Lasagne Bolognese

It has been a while since I have put a romantic tip on here, so I thought it was time for one. I think it is important to stay connected to your love during the day. Even though we all work and have responsibilities outside of our relationships. It is still good to make your presence known through the day. Many single guys consider work a safe haven from the minefield of dating and don't want that sacred space violated. In marriage and committed relationships , though, it's different: News from the home front serves as a nice reminder of what you're working for. 

Romantic tip:  Call your love while at work, or send a mushy email letting them know how much you love them and how much of a turn on it is that they are hard working. Let them know you are excited to be together after work where you can share with each other the events of the day.

Now on to the food. 

I love a good lasagna. I also love a good bolognese. Usually bolognese is served with spaghetti. But why not a lasagna? I made this for my man and he went crazy over it. This is time consuming, and I would recommend breaking the process up into two days. Day one make the bolognese. Day two the noodles and bechamel and assemble and bake. 

This recipe serves 4 because pasta is magnificent leftover. My husband loves to take it to work the next day for lunch and make his office pals jealous with the smells of Italian food.

Lasagne Bolognese from scratch

adapted from Bon Appétit | October 2013

Bolognese sauce:

1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 medium carrot, peeled, coarsely chopped

1/2 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 pound ground beef chuck

1/2 pound ground pork

2 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), finely chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup whole milk

1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups  chicken broth, divided

Fresh pasta dough:

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more

2 large eggs, room temperature

Béchamel:

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk, warmed

Kosher salt

For Assembly:

1 cup finely grated Parmesan

Make the Bolognese sauce

Pulse onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add ground beef, ground pork, pancetta, and vegetables; cook, 

breaking up ground meat with a spoon, until moisture is almost completely evaporated and meat is well browned, 25–30 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Add wine to pot and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until moisture is almost completely evaporated, 8–10 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth; 

bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, until flavors meld and sauce thickens, 2 1/2–3 hours.

Let sauce cool, then cover and chill at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. (Letting the sauce sit will give it a deeper, richer flavor.)

Make the fresh pasta dough:

Whisk salt and flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center, and crack eggs into well. 

Mix eggs with a fork, then slowly mix in flour until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting lightly with flour if sticky, until smooth, about 5 minutes (it will be fairly stiff). Wrap in plastic; let sit until dough holds an indentation when pressed. One hour.

Chill dough if you are not rolling it out right away. Bring to room temperature before rolling out.

Set pasta maker to thickest setting; dust lightly with flour. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping remaining dough wrapped in plastic as you work, flatten dough into a narrow rectangle (no wider than mouth of machine); pass through rollers . 

Fold dough as needed to fit and run through again. Repeat without folding, adjusting machine to thinner settings after every pass and dusting with flour if sticky, until pasta sheet is 1/16" thick (setting 8 on most machines). Place pasta sheets on a lightly floured surface and cut crosswise into 8 8"-long noodles.

If making noodles ahead, stack on a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper between each layer. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.

Make the béchamel:

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in warm milk, 1/2-cupful at a time. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking often, until the consistency of cream, 8–10 minutes; add nutmeg and season with salt. Remove from heat, transfer to a medium bowl, and press plastic wrap directly onto surface; let cool slightly. 

Cook the noodles

Working in batches, cook fresh lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until just softened, about 10 seconds. 

Remove carefully with tongs and transfer to a large bowl of ice water; let cool. Drain noodles and stack on a baking sheet, with paper towels between each layer, making sure noodles don't touch (they'll stick together).

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9" baking dish with butter.

Assemble the lasagna:

Spread 1/4 cup béchamel in the prepared baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles, spread over a scant 3/4 cup Bolognese sauce, then 1/2 cup béchamel, and top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. 

Repeat process 7 more times, starting with noodles and ending with Parmesan, for a total of 8 layers.

 Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake lasagna until bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 50–60 minutes. Let lasagna sit 45 minutes before serving.

Serve warm.

Asian Fish Sandwich

 
Sometimes it is hard to stay away from all the fast processed food out there. My husband and I have not eaten out, unless it is an organic farm to table restaurant, in a long time. Because I am so in love with my man, I want him around. I make sure he gets "real food" to eat. Not the chemically laden, genetically modified, processed food you get at most restaurants. 

So I have been recreating our comfort foods at home. I have been missing a good crispy fish sandwich for some time. It was time for me to create one, and this one did the trick. Way better than anything I have been served in a restaurant, and because it was made from scratch with wholesome ingredients, I didn't feel gross after I ate it.  I made them into sliders for easier eating. They are divine, I hope you try them!

Asian Fish Sandwich

For the slaw

1 1/2 Tablespoons Rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil

1/4 Tablespoon Sesame oil

1/4 Tablespoon Honey

1/4 Tablespoon Fresh lime juice

1 pinch Cayenne pepper

1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes

1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Shredded Cabbage

flour dredge: 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

2 eggs

Breading:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 pound fish fillets. I used snapper, but mahi, halibut, or any whitefish will work

2 Tablespoons butter 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

For the Yogurt Sauce:

1/4 cup kefir cheese (spreadable greek yogurt)

1 Tablespoon dill pickle juice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

6 dinner rolls of your choice

Directions:

Toss the panko crumbs with ginger, salt, paprika, and pepper.

