Diana's 3-cheese, Gluten Free, Sicilian Lasagna

Gluten Free Lasagna

As you may have seen in previous posts, we always make lasagna for Christmas dinner! Mom started this family tradition ever since I can remember. We continue it to this day. RIP mom! The past few years we started making a gluten free (GF) version, which is good enough for company. In my opinion, you can't taste any difference. If you have a friend or family member who needs GF options, this recipe is a winner!

This year we used Barilla, no cook, oven ready, gluten free noodles that are made with corn and brown rice flour. The taste was great. The main recipe differences between my regular lasagna and GF lasagna are that no pre-cooking, oven-ready, GF noodles is necessary, oven-ready GF noodles need sauce on both sides of the noodles, and all exposed noodles need to be covered with sauce.

This recipe is different than what is on the Barilla box and very similar to my regular Sicilian Christmas lasagna recipe. We baked the lasagna at 350 deg. F vs 425 deg. F. as suggested on the Barilla package label. Below is my GardenCuizine recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
Set aside a 13 x 9 x 2-inch Pyrex baking dish 

Ingredients

• 1 box Barilla, no cook, oven ready, gluten-free lasagne 

Meat blend

• 1 lb lean ground beef  (Mom used to blend with Italian sausage. For vegetarian, use boca crumbles)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• black pepper 
• drizzle olive oil

Ricotta blend 

1, 32 oz whole milk Ricotta

1 1/2 cups shredded low fat mozzarella 

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

2 large eggs, whisked 

1 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley 

1/8 tsp. fresh grated or ground nutmeg 

1/8 tsp. salt 

Sauce 

• 1 large jar pasta sauce or your own homemade sauce
• 3-4 bay leaves (not edible! remove before serving)
• 1/2 tsp oregano

Topping

• 1 cup or so shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley (believe it or not we still had some growing in a pot on our front porch!)

Putting it all together

• Warm up the sauce in a pot. Stir in bay leaves and oregano. Keep covered on low heat.
• In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and saute the onion add garlic; stir; cook until golden; remove from the skillet to a plate or bowl.
• In the same skillet, cook the ground meat, season with black pepper. Remove from heat. Drain any grease. 
• Stir in the cooked aromatics (onion and garlic). 
• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, whisked eggs, nutmeg, salt, set aside.

1. Prepare your baking dish with a bottom layer of red sauce.
2. Place a layer of noodles on top of the sauce.
3. Add a little more sauce on top of the noodles (both sides must have sauce to soften and cook properly). 
4. Scoop small balls of Ricotta, about 3 scoops per noodle. (We use a 2 oz scoop)
5. Top with a layer of cooked ground meat.  

• Repeat - sauce - noodles - sauce - ricotta - meat 
• sauce - noodles - sauce 
•  Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Note: if you have leftover ricotta, which we always do, make another small serving to freeze uncooked and cook at a later date. 

Cover with aluminum foil, try not to touch the top of the sauce with the foil. Bake at 350 deg F. about 40 minutes. Remove foil and cook uncovered another 15 min or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Blog Post and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. 

First Christmas without Mom #RIPmom

Best Wishes for safe, happy and Healthy Holidays!

Well, I was able to continue our family tradition without mom and prepared and baked her Italian lasagna last night for our Christmas dinner. Harry made a delicious side salad full of fresh Romaine and Arugula. We used Christmas plates and ate at the kitchen table instead of the dining room. We have plenty of leftover lasagna to freeze for future meals and memories. 

RIP mom, we miss you every day; we especially did yesterday, Christmas day.

Peace to all of us blessed with life and prayers for strength to those of us who have no choice but to move forward without our loved ones. I sure look forward to the hope that 2021 brings.

My photo above was taken on an outing with Harry in the NJ Pinelands as we tried to find Webb's Mill Creek. We never did find it! But found Pinelands beauty on the journey.

Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Christmas Pavlova dessert : Before and After decorating with fresh sugared cherries, cranberries and pomegranate #GardenCuizine

Christmas Pavlova

On Christmas Eve my first Pavlova cake went into the oven! The big decision was white or gold? The kind of vanilla extract makes a difference. I prefer natural vanilla flavor, so I didn't go with the clear vanilla. As you can see, the whipped egg whites turned a pale gold hue. It looked festive on the table beside the flickering candlelight.

