Lasagna with Whole Wheat Garlic Bread

My family favorite dinner, serve with a wholewheat garlic toast and fresh tossed salad.

Liezle  my friend, here it is, so easy to to prepare good for potluck and make ahead dinner and freezes well. What I do to save  time, in the weekends I prepare a big batch of pasta sauce and divide it for pasta dishes like spaghetti or lasagna,manicotti or  macaroni hot dishes, so on the weekdays I just thaw out the sauce and cook the pasta or stick the lasagna I prepared in the oven. Save a lot of time in the kitchen and more time for my kids homework!


A box of lasagna noodles cooked Al dente(about 5-6 minutes) in boiling salted water,drained
2c. Ricotta cheese or substitute a  low fat cottage cheese
1 egg beaten or use 2 egg whites for low fat
2c.shredded Mozzarella cheese or any  cheese you prefer shredded(Asiago,Provolone or cheddar is good)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Red Sauce:

1lb. ground meat low fat(I used low fat chicken or turkey)or you can use low fat Italian sausage
2 big cans of tomato sauce  or  buy a big can of  prepared spaghetti sauce(save you time)
1T. Italian spice mix (optional)
1-8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced or canned mushrooms drained
2-cloves garlic chopped
1-chopped small onion
1- bay leaf or dahon nang  laurel  (as my Inang Daling say)
salt,pepper and sugar to taste(my family like it sweet so I add a little more)

-Brown the meat and drain all the fat, add garlic and onions and mushroom cook until fragrant add the sauce,spices salt ,pepper,sugar, let it simmer in low heat about 20-25 minutes set aside.

-In a bowl, mix beaten eggs, cottage cheese or ricotta set aside

-Preheat oven to 350
-Spray a Pyrex pan with a little oil and  put the red sauce at the bottom then the cooked pasta top with the cottage cheese mixture then shredded cheese.Repeat the layering ending with the red sauce and cheese on top . Bake uncovered until cheese melted and bubbly about 15- 20 minutes. Let it cool a little  before serving to thicken the sauce.

 Garlic Bread

Whole wheat Italian bread or french,baguette,ciabatta any sturdy bread will do
2 clove garlic cut into half or use garlic powder
butter or margarine

-cut bread into thick slices, spread butter and sprinkle garlic powder or if  using fresh garlic- rub  garlic into the bread then toast  on a skillet in medium heat until  brown on both side. sprinkle parsley or dried Italian herbs if you like.

Roasted Garlic Rosemary Chicken

Whole chicken (2-3 lb) rinsed patted dry
fresh rosemary sprigs(rough chopped)
2 clove garlic minced
2T. kosher salt
1 1/2T. freshly cracked pepper
paprika(optional)
1T. veggie oil

potatoes wrapped in foil

1.Preheat oven to 375.
2.In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, garlic and chopped rosemary.
3. Rub chicken  with oil and season inside the cavity and outside with the seasoning mixture.Sprinkle liberally with paprika and rosemary.Bake for 1 1/2 hours.Let the roasted chicken rest for 5-6 minutes before serving.

-I used an iron skillet as my roaster, that way you can make gravy from the roast dripping with no extra pan to wash.For the gravy- remove  chicken and let it rest, just put a table spoon of chicken fat on the same pan you roasted the  chicken and add a tablespoon or so of flour  let it brown a bit and add water or chicken broth about 3/4c. scraping all the brown yum yum of the pan adjust seasoning and let it thickens and that's your gravy!
-You can throw some potatoes wrapped in foil while the roast is baking and prepare some green salad and dinner is done!

My sister Cece Cashew Chicken

1 boneless & skinless chicken breast, about 10 oz. (cut into small cubes)

1/2 cup cashew nuts
1 small green bell pepper, about 4 oz. (cut into small square pieces)
5 slices ginger
1/4 onion (cut into small square pieces)



Marinate:
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon rice wine



Sauce:

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
3/4 teaspoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
3 dashes white pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt to taste



Method:

1. Marinate the chicken meat with the baking soda for 15-20 minutes and then rinse the chicken thoroughly. (Please make sure that the chicken is properly rinsed clean of the baking soda.)
2. Pat the chicken meat dry with paper towels and then marinate with the rest of the ingredients for 15 minutes.
3. Mix the sauce together and set aside.
4. Heat up a wok with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and stir-fry the chicken meat until the color turns white or half-cooked. Dish out and set aside.
5. Add another 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into the wok and add in the ginger slices, bell peppers and onions.
6. Stir-fry until you smell the peppery aroma from the green peppers and add the chicken meat back in.
7. Add in the cashew nuts and do a few quick stirs.
8. Add in the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken meat is cooked and well coated with the sauce. Add salt to taste, dish out and serve the Cashew Chicken hot with steamed white rice.

