Giada's Chicken Picatta

Chicken Picatta is a favorite in our house and I don't know why I don't think to make it more often. I make a menu plan each week and finally remembered to add this dish. It's delicious.
* I always forget to buy parsley to sprinkle on top.

Chicken Picatta
by Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
all-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup capers, rinsed (brined)
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Chicken Marsala Stuffed Shells

I was struck with inspiration while staring at a half empty box of pasta shells last night. I had all the ingredients for Chicken Marsala and figured why not try it as a stuffed shells dish. It turned out great and I liked the leftovers the next day even better. Plus, as a bonus, my seriously picky toddler even ate some (although I had to dump a can of corn kernels into her bowl to disguise the rest of the dish haha).
I will warn you, I rarely have the patience to write down a recipe and then to add instructions...ugh...so please excuse any mistakes.

Chicken Marsala Stuffed Shells

Ingredients
1/2 a box of large pasta shells cooked to al dente
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in bite-sized pieces (if you already have leftover chicken from the night before, even better)
3 T EVOO
2 8oz containers of cremini mushrooms (or any mushrooms you like) stems removed and chopped
1/2 a large diced onion
2-4 minced garlic cloves, depending on how garlicky you like things. I like super stinky garlicky.
1/2 C Marsala wine.
1 8oz container of marscapone cheese (you can substitute cream cheese)
Salt & Pepper
1 C bread crumbs (I used panko)
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C softened butter

Directions
Cook the pasta shells and set aside to cool.
In a large saute pan heat EVOO over medium high heat, saute onions and mushrooms until soft. Add the chicken to the pan and saute until almost cooked through. Add the garlic saute for about 30 seconds and then add the wine. Cook the wine for a couple minutes, you want a fairly soupy sauce, then reduce the heat to low and add the marscapone cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Prepare the bread crumb topping by mixing the bread crumbs, butter and cheese together. I found it easiest to use my hands.
Grease a casserole dish and ladle a couple spoons fulls of the sauce into the dish. Fill each pasta shells with a scoop of the Marsala mixture and place in the casserole dish. Spoon any remaining sauce over the top. Top each shell with the bread crumb mixture. I like to sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on top. Baked at 375 until cheese it melted and bread crumbs are golden. Enjoy!
If you reheat the next day for leftovers, cover the casserole dish with foil before putting in the oven. It will keep the shells from drying out.

Creme Fraiche Dijon Baked Chicken

I'm starting with the photo because....Yum! This was delicious. I originally found it on Pinterest but I'm linking to the blog so you have the easy access to the recipe. I'm also showing my adaption of it below.

Creme Fraiche Dijon Baked Chicken
by The Meat and Potatoes Foodie (adapted by yours truly)

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup creme fraiche
juice of a small lemon
2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
1 small shallot (size of a fig), diced
pinch fresh ground nutmeg, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and pepper (preferably ground tricolor pepper if you have it)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

In a shallow baking dish, mix together the creme fraiche, lemon zest, mustard, stock, Parmesan, shallot, nutmeg and peppers and salt.

Add the chicken. Sprinkle the tops lightly with salt then turn over in the creme fraiche mixture to coat. Push around the dish so that they're evenly spread apart then put in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes (this depends on the size of your chicken - mine was organic and on the small side) or just until cooked through. The sauce should just be beginning to bubble around and in between the chicken. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
I served with rice and steamed veggies.

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells

It's HOT! Like record breaking heat where I live. And we don't have A/C. Boo! But I've turned our backyard into a water park so all is well. Well that is until I get our water bill.

I've kept my distance from the kitchen as much as possible since it's so hot but I'm getting tired of takeout so I made a quick dinner of Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells that I found on Pinterest. Quick and really yummy. I added pine nuts to give it some crunch.

