Easy Tortilla Soup

 

It's too hot to cook!

Here's an easy soup you can put together with things you probably already have in your pantry (including that almost empty bag of tortilla chips that is nothing but crumbs).

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 can refried beans
• 2 cans black beans (low- or no-salt)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 cup broken (or crushed) tortilla chips

Garnish

• diced tomato
• sliced avocado
• minced green onions
• fresh cilantro
• grated cheese
• sour cream
• salsa (if you want more heat)

Instructions

(1) Saute onion in olive oil until softened. Place in bowl of the food processor

(2) Add refried beans, 1 can of the black beans (undrained), broth, and seasonings in bowl of the food processor. Process until smooth.

(3) Pour bean/broth mixture into a large saucepan; add the 2nd can of black beans, drained and rinsed.  Warm over medium heat, stirring several times, until heated through. If too thick add a little more broth or water. Stir in tortilla chips. Garnish as desired. 

Makes 4 servings.

Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

This is not the prettiest plate of food I've ever prepared, but it certainly delivered on flavor. In my quest to always pack more veggies into every meal, I've attacked even our beloved macaroni and cheese. By under-cooking the pasta, draining, and then adding a can of diced tomatoes (juice and all) to the pot, the pasta not only finishes cooking but it gains a ton of flavor from the tomatoes. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 cups dry (uncooked) elbow macaroni
• 1 14-ounce can petite diced canned tomatoes
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk (I used non-fat)
• 1 14-ounce can cheddar cheese soup
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (not pre-shredded)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon powdered onion (not onion salt)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
• 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of table salt and then stir in the elbow macaroni. Stir frequently so that the pasta doesn't clump together. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Set the pasta water aside.
4. Add the pasta back into the pot; stir in the diced canned tomatoes and then cover and set the pot aside for 5 minutes. Note--the pan is no longer on the heat. After your 5-minute wait, the pasta should be al dente. Set aside.
5. Add the flour to a large saucepan or saute pan. I used a large oven-safe saute pan so that I could create the sauce and bake the macaroni in the same pot (saving a dish is never a bad thing). Heat over medium until melted; stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. You want the flour to cook but not brown.
6. Stir in the milk all at once; stir constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens and is smooth. Add the soup and seasonings. 
7. If you have used a large, oven-safe saute pan simply fold the cooked elbow macaroni into the sauce. If you used a saucepan, pour your cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni and then spread in a greased oven-safe casserole dish.
8. Combine the olive oil and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the macaroni.
9. Bake the casserole for 18-20 minutes or until bubbling around the edges. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Thanksgiving Recipes - The Main Event

 

It's time to plan for the main course of the Thanksgiving Day meal (because I'm the Carb Diva, T-day is my favorite holiday). Obviously, this year will be different. We won't be gathering a dozen or more people under our roof (unless you already all live together). 

But we still have much to be thankful for. Let's plan on creating sweet memories from the kitchen and creating loving memories around the dining table. 
Here are a few of my favorite recipes from my recipe file for the main course.

Despite the fact that we will have only five gathered at our table, I am roasting a 24-pound turkey (Mr. Carb LOVES turkey leftovers). My slow-roasted turkey takes quite some time (half-a day at least, depending on the size of the bird) so because time is short (and you probably aren't planning on feeding a crowd, I'll share that recipe another time. 

Here are some of my favorite smaller-scale main dishes--a few of them are vegetarian.

Cider-Braised Turkey Thighs or Drumsticks (Serves 4)

Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Make Your Own Deli-Style Roast Chicken

Rosemary-Roasted Chicken

Gingered Pork Tenderloin with Peanut Sauce

Caramelized Onion Tart

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Fennel and Gorgonzola

 

Thanksgiving Recipes - Desserts

It's not too early to start thinking about the Thanksgiving Day meal (because I'm the Carb Diva, T-day is my favorite holiday). Obviously, this year will be different. We won't be gathering a dozen or more people under our roof (unless you already all live together). 

But we still have much to be thankful for. Let's plan on creating sweet memories from the kitchen and creating loving memories around the dining table. 
Here are a few of my favorite recipes from my recipe file for desserts.