Pavlova is really like a large meringue. It was baked on low heat for 1.5 hours. After baking, the Pavlova stayed in the oven overnight until crisp and light.

On Christmas Day it was time to decorate the Pavlova. For the frosting, in place of the cream cheese, I used freshly whipped cream and pureed, unstrained, cranberries and pomegranate seeds. Sugared cherries and cranberries served as a decorative topping, along with a few handfuls of glistening, juicy pomegranate arils (seeds/juice sacs).

I'm not a big fan of fresh rosemary (or mint) on desserts, so I used fresh bay leaves instead. We happen to have a potted bay laurel tree growing inside during the winter. The leaves were just for decoration. Of course, you don't want to eat a bay leaf!

This holiday Pavlova dessert was pretty straight forward and easy to make. The link to the recipe can be found in my previous blog post.

 Notes: Pavlova is light and delicious and would make a wonderful dessert any time of year. Meringues hold up best in dry versus humid conditions.

• If you do not see my other blog posts below, click on the watering can at the top of the blog to view more posts.

Blog post and photography Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Christmas Holiday Dessert: Pizzelles, Gingerbread Cookies and ...Pavlova?

Christmas Holiday Dessert

During the holidays I make the usual Italian Pizzelles with Anise oil from the Italian Market in Philly. We usually have gingerbread cookies too; but, I haven't made them yet. We are low on all purpose flour; today, I'll buzz to the store to buy more. Besides Christmas cookies, I like to have a plan for a main holiday dessert feature. 

It is hard to think of dessert after eating Mom's traditional Italian lasagna dinner. Something on the lighter side would be most appealing. This year it is going to be something new for us - Christmas Pavlova. Have you ever made a Pavlova? Pavlova isn't exactly an Italian dessert, but I want to try it.

Pavlova originated in New Zealand and Australia and is made using a few simple ingredients that include egg whites, sugar and fresh fruits. A meringue is formed into one large or several small wreath shapes and baked. 

When ready to serve, the dessert is topped with fresh whipped cream and fruit. Pavlova cakes emerged around 1929 in honor of a famous Russian Ballerina named Anna Pavlova.

In looking online for Pavlova recipes, you'll find lots of ideas. One that struck me as Christmassy and gorgeous and interesting was by Lily and Dimitry at Gastrosenses.com. They used sugar-coated, whole cranberries and Pomegranate arils. Both fruits are readily available at this time of year. In fact, I picked up both yesterday at Walmart of all places!!

One thing I'll probably change from Lily's online recipe is the rosemary sprigs garnish. (I also saw rosemary used in a Pavlova featured in Victoria magazine.) I do love rosemary, but rosemary has strong oils and flavor that I don't want seeping into the delicate topping. Instead, I'm considering fresh green mint leaves. 

If I have time to take pictures and post more details of how our Christmas Pavlova turns out, I will. ...Stay tuned.

Happy Holidays and Happy Baking!
Related Links
Pavlova - Sally's Baking Addiction  
Blog post Copyright (C) Wind. All rights reserved.
Photo public domain Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova (1881-1931). Paris, 1st part of 1920s https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AnnaPavlova.jpg 

Christmas Lasagna #Sicilian #Dinnerisready #GardenCuizine #holidayrecipe

 Christmas Lasagna

Mom didn't cook much, but she always made us lasagna at Christmas. Last year we made lasagna for Christmas and enjoyed it. This year we made it again and declared lasagna our official Christmas dinner entree! 

Here is my version of Mom's Christmas Lasagna recipe. I may adjust this the next time I make it, so do check back. 

Note: if you are vegetarian, you can sub Boca burger crumbles for the ground beef. And, if you are vegan, simply swap the ricotta with firm tofu, omit the eggs and use soy cheeses.