Here's the recipe

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells
original Joelen recipe

12-16 jumbo pasta shells
water for boiling pasta
4oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese + 1/4 cup for topping
3 tablespoons prepared pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot over high heat, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Cook pasta shells only until al dente. The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked. Drain the pasta shells and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping. Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in a baking dish.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over filled shells. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake shells uncovered for 30 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts.
Read more at http://joelens.blogspot.com/2010/05/pesto-chicken-stuffed-shells.html#fFcUEWDxkvvC3cyG.99

What do you do to beat the heat?

The Pacific Northwest....Tips for road tripping with a baby.

Last Fall we decided to take a couple weeks off and road trip from California to the Pacific Northwest...with our 10 month old baby. It was to be a long long long drive but you know what- it was amazing.

Here's the happy traveler with just a few of the necessities-

Tips for road tripping with a baby:

Pad your trip with a couple extra days. There were a couple tired cranky moments in our drive that we pulled off the road and stayed in a hotel for the night. Luckily we had added a couple extra days to our schedule just in case this happened.

If friends or family offer their home for you to stay in, accept the invitation. Practical side- it's free (although we always left a thank you gift), you can wash your clothes and cook a meal. Fun side- having people to show you around the area and hanging out with those you love. We were lucky to have people to stay with in almost every city we stopped in.

See muffins made by a friend in Seattle we stayed with- Score!

Plan to stop every couple hours. If my daughter wasn't sleeping, it was necessary to stop every couple hours to stretch our legs. Google is great for this. I was always able to find a beach, park or mall to stop at along the way.

Pit Stop at Pismo Beach-

Don't take the fastest route. Take the route that has the most to offer. We made the mistake of taking the fastest route once during our trip and it was awful. Long and boring with only a couple gas stations and fast food places to stop at. It's just not worth the time you save if you're miserable. Road trips are supposed to be fun. 

Pack entertainment. For those moments we just couldn't stop and she was fussy I would break out the portable DVD player. She loves Baby Einstein so that was a great distraction for about an hour. We also had plenty of children's music to play and sing along to. 

Plan your drive around baby's nap schedule. My daughter's daily routine is like clock work so I knew exactly when I could put her in the car and expect her to sleep and when I couldn't. It makes for a much calmer drive when baby sleeps through it.

Communicate with your spouse before you leave and share expectations. This was the longest trip we had ever taken together so it was important that we knew what to expect from each other before we got started. I was on baby duty for the most part so I sat in the back. My husband preferred to be the driver. Also, I'm the world's worst navigator so he knew up front to have good humor about it since I got us lost more than once. 

Have fun! Oh and don't forget the camera. 

Hey, It's Ok Tuesday

I'm linking up with Amber for Hey, It's Ok Tuesday!

Hey, It's Ok...

To sometimes not brush my hair in the morning and just put it up in a clip. I have a lot of hair and I mean a lot. Brushing it takes effort so on days I know I'm not leaving the house, I might just clip it up. It's got the nice messy pony look (or so I tell myself).

To let my daughter watch a DVD during the day. I primarily work from home and there are times I'm desperate for a good 30 minutes of time to concentrate, so I pop in Baby Einstein. She's happy, I'm happy but I'm sure there's a group out there that will scold me for letting my under 2 year old watch TV.

To wear my jeans several times before I wash them. This is mainly because I'm terrified the dryer will shrink them and then they'll be too tight. I hate tight and uncomfortable clothes.

To spend an extra couple minutes in the shower so I'll have some time to myself. I shower in the evening while my husband plays with our little girl. It's the only time I'm really truly alone. Although a couple nights ago my daughter opened the bathroom door and started knocking on the shower door, so that alone time may soon be coming to an end.

To think my baby is cuter, smarter and just better than all other babies in the world. I mean just look at her-

Every mom thinks that though, right?

You can link up as well:

The Routine

I've missed my blog and I've missed reading others. I'm very curious by nature so getting a peek into the lives of others is fascinating for me.
I'm hoping to add blogging to my normal routine but with a toddler in the house that could prove difficult, so we'll see.
If you're like me, you appreciate lists, calendars, schedules and such. Here's a little glimpse of daily life here in Toddlerville...

