White Chicken & Spinach Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped white or yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Lasagna:
• 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
• 3 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups), reserve 1/4 cup for the top of the lasagna
• 2 (9-ounces each) packages baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9X13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the flour and let it cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
3. Gradually add the chicken broth and milk while whisking vigorously. Continue cooking and stirring for 4-5 minutes until the mixture simmers and thickens. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. To assemble, spread about 1 to 1 1/2 cups sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place 3 no-boil noodles on top and dollop with 1/2 of the ricotta. No need to spread the ricotta out into an even layer, although you can press it down a bit, just spoon it across. Add half of the chicken on top of the ricotta.
5. Layer on 1/2 of the chopped spinach. It will seem like a lot but just spread it evenly - it will cook down while baking. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese (don't forget to take out 1/4 cup of the Parmesan for sprinkling across the top!).
6. Place 3 noodles over the top, gently pressing down to compress the layers below. Spread 1/2 of the remaining sauce over the top. Repeat the layers again (remaining ricotta, chicken, spinach, mozzarella, Parmesan).
7. Place the last 3 noodles over the top, pressing down again. Spread the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with reserved Parmesan cheese.
8. Cover the baking dish with lightly greased aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe and photo from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato Biscuits

Photo via Posie Gets Cozy

For the stew:  (from Ina Garten)
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on 
3 tablespoons olive oil 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 
2 chicken bouillon cubes 
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions) 
3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
1/4 cup heavy cream 
2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes 
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups) 
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions 
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken. 

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

(from 3191 Miles Apart)

yield: about 20 small-size biscuits

*Don't be afraid of the Cayenne!  It's what gives these biscuits the extra pow!  I always double this and freeze the extra.  They freeze well, and are perfect to pop out of the freezer and serve with a pot of soup, or just as ham sandwiches!

1 pound sweet potatoes or yam (one very large one is usually sufficient)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (chilled), cut into small pieces
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Prick the sweet potato and bake until soft (about one hour…you can also do this more quickly in a microwave). Once the sweet potato has cooled, scoop the flesh from the skin and pass through a food mill, ricer or sieve. You should have about 1 3/4 cups puree.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cayenne. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter (or use your fingers) until it resembles a course meal. Mix milk with sweet potato puree and add it to the other ingredients. Mix dough, just to incorporate (I use my hands).  If the dough is really sticky, add a touch more flour.  Turn dough out onto counter and knead a few times.  Roll dough out to about 1/2" thickness.  Cut with a biscuit cutter or glass.  We make ours small, about 2 inches.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Place in preheated oven and cook until risen and slightly brown (about 12 minutes).  Serve warm.

Turkey & Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped (can use canned as well)
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows (I've made my own & bought it @ Safeway, both are good)
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Arrabbiata Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped (the deli counter at Giant & Safeway both have it)
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Yield: approximately 6 cups

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Honey Apple Pork Chops

Ingredients

6 pork chops, 1 inch thick

(bone in provides more flavor, bone out = easier)

2 cups apple cider

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (4 oz) package stuffing mix

1 (14 oz) can apple pie filling

Directions

1 - Place top 7 ingredients into a gallon ziplock bag, seal with as little air in bag as possible and place in freezer until ready to use.

2 - Thaw in the fridge overnight

3 - Remove pork chops from marinade and pat dry

4 - In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium high heat and brown pork chops (about 3 minutes on each side)

5 - Prepare stuffing according to package directions

6 - Spread pie filling into a greased 9x13 baking dish

7 - Place the browned pork chops on top and spoon stuffing over chops

8 - Cover and bake @ 350 degrees for 35 minutes

9 - Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer (or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees)

10 - ENJOY!!!

**Optional**  You can bring the marinade to a boil in a small saucepan, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes then drizzle over pork chops once they are placed on top of the apples in the baking dish to add a bit more flavor, if you so desire.