Favorite Spaghetti with Garlic Bread

This is my family absolute favorite sauce for spaghetti, or lasagna, manicotti  or any pasta  you like. This sauce makes enough for another dinner so, I freeze half of it for future use.


1 lb.low fat ground meat (I used low fat ground turkey or chicken)
1/2 small onions minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2  can of tomato paste
2- 14.5 oz tomato sauce
1- bay leaf
1- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
1-  sweet red  bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. sugar
1T. dried Italian herbs mix
salt and pepper to taste,grated cheese,parmesan cheese
1- box of spaghetti (follow direction on the box) cooked

1. Brown  ground meat until no longer pink,add onions,garlic until fragrant, drain the fat.
2. Add sliced mushrooms saute it for about 2minutes(you want to drain the cooked meat before adding the    mushrooms because  the mushrooms will absorb most of  the oil)add the paste ,tomato sauce and the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer in a low heat for 30-45 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust your seasoning.

3. Cook your favorite pasta. I myself just add a pinch of salt in a boiling water then add my spaghetti noodles and cook it until al dente texture(firm but not hard) not mushy about 7 minutes only, I dont add oil so the sauce adhere with the cooked noodles.


Garlic Bread

1-sturdy bread -french, Italian bread  (I used  a markdown Artisan Italian Bread )sliced
3- cloves garlic minced
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1t. Italian seasoning herbs

1.melt butter and add garlic  until light brown set aside to infuse the garlic flavor.
2.preheat a skillet to medium heat
3. brush bread with melted butter and garlic and add italian herbs and optional shredded cheese and grill for about 3 minutes on each side.

Stir fry beef and mushrooms

We went to Asian store and found the cute tiny mushrooms that is so good and bought the thinly sliced ribeye steaks that is used for the Mongolian hot pot dish. Paper thin sliced ribeye is very good for philly cheese steak sandwiches too.yumm!!I'll post that later. I marinated the beef with soysauce and lemon juice,saute it with mushrooms,sweet peppers and onions and serve on a bed of egg (no yolks) noodles ay naku sarap naman. Very quick, easy and simple but lots of flavor.


1-package no yolks noodles or any pasta of your choice or cooked rice
1lb. ribeye steaks paper thin
2T. soysauce
1/2 of a small lemon juice
fresh cracked black pepper
veggies of your choice( I used mushrooms,red bell peppers and onions)cut up broccoli or asparagus will be good too.
1t. oil

1.marinate the beef with soysauce,lemon juice and black peppers about 5 minutes.
2.prepare all veggies cut into bite size pieces
3.boil water and cook pasta according to  the package direction, drain and set aside
4.In a frying pan, add a teaspoon of oil and saute all the veggies for 4 minutes or until done and set aside, in the same frying pan cook the marinated beef (drain some of the juice if you are watching your salt intake) the beef will cook very fast because it is paper thin. Add all the veggies and its done !Serve with noodles or cooked rice.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 lb. skinless,boneless chicken breast halves-cubed
or use leftover roasted chicken meat,remove skin and bones diced
1/3c.butter
1/2c.diced celery                                        optional: kosher salt,pepper
1/2c.diced carrots
1/2c. diced potatoes                                          
1/3c.diced onion
1/2t.salt and 1/4 t. black pepper 
1/2t. poultry seasoning                     
1 3/4c.chicken broth
2/3c. evaporated milk or low fat milk
1/3c. all purpose flour
1 egg  white beaten   or milk for brushing
2(9 inch)unbaked pie crusts

1. Preheat oven to 425 F(220C)
2. In a saucepan,combine all veggies and cubed chicken meat,add water and cook for 10 minutes.Remove from heat drain and set aside.
3.Using the same saucepan, in a medium heat cook onions and butter until soft and translucent.Stir in flour,salt,pepper,poultry seasoning.Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.Simmer over medium heat low until thick. Set aside.
4.Place the chicken and veggie mixture at the bottom of the pie crust.Pour hot liquid over it.Cover with top crust,seal,flute the edges and cut the excess dough.Make several small slit on top to allow steam to escape and brush  it with a little milk or beaten egg white. Sprinkle a little kosher salt and coursely ground pepper.
5.Bake in preheated oven to 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Low Fat Turkey Sheperd Pie Casserole

This is a one pot dish meal, very easy,healthy  and kid friendly.This is a good way to use leftover mashed potatoes and veggies.