7:00-7:30 Wake up time. I love the way she sleeps....

7:30-8:00 General wake up stuff like diaper change, brush teeth, make breakfast etc.
(I'm a very lucky, albeit sometimes lonely mommy, who primarily works from home so we're generally in our jammies for most of the morning).
Oh and empty mommy's cabinet. Anybody else have a kid who does this? I find toiletries hidden all of the house.

8:00-8:30 Kiss the husband goodbye. Baby girl and I eat breakfast together while I check my emails.
Favorite breakfast foods are: Trader Joes blueberry waffles with strawberry jam and sliced strawberries. Kale smoothies (as you can see from the green moustache below).
Coconut milk oatmeal with frozen blueberries.

8:30-10:30 Playtime for baby, work time for me. Each room is our house has toys and I have a portable lap top desk that I can cart around the house depending on which room she wants to be in. We also spend about an hour outside during this time. Love wireless living :)

Crawled onto my desk...no mommy don't work, play with me.

10:30-12:00 Nap for little girl. This is prime work time for me. I can concentrate on important projects and make phone calls.

12:00-12:30 Get dressed. Yes, we usually get dressed after her first nap. For me this means swapping jammies pants for yoga pants but if I have to run errands after work I'll make more of an effort.
I've read if you work from home you should dress like you're going to work, but really? no thanks.

12:30-1:00 Lunch time.
Favorite lunches:
Macaroni and Cheese with sliced grapes.
Trader Joes Parmesean Chicken Lollipops (if you haven't had these, you're missing out).
Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches, string cheese and apples.

1:00-3:30 Story time, play time, tidy up the house, laundry and fitting in work time. My daughter loves loves loves books. So we have tons and have recently started going to the library so we don't go broke buying them.

She also love love loves to unfold all my laundry

3:30-4:30 Naptime for her and any work phone calls for me. I'm very lucky to have an awesome napper. She'll actually say "nap" when she's ready to sleep.

4:30-5:30 Dinner prep and more playtime.

5:30-6:30 Husband comes home and dinner time.
We have many many favorite dinners. I make a dinner schedule once a week so it varies. I'd have to say baby girl's favorite dinner is spaghetti. Although it's a HUGE mess so I reserve it for bath night.

6:30-7:30 Bath or Walk to the park. If it's not bath night, we usually head to the park. 

7:30-8:30 TV time with daddy (she loves Baby Einstein and Yo Gabba Gabba). This is when I shower and get ready for bed.

8:30-9:30 Bed time for baby. I take her to bed and it's usually about 30 minutes to an hour before she'll fall asleep. 

9:30.... If I have work to do, I get back up, otherwise I'm fast asleep. I never leave anything work related for the next day, that's just asking to get really behind and stressed. 

I have to say, writing down our daily schedule was fun for me. People some times ask me how I make it through each day working and raising my daughter. I usually say I have no idea and it's all about surviving but now I can see I've got a pretty good system here. At the end of every day, I almost always say it was a good day and it's true.

Whole Foods with My Baby Girl

I can now say, after 7 months, I have mastered the art of errands with my daughter and it's all thanks to this....

I love love love my Moby. It has saved me many times and I can't express how wonderful baby-wearing is; especially since my daughter hates the stroller. I tried on several carriers and this was the winner. It's soft, supportive and really easy on my back. I put it on before I get in the car for errands and then easily wrap her in the parking lot and off we go. 

Last weekend I headed to Whole Foods just to pick up dinner and yogurt (how that amounted to $65?) but it was worth it. I spent a fun-filled hour wearing my baby and shopping at one of my favorite stores. On the menu for that night- Steak with Chimichurri, Rice Pilaf,  Beer and McConnell's Ice Cream.

Let's start with beer. This is super yummy and only $5.99.

Steak with chimichurri and rice pilaf (I can't seem to flip the photo) . The rice is a box mix. The 365 brand with mushrooms and herbs.

If you've never had chimichurri, you're missing out. It's very simple to make.

