Spinach Pie

Tuesday is here and that means another weekly dish from your favorite blog chicks.

Dinah here to bring to you this weeks tasty creation from our kitchen to yours. What's up our sleeves? Let's get tonight's post rolling!
This week's recipe is Ma's pick. It's chocked full of spinach, and absolutely no pouting! Spinach is tasty and it's hella good for you!
So says this: Spinach is a very nutrient-dense food. It’s low in calories yet very high in vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients. When you consume this healthy food, you don’t need to worry about your weight-loss diet as you take in abundant, good-for-you nutrients.
Ha! See, so get in touch with your inner Popeye.
OH! and it even has a pie base. Now, if you're like me then a pie is usually something you buy from your local grocery store or bakery not anything you pull out a pie pan for. While I am an aspiring baker, pie isn't in my baking resume. Yeah, I get the questionable looks on your faces but no worries I can make some mean cakes, cupcakes, and brownies. Ask around ;].

Anywho this recