No Fail Lasagna

My take on the classic lasagna recipe.  This particular version is veggie but you'll find tips on adding meat in the Twist section.

 

Ingrediants:

 

1 package of lasagna noodles (not the oven ready kind)

1 24oz can pasta sauce

1 300g container of ricotta cheese

1 medium size zucchini

1 head of cauliflour

1 head of Bok Choy

1 1/2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

 

Start by immersing your noodles in hot water ( as hot as will come out of your tap.  You'll want to soak them about 20 minutes or until they are flexible enough to use.  Give them the occasional stir so they don't stick together and soften evenly.

While the noodles are soaking steam the cauliflour until very soft.  You can also take this time to chop the Bok Choy, slice the zucchini thinly and mix your pasta sauce with the ricotta in a separate bowl.

Once everything is ready grease a 9x13 pan.  Lay down your first layer of noodles it should take four lengthwise and part of one horizontally along the bottom.  Ladel on some sauce just covering the noodles.  Make a layer of zucchini, you want it on the bottom as it will be providing your liquid.  Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper.  Lay down another layer of noodles and cover with sauce.  Mash your cauliflour in a seperate bowl then spread evenly over the layer of noodles.  Add salt and pepper if you wish.  Lay down another layer of noodles and cover with sauce.  Spread the Bok Choy over this layer.  Lay down another layer of noodles and cover with the last of the sauce.

Heat your oven to 250F.  When it's to temperature cover your lasagna with tinfoil and cook for an hour and a half.  Pull it out, remove the tin foil and sprinkle on the Mozzarella.  Put it back in the oven, uncovered, for 20 -30 more minuets or until the cheese is nicely browned.

The Twist:

Important note: the zucchini is critical!  if you must replace it use another vegetable with high moisture content like eggplant. 

You can add more layers to this recipe you'll just need more noodles and sauce, just remember you'll need five noodles for every layer and you'll be good.

The Bok Choy is easily replaced by spinach, swiss chard or kale.  The cauliflower can be replaced or mixed with steamed broccoli. If you want meat I recommend using a couple different kinds of sausage, skinnned and broken up by hand.  Put this layer nearer to the bottom to avoid problems with the grease.  If you must have ground beef make sure it is extra lean and let it merinate in the sauce overnight before making the lasagna.

The beautiful thing about this recipe is that it's easily prepared ahead of time and will easily keep in the fridge for a few days.  Or you can make it in a tin pan and freeze it.  You can cook it then right from frozen but set your oven to 350F and use a thermometer to check the temperature for safety's sake.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

It's taken me over a year of fiddling to get this recipe just the way I like it but I wouldn't even consider buying bread anymore.  This recipe makes a large loaf that isn't to dense and will keep nicely for a week.

Ingrediants:

1 1/2 cups hot water (100-110 F, usually about as hot as will come from your tap)

1 Tbs and 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast

1Tbs Sugar or Honey

1 1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbs oil

4 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

Directions:

Place the water, oil, yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk until all is dissolved.  Add the flour, stir just a bit then let sit for five to ten minuets.  This allows the whole wheat flour to start absorbing the water and will make kneading an easier process.  Mix your dough then turn out onto a  floured surface and knead the dough six to eight minutes.  If your using a stand mixer with a dough hook just leave it on the lowest setting for the same amount of time.  

 

Shape the dough into a ball and place into a greased mixing bowl.  Cover with a damp towel and allow the bread to rise somewhere warm for a bout an hour or until it has doubled in size.  If you don't have a warm house put your oven on for two minuets at it's lowest setting then place the bowl in there.Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and punch it down.  Shape it into a loaf and place it into a well greased loaf pan.  For added ease in removing the loaf later dust the greased pan with cornmeal, bottom and sides.  Cover it with the damp towl and allow to rise another hour or until doubled in size.

Heat your oven to 350 F then insert your loaf and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven but leave in the pan for five to ten minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

The Twist:

I have a couple good twists here.  One involves substituting the water with something else like double brewed coffee or steeping two Chai tea bags in the water first.  Both add a nice but not overly strong flavour to the bread.

If you want to convert it to cinnamon raisin bread do it after the  first rising.  After you punch it down you can roll it out long and narrow (no wider then your loaf pan) then dust the dough with cinnamon and sprinkle with raisins (about a cup). Roll it up and proceed as normal.

Alternatively chesse and onion bread is a wonderful treat.  You'll need half a cup of sautéd onions and half a cup of shredded old chedder or more if you prefer.  After the  first rising when you punch it down you can roll it out long and narrow (no wider then your loaf pan).  Spread on the onions and cheese then roll it up and proceed as normal.

Creamy Thai Soup

This recipe resulted from a need to use up some random ingredients and a desire to make some Thai soup.  The result is now a favourite of mine.

Ingrediants:
2 cartons low sodium Chicken Stock
1 can Diced Tomatoes

1 large Chicken breast
1/2 a large Onion
1 cup diced Red Pepper
2 cups finely chopped Broccoli
3 cups chopped Bok choy/Spinach/Kale

1/2 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
1 Tbs Fish Sauce
1 tsp Basil
3 Tbs Curry Powder
2 Tbs Lime Juice
1 tsp Ginger
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 can Evaporated Milk

Directions:
Not much to this one.  Chop your chicken breast up small and lightly brown it in a frying pan.  Throw everything except the Peanut Butter and the Evaporated Milk in the pot and bring to a gentle boil.  Let it boil for 15 minutes.  Add the peanut butter and stir until combined.  Reduce to low and add the evaporated milk.  Allow to simmer at least one hour before serving.

The Twist:
I've got a couple good variations for this recipe.  The first obvious one is to remove the the peanut butter for those with allergies.  If you do go that way add a couple table spoons of sesame seed to get some nice flavour.  A second variation is to substitute Coconut Milk for the Evaporated milk.  If you like it spicey add a table spoon of Red Curry Paste or Sriracha Sauce.  Serving it with a topping of fresh bean sprouts adds a nice crunch as well.