Lemon-Cranberry Loaf

Ingredients for the Basic Loaf

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 large lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Add This to Make the Streusel Topping

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Add This to the Basic Batter to Complete the Loaf

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter and flour a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
3. Mix flour, 1 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt, and in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil and stir until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer 3/4 cup of the mixture to a small bowl.
4. Stir the chopped walnuts and 2 tablespoons brown sugar into this reserved mixture and set aside. This will be the topping on the loaf.
5. Mix baking soda and baking powder into the remaining flour mixture. Add the fresh cranberries. Whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla, and egg in another bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture to the cranberry mixture and stir just until combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved topping evenly over the batter.
7. Bake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool slightly.
8. To make the icing whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice and drizzle over the loaf.

Perfect Apple Pie

As published on the Delishably website. Link is here.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

This is the pie I made for my younger daughter when she opted for a vegan diet (no eggs or dairy). Even though she is no longer vegan, I've kept the recipe because it's easy, and it tastes great!

Ingredients

• 1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 package (10–12 ounces) soft tofu, processed in a blender until smooth (Don't use "low fat" tofu.)
• 1 9-inch pie shell

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
2. Cream the pumpkin and sugar together. Add salt, spices, and blended tofu; mix thoroughly.
3. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350˚F and bake for another 40 minutes.
4. Chill and serve.

A New Italian Dish - Arancini

I've always strived to be a frugal shopper and a frugal cook in the kitchen. My parents were young adults during the Great Depression, and they instilled in me and my siblings a "use it up, make it do, wear it out, or do without" mentality. 

However, if one good thing has come of the Covid-19 pandemic, it's that I've stepped up my game to a whole new level. Absolutely nothing goes to waste in my kitchen. In fact, when I cook I often make "extra" of something because I already have plans on how to repurpose the leftovers. An example of that philosophy is this recipe for arancini (pronounced eh-ruhn-see-nee).

A few of my non-Italian friends might be puzzling over "what the heck is arancini?" It's rice stuffed with cheese, breaded, fried (or baked), and served with a marinara (red sauce).

Arancini

Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover risotto (see recipe below)
• 8 small cubes of cheese (I used mozzarella)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• marinara sauce
• grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Divide your leftover (cold) risotto into 8 equal-sized portions (they should be about the size of a golf ball. Shape each portion into a ball, insert a cube of cheese into the ball, and reshape the ball to completely cover the cheese. This step is important. If any of the cheese is exposed it will leak out.
4. Set up a breading station (pretend that you are breading chicken). There will be a shallow bowl of the flour, a shallow bowl with the beaten eggs, and a shallow bowl containing the bread crumbs and Panko.
5. One at a time roll the rice balls in flour, then cover completely with the beaten egg, and then roll in the crumbs to completely cover. Place each one on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure that they are evenly spaced, not touching.
6. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

Makes 4 servings

About that rice. Any old rice won't do. You must use cooked risotto, which is a sticky rice. Here's my favorite recipe. 

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3-4 cups chicken, vegetable, or mushroom broth, heated to a simmer
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

Instructions

1. In a large frying pan melt 1 tablespoon of butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft about 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until lightly browned (3 to 4 minutes). Stir in thyme.
2. Add 1/4 cup of the wine and cook until the wine is absorbed. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add rice, pepper, and remaining 1/2 cup white wine. Stir to ensure that rice does not clump together and cook until wine is absorbed. Add 1 cup broth, reduce heat to low, and stir until broth is almost absorbed. Continue to add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until rice is creamy and tender but still firm in the center. This should take about 15 to 18 minutes.
4. Stir in mushrooms. Remove from heat and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and mascarpone cheese.

Pumpkin Risotto

Today the sky is gray and dreary and I'm in need of some comfort food. There's a package of Aidell's chicken/apple sausages in the freezer. I'll saute those with some Granny Smith apples from a friend's orchard. That's a good start, but I need something more--something toothsome and creamy.

I bought a sugar pumpkin a few days ago at the produce stand, there is a sack of arborio rice in the pantry, and I still have some fresh sage in the garden. So, all I need is about 45 minutes at the stove and we can have a wonderful dinner of sausages, apples, and risotto.

Risotto is a rice dish common in the northern region of Italy. The type of rice used is very important. Don't run to your cupboard and grab the box of Minute Rice, or even Uncle Ben's. It won't work. You need a short-grain arborio rice. Arborio rice has a higher starch content and remains firm (al dente) when cooked--that is exactly what you want and need for a proper risotto. Risotto is creamy, but not mushy. The grains remain gently "toothy" but are enveloped in a creamy cloak which results from the mixing of the starch with the liquids in which the rice simmers.

