular night. LOL All in all, minus the uncooked middle section of the salmon, the new recipe that I tried out was really tasty.

Pecan panco encrusted salmon. I was trying to think of how I was going to cook the fish without possibly ruining it. Lemon came to mind and quickly left when I looked down and saw the tub of pecan panco breadcrumbs. I was immediately inspired. It was so easy!! I removed the skin from the salmon, covered the fish with the breadcrumbs and threw it in a semi-hot oiled pan over medium heat (adjusting as needed). I did not have to add any seasoning because it was already in the breadcrumbs that I had purchased from the store.

While the salmon was cooking I made a great side salad to go with our dinner. Let's call it, red grapefruit vinaigrette salad with encrusted goat cheese. I used red grapefruit because it is typically easier on the palate (especially when you are not a fan of grapefruit). In a bowl, whisk together 3 tsp. of the red-grapefruit juice, 1 to 2 tsp apricot preserves, a squeeze of honey, salt and pepper to taste. Continue to whisk the mixture while adding extra virgin olive oil (at least a 1/4 of a cup). If the vinaigrette is to bitter because of the grapefruit juice, try adding a little more honey or apricot preserves (jam, jelly, what ever they call it where you live). For the goat cheese, take your favorite goat cheese roll (plain, honey, etc.) and cut in to 1/2 inch wheels. Take the cheese wheels and cover with your pecan panco breadcrumbs (regular breadcrumbs will work just fine). Place the cheese wheels in to a pre-heated skillet over medium heat and let brown on first side before flipping. Be careful, the cheese may fall apart on you. After tossing your salad (LOL) with the vinaigrette, place the warm encrusted goat cheese on top and serve.

Simple additions to your salad: sunflower seeds, candied or caramelized pecans or walnuts, pear or apple slices, roasted beets, or any of your favorite toppings.

A simple dinner that takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes to make and a few more to enjoy!

BBQ rolls

I love BBQ and I love rolls, so when I saw BBQ rolls (rolls stuffed with BBQ) on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate...BBQ" the other night, I had to try making them. I mean why not. I have a terrific yeast roll recipe given to me by a good family friend, Nancy Goodson and the great book How to Grill by Steven Raichlen. What did I have to lose?

Mr. Raichlen’s recipes have never failed me – of course sometimes I fail the recipe. I used the Basic Barbecue Rub (I have it pre-made and waiting for my every beckon call in my spice cupboard) for my Boston Butt. Rubbed the spices all over the piece of meat and let it dry marinate in the refrigerator over night.

This morning I did my normal prep work– browned it on all sides and placed it in my small roaster, fat side up, shoved it in the oven at 275˚ and left for the day. I was concerned with being gone all day and not being able to add a sauce or mop the meat to keep it moist.

When I took the meat out of the oven, it looked terrific. I let it rest for 10 minutes while I prepped the dough. When I picked the meat up with my tongs and the meat gave –it gave a lot - a horrible picture flashed through my head, the turkey carving scene from “Christmas Vacation”. Remember? Chevy Chase pokes the knife into the turkey and a puff a smoke comes out?

Luckily for me, I had not recreated the scene. The meat gave because the fat had rendered resulting in some of the most delicious, moist pulled pork I have ever made.

Add this glorious meat to the sweet yeast rolls and you’ll be doing the happy food dance like I was during dinner. My husband was laughing at me and asked me if I needed some time to myself. LOL

Here are both recipes. I highly suggest that if you like to make BBQ or want to but don’t think you can, that you get Mr. Raichlen’s book(s) and use them.

Pulled Pork
1 Boston Butt (I did not use the bone-in)
Dry rub with “Basic Barbecue Rub” http://www.barbecuebible.com/featured/howtogrill/basic_barbecue_rub.php
Your favorite barbecue sauce

Brown meat on all sides including the ends and place in small roaster, fat-side up in a 275˚ oven. Let the meat cook for 6 to 8 hours.

