Mama Mia, It’s a Chittie Dinner!

For dinner tonight, we are having a neighborhood party with my fellow “Chitties,” girlfriends who I’ve met through a local women’s group. These gals are wonderful… with all our married life stories and just sharing our ups and downs of living in our awesome city of Chicago. It’s just our luck that many live in the new neighborhood we moved into. So now that we’re pretty much settled into our place, we’ve invited them over to feast on my Italian menu. The dinner I’ve prepared for us tonight includes:

Fresh Bruschetta
on garlic crostini

Spinach & Artichoke Dip
with sweet pepper strips & baby carrots
Chicken Mushroom & Spinach Stuffed Jumbo Shells
with alfredo sauce

My Special Meat Lasagna Bolognese
with parmesan bechamel sauce

Ceasar Salad
Three Cheese Breadsticks

Strawberry & Vanilla Pudding Angel Cake Trifle
Here are pics from my dinner party:
(as the food coma sits in…)

Mama Mia, It’s a Chittie Dinner!

For dinner tonight, we are having a neighborhood party with my fellow “Chitties,” girlfriends who I’ve met through a local women’s group. These gals are wonderful… with all our married life stories and just sharing our ups and downs of living in our awesome city of Chicago. It’s just our luck that many live in the new neighborhood we moved into. So now that we’re pretty much settled into our place, we’ve invited them over to feast on my Italian menu. The dinner I’ve prepared for us tonight includes:

Fresh Bruschetta
on garlic crostini

Spinach & Artichoke Dip
with sweet pepper strips & baby carrots
Chicken Mushroom & Spinach Stuffed Jumbo Shells
with alfredo sauce

My Special Meat Lasagna Bolognese
with parmesan bechamel sauce

Ceasar Salad
Three Cheese Breadsticks

Strawberry & Vanilla Pudding Angel Cake Trifle
Here are pics from my dinner party:
(as the food coma sits in…)

Chicken Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Chicken Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Jumbo Shells

8oz. white mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large vidalia onion, diced
1/2 bag of fresh leaf spinach, sliced thin
olive oil for cooking
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded
kosher salt
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tub of ricotta cheese

1 box jumbo pasta shells, cooked
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta shells as directed.
Boil chicken breasts until cooked through.
Cool chicken breasts and shred.
In a saute pan, saute mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach in olive oil under cooked through.
Place veggie mixture in a large bowl.
Add shredded chicken to bowl.
Add spices/seasonings to bowl.
Add ricotta cheese to bowl.
Toss to combine.

In a 13 x 9 baking pan, lightly grease with cooking spray.
Fill cooked pasta shells with filling & place in greased pan.
Continue to fill all pasta shells.
Once baking pan is full, pour alfredo sauce over the top of the filled shells.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 – 60 minutes.

Lasagna Bolognese with Parmesan Bechamel Sauce

Lasagna Bolognese with Parmesan Bechamel Sauce

Bolognese Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large finely chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 bunch fresh & finely chopped basil
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
1 pound canned or fresh tomatoes
1 jar prepared pasta sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium in a large pan.
Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Place cooked vegetable mixture in your crockpot.
In a bowl, combine ground beef, pork and italian seasoning.
Mix thoroughly and add the meat mixture to the same pan.
Brown meat, breaking up any big chunks of meat.
When browned, add to crockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot and stir.
Cook sauce on low for 6-8 hours.

Parmesan Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream or half & half
Freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup parmesan or italian blend shredded cheese

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is creamy and no longer smells floury.
Whisk in spices/seasonings.
Take off heat and slowly stir in shredded cheese.
Stir until smooth.

To assemble lasagna:
1 box no-boil lasagna pasta sheets
bolognese sauce above
parmesan bechamel sauce above
shredded mozzarella cheese
teaspoon dried italian seasoning

In the bottom of a 13×9 baking pan, grease lightly with cooking spray.
Add a tablespoon of the bolognese sauce to the bottom of the pan.
Add 1 row of no-boil pasta.
Add a layer of the bolognese sauce over pasta.
Add a layer of the bechamel sauce.
Top with shredded mozzarella.
Repeat until you have used up all the bolognese and bechamel sauce.
Top layer should end with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle dried italian seasoning over the top cheese layer.
Bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour.

