Pasta

Turkey Lasagna

Well, here we are on New Year’s Eve…again.  How does one year go by so fast?  For that matter, how does a decade or two decades go by so fast?  It was 22 years ago today that I lost my mom and it’s still so unreal.  I don’t get sad on this anniversary anymore because the sadness comes on throughout the year when I least expect it and it’s enough.  Instead of mourning her on this day, I choose to celebrate her and think of the many times I would stand at the kitchen table with her and assemble lasagna.  It was one of my favorite meals to make with her because we each had our roles.  She would be standing at the counter mixing ground beef and tomato sauce in the electric skillet while I would stand nearby stirring a bowl of cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and egg.  Then we would come together and do the layering until we were left with the perfect pan of lasagna ready for baking in the oven.  I can’t not think of her each time I make lasagna and I’m glad I do.  Making this Turkey Lasagna was no different.

This particular recipe comes from my aunt who started making this a few Christmases ago.  She had found it in the newspaper and liked it so much, it became a regular meal in the rotation.  Ground turkey (or ground chicken) is browned and mixed with jarred marinara, spinach and basil.   A little bit of ricotta is added, making the meat sauce slightly creamy.  Lasagna noodles, meat sauce and parmesan cheese are layered and baked until gold and bubbly.  What I love about this lasagna in particular is not just the addition of the spinach but also that there isn’t much cheese so it keeps the calories down.  Rather than having ricotta or mozzarella cheese layered in, the little bit of ricotta and sprinkle of parmesan is just enough.  If you don’t like lasagna unless it’s dripping with cheese, you might not like this.  But if you want a flavorful, tasty lasagna that won’t make you feel too guilty, this might be for you.  And just as I did when I was a kid, I used the extra noodles to scoop up the leftover meat sauce until the pan was clean.  I just wish my mom was there to do it with me.

Turkey Lasagna (from Chicago Tribune)

  • 1 box (16 ounces) lasagna noodles
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds ground lean turkey
  • 2 jars (25 ounces each) marinara sauce
  • 1 bag (8 ounces) fresh spinach, chopped, stems removed
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package instructions; drain.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 30 seconds.  Add turkey; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Add sauce; cook 1 more minute.  Add spinach, basil and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until leaves wilt, about 2 minutes.  Add ricotta; lower heat to simmer.  Cook 1 minute; remove from stove.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with at least 4 to 5 noodles. Spread 1 cup of sauce over noodles; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat process until remaining noodles are used.  Bake for 25 minutes, cool for at least 7 minutes before serving.

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The ingredients:

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Cook noodles according to package instructions; drain.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 30 seconds.  Add turkey; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

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Add sauce; cook 1 more minute.  Add spinach, basil and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until leaves wilt, about 2 minutes.  Add ricotta; lower heat to simmer.  Cook 1 minute; remove from stove.

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Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with at least 4 to 5 noodles.  Spread 1 cup of sauce over noodles; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat process until remaining noodles are used.  Bake for 25 minutes.

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Cool for at least 7 minutes before serving.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Shredded parmesan cheese

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Chicago Tribune

Ricotta-Spinach Pasta

I poured a bowl of cereal the other morning and suddenly realized just how different my eating habits are from when I was younger.  The cereal is the same but the teaspoons of sugar on top are no longer there.  The cartons of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream which I used to scarf down in one sitting doesn’t even make its way into my shopping basket anymore.  And the overflowing bowls of pasta I used to eat for dinner day after day are few and far between now.  But I still love pasta so the fact that I don’t eat it so often makes it all the more better when I do eat it.  I try to eat whole-wheat pasta whenever possible but since I’ve started this blog, I’ve been introduced to refrigerated pasta which cooks in two minutes and has a softer texture.  This recipe for Ricotta-Spinach Pasta uses refrigerated pasta which means it can be made in no time.

Fettuccine is tossed with sautéed red peppers, chopped walnuts and spinach before being topped with lemon-flavored ricotta cheese.  The walnuts, which I love, give the dish a crunch which is interesting with the pasta.  The ricotta provides a creamy element and the lemon provides a fresh brightness.  The is a light pasta dish that I liked but thought was missing something.  I ate all of it, so it was good enough to me.  But I kept thinking that a splash of balsamic vinegar would bring it to life.  If you try this, let me know what you think.

The ingredients:

Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, lemon rind, salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bell pepper; sauté 2 minutes.  Add walnuts, salt, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.  Stir in remaining oil and lemon juice.

Add pasta, pasta water, and spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.

Top with ricotta mixture and rind strips, if desired.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Part-skim ricotta

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

Sometimes just a couple of little words will send my willpower into a nosedive. After yesterday’s post about how I’ve been eating a lot of chicken and veggies lately, I mentioned how I could eat a “big bowl of pasta” every day. After writing that one sentence, it suddenly became all I could think about. Pasta. Specifically stringy pasta that I could twirl around and around until the cluster of pasta looped around my fork would barely fit into my mouth. This is what I do from time to time and it’s my weakness. So I made this Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic.

Cherry tomatoes and garlic are roasted in the oven until juicy and bursting with sweetness. They are then mixed with whole-wheat spaghetti and olive oil to create a simple, filling and flavorful pasta dish. A topping of parmesan cheese adds a cheesy, salty bite and fresh basil gives that bright freshness that mixes with pasta and tomatoes so perfectly. Any kind of pasta or tomatoes will work here so use whatever your favorite kind is but watch the olive oil – I used about half of what the recipe called for because it didn’t need so much. I’m not kidding when I tell you I twirled and twirled my fork with this spaghetti. I can’t help it, I couldn’t get it in my mouth fast enough. I heart it. Sometimes a big bowl of pasta hits the spot just the way a big fat hug does.

The ingredients:

Cook pasta according to package directions or until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 6 tablespoons cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan.

While pasta cooks, combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, tomatoes, and garlic on a jelly-roll pan, tossing to combine. Bake at 450°F for 11 minutes or until tomatoes are lightly browned and begin to burst.

Combine reserved cooking liquid and 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil 4 minutes or until mixture measures 1/3 cup. Add oil mixture to pan with pasta; toss to coat.

Add tomato mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to pasta; toss to coat.

Top with cheese and basil.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

  • Whole-wheat spaghetti
  • Shredded parmesan

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

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