Ingredients
1 lb. Ground beef (or half beef, half Italian sausage; or for Vegetarian use Boca burgers crumbled)
1 med Onion, chopped
Garlic, 2 cloves chopped

pot of boiling water
9 lasagna noodles 
Homemade pasta sauce (make in advance and freeze in quarts for convenience)
 
1, 32 oz container ricotta cheese (lately we've been using whole milk ricotta)
2 large eggs, whisked
1 1/2 cups (plus another cup for topping) shredded mozzarella
1/4-cup (plus another 1/8 cup for topping) Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (about 3 twists)
pinch ground nutmeg (5 swipes fresh on rasp)
1 1/2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Putting it all together
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
Set aside a 13 x 9 x 2-inch Pyrex baking dish

• Saute onion and garlic; stir in the ground beef and cook. (*Mom would include ground Italian sausage too) Drain fat and set aside.
• Warm up pasta sauce in a sauce pan; cover and set aside.
• In a bowl, using a rubber spatula, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1 T parsley and eggs 
• Cook lasagna noodles al'dente; rinse under cold water and set aside.
• Spoon a layer of sauce on the bottom of baking dish
• Place 3 noodles, side by side, over the sauce
• Add a layer of blended cheese (I used a small scoop to portion it out and then pressed it down)
• Add a layer of cooked ground beef
• Top with a layer of sauce and repeat with another layer. Note: any leftover ricotta cheese can be saved for other recipes.
• Top the final layer with sauce and sprinkle with additional shredded mozzarella and Parmesan and dried herbs: oregano and remaining parsley.
• Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove cover and cook another 10-15 minutes or until top layer of cheese is golden. 
• Leftovers can be frozen and reheated.

Serve with a tossed garden salad and/or a generous side of veggies like kale or broccoli rabe. 

Our Christmas desserts this year included pumpkin pie and holiday cookies made with spices, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit. Hope your holiday was just as wonderful!

Buon Natale!  
Blog post and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Rev 12.25.2021
Merry Christmas! Blessings for a Happy and Healthy 2021

Baked Heirloom Beans. Fiber Superstar! #GardenCuizine #HealthyCooking

Baked Heirloom Beans
Christmas Limas

dietary Fiber Superstar!

Resolve to eat more beans in the New Year! Beans provide excellent dietary Fiber and minerals and are a low cost, lean protein for healthy eating. Christmas Limas have a pleasant chestnut texture. Prepare them as you would any bean. You'll notice that after cooking, the beans will become huge - up to the size of a quarter!

Prepare heirloom beans into a vegan or vegetarian main course or side dish; or enjoy Christmas Limas any time of year as a side to compliment a lean protein (tofu, chicken, fish, pork, etc.). We served Christmas Limas last night as a side dish with grilled chicken and a salad. As you can see in the photos, the beans become more brown when cooked.

We haven't tried growing limas yet, but have heard that they are easy to grow. You can look for dried heirloom Christmas Lima beans from local gourmet suppliers or online from suppliers like Rancho Gordo, which is where we bought ours.

Lima beans are indeed a bean, but they are also starchy, so rather than classifying them in the bean (legume) category, the DGA classifies Lima beans in with starchy vegetables like potatoes, green peas, corn, plantains and cassava. Beans are unique; because of their excellent protein content, 1/4 cup of cooked beans can count as one ounce of protein. 

Research shows diets rich in high fiber foods, such as beans, may reduce cholesterol and the risks of heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dried Christmas Limas 
water
small piece dried kombu seaweed - optional

1/2 cup onion, diced
1 Tablespoon (Tblsp) olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tblsp molasses
1 teaspoon (tsp) dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon minced hot pepper
1 small sweet pepper - optional (we happened to have some frozen from summer) 
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch black pepper

Putting it all together

• Place dried beans in a stock pot. Top with water to cover by an inch or so. Let soak for 3 hours (or whatever works with your schedule; there really is no set time).
• Drain water. Refill pot to cover beans by 2 inches. Add small piece dried kombu seaweed. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until tender. Drain and set aside so beans don't overcook - SAVE bean liquid. Remove and discard kombu.
• Saute onion in 1 Tblsp olive oil. Add peppers. Stir and cook until onions are translucent. Stir in molasses, dry mustard and sugar. Add ketchup, Worcestershire and liquid then beans. Stir gently to combine ingredients. Stir in cider vinegar, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil.
•  Transfer to a baking dish and bake covered 30 minutes at 375 deg. Uncover, reduce heat and cook another 15-30 minutes. 

