Lasagna with a Spinach Spin!

After closing my kitchen due to all the dining out this weekend, I’m thankful for the opportunity to make something at home. Tonight, I made a Chicken Florentine Lasagna, from Cooking Light.
Florentine refers to foods that are cooked in the style of Florence… specifically egg, meat and fish dishes that contain spinach and, most often, a creamy Mornay-style sauce.

The connection between the key ingredients and the city of Florence isn’t really clear. The closest explanation comes from an unverified story about the Italian wife of France’s Henry II, Catherine de Medici. She is credited with introducing a number of Italian foods to France including Italian ices and sherbet. Supposedly, Catherine introduced spinach to the Court of France around the year 1550. To honor her Italian heritage, she decided to call any dish containing spinach ‘Florentine‘.

Our modern definition of Florentine developed in France in the early or mid- 19th century when Spinach began turning up in fancier dishes that mostly likely already had a cream sauce component.

Here is my altered version of Chicken Florentine Lasagna:

Cooking spray
6 no-boil lasagna noodles (Barilla brand)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 (10oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed, drained & squeezed dry
3/4 cup preshredded Italian-blend cheese
1 1/2 cups pasta sauce (homemade or jarred)
salt, pepper, dried basil, dried oregano to taste

– In pan, saute garlic and onions in cooking oil.
– Add chicken and spinach.
– Season with spices to taste and cook until warmed through.
– Spray bottom of 8×8 pan.
– Spread 1/4 cup sauce in bottom pan.
– Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with chicken & spinach mixture.
– Top with some italian cheese blend and then 3/4 cup sauce.
– Repeat layers, ending with noodles.
– Spread remaining sauce over noodles.
– Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
– Uncover & top with cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes.
– Let stand 5 minutes.
– Before serving, top with mornay sauce below.

Meanwhile, prepare a garlic parmesan mornay sauce:

3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1 cup half & half
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup italian cheese blend

– In small sauce pan, melt margarine/butter.
– Add flour and cook until bubbly.
– Slowly add half & half and let it come to a low boil.
– Remove from heat & stir in cheese until melted through.

Lasagna with a Spinach Spin!

After closing my kitchen due to all the dining out this weekend, I’m thankful for the opportunity to make something at home. Tonight, I made a Chicken Florentine Lasagna, from Cooking Light.
Florentine refers to foods that are cooked in the style of Florence… specifically egg, meat and fish dishes that contain spinach and, most often, a creamy Mornay-style sauce.

The connection between the key ingredients and the city of Florence isn’t really clear. The closest explanation comes from an unverified story about the Italian wife of France’s Henry II, Catherine de Medici. She is credited with introducing a number of Italian foods to France including Italian ices and sherbet. Supposedly, Catherine introduced spinach to the Court of France around the year 1550. To honor her Italian heritage, she decided to call any dish containing spinach ‘Florentine‘.

Our modern definition of Florentine developed in France in the early or mid- 19th century when Spinach began turning up in fancier dishes that mostly likely already had a cream sauce component.

Here is my altered version of Chicken Florentine Lasagna:

Cooking spray
6 no-boil lasagna noodles (Barilla brand)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 (10oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed, drained & squeezed dry
3/4 cup preshredded Italian-blend cheese
1 1/2 cups pasta sauce (homemade or jarred)
salt, pepper, dried basil, dried oregano to taste

– In pan, saute garlic and onions in cooking oil.
– Add chicken and spinach.
– Season with spices to taste and cook until warmed through.
– Spray bottom of 8×8 pan.
– Spread 1/4 cup sauce in bottom pan.
– Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with chicken & spinach mixture.
– Top with some italian cheese blend and then 3/4 cup sauce.
– Repeat layers, ending with noodles.
– Spread remaining sauce over noodles.
– Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
– Uncover & top with cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes.
– Let stand 5 minutes.
– Before serving, top with mornay sauce below.

Meanwhile, prepare a garlic parmesan mornay sauce:

3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1 cup half & half
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup italian cheese blend

– In small sauce pan, melt margarine/butter.
– Add flour and cook until bubbly.
– Slowly add half & half and let it come to a low boil.
– Remove from heat & stir in cheese until melted through.

Flying on a Chocolate High…

My friend and I indulged at the 8th Annual Chocolate Fest at Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory.

Chocolate grows on tress, appearing in its raw state as melon-like pods on tall trees (about 40-60 ft) known botanically as “Theobroma Cacao,” which means “food of the gods.” These tropical trees grow wild in Central America, as well as in South America, Africa and parts of Indonesia.

The cacao tree produces a fruit about the size of a small pineapple… and inside the fruit are the tree’s seeds, known as cocoa beans. These cacao beans are harvested only twice a year.

Here’s some info on the various kinds of chocolate:

Bittersweet chocolate – still dark, but a little sweeter than unsweetened. Bittersweet has become the sophisticated choice of chefs.

Converture – A term generally used to describe high-quality chocolate used by professional bakers in confectionery and baked products. It has more cocoa butter than regular chocolate. It’s specifically formulated for dipping and coating things like truffles.

Milk or sweet chocolate – Also known as candy bar chocolate. This is chocolate that has whole and/or skim milk powder added. It’s rarely used in cooking because the protein in the added milk solids interferes with the texture of the baked products.

