Greek Lamb and Feta Lasagna

GREEK LAMB AND FETA LASAGNA

(low calorie! about 321 per serving)

2 tsp olive oil
1-1/2 cups onion, chopped
1-1/2 Tblsp garlic, minced
1 Tblsp fresh rosemary, chopped
9 ounces lean ground lamb
9 ounces ground pork [or lean ground beef]
1-1/4 cups unsalted chicken stock
3/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (14oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1-1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
Cooking spray
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
3 Tblsp fresh rosemary, chopped

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (through pork); cook 14 minutes or until lamb and beef are browned, stirring to crumble. 
• Add stock to pan; cook 3 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
• Combine ricotta and rind in small bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture over one side of each lasagna noodle.
• Spread 2 cups tomato mixture in bottom of an 11x7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles, ricotta side up, over tomato mixture; top with 2 cups tomato mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with 2 cups tomato mixture. Sprinkle evenly with feta cheese. 
• Cover with foil; bake for 40 minutes. 
• Remove foil; let stand 10 minutes. 
• Sprinkle with rosemary.

recipe directly from CookingLight magazine, Marsh 2013 edition 

Spring Greens Salad w/ Fennel & Avacado

SPRING GREENS SALAD

with FENNEL & AVOCADO

1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1-1/2 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (9oz) bag spring greens
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 carrots, grated
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed of feathery stalks and thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 avocado, chopped
2 Tblsp unsalted sunflower seed kernels

• Make the salad dressing: in a small bowl, whisk the mustard, honey, salt and vinegar. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust as needed.
• In a large bowl, combing spring greens, tomatoes, carrots, avocado, fennel and cucumber. Lightly toss to combine. Drizzle with some of the dressing, toss and taste, repeating until all ingredients are lightly coated.
• Top with sunflower seed kernels and serve immediately. 

This recipe can be found in this amazing cookbook:

And don't miss a chance to enter this amazing giveaway! SOOOO many ways to enter!

Fondue Fun: Tomato & Herb Fondue

"Fondue Fun"

from Southern Living's 

"Cooking for Christmas"

Two-Cheese-and-Honey Fondue
Tomato-and-Herb Fondue
Mixed Salad Greens
Mississippi Mud Fondue

For the Introduction to this series of recipes, click HERE

Tomato-and-Herb Fondue

Fondue:

1 tblsp butter

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (14.5oz) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 tsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Serve with:

Cubed, lightly toasted French bread; cubed, toasted cheese bread; chopped cooked chicken tenders; cooked meatballs; cook tortellini.

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and garlic, and saute 3 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and lemon zest; cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Transfer to fondue pot' keep warm. Serve with desired accompaniments.

Mississippi Mud Fondue

I have no  picture of this one...got so wrapped up in chocolate that I forgot! Make this, and you'll understand.

Fondue:

1 cup heavy cream

1 (12oz) package dark chocolate morsels

1 (7oz) jar marshmallow creme

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Serve with:

brownies, biscotti, graham crackers, marshmallows, chopped toasted pecans

• Bring cream to a boil in a large heave-duty saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer. Add chocolate morsels, and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallow creme and vanilla, stirring constantly until smooth. Transfer to fondue pot. Keep warm. Serve with desired accompaniments. 

TOMATO BASIL & PARMESAN SOUP

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery 
1 cup finely diced carrots 
1 cup finely diced onions 
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano 
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil 
4 cups chicken broth 
½ bay leaf 
½ cup flour 
1 cup Parmesan cheese 
½ cup butter 
1-1/2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt 
¼ tsp black pepper 

•  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft. 
• About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. 
• Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end). 
•  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

recipe directly from We pass the time of day to forget how time passes Jan 23rd, 2012

Caprese-Style Grilled Chicken

CAPRESE-STYLE GRILLED CHICKEN

2 tblsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tblsp olive oil
3 tomatoes, seeds removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3 oz angel hair pasta, cooked according to package

• Whisk together vinegar, garlic, mustard, mint, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly so mixture emulsifies.
• In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, basil and 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Cover and set aside.
• Heat grill to medium-high heat, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Brush chicken with remaining dressing and season with remaining salt and pepper. Grill 5 to 6 minutes per side or until the middle is no longer pink (160 degrees F).
• Scatter cheese over top during last minute of cooking.
• Toss cooked pasta with half of the tomato salad. Serve with chicken and remaining tomato salad.

recipe from Family Circle Magazine July 2012 Edition

Tomato Carpaccio Crab Salad

This recipe is from Cajunlicious and I fell in love--I HAD to try this!!