Chicken Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Chicken Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Jumbo Shells

8oz. white mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large vidalia onion, diced
1/2 bag of fresh leaf spinach, sliced thin
olive oil for cooking
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded
kosher salt
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tub of ricotta cheese

1 box jumbo pasta shells, cooked
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta shells as directed.
Boil chicken breasts until cooked through.
Cool chicken breasts and shred.
In a saute pan, saute mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach in olive oil under cooked through.
Place veggie mixture in a large bowl.
Add shredded chicken to bowl.
Add spices/seasonings to bowl.
Add ricotta cheese to bowl.
Toss to combine.

In a 13 x 9 baking pan, lightly grease with cooking spray.
Fill cooked pasta shells with filling & place in greased pan.
Continue to fill all pasta shells.
Once baking pan is full, pour alfredo sauce over the top of the filled shells.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 – 60 minutes.

Lasagna Bolognese with Parmesan Bechamel Sauce

Lasagna Bolognese with Parmesan Bechamel Sauce

Bolognese Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large finely chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 bunch fresh & finely chopped basil
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
1 pound canned or fresh tomatoes
1 jar prepared pasta sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium in a large pan.
Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Place cooked vegetable mixture in your crockpot.
In a bowl, combine ground beef, pork and italian seasoning.
Mix thoroughly and add the meat mixture to the same pan.
Brown meat, breaking up any big chunks of meat.
When browned, add to crockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot and stir.
Cook sauce on low for 6-8 hours.

Parmesan Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream or half & half
Freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup parmesan or italian blend shredded cheese

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is creamy and no longer smells floury.
Whisk in spices/seasonings.
Take off heat and slowly stir in shredded cheese.
Stir until smooth.

To assemble lasagna:
1 box no-boil lasagna pasta sheets
bolognese sauce above
parmesan bechamel sauce above
shredded mozzarella cheese
teaspoon dried italian seasoning

In the bottom of a 13×9 baking pan, grease lightly with cooking spray.
Add a tablespoon of the bolognese sauce to the bottom of the pan.
Add 1 row of no-boil pasta.
Add a layer of the bolognese sauce over pasta.
Add a layer of the bechamel sauce.
Top with shredded mozzarella.
Repeat until you have used up all the bolognese and bechamel sauce.
Top layer should end with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle dried italian seasoning over the top cheese layer.
Bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour.

Preparing My Chittie Dinner

Here are main dish recipes I made for the Chittie dinner above…

Chicken Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Jumbo Shells:

8oz. white mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large vidalia onion, diced
1/2 bag of fresh leaf spinached, sliced thin
olive oil for cooking
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded
kosher salt
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tub of ricotta cheese

1 box jumbo pasta shells, cooked
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta shells as directed.
Boil chicken breasts until cooked through.
Cool chicken breasts and shred.
In a saute pan, saute mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach in olive oil under cooked through.
Place veggie mixture in a large bowl.
Add shredded chicken to bowl.
Add spices/seasonings to bowl.
Add ricotta cheese to bowl.
Toss to combine.

In a 13 x 9 baking pan, lightly grease with cooking spray.
Fill cooked pasta shells with filling & place in greased pan.
Continue to fill all pasta shells.
Once baking pan is full, pour alfredo sauce over the top of the filled shells.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350 for 45 – 60 minutes.

Lasagna Bolognese with Parmesan Bechamel Sauce:

Bolognese Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large finely chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 bunch fresh & finely chopped basil
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
1 pound canned or fresh tomatoes
1 jar prepared pasta sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium in a large pan.
Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Place cooked vegetable mixture in your crockpot.
In a bowl, combine ground beef, pork and italian seasoning.
Mix thoroughly and add the meat mixture to the same pan.
Brown meat, breaking up any big chunks of meat.
When browned, add to crockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot and stir.
Cook sauce on low for 6-8 hours.

Parmesan Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream or half & half
Freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup parmesan or italian blend shredded cheese

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is creamy and no longer smells floury.
Whisk in spices/seasonings.
Take off heat and slowly stir in shredded cheese.
Stir until smooth.

To assemble lasagna:
1 box no-boil lasagna pasta sheets
bolognese sauce above
parmesan bechamel sauce above
shredded mozzarella cheese
teaspoon dried italian seasoning

In the bottom of a 13×9 baking pan, grease lightly with cooking spray.
Add a tablespoon of the bolognese sauce to the bottom of the pan.
Add 1 row of no-boil pasta.
Add a layer of the bolognese sauce over pasta.
Add a layer of the bechamel sauce.
Top with shredded mozzarella.
Repeat until you have used up all the bolognese and bechamel sauce.
Top layer should end with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle dried italian seasoning over the top cheese layer.
Bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour.

