mexican lasagna

Mexican Lasagna
Serves 10 - 12.
1 1/4 lb ground beef
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 (14.5 oz) can chopped tomoatoes, with juice
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce (I found this at safeway)
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chili powder
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 oz) package lasagna noodles
1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 egg white
1 tbsp chopped green chilies (I used canned)
2 cups shredded, reduced fat Montery Jack Cheese

- In a large non-stick skillet, saute the beef and onion until the meat is done and drain any excess grease.
- Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, oregano, red pepper flakes, and chili powder. Add the beans and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions, omitting any salt and oil.
- In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg white, and green chilies, set aside.
- Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch casserole dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Top with half the noodles, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with half the remaining meat sauce. Spoon all of the ricotta cheese mixture over the meat mixture and spread it out lightly. Top with half the shredded cheese, the remaining noodles, and the remaining meat sauce and cheese.

To prepare and eat now: Preheat the oven to 375F. Baked covered with foil for 30 - 40 min. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes or until bubbly.
To Freeze: Do not bake before freezing. Cook, wrap and freeze.
To prepare after freezing: Defrost. Preheat the oven to 375F. Baked covered with foil for 40 - 45 min. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Thai soup

1 box chicken stock

2 can coconut milk

1 package chicken thigh

lemon grass

grated ginger

coriander

mushrooms

juice of 2 limes

tablespoon sugar

black peppercorns

cook lemon grass, ginger, chicken, coriander, pepper together 1/2 hour

strain out lemon grass and ginger, chop chicken

add all other ingredients, cook 10 more minutes

Weekly Menu August 22

Tuesday-chicken stew

Wednesday-Lasagna

Thursday-leftovers with salad

Friday-beef fajitas

Saturday-Lemon grass soup

muffins-apple

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped apples
•  
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
  4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.
  5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean

DInner Planning week of Aug 16

Sunday-mum and dad's (salmon and rice pilaf)

Monday-

Tuesday-spinach, broccoli, and ricotta enchiladas

Wednesday-Caesar salad and BBQed chicken thighs

Thursday-Meatloaf and rice and green salad

Friday-Mac and Cheese, 3 bean salad

Saturday-Salad Rolls w/peanut sauce and lemon grass soup

Dinner Planning week of Aug 9

Sunday-family dinner

Monday-soft tacos

Tuesday-Thai noodle salad, coconut chicken soup

Wednesday-salmon quiche and salad

Thursday-Perogies and organic turkey sausage

Friday-Chicken, rice, and tomato stew

Saturday-steak, baked potatoes, zuchinni/tomato bake

Spanakopita Lasagna

227 g	pre-washed spinach
1 cup	crumbled feta
3	eggs, lightly beaten
1/2	onion, roughly chopped
1 bunch	fresh parsley, stems removed
1/2 cup	extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups	tomato sauce
500 g	cooked lasagna noodles (9 noodles)
2 cups	grated mozzarella

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch spinach for 30 seconds. Drain and squeeze dry.
2. Whisk 3/4 cup feta into eggs.
3. In a food processor, chop spinach, onion and parsley.
4. In a bowl, combine egg mixture with chopped vegetables and oil.
5. Pour a layer of tomato sauce in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Cover with a single layer of noodles. Spoon 1/2 spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Cover with another layer of sauce, then another layer of noodles. Spoon out remaining spinach mixture over noodles, and cover with another layer of sauce.
6. Top with remaining feta and mozzarella and bake for 40 minutes.

Pancakes-fluffly

2 large eggs
2 cups flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
6 teaspoon baking powder
salt
1/2 applesauce

Zucchini Garden Chowder

Zucchini Garden Chowder

2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/3 c butter or margarine
1/3 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 c water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp lemon juice
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen corn
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
Additional chopped parsley (for garnish)

In a Dutch over or soup kettle over medium heat, saute the zucchini, onion, parsley, and basil in butter until veggies are tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in water. Add the bouillon and lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, milk and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Just before serving, stir in cheeses until melted. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Butternut squash soup

BUTTERNUT SQUASH Soup

2 cups chicken stock
2 lb. steamed butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 apples peeled, cored and diced
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried leaf
cinnamon to taste
S and P to taste

Steam squash.
Saute apple and onion, add spices.
Add squash and stock.
Simmer 20 minutes.
Puree.
Add heavy cream or sour cream to serve.

Lazy Perogies

Made like a lasagna:

Layer 1: sauted onions and butter
Layer 2: lasagna noodles
Layer 3: mashed potato with butter, cream (tonight I also added sweet potato for a sweet twist)
Layer 4: shredded aged cheddar
Layer 5: more noodles
Layer 6: cottage cheese mixed with 2 eggs
Layer 7: more cheddar!
Layer 8: more noodles
Layer 9: onions and cheddar (a very light layer)

Bake 1/2 hour at 375
Top with sour cream, crumbled bacon, green onions

Some light reading on perogies and Canada:

The Canadian Prairies, in particular, have a large Ukrainian population, and their pyrohy or perogy (plural: "perogies") (Canadian English [pəˈroːgi]) are very common. Since Canada also has immigrants from many other perogy-making cultures (not least Poles, Jews, and Mennonites), a wide diversity of recipes are used.
Packed frozen perogies can be found everywhere Eastern European immigrant communities exist and are generally ubiquitous across Canada, even in big chain stores. Such perogi are made by industrial machines. Each perogy typically weighs around 20 grams, but resemble an oversized half-moon ravioli, as the Italian machines are also used in the production of Italian pasta. Typically frozen flavours include potato with either cheddar, bacon, or cottage cheese.
Home-made versions are typically filled with one of the following: mashed potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper (and frequently cheddar cheese), sauerkraut, or fruit. These are then boiled, and either served immediately, put in ovens and kept warm, or fried in oil or butter. Popular fruit varieties include strawberry, blueberry, and the distinctly Canadian saskatoon berry. Potato and cheese or sauerkraut versions are usually served with some or all the following: butter or oil, sour cream (typical), fried onions, fried bacon bits or kubasa (sausage), and a creamy mushroom sauce (less common).

Moroccan Chicken

Olive oil
6 chicken pieces
2 onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 small package of dried apricots, chopped
1 inch piece of root ginger, grated
1 tin of tomatoes
1 tin of chick peas, drained
1 heaping tablespoon ras el hanout
pinch of saffron
8 fl oz chicken stock
3 tbsp honey
salt and pepper
cilantro to garnish

Brown chicken, set aside. Add onion, garlic and ginger, saute for 2 minutes. Add rest, simmer 20 minutes.