TOMATO CARPACCIO CRAB SALAD

1 Heirloom Tomato (or just a "regular" tomato)
1/4 cup Jumbo Lump Crabmeat (it comes in a can)
1/2 avocado, smashed
salt & pepper, to taste
1-1/2 tblsp Greek yogurt (plain)
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
Zest & Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp parsley
[I did not add capers...yuk]
1 tsp red onion, diced really small
1 small Roma tomato, seeded and diced really small

• Dill for garnish
• In a medium bowl, combine avocado, yogurt, vinegar, zest & lemon juice, parsley, onion, diced tomatoes and mix well. 
• Gently fold in the crab and season with salt & pepper. 
• Place in refrigerator, tossing every hour for 2 hours or until ready to serve.
• To serve: Slice the heirloom tomato paper-thin and arrange them around the center of the plate. Place the crab mixture in a circle-mold. 
• Squeeze the other half of lemon over top and top it off with some dill.

T&T: Natural Medicine: God's Pharmacy

It's been said that God first separated the saltwater from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish...All before making a human.  He made and provided what we'd need before we wereborn.  These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow  learners...God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!

God's Pharmacy! 



 

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye..  And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow toand function of the eyes.

 

 

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red.  All of there search shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

 



 

 Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart.  Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

 

 



A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums.  Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like theneo-cortex.  We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

 



 

 Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.


 

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength.  Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23%sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak.  These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

 

 Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female -they look just like these organs.  Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers.  And how profound is this?  It takes exactly nine (9)months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

 

 Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow.  Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

 



 

 Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

 

 



 

 Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

 

 

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

 

 Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells.  They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers ofthe eyes.

Caprice Salad

A very easy and delicious way to add a "salad" to your dinner! Also perfect for a simple lunch or brunch!

CAPRICE SALAD

Large tomato
6 leaves of fresh basil for each tomato
Fresh mozzarella cheese
Olive oil for drizzling

• Slice the tomato up, not cutting all the way through.
• Place a thin slice of mozzarella cheese and basil leaf in each cut.
• Lightly drizzle with olive oil.

Enjoy!!

Tuscan Chicken

TUSCAN CHICKEN

1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tblsp fresh lemon juice, divided
5 tblsp olive oil, divided
1/3 cup chopped white onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 (14-1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tblsp thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
3 tblsp butter
4 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut horizontally in half
4 2-inch pieces baguette (french bread)
2 cups fresh spinach
EVOO (for drizzling)

Whisk mayo and 3 tablespoons lemon juice in small bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and red pepper; saute until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add wine, simmer until reduced by half, about 1 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice. Simmer until thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Cool.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Set rack in rimmed baking sheet.

Whisk flour and pinch of cayenne in wide shallow bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup cheese, and basil in medium bowl. Sprinkle with pepper.

Melt butter with remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper. Working in batches, dredge chicken in flour, then dip in egg mixture. Transfer chicken to skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Place on prepared rack and place in oven to keep warm while cooking remaining chicken.

Place baguette slices in any remaining butter-oil mixture in skillet and cook until toasted, about 1 min on each side. Transfer to plate and spread tomato confit on top.

Place spinach on plate, and chicken on top of the spinach. Spoon a little mayo mixture on top of chicken. Serve with tomato-baguettes.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Wine Sauce

This isn't the BEST lamb recipe, but its still really good! Be careful not to over cook the tomatoes, like I did. And having an instant read thermometer is really helpful on getting the lamb to the right doneness. If you like lamb, also try my Wine & Mint Lamb Chops, Lamb & Olive Pasta and my "How to use a guy in 10 day" Rack of Lamb!

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH WINE SAUCE

Click HERE for printable recipe

2 Tbsp finely chopped sweet onion
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup dry red wine
\1 tsp butter
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 cup cherry tomatoes
6 whole unpeeled garlic cloves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 lamb rib or loin chops (6oz each)

Directions:
In a small saucepan, saute onion in 1 tsp oil until tender; add the wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Stir in butter and thyme. Remove from heat; keep warm.

Place tomatoes on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle with 1 tsp oil. Fold foil around tomatoes and seal tightly; set aside. Repeat with whole garlic cloves and remaining oil. Grill garlic, covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the minced garlic, salt and pepper; rub over chops. Grill lamb and tomato packet, covered, over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until lamb reaches desired doneness.

[medium-rare 145 F, medium 160 F, well done 170 F]

Open tomato packet carefully to allow steam to escape; place tomatoes in small bowl. When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze softened garlic over tomatoes; toss to coat. Serve the lamb with tomatoes and wine sauce.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Eggplant Parmesan

My in-laws also brought with them big, fresh, gorgeous eggplants! I didn't really know what to do with them, so they suggested making the traditional "eggplant Parmesan." I was pretty skeptical about it, but I tried it. And I was SO glad I did. Sorry the pictures aren't that great, it was a rainy day so I had no natural light for it..don't let that scare ya away =D

EGGPLANT PARMESAN
Click HERE for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
kosher salt
28 oz whole peeled tomatoes (I used the ones we just canned--eggggggcellent!)
1 garlic clove, minced
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs (*I made my own, and so glad I did! See note below)
4 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 lbs of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced to 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves (these were from  my garden as well)

Directions:
Prepare tomato sauce. Combine tomatoes, garlic and 1/3 cup olive oil in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Cut eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 in slices.