Pumpkin Risotto (serves 6)

Ingredients

• 1 small sugar pumpkin (or any other hard winter squash such as acorn), about 1.5 lbs
• 6 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth, brought to a simmer
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine (not too dry—a Riesling is nice)
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded fresh sage
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup Gorgonzola (or other bleu cheese of your liking, optional)

Instructions

1. To begin, cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and then peel. Cut the flesh into small (about 1/2-inch) dice. Saute the pumpkin in the butter on low heat until it begins to caramelize and softens. (You want it to "give" when pierced with a knife--think texture--done but still slightly firm,  not soft and squishy). Remove the pumpkin to a bowl and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan saute the onion over medium heat in the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and the rice; stir until the rice is coated with oil.
3. Add the white wine and then about 1 cup of the stock, stir and let simmer over medium-low heat until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process, ladling in stock, stirring, and simmering until all the stock is used and the rice is cooked through. This will take about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the pumpkin and then the parmesan and fresh sage. Stir until the cheese is blended in and the mixture appears creamy. If desired, crumble a bit of Gorgonzola on top of each serving.

Photo courtesy https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-butternut-squash-risotto/

Zucchini Fritters

"In mid-summer if zucchini do not surreptitiously appear on your front porch in the hours between dusk and dawn, you have no friends." Anon

Apparently, we have many friends or the few who love us have green thumbs indeed. One shelf of our refrigerator is devoted to zucchini. We've done the zucchini bread, and we have eaten zucchini in soup, salads, and vegetable trays.

Today, in the midst of summer, I made zucchini fritters. However, if you find this hub in winter, spring, or autumn, you can still make this recipe. Zucchini is always available at the market. If you like this recipe as much as did we, you can make it any time of year.

Photo courtesy https://www.eatwell101.com/zucchini-fritters-recipe

 

Zucchini Fritters (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 cups grated zucchini, (see note below)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon olive oil

NOTE—When grating the zucchini for this recipe, I suggest that you remove and discard the seeds. That seedy interior part of the squash is very wet.

Instructions

1. First, prepare your zucchini--cut the stem and blossom end off of your zucchini. Slice horizontally into two halves. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard the seeds.
2. Shred the remaining zucchini—one large squash should yield about 2 cups.
3. Place the grated zucchini in a bowl. Add the eggs, Parmesan, parsley, flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Spoon zucchini batter into pan (about 1/4 cup for each fritter). Sauté for about 5 minutes. Carefully turn over and continue cooking over medium heat for about another 5 minutes or until the centers are cooked through and the edges are crispy.

What makes this recipe work?

• Parmesan cheese adds a creamy richness as it melts, and binds everything together. If you don't like Parmesan, another melting cheese would do--Cheddar, Swiss, etc.
• Zucchini is rather bland. Flat-leaf parsley provides a green herbal note.
• If you want to turn this into a meal, stir in 1 cup of minced cooked ham. I prepare the ham by pulsing it a few times in a food processor.

Yukon Gold Potato Pizza

Do you surf the internet? What are your favorite sites? One of my daughters loves Pinterest and pins ideas on home décor, crafts, and gardening. My older daughter likes video games, trains, and anything "Disney". My husband likes cars and websites about travel.

I look at recipes.

I've noticed a recent trend in "potato pizza". OK, I think that could be pretty tasty. I LOVE potatoes. But potatoes on top of a bread crust?  I have also seen recipes for pizza made with a puff pastry crust. Why not combine the two?

Photo Credit: Image by Markus Spiske from Pixabay 

Potato Pizza

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a 17.3-oz. pkg Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, (1 sheet), thawed
• 3 medium (about 1 lb.) Yukon Gold (waxy) potatoes
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 jar Alfredo pasta sauce
• 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup fresh arugula

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14x12-inch rectangle. Place the pastry onto a baking sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with water. Fold over the edges 1/2 inch on all sides, crimping with a fork to form a rim. Prick the center of the pastry thoroughly with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. While the pastry is chilling, prepare the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Fill a large pot with the potato slices. Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add two teaspoons of salt to the water and place the pot over a high flame. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and cover. Check the potatoes after about 5 minutes--you want them to be crisp-tender because they will cook on top of the pizza.
4. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat; sauté the onions until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rosemary. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
5. Spoon the onion mixture onto the pastry. Cover it with the potato slices, then drizzle with the Alfredo sauce.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Let the pastry cool on the

Is Spinach Quiche an Oxymoron?

