Lasagna

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Lasagna. One of the most comforting meals on the planet. I remember making it for my dad and myself, on the nights my mom was working late giving riding lessons at the stable. She’s not a huge fan of Italian, so I always tried to make something that Dad & I really enjoyed, but didn’t get a chance to have too often. I always used the recipe right off the box, and it always turned out great.

I’ve tried other versions since then, but none of them ever lived up to the classic in my eyes. Although, I do love a good spinach-mushroom lasagna. And, I’m looking forward to trying a seafood lasagna at some point in the future. As with most other pasta casseroles , the possibilities are endless. But, at heart, I’m a traditionalist – so, that’s what I’m sharing with you today.

Layers of perfect pasta, lean ground sirloin, creamy ricotta and chewy mozzarella, and a nice zippy marinara sauce. I’ve used fresh pasta in the past, but to be honest – I prefer the box. While I love homemade pasta, I usually use boxed lasagna noodles. They seem to hold up better for leftovers than fresh pasta does. Plus, who doesn’t love the ruffles on the pasta? In the past I’ve had problems with the lasagna being too watery. I find that only happens when I used a combo of whole milk ricotta and whole milk mozzarella. If I use part-skim ricotta, it’s always just right.  The addition of cottage cheese may seem a bit odd, but it really does lighten up the texture of the ricotta. If you don’t have a favorite lasagna recipe, give this one a try. It won’t let you down, I promise!

Lasagna

1 lb ground sirloin (at least 90/10)
3 cups marinara sauce (or 1 (28 oz) jar)
1 (16 oz) package lasagna noodles
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded (reserve 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 eggs

Brown beef in large saucepan over medium-high heat; drain the rendered fat. Add sauce and simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook lasagna according to package instructions. Separate lasagna and lay out on wax paper or aluminum foil to keep pieces from sticking together as they cool.

Combine cheeses (reserving 1/2 cup mozzarella for topping), eggs, parsley, salt and pepper for filling.

Pour about 1/2 cup meat sauce in bottom of (13×9) pan. Arrange 3 pieces of lasagna lengthwise over sauce, overlapping edges. Spread 1/3 of cheese filling over lasagna and cover with about 1 cup of meat sauce.

Repeat layers of lasagna, cheese and meat twice. Top with layer of lasagna, cheese and meat sauce; top with reserved mozzarella and additional parmesan, if desired.

Cover with aluminum foil; bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer of until lightly browned. Allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting for easier handling.

Source: adapted from San Giorgio

Coconut Crème Brûlée

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Crème brûlée has always been one of my favorite desserts. The first time I had it I was probably 12 or 13. My best friend’s mom worked in DC, and sometimes we were fortunate enough to tag along. Her boss at the time was a lobbyist, so he knew all the good spots in town, and enjoyed taking “the girls” out to a nice lunch. We always chose McCormick & Schmicks, for the fist-sized fried shrimp – and, the crème brûlée. There’s just something about that sweet, cold custard underneath a crunchy layer of caramelized sugar. I was young, but even at that tender age, I recognized.

No matter how many times I’ve indulged in it since those days of yore, I never tired of it. It’s relatively easy to make at home (you don’t even need a torch!), and is super impressive. There are also about a million different ways you can “spin” it – seems like I’m always finding a new flavor combo for this decadent dessert.

The coconut was just perfect! It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was definitely present. I came across a couple recipes, but settled on this one because it used coconut milk. Several recipes called for adding shredded coconut to the custard, and I didn’t like the sound of that. I like the custard to be smooth, and the coconut milk kept that smoothness, but also added a ton of coconut flavor. I also felt like it was a bit lighter than a traditional custard since it uses less heavy cream than most recipes call for. I hope you enjoy this tropical twist on a classic as much as we did.

Coconut Crème Brûlée

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
8 large egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can (13-1/2- to 14-oz.) coconut milk
4 tsp. fine raw sugar or granulated sugar for caramelizing

Heat the oven to 300°F. Sift the sugar and cornstarch together into a medium bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks. Whisk in the cream and coconut milk until blended. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer and into a large measuring cup with a pouring spout.