In a wide shallow bowl, combine flour and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Pour beaten eggs into another wide shallow bowl.

Place a large deep skillet over medium heat, and pour in a half inch of olive oil. When oil is shimmering, dredge the eggplant into hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bottom of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce. Top with 1/3 of the eggplant slices. Top eggplant with half of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan and half the basil leaves.

Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, remaining mozzarella, half the remaining Parmesan  and all the remaining basil. Add remaining egg plant and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.

Bake until cheese has melted and the top is slightly brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest at room temp for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

**for fresh breadcrumbs, put a few slices of white bread in your food processor and pulse until its at the consistency you'd like. If you plan ahead enough, toast and let them cool first.

close-up picture of the cooked eggplant

recipe adapted from Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

Click HERE for printable recipe

Other Eggplant Parmesan recipes from blogs I like and follow
Skinny on a Dime Allrecipes.com Cooking with Libby Cooking light

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Pork Tonkatsu with Watermelon-Tomato Salad

Put your aprons on--this one is a doosie! Actually, the process is very simple...the FLAVOR is what will blow your mind!

~This is Japan's take on schnitzel~

PORK TONKATSU

w/ WATERMELON-TOMATO SALAD

2 cups 1/2-inch cubed watermelon [I used a melon-baller and cut them in half]
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves [mine were fresh from my garden!]
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tblsp Dijon mustard, divided
1 tblsp fresh lemon juice plus 4 lemon wedges
1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper plus more
2 large eggs
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
4 4-oz boneless center-cut pork chops, pounded to 1/8-inch thickness [mine weren't that thin, and I wish I made them even thinner! When in doubt--pound some more]
6 tblsp vegetable oil, divided

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil, 1 tblsp mustard, and juice in a small bowl. Season  dressing with salt and pepper. Set salad and dressing aside. [I had more salad than watermelon and tomatoes, but that is our preference. The first bite of this salad with dressing and watermelon and tomatoes...you won't ever forget it!]

Whisk eggs and 1 tblsp mustard in a medium bowl. Combine panko, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper on a large plate. Season pork lightly with salt and pepper. Dip in egg mixture, then in panko, pressing to adhere. [I skipped putting the s&p in the panko crumbs, and just put a little more on the chops themselves]

Working in 2 batches, heat 2 tblsp veg oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook pork until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Toss salad with dressing; season to taste with s & p. Serve pork with salad and lemon wedges for squeezing over. [I also served with mashed potatoes, and it was perfect!]

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, July 2011 edition

Wordless Wednesday

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Look at my garden grow! "Husky Cherry Tomatoes"

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Blog Hops....

   

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Romaine Salad with Avocado Dressing

First, THANK YOU! Cookin for my Captain has hit 200 Followers!! Ya'll are awesome!!

I'm looking to do a great giveaway after hitting this mark, so stay tuned!
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This was a great lunch for us--and it would serve 4 adults, easily, with these measurements. And it is very filling! Perfect for a weekend lunch in the Spring!

ROMAINE SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING

1 medium ripe avocado
1/2 cup mayonnaise (the real stuff)
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bunches romaine, torn
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (2 1/4 ounce) sliced ripe olives, drained
corn chips

In a [large] food processor, blend the first 6 ingredients until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine the romaine, tomatoes, cheese and olives. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.

Sprinkle with corn chips.

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The dressing is really thick--so don't add all at once! And don't put chips in until ready to serve--they go soggy fast!

Wedge Salad

I've seen this done at a few restaurants, and absolutely loved it! It defiantly impresses the guests and you can take a spin with it and change the ingredients.

WEDGE SALAD

1 head of lettuce
Cherry tomatoes
Ranch dressing
Bacon bits

Rinse and clean the head of lettuce. Then pound the "knot" on the counter and remove it. Then cut the head of lettuce into quarters. Remove a little bit of the inside "layers" to create a crevasse for the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes and drizzle with ranch dressing. Sprinkle with bacon bits to top it off!

Next salad, I will use strawberries instead of tomatoes, and the poppyseed-vinaigrette from the strawberry salad, instead of ranch. Sprinkled with chopped almonds. (I will take a picture and post it if it is irresistible!)

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A great Tuesday blog hop!