1 lb. lean ground meat(I used lean ground turkey)
1/2 diced red pepper or frozen mixed veggies
1/2 diced onions
2 cloves of garlic minced
1T. canola oil/olive oil
1 can sweet corn drained
 potatoes(made into mashed potatoes seasoned to your taste or use leftovers)
yellow shredded cheese(optional)

1. preheat oven to 350, brown the meat with a little oil, drain the fat and add  the garlic and onion mix until fragrant
2.add veggies cook for 5 minutes
3.grease the pan with oil spray and pour the  cooked veggies and  meat mixture,spread thecooked mashed potatoes and sprinlke shredded cheese on top and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese melted.

HEALTHY MEAT LOAF

This is my recipe for a healthy meatlof, I hid all the veggies so my kiddos will eat them and it never fail me. They think they are eating  meat but guess what, its good for them. You could use any veggies fresh or frozen as long as not an over powering veggies like bitter melon (ampalaya)(duh!)I used lean ground turkey but a combo of meat will be ok too.The ketchup and bbq sauce together on top give it a little zing. This is like embotido but easier to prepare. I used a meatloaf seasoning but you could mix spices from your pantry  like parsley,oregano,garlic or onion or use fresh spices if available,enough for the talking,here is my  simple recipe.


1lb lean/lowfat ground meat(I used turkey)
2 whole eggs(for low fat use only the egg whites)
1c. rolled oatmeal (I used the old fashioned but you could use the instant too)
1c. low fat milk
2 stalk of celery,1/2 onion, a clove of garlic,1/2 c. frozen peas and carrots or any veggies you like sometimes I used zucchini too
1/2 package meat loaf seasoning (McCormick meatloaf seasoning)or just mix your seasoning like salt ,pepper choice of fresh or dried spices
ketchup and bbq sauce combined, some salt and pepper

1.preheat oven to 350
2.mix oats with milk
3.add spices,eggs,meat
4.put all veggies in a food processors and pulse until little pieces
5.add veggies with the meat mixture and mix until blended with a clean hands
6.spray meatloaf pan with oil, add the meatloaf and top with ketchup and bbq sauce and bake for an hour
7.after baking let it cool down for about 5 minutes before serving.

Kitchen tip: you could throw some potatoes  in the oven for baked potatoes just adjust the cooking time  to 1 1/2 hours. or longer.

Tocino

This is my sisters favorite almusal minus the salitre and the red food color,fatty meat. I remember my mom used to cook this dish and  the pork skin still on.



2 lbs pork butt or shoulder sliced thinl(trim most of the fat)
3/4c. ketchup
1/2c.brown sugar
1T.tomato paste
1/4c.vinegar or lemon or lime juice
2cloves of garlic minced
1 small onion minced
1/2c. pineapple juice or white soda(7-up,sprite)


1.slice the pork  into pieces.
2.mixed all ingredients in a bowl and add the meat,cover  with plastic and store in the fridge,let it marinate for
  2-3 days.
3. heat a frying pan with little oil  and add the meat,add alittle water,remove the lid and let it fry a little.
4.serve with rice,eggs,sliced tomatoes and onion. sarap na almusal.

Favorite Chicken Tacos

This is  a  fast and all time favorite in my house, lowfat and kid friendly delicious meal too.


2 trimmed of fat chicken breast
taco seasoning (low sodium)
1t.oil
1/4c. water
lowfat sour cream
cheese ,tomatoes,lettuce,chopped onions,flour tortilla fajita style
guacamole,picante sauce or salsa(optional),tortilla chips

1.brown chicken breast and simmer  about 5 minutes
2.sprinkle 1 T. low sodium taco seasoning and add water
3.cover and cook until done.
4.cut chicken into small pieces
5.return to the frying pan and cook for a minute
6.arrange tacos and top with favorite fixin
7.enjoy!!!