In 1982 Bruce Feirstein authored "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche", a bestselling book satirizing stereotypes of masculinity.  It popularized the term quiche-eater, meaning a man who is a dilettante, a trend-chaser, an over-anxious conformist to fashionable forms of 'lifestyle', and socially correct behaviors and opinions, one who eschews (or merely lacks) the traditional masculine virtue of tough self-assurance.

A 'traditional' male might enjoy egg-and-bacon pie if his wife served it to him; a quiche-eater or Sensitive Guy would make the dish himself, call it by its French name quiche, and serve it to his female life partner to demonstrate his empathy with the Women's Movement. And then he would wash the dishes.

The antithesis of "quiche-eater"? Well, it's Popeye, of course. Long before Superman, Batman, or even Captain Marvel there was Popeye--a squint-eyed cartoon-character sailor with enormous forearms. Despite his grumpy-looking exterior, he was kind of heart and engaged in fighting only when forced into righting a wrong. And, he gained his super strength from eating spinach.

So, is spinach quiche an oxymoron?

Photo Credit: Image by hcdeharder from Pixabay 

Speedy Spinach Quiche

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained well
• 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup low-fat or non-fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Instructions

Melt the butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add spinach and stir until spinach is dry, about 3 minutes. Cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle both cheeses over the bottom of the unbaked pastry shell. Top with spinach mixture. Beat eggs, cottage cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl to blend. Pour over spinach. Bake until filling is set, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve.

The Unloved Vegetable

Each Wednesday during Lent, our church has a mid-week service at 6:30 pm. And, like all good Lutherans, we use this as an opportunity (excuse) to have a potluck dinner in the hour before. I asked my friends at our table "What would you like to see on my blog? I'm looking for inspiration."

"Rutabagas" was the reply. I don't know if they were sincere in their desire to see a recipe for that humble, under-represented vegetable, or if they tossed the name out as a challenge. Whether a joke or an urgent plea, I'm feeling up to the task. Here's my idea for what to do to add rutabagas to the list of hits coming out of your kitchen:

Photo Credit: Image by Candace Towner from Pixabay 

Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray

• 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 pound rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 10 garlic cloves, peeled

Instructions

1. Position 1 rack in bottom third of the oven and 1 rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. 
2. Spray 2 heavy large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Combine all remaining ingredients except garlic in a very large bowl; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Divide vegetable mixture between prepared sheets. Place 1 sheet on each oven rack. Roast 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reverse positions of baking sheets. Add 5 garlic cloves to each baking sheet.
3. Continue to roast until all vegetables are tender and brown in spots, stirring and turning vegetables occasionally, about 45 minutes longer. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheets at room temperature. Rewarm in the 450°F oven until heated through about 15 minutes.)
4. Transfer roasted vegetables to a large bowl and then serve.

Recipe - Butternut Squash Lasagna with Fennel and Gorgonzola

Serendipity

I pity my cat.

Every day he eats the same chicken kibble--crunch, crunch, chew, chew. Day in and day out he always knows that breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served at precisely the same time....and he will receive precisely the same thing, day after day after day.

Despite the obvious luxuries of sleeping 20 hours a day, not paying rent, and "owning" the entire universe, I could not be a cat.

I love diversity. I love surprise.

And when cooking, I love to create contrasts in the foods I serve to my friends and family. Pairing creamy with crunchy, or sweet with savory is what makes food interesting and enjoyable. Even the lowly scoop of vanilla ice cream is elevated (no pun intended) when placed atop a crisp waffle cone.

Last evening I experimented for my family and found a serendipitous combination of sweet and savory that they raved about.