A Sweet & Spicy Evening…

After spending practically my whole day off in the kitchen, I wanted something quick and easy for dinner. So with a couple chicken breasts and some spices, we had a nice meal of sweet & spicy chicken.

Because of its relatively low cost among meats, chicken is one of the most used meats in the world. Nearly all parts of the bird can be used for food, and the meat is cooked in many different ways around the world.

The recipe I started with was one from AllRecipes.com. However, I was in the mood for something that had a touch of sweetness. Given this, I adapted the recipe for Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken to make my own Sweet & Spicy Chicken.

Here is my recipe for Sweet & Spicy Chicken:

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon

In a small bowl, combine all the spices.
Flatten your chicken breasts with a meat mallet to allow for even cooking.
Coat both sides of flattened chicken breasts with the spice mixture generously.
In a pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side.
While chicken is cooking, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken.
Continue cooking stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

I served this with a sour cream & chive baked potato
and sweet & spicy buttered corn cobbettes.
(I used the same sweet & spicy spice mix
to make an flavored butter for the corn.)

A Sweet & Spicy Evening…

After spending practically my whole day off in the kitchen, I wanted something quick and easy for dinner. So with a couple chicken breasts and some spices, we had a nice meal of sweet & spicy chicken.

Because of its relatively low cost among meats, chicken is one of the most used meats in the world. Nearly all parts of the bird can be used for food, and the meat is cooked in many different ways around the world.

The recipe I started with was one from AllRecipes.com. However, I was in the mood for something that had a touch of sweetness. Given this, I adapted the recipe for Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken to make my own Sweet & Spicy Chicken.

Here is my recipe for Sweet & Spicy Chicken:

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon

In a small bowl, combine all the spices.
Flatten your chicken breasts with a meat mallet to allow for even cooking.
Coat both sides of flattened chicken breasts with the spice mixture generously.
In a pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side.
While chicken is cooking, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken.
Continue cooking stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

I served this with a sour cream & chive baked potato
and sweet & spicy buttered corn cobbettes.
(I used the same sweet & spicy spice mix
to make an flavored butter for the corn.)

Creative Raviolis

So my friend Elly gave me a wonderful birthday gift a few weeks ago – a ravioli mold! I was so thrilled with my new toy since raviolis are a great way to use up leftovers. Today was my day off so I decided to spend my day in the kitchen concocting various ravioli. Ravioli is a popular type of pasta, comprised of a filling, commonly (though not always) meat-based, sealed between two layers of pasta dough. Ravioli are commonly rectangular or circular in shape.

A common vegetarian option includes ricotta cheese and vegetables such as spinach. The filling could be also potatoes, squash or even tofu – pretty much anything goes! There are even some dessert raviolis such as chocolate ravioli or berry filled ravioli. The leftovers I had to work with include…

balsamic grilled steaks,
crumbled blue cheese, caramelized onions:

fried chicken, spinach, feta cheese,
red onion & chopped grape tomatoes:

spinach & feta cheese

The fun part of making ravioli (at least for me) is making the ravioli pasta dough. It can be a bit tedious when it comes time to knead the dough for 10 minutes, but its well worth the effort.

Here’s Tyler Florence’s pasta dough for ravioli recipe I adapted and used:

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In an electric mixer fit in your dough hook.
In your mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to mix.
Pour in olive oil.
Continue to mix until a smooth dough is formed.
If the dough is too dry drizzle in a bit of water.
If it is too wet sprinkle in some more flour.
Dust some flour on a work surface.
Kknead and fold the dough until it is elastic and smooth,
This kneading should take about 10 minutes.
Brush the surface of the dough with the remaining olive oil
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap;
Let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

To roll out the dough:
Cut the ball of dough in half.
Cover and reserve the piece you are not using to prevent it from drying out.
Dust the counter and dough with a little flour.
Press the dough into a rectangle and roll it with a rolling pin.
Dust the sheets with extra flour whenever the dough gets sticky.
Continue rolling until the dough is paper-thin, about 1/8-inch thick for ravioli.
Use the dough with your ravioli mold and fill.
For an extra seal, use a fork to crimp the edges.
Repeat and oll out the other half.

I plan on freezing these ravioli
for a quick dinner in the future.