Cut the fish filets to fit on your dinner rolls. 

Prepare a dipping station.  One bowl with the flour dredge mixed together. One bowl with your eggs whipped. One larger bowl with the breading. 

Start by dipping your fish in the flour and coat on each side.

Next dip in the eggs.

Lastly, coat the fish in the breading mixture. 

Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and one tbsp olive oil in a skillet and add fish, cooking each side until browned, turning once.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Mix together all yogurt sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 

When fish is almost done, prepare your buns.  Spread each bun with yogurt sauce mixture. Place cabbage slaw on each bun. Top with fish fillet. 

Dabble a little more of the sauce on the top bun and top the fish. 

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

My husband LOVES caramel. I know that any time I make anything with caramel, he will pleased. So when I was surfing pinterest the other day and saw Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls, I knew they had to happen. I haven't done much baking lately, and it was time. 

When I go through the trouble to make cinnamon rolls from scratch, I always make a full batch. No reason to make just 2 rolls for us. This recipe makes 12 rolls, I was in a sharing mood with my neighbors, and Randy's co-workers. 

These are divine. Proceed with caution, because your waistline will be affected. If you are ready to indulge... these bad boys are for you.

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

adapted from gimme some oven

Dough Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)

1/8 cup butter

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 tsp. salt

1 envelope instant or ‘rapid rise’ yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsp)

1 egg

Caramel-Apple-Cinnamon-Sugar Filing Ingredients:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

6 Tbsp. butter, (completely) softened

1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and finely chopped

1/2 cup caramel sauce, homemade or store-bought (recipe for caramel sauce below.)

Topping:

1/2 cup caramel sauce, homemade or store-bought (recipe for caramel sauce below.)

To Make The Dough & Filling:

Melt the butter and add it to your milk. Heat until a little warmer than room temperature. You can do this on the stove top or in the microwave.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add half the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Stir by hand to combine. Add the egg and milk mixture, and turn the kitchenaid on medium-low speed until combined. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. When the dough begins to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, you have added enough flour. Continue beating for 5 minutes on medium-low speed to knead the dough. 

Remove the dough hook and cover the dough with a damp towel and let rise for at least 30 minutes or until almost double in size.

Meanwhile, begin making your filling by whisking together sugars and cinnamon in a bowl until combined.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Then use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 14 x 9 inches in size. 

 Use a knife or pastry spatula to spread the softened butter out evenly over the entire surface of the dough. 

Then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Then sprinkle on the finely chopped apples, and drizzle with 1/2 cup caramel sauce.

Beginning at the 14-inch edge, tightly roll up the dough. 

And then give the final seam a little pinch so that it seals. 

I cut off the ends and just cut it up to make a tiny dish of pull apart bread.

Cut into 12 rolls. Place each of the cut cinnamon rolls into a greased pie plate or 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Then cover again with a damp towel, and leave the dish in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. If you have a sunny windowsill this works great. 

If not, I find a heating pad on low setting works wonderful. 

When the rolls have risen, uncover the dish. Then place on the center rack of the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. Remove and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and serve.

Homemade caramel sauce 

1 packed cup brown sugar

1/2 cup half-and-half

4 tablespoons butter

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. 

Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets thicker. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat, cool slightly and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold.

The Best Homemade Brownies ever!

Sometimes you just have to have chocolate.

This is one of those times. When life gives me a bad cold, bad weather, and a bad day. 

This is my answer.

And yes, these are simply the best brownies you will ever have. EVER!

The Best Homemade Brownies

adapted from Cooking Inspired

Brownies:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup oil

1/4 cup water

2 cups good quality chocolate chips (no nestle please)

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp vanilla

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the sugar, oil and water in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture until it starts to boil. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.

Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix the dry ingredients, about a half cup at a time, into the chocolate mixture, mixing just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan to cool completely.

Now make the frosting. In the top of a double broiler set over hot water. Combine the sugar and water. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Add the chocolate, cocoa and vanilla. Cook, mixing well, until the chocolate has melted. Add the yolks and cook, stirring constantly, until they are incorporated. Add the butter, stirring until it has melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the frosting into a container and let it sit, uncovered until it has completely cooled. Refrigerate or freeze until it is spreadable.

Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies.

Tomato Basil-Tarts

I have been having a lot of fun working with the Lazy Baker's Puff Pastry  I made. I have put this pastry through the ringer with freezing, thawing, rolling, and it stands up to the best! 

So I wanted to make a cute little side dish/appetizer to go along with our soup I made for dinner. So I went back to the book that gave me the wonderful puff pastry Baking by Hand. 

Tomato Basil-Tarts

adapted from Baking by Hand

Makes 4 appetizer tarts

1/8th of the Lazy Baker's Puff Pastry recipe

1 Organic Tomato

Extra-virgin olive oil

fine sea salt

18 fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 

Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into circles. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Slice the tomato 1/4 inch thick. 

Take out your pastry circles. Lightly brush the surface of the dough with olive oil, and place the tomato slices evenly spaced around the circle of dough. Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Bake on a baking stone for 15 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown. 

Remove from the oven and garnish with basil leaves and serve warm.