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.