Christmas Lasagna Rollups
Ingredients:
- 12 lasagna noodles (10 ounces)
- 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes*
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 10 ounces frozen spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 egg
- Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Boil the noodles: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Boil the noodles until just al dente, according to the package instructions, stirring often. Drain the noodles, then drizzle a baking sheet with a bit of olive oil. Lay the noodles flat onto the sheet, then turn them over so they become coated with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the fire roasted tomatoes, grated garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well until all the olive oil is incorporated.
- Make the filling: Thaw the spinach following the package instructions, then squeeze out as much water as possible with your fingers (the spinach should feel dry and crumbly before using it). In a medium bowl, mix it with the basil, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, lemon zest, egg, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper.
- Roll the noodles: Spread half the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. On a baking sheet, place 4 noodles. Spread ¼ cup cheese mixture down each noodle, then top with a bit of tomato sauce (see the photos). Gently roll up each noodle, then place the noodle roll into the baking dish. Repeat for each of the noodles.
- Finish: Once all noodles are rolled and in the baking dish, pour the remaining tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups mozzarella on top.
- Bake: Cover the pan with foil (so it’s not touching the cheese) and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the foil and bake for 10 minutes. If desired, broil 2 minutes until the cheese is browned. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil and serve.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, organic if possible), butterflied or cutlets
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup julienne cut sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 2 lemon wedges, for serving
Cooking Instructions:
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then slice it in half horizontally (if not already butterflied). Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until browned on both sides. When the internal temperature is 165°F or the center is no longer pink, remove to a plate.
- Place the pan over low heat and melt the butter. Then add the minced garlic and sun dried tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. Add the capers, cream, milk, and remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute, then return the chicken to the pan and warm it for 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken. Serve topped with the sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.
Savory Tuscan Shrimp
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, tail on (wild caught if possible)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup julienne cut sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- ¾ cup heavy cream (or half and half)
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- 2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 2 lemon wedges, for serving
Cooking Instructions:
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Place it in a bowl and mix with ¾ teaspoon of the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just opaque and nearly cooked through, turning them with tongs (they will become fully cooked when adding back to the sauce at the end). Remove to a plate.
- Place the pan over low heat and melt the butter. Then add the minced garlic and sun dried tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. Add the capers, cream, milk, and remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute, then return the shrimp to the pan and warm it for about 1 minute, spooning the sauce over the shrimp. Serve topped with the sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.
- If serving with pasta: add in 8 ounces pasta cooked al dente along with ¼ cup of reserved pasta water into the pan of shrimp once they are cooked. Gently mix through the sauce until combined. Serve immediately. Leftovers store for up to 1 day refrigerated.
Hearty Corn Chowder
Ingredients:
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 2 carrots, peel and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 large or 6 medium ears corn, enough for 4 cups corn kernels, plus cobs (or 2 15-ounce cans corn*)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional but recommended)
Cooking Instructions:
- In In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive over medium high heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups* of the corn kernels, the corn cobs (broken into a few pieces, if necessary to fit in the pot), broth, milk, raw chicken, smoked paprika, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, the kosher salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cobs from the soup and discard. Remove the chicken breast and shred with a fork.
- Using a 2-cup glass measuring cup with spout, carefully scoop out about 4 cups of the hot soup and place it in a blender. Blend on high for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the puree back into the soup pot. Stir in the reserved 1 cup corn kernels and the chicken. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving (it will be very hot and the residual heat cooks the corn). Taste and add additional salt or cream if desired. Ladle into bowls and allow to cool.
Earth, Sea and Fire Salmon
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 (8 ounce) salmon fillets
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 2 large red onions, sliced into rings
- 1 jarred roasted red pepper, drained and cut into strips
- 8 ounces portobello mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Cooking Instructions:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive over medium high heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups* of the corn kernels, the corn cobs (broken into a few pieces, if necessary to fit in the pot), broth, milk, raw chicken, smoked paprika, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, the kosher salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cobs from the soup and discard. Remove the chicken breast and shred with a fork.
- Using a 2-cup glass measuring cup with spout, carefully scoop out about 4 cups of the hot soup and place it in a blender. Blend on high for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the puree back into the soup pot. Stir in the reserved 1 cup corn kernels and the chicken. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving (it will be very hot and the residual heat cooks the corn). Taste and add additional salt or cream if desired.Ladle into bowls and allow to cool.
Galatians Greek Chicken
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1pound, organic if possible), butterflied into 4cutlets
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ¼ cup Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives, halved
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small lemon, thinly sliced into rings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 4 ounce block feta cheese
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Finely chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the chopped tomatoes, olives, garlic, and lemon slices in the bottom of a 9 x 13″ baking dish and mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Crumble the feta cheese into rough chunks and add it to the pan, tossing gently to combine.
- Pat the chicken dry. If using breasts, slice them in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets (if you bought the chicken in cutlets, skip this step). Rub it with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, oregano and a few grinds fresh ground black pepper. Place it on top of the vegetables.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until no longer pink in the center and the internal temperature is 165°F. Remove from oven and rest 5 minutes.
- Spoon the vegetables over the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley. If desired, remove the lemon slices when serving (or you can eat them if you like!).
Green No-Bean Hummus
Ingredients:
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds zucchini
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- ½ lemon, juiced, plus more to taste
- 6 leaf basil leaves, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 pinch cayenne
Cooking Instructions:
Directions
- Trim ends from zucchini and cut into quarters. Trim out seeds if zucchini are really big. Cut into 1 ½-inch pieces and add to a bowl. Toss thoroughly with 2 tablespoons kosher salt and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Transfer zucchini to a strainer and rinse off salt very thoroughly. Let drain well before transferring to a bowl.
- Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Toss zucchini with 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss, and spread out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, making sure zucchini pieces touch each other.
- Broil on high heat until zucchini start to brown and are lightly charred, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove pan and turn zucchini pieces over. Return and broil until zucchini are tender but not mushy, and nicely browned, 5 to 6 minutes longer.
- Transfer zucchini to a strainer and let drain until cooled to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
- Combine drained zucchini, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, basil, ½ teaspoon salt, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne in a blender. Blend until smooth, and taste for seasoning. You can also use an immersion blender.
- For best flavor, cover and chill the hummus before serving.