Chimichurri Recipe

SimplyRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

METHOD

1 Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.

2 Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.

Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.

Baby, It's Hot Outside- Frozen Mango Anyone?

We started Baby H on solid foods a couple weeks ago and so far she's had rice cereal, bananas and mangoes. She loves grabbing the spoon and feeding herself. Most of it ends up on her bib, the floor or somehow her hair LOL but that's all part of the fun. We strip her down to her diaper and let her go to town. I love the mesh food containers (picture below) that allow her to suck and chew while holding it. Brilliant product!
Yesterday it was really warm so I put in a chunk of semi-thawed mango. I keep bags of them in the freezer for smoothies and the chunks are just the right size.
We've been very mellow about introducing solids. We're not on a schedule and feed her when we have the time to let her play and make a mess. So far it's been a great experience for the whole family.

Espresso Brownie Cookies

There are moments during baking when you are sneaking tastes of the batter that you just know the finished product is going to be amazing. These were as amazing raw as they were baked.  I can't help but lick the spatula when I'm baking anything with chocolate. To my friends who actually got to have some of these, I didn't double-dip...or did I?

Espresso Brownie Cookies
Adapted from Just A Taste
Ingredients:

3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
3 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a double boiler (a small pan set within a larger pan of simmering water), combine the dark chocolate, 1 cup of chocolate chips and butter, stirring until melted. Remove the smaller pan containing the chocolate from the double boiler and set it aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs, sugar and instant coffee granules on high speed until very thick and mixture forms a ribbon when whisk is lifted, about 3 minutes.

Slowly add the chocolate mixture to the bowl, whisking just until combined.

Turn off the stand mixer. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl and stir just until combined. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Portion heaping tablespoons of batter about 2 inches apart on a parchment- or Silpat-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are cracked and puffed on top. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Candied Pecan Biscotti

It's no secret that I love sweets. I have to have a little something sugary after every meal or it just doesn't feel complete. Breakfast is no exception and these biscotti are just perfect with a cup of coffee after some eggs. The spicy kick from the cayenne is a really nice addition and since you'll have some pecans leftover from this recipe, I dare you not to indulge in them by the handful. Yum!

Candied Pecan Biscotti
by Joy the Baker

makes about 2 dozen biscotti

2 cups flour

3/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

For Pecans:

1 large egg white

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 cups raw pecan halves

Start by making the pecans.  Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until the whites have foamed into small white bubbles. Add sugar, spices, and salt.  Whisk until thick and opaque. Add pecans and toss to coat. Once thoroughly coated, spoon pecans onto prepared baking sheet. Leave any extra coating in the bowl.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until nuts are fragrant and toasted golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before chopping and incorporating into biscotti batter.

To make the Biscotti:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and arrange two baking racks in the upper portion of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the down and beat in the egg followed by the egg yolk.  Beat in the vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter all at once. With the mixer or just with a spatula, bring all of the ingredients together until a somewhat stiff dough is formed. Fold in 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans.

Divide the dough in two on the two making sheets. Shape each half of dough into a 9-inch long and 1 1/2-inch wide log. Bake the two sheets on two different racks in the oven for 20 minutes.  Rotate the cookie sheets for even baking and bake for 20-25 more minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven but keep the oven on.  Let biscotti cool until able to handle.  Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch wide diagonal slices.  Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.  Bake again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

I try to always have muffins in the house. They are the perfect quick breakfast when my little one won't let me make anything. Plus I can eat it with one hand. Anybody else have a baby who demands your full attention in the morning? I must be holding her, singing, smiling, cuddling etc. or my ears will be ringing with cries of frustration. Thankfully, she takes a nap pretty soon after her first meal.

I found this recipe on Pinterest. I made a few changes since I didn't have all the ingredients and they turned out really yummy.