Semi-sweet chocolate – This is slightly sweetened during processing and most often used in frostings, sauces, fillings and mousses. They are interchangeable in most recipes and is used a lot with home bakers.

German chocolate – Dark, but a sweeter chocolate than semisweet. German chocolate is the predecessor to bittersweet and has no connection to Germany. In fact, it got its name due to the German man who developed it.

Unsweetened chocolate – It is also called baking chocolate or plain chocolate. This is the most common type used in baking and is the only true baking chocolate.

White chocolate – According to the FSA, “white chocolate” cannot legally be called chocolate because it contains no cocoa powder, a component of chocolate. True chocolate contains pulverized roasted cocoa bean, consisting of cocoa butter and cocoa solids. White chocolate doesn’t have any cocoa solids and really is just white confectionery coating.

It was a very educational and sweet time… and it gave me a new perspective to respect chocolate even more!

Flying on a Chocolate High…

My friend and I indulged at the 8th Annual Chocolate Fest at Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory.

Chocolate grows on tress, appearing in its raw state as melon-like pods on tall trees (about 40-60 ft) known botanically as “Theobroma Cacao,” which means “food of the gods.” These tropical trees grow wild in Central America, as well as in South America, Africa and parts of Indonesia.

The cacao tree produces a fruit about the size of a small pineapple… and inside the fruit are the tree’s seeds, known as cocoa beans. These cacao beans are harvested only twice a year.

Here’s some info on the various kinds of chocolate:

Bittersweet chocolate – still dark, but a little sweeter than unsweetened. Bittersweet has become the sophisticated choice of chefs.

Converture – A term generally used to describe high-quality chocolate used by professional bakers in confectionery and baked products. It has more cocoa butter than regular chocolate. It’s specifically formulated for dipping and coating things like truffles.

Milk or sweet chocolate – Also known as candy bar chocolate. This is chocolate that has whole and/or skim milk powder added. It’s rarely used in cooking because the protein in the added milk solids interferes with the texture of the baked products.

Semi-sweet chocolate – This is slightly sweetened during processing and most often used in frostings, sauces, fillings and mousses. They are interchangeable in most recipes and is used a lot with home bakers.

German chocolate – Dark, but a sweeter chocolate than semisweet. German chocolate is the predecessor to bittersweet and has no connection to Germany. In fact, it got its name due to the German man who developed it.

Unsweetened chocolate – It is also called baking chocolate or plain chocolate. This is the most common type used in baking and is the only true baking chocolate.

White chocolate – According to the FSA, “white chocolate” cannot legally be called chocolate because it contains no cocoa powder, a component of chocolate. True chocolate contains pulverized roasted cocoa bean, consisting of cocoa butter and cocoa solids. White chocolate doesn’t have any cocoa solids and really is just white confectionery coating.

It was a very educational and sweet time… and it gave me a new perspective to respect chocolate even more!

Spanish Tapas, Ole!

My, its been a food filled day! I just got back from a tapas dinner from Cafe Iberico, a Spanish Tapas restuarant.

http://www.cafeiberico.com/

Tapas is the name for a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine. These appetizers can be either served cold, hot or you can even order various versions of paella for a fuller meal. Tonight we decided to order quite a few to round out our dinner. I was so caught up in great conversation that I forgot to take pictures of the first few tapas that came around… but I got a couple (of the main ones!)

Here is what we ordered:

Ensalada Rusa ~ Spanish style potato salad with carrots, tuna and peas.

Patatas bravas ~Fried potato dices (sometimes part-boiled and then fried, or simply boiled) served with salsa brava, a spicy tomato sauce. Alioli is often served with it too.

Queso de Cabra ~ Baked goat cheese with fresh tomato basil sauce.

Gambas al Ajillo ~ Grilled shrimp with olive oil, garlic and wine.

Salmon a la Pimienta ~ Fresh grilled salmon with green peppercorn sauce.

Pincho de Pollo ~ Chicken brochette with caramelized onions and rice.

It was a really great time hanging out with some of my gals pals and if you haven’t had any tapas, I encourage you to try it! We loved it and I’m sure you will too. 🙂

Spanish Tapas, Ole!

My, its been a food filled day! I just got back from a tapas dinner from Cafe Iberico, a Spanish Tapas restuarant.

http://www.cafeiberico.com/

Tapas is the name for a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine. These appetizers can be either served cold, hot or you can even order various versions of paella for a fuller meal. Tonight we decided to order quite a few to round out our dinner. I was so caught up in great conversation that I forgot to take pictures of the first few tapas that came around… but I got a couple (of the main ones!)

Here is what we ordered:

Ensalada Rusa ~ Spanish style potato salad with carrots, tuna and peas.

Patatas bravas ~Fried potato dices (sometimes part-boiled and then fried, or simply boiled) served with salsa brava, a spicy tomato sauce. Alioli is often served with it too.

Queso de Cabra ~ Baked goat cheese with fresh tomato basil sauce.

Gambas al Ajillo ~ Grilled shrimp with olive oil, garlic and wine.

Salmon a la Pimienta ~ Fresh grilled salmon with green peppercorn sauce.

Pincho de Pollo ~ Chicken brochette with caramelized onions and rice.

It was a really great time hanging out with some of my gals pals and if you haven’t had any tapas, I encourage you to try it! We loved it and I’m sure you will too. 🙂

spanish tapas, tapas, chicago restaurant