Related Links
Heirloom Christmas Limas - my article on Dave's Garden
Nutrient Profile Beans
Beans top the charts as a Fiber Superstar! Today's Dietitian
Benefits of Beans and Legumes 
Baked Limas with Tomatoes and Peppers 
Blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Pumpkin Pie made with Butternut Squash #GardenCuizine

Pumpkin Pie 

made with Butternut Squash
Low in saturated fat, a good source of calcium, 

and a very good source of Vitamin A

Have you ever noticed that Christmas carols sing of pumpkin pie being served during the holidays? "...when they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie..."

Baking your own pie guarantees quality ingredients for you, your family and friends. Enjoy pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and at Christmas too. 

This year we had locally grown butternut squash available so I made pumpkin pie using fresh roasted butternut squash instead of canned pumpkin. It was one of the best pumpkin pies ever! Try butternut squash for a delicious substitute to canned pumpkin.

Click here for my pumpkin pie recipe published online.

Simply substitute pureed butternut squash for canned pumpkin.

Looking for the perfect pumpkin pie crust? 
Click here for my GardenCuizine pumpkin pie dough recipe.

Happy Holidays!
Blog post and photo Copyright © Wind. All rights reserved.

Christmas Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti recipe #GardenCuizine

Christmas Cranberry  

Pistachio Biscotti

Red cranberries and green pistachios are the stars of these Christmas cookie jar favorites. I first saw this holiday combination dipped in white chocolate in Bon Appetit in 2003. Since then I've seen several variations online that seem to have dropped the anise seeds. I dropped the white chocolate instead. This is my take on a great holiday cookie with fruit and nuts that we always find time to make during the holidays. Enjoy!

Yields: approximately 6 dozen

Ingredients
1 pkg Craisins (or dried cherries)
3/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons whole anise seeds

4 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

12 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs (1 for egg wash)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
lemon zest from 2 lemons

1 1/4 cups shelled raw pistachios 

Putting it all together
prepare 2 cookie sheets with foil or parchment; no need to spray
preheat oven to 350 deg. F

• Roast pistachios on a baking sheet; set aside to cool.
• Place orange juice, anise seeds and Craisins in medium pot and heat to boiling. Turn off heat and let sit until cool. After cool, allow to strain in colander.
• Meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In mixing bowl with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light.

• Crack 4 eggs into measuring cup; add vanilla.
• Add 4 eggs to butter/sugar mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition
• Slowly mix in flour mixture and lemon zest until just combined.
• Fold in nuts and dried cranberries.

• Divide dough and press and form into 4 logs directly on cookie sheets. Tip: wet hands under water and shake off excess to help prevent dough from sticking.
• Whisk remaining egg with a splash of water for egg wash. Brush logs with egg wash and bake until golden. remove from oven and cool on counter 20 minutes before peeling off foil from bottom. Move cookies to a cutting board and slice on an angle into 1/2 inch slices.

• Reduce oven temperature to 325 deg. F. Position sliced biscotti back on cookie sheets and bake again on each side for 10 minutes or until desired dryness.
• Cool completely before storing in airtight containers.

Merry Christmas!
Related Links
Pistachios, small nut - Mighty Nutrition 
Diana's Anise Biscotti

Recipe and photo Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.
Craisins are a registered trademark of Ocean Spray.

Ho Ho Ho Grinch Kabobs #GardenCuizine #Christmas #eatmorefruit

Grinch Kabobs

Made Grinch Kabobs tonight for our calendar party at Trinity Church. Our month was December and the theme was Christmas Afternoon Tea with berry scones, lemon curd, tea sandwiches and of course dessert. These were served on the dessert tray. Got the idea from Pinterest and gave them a try. The fruit was a tight squeeze on the toothpicks, so excess was trimmed off the large grapes and strawberries. Also, the mini marshmallows were cut in half. The sliced banana was tossed in a drizzle of fresh squeezed lemon juice to keep the fruit from browning. 

Because of the banana slices, they won't hold up long; make them as close to your party as possible. I made these about an hour before the event and kept them in an airtight container until serving time. Also, buy extra strawberries because some might not be cone shaped and won't work well as a Santa hat. These were a big hit! Serve them at a Christmas party or for a healthy holiday snack.

Have fun party planning this holiday season! 
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.