Set four 6-oz. ramekins in a deep baking dish or roasting pan. Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins. Set the pan on the middle rack of the oven. Carefully pour hot water into the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30 minutes and then tent the pan loosely with foil (if it’s tight, the custard will curdle) and bake until the centers of the custard shudder gently when the ramekins are tapped, another 25 minutes (start checking at 20 minutes).

Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool slightly before refrigerating for several hours or overnight.

Just before serving, sprinkle each custard with a thin layer of fine sugar, about 1 tsp. per custard. Caramelize the sugar by using either of the methods described below.

For the torch method:
Use a slow, sweeping motion to guide the flame directly on the surface of the custard; the nozzle should be 2 to 3 inches from the surface so the flame just licks the sugar. The topping is done when the entire surface is a glossy brown.

For the broiler method:
Position the oven rack so the custards will be 2 to 3 inches from the broiler, and heat the broiler. Return the ramekins to the baking dish. Fill the dish with ice water almost to the top of the custards. Position the pan under the heat source. The sugar should begin to caramelize in 3 to 4 min.; watch carefully so they don’t burn.

Source: Fine Cooking, February 2000

Maryland Fried Chicken

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The beautiful state of Maryland is usually synonymous with two things. #1) Blue crabs. And, #2) Maryland Fried Chicken. Incidentally, they usually go hand-in-hand together too. I don’t know a single crab house that doesn’t serve you a basket of fresh fried chicken before the crabs arrive (a feeble attempt to limit crab intake – don’t be a sucker). I was interested in what differentiates Maryland fried chicken, from a traditional Southern fried chicken. But, I couldn’t really find a straight answer anywhere.

So, I took the one thing that makes just about anything scream Maryland, and threw that into the mix. Old Bay! It’s such a great mix of spices; celery seed, paprika, chili pepper, allspice, and cardamom – just to name a few! I’ve always used it on my chicken that I throw on the grill, so why not fried chicken as well? I start the chicken off in a cast-iron skillet, and get a nice brown scald on it. Then I finished it off in the oven for about 15 minutes. I find that if I try to cook it all the way through in the cast-iron, it ends up getting browner than I’d like. This method produced tender, juicy results.

I’ve played around with several different variations, and this one is definitely a winner! I went all out and served it with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, and buttermilk biscuits. Eat your heart out, Colonel Sanders.

Maryland Fried Chicken

1 frying chicken (3 lbs), cut into 8 pieces
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp Old Bay
3 tsp kosher salt
canola or vegetable oil for frying

In a large bowl, combine the chicken with the buttermilk and 2 teaspoons salt. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. When ready to fry, remove chicken from bowl and let sit on counter for 30 minutes to take chill off.

Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together the flour, Old Bay, and 1 teaspoon salt. Place in a gallon-sized resealable bag, and set aside.

Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat to 365F. Working in batches, place the chicken pieces into the flour mixture and shake the bag to coat, pressing to adhere. Add the chicken to the oil 3-4 pieces at a time.

Fry 5-7 minutes, checking to make sure chicken isn’t getting too brown. Turn, cover and cook additional 3-5 minutes more. Monitor temperature of oil to make sure chicken doesn’t burn. Keep in mind chicken will finish cooking in oven.

Place chicken on baking sheet and continue frying rest of chicken. When done, bake the chicken for 10-15 minutes, until chicken cooked through.

Source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl

Rosemary Chicken Salad

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I don’t like to brag, but I do make a pretty good chicken salad. Which, is great, because we eat it A LOT of it for lunch or a light dinner during the summer months. There’s usually chicken leftover from one meal or another during the week, or I’m grilling so often it’s no biggie to cook a couple extra chicken breasts to make up a batch.  It keeps great in the fridge for a few days, and makes for an easy and quick lunch during the week.

The fresh rosemary certainly sets it apart from other chicken salads. But, I think the thing that really makes it shine is the addition of honey. I like the hint of sweetness it brings. I like mine on a whole wheat bread, with lots of sprouts on top. However, when served on crostinis, it makes a lovely appetizer.

Rosemary Chicken Salad

1 pound cooked chicken (about 2 cups), shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Make the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl by combining mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, and honey. Whisk until combined.

Add in remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Serve on multi-grain bread with desired toppings.