When you take the meat out of the oven or off of the grill and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Pull the meat apart and let it cool a little. Add a light coating of your favorite BBQ sauce to the meat before stuffing in to the yeast rolls.

Yeast Rolls
By Nancy Goodson
1 c. milk
½ c. sugar
1 tsp salt
½ c. butter or marg.
1 pkg. dry yeast
¼ c. warm water
1 beaten egg
4 c. flour
Melted honey butter

Scald the milk. Add sugar, salt & butter to the milk. Stir until melted & sugar is dissolved, let cool but don’t let the butter set on you. Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Add beaten egg. Add cooled milk mixture. Add 2 c. flour & mix until smooth. Add rest of flour and mix well. Cover and chill for several hours – up to 3 days in frig. Divide dough and roll in to balls. Hollow out the dough ball and stuff some of the pulled pork in to the dough. Pinch the dough closed over the meat. Allow rolls to rise until doubled. Baste with melted honey butter.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 425˚ or until rolls are fully baked.

TIPS: Use your hands to toss the pulled pork in the BBQ sauce. Do not mix the meat a lot otherwise the texture becomes something that you probably will not enjoy.

Let the dough sit in the refrigerator at minimum 3 hours.

If your rolls are not doubling in size, place them in your oven on the lowest temperature setting possible – mine goes as low as 150˚. Keep an eye on them; you are not baking them at this point just trying to make them a little fluffier.

Flour you hands when working with the dough.

Your dough balls should be no larger than a pool table ball.

Enjoy!!

Grandma's Chocolate Chip recipe

The other day on Facebook, I commented that my daughter and I had made Snickerdoodles using my Grandma Wood's recipe. Almost immediately, a few cousins sent me a message wanting the recipe and any others that I had from her - most importantly her chocolate chip recipe.

Grandma Wood had a special talent when baking cookies. As my cousin Eric stated, " I can't seem to keep them from spreading out. Grandma's always seemed fluffy and perfectly baked. I hear Tammy can make them just like she did. She told me she followed the recipe on the Toll House bag, but I'm calling stink on that. Mine have NEVER turned out like hers, but then again she was special and probably had magical powers???????”

I normally have the same problem – flat, crispy cookies – nothing like grandmas!

The recipe I have is called "Tollhouse Cookies" mainly because grandma always used Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips and never substituted (at least not that I can remember). When you compare the two recipes, my recipe looks almost exactly like the recipe that you will find on the back of a Tollhouse package but doubled. There are a few exceptions: the sugar is not doubled nor is the salt.

Below is the recipe with a few tricks that grandma always used and they work. Enjoy!

Cream together: 1 cup butter and 1 cup Crisco
Add to this mixture and cream: 1 cup sugar and 1 cup light brown sugar – blend this mixture until creamy – you want to make sure that the sugar starts to dissolve.
Add 4 eggs and cream (you can beat the eggs first prior to adding them to your mixture)
Sift together 4 ½ cups of flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking soda – sifting was always a must
Add 2 cups of the dry ingredients to your creamed mixture and blend together slowly with your mixer– nothing worse than a white cloud of flour in your kitchen

When the 2 cups of the dry mixture are just incorporated, add the remaining portion of the dry ingredients by hand – literally – use your hands and mix the cookie dough together until just incorporated. Do not over mix the mixture, flour does not like to be played with.

Add a bag of semi-sweet Tollhouse chips and 2 tsp vanilla to your dough mixture again using your hands.

Bake on greased sheet 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

TIPS: Never bake a cookie thoroughly unless you want a crispy cookie. For a fluffy chewy cookie, bake the cookie until the middle is just a little gooey.

Always use Crisco. When Crisco came out with the butter Crisco, grandma started using it. Both the original and butter work well with this recipe.

Sift your dry ingredients together. If you do not have a sifter, use a colander.

Snickerdoodles will be another day.