Cranberry - Orange Muffins  Homemade by Holman
Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook

3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream (I used low fat vanilla yogurt)
2 eggs
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange (I used to oranges. I like lots of orangey flavor)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (omitted the cinnamon)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 cup fresh/frozen cranberries, roughly chopped (I used dried cranberries)
Demerara sugar (about a tsp per muffin)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin tins with baking spray or line with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine milk, orange juice, sour cream, eggs, and butter and whisk until well combined.  In another mixing bowl, add sugar and orange zest.  Use your fingers to rub orange zest into the sugar until distributed and fragrant.  Add in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.  Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated.  Fold in the cranberries.

Spoon batter into prepared pans (I use an ice cream scoop to make it easier) and fill each muffin cup about 2/3 of the way full.  Sprinkle about one teaspoon of demerara sugar over the top of each muffin.  Bake about 20 - 25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and spring back lightly to the touch.  Cool in pans about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.   

I can't decide whether I want to share too much info about my daughter but I had to post at least one pic to give you a peek...

Learning to love greens

I'm not a fan of green veggies. Not at all. In fact there are a few, spinach I'm talking to you, that actually make me gag. As a nursing mom, I know how important a balanced diet is, so I'm trying to love them. I find if I mix them into dishes and mask the flavor I have an easier time convincing myself that it tastes good; or convincing myself there isn't actually any green lurking in my food.
Smoothies are a lifesaver for me. I can toss all kinds of yucky veggies in the blender and so long as there is fruit, I'm good. I like frozen strawberries, kale, bananas, a little honey, yogurt and some orange juice.
What do you put in your smoothie?

Szechuan Chicken with Noodles

I must admit, I'm intimidated by my wok. It cooks everything so fast and at such a high heat that I'm always seconds from burning everything. But I suck it up and use it anyway, especially now since quick meals are a mom's best friend.
Szechuan Chicken with Noodles is another successful dish I found on Pinterest. The chicken crisps up nicely and it includes pine nuts (which we all know from my last post that I love). I didn't use whole wheat noodles since my husband swears they don't taste good. I can't tell the difference, can you?
Do you have a wok? Any great woky recipes?

Italian Braised Pork

Ugh, I know the photo is blurry but I had to share this dish because it was so yummy and for those of you always looking for something new to make in your slow cooker, you must try this. Oh and ignore the overabundance of pine nuts. The recipe doesn't call for them but I love their taste and I wanted a little crunch so I added them at the last minute.

I find that prepping as many ingredients the night before makes it so much easier to get everything into the slow cooker in the morning. For this recipe, I diced all the veggies and stored in the fridge. I also put all the other ingredients (except for the pork of course) on my kitchen counter next to my slow cooker. Then all I had to do in the morning was sear the pork, saute the veggies and dump it all into the cooker.

You can find a proper photo of the dish here http://www.marthastewart.com/965070/italian-braised-pork

Italian Braised Pork
-Everyday Food

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, diced small
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups prepared couscous, for serving

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, celery, and fennel seeds to pan; cook until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
2. Add wine and cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add to slow cooker along with tomatoes. Cover and cook on high until pork is very tender, 4 hours (or 8 hours on low).
3. Transfer pork to a cutting board. With two forks, shred meat into bite-size pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim fat off sauce and discard. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and stir to combine. (To store: Cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days.) Serve over couscous.
   
   

Pioneer Woman's The Best Lasagna Ever

Does anyone else love the Pioneer Woman as much as I do? It's one of the few cooking shows my hubby will watch with me. There's something about her life on the ranch that makes me want to pack it all up and raise my daughter in the country. But.... then I remember I don't like to get up early, I don't really care for the outdoors and I really need to have a grocery store within walking distance. I'm much more suited to city life. Last weekend she made lasagna and now that I've made it I must agree it is The Best Lasagna Ever. I've made many lasagnas in my life since it's great to feed a crowd and this one by far has the best flavor. I was a little wary of the cottage cheese but I have to say I prefer it to ricotta.

The.Best.Lasagna.Ever

by Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
• 1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
• 2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• 1/2 cup Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles
• (add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)

Preparation Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:
Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.