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Fennel and Gorgonzola

Cook Time

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ready in: 50 min

Yields: 4 servings

Equipment You Will Need

• Large pot for boiling water to prepare pasta sheets
• Large (10- or 12-inch) sauté pan
• Large-rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Sharp knife and cutting board or mandolin for slicing
• Four 8-ounce ramekins

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups (1 large bulb) fennel, thinly sliced (reserve green fronds for another use)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeds scooped out, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 pound chanterelle oyster mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
• 2 tsp. garlic, finely minced
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely minced
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• 1 package of no-boil lasagna noodles, (see note below for specific instructions on how to prepare for this recipe)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper.
2. Place the sliced squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until tender and the squash begins to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. While the squash is baking, heat the sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter; when the butter has melted and begins to foam add fennel and onion. Sauté until fennel and onions are softened and begin to brown. Remove the fennel and onion to a bowl and set aside. Return sauté pan to heat.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. When melted add the mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary; stir until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown. Remove from heat.
5. Now begin to assemble the ramekins. Place the ingredients in each ramekin as listed below:
6. 1 tablespoon of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of each ramekin, then 1 lasagna square.
7. 1/4th of the squash mixture is followed by 1 tablespoon of sauce and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
8. Another lasagna square, followed by 1/4 of the fennel/onion mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon of sauce and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
9. Another lasagna square, followed by 1/4th of the mushroom mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon of sauce.
10. One last lasagna squared followed by 3 tablespoons of the Alfredo sauce and 1 tablespoon of the Gorgonzola.
11. Place in oven and bake 20 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from oven. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

About "cooking" those no-boil lasagna noodles

Yes, I know--no-boil lasagna noodles are promoted as "no cook". However, if you want to use them in individual-serving dishes (as we do in this recipe), you need to be able to cut them into smaller pieces. Here is how you do it:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil
• When the water is boiling, turn off the heat
• Drop the lasagna sheets into the pot of hot water.
• Set your timer for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes your pasta sheets will be pliable--al dente--ready to cut to size for your individual-serve ramekins.

A Few Words about Blue Cheese

Blue cheese has a distinctive, pungent taste, but not all blue cheeses are created equal. The most popular blue cheeses are Cambozola, Gorgonzola, Maytag Blue, Roquefort, and Stilton.

1. Cambozola is a German cheese. Unlike other blues, it is creamy and has a much milder flavor. If you are a blue cheese newbie, this might be a good one for you to start with.
2. Gorgonzola is the blue cheese of Italy. Italian-made Gorgonzolas (Gorgonzola dolce) are creamy and mild; domestic versions made in the United States are sharper and more crumbly.
3. Maytag Blue is an American blue cheese--it is quite crumbly and pungent.
4. Roquefort is a French sheep's-milk cheese and is considered to be one of the finest of the blue cheeses.
5. Stilton is made in England. It's firmer and milder than Roquefort or Gorgonzola.

A Few Suggestions

• I have a friend who does not like squash. The amount of mushrooms and/or fennel could be increased, or one could substitute carrots for the squash. Slice them thinly on the diagonal and cook for 2 minutes in boiling water before roasting in the oven.
• Want to add a bit of crunch? After the lasagna is baked, top each serving with some toasted hazelnuts or pecans.
• Gotta have meat? Crisp cooked crumbled bacon can be added to each serving after removing from the oven.

Photo Credit: Image by DonMarciano from Pixabay 

Moroccan Chickpea Soup

 

More than twenty years ago our younger daughter made a decision to become vegetarian—to no longer include meat of any kind in her diet. Although we weren't a "steak and potatoes" kind of family, until that time we had always had some type of animal protein in our evening meal. Now we had an opportunity to try something more imaginative, something better.

At the start, there were probably a few meals that were less than wonderful, but over the years I feel I have learned a great deal. And in the long run, we are healthier for it. Our daughter moved to a home of her own several years ago, but my husband and I still enjoy a non-meat meal at least once a week. 

I don't recall where I found this recipe, but it has become one of my favorites. It's relatively inexpensive to make, doesn't take much time, and certainly makes a large quantity. And (best of all) it tastes great! I thank my daughter for making a decision for her that helped us all. This hearty soup is vegetarian, and I promise that you won't miss the meat. If you don't have (or don't like) orzo you can omit it, or use broken angel hair pasta, Israeili couscous, or vermicelli.

Moroccan Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup carrots cut in matchsticks or coarsely shredded
• 2 cans (14 ounces each) of vegetable broth
• 1 cup of water
• 2 cans (14 ounces each) of diced tomatoes
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh minced
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried coriander
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta
• 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• 1/4 cup finely minced cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot until they begin to soften. Add the carrots, broth, water, tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Uncover, and stir in the orzo. Cook, uncovered until the orzo is tender, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Stir the chickpeas, lentils, and cilantro into the hot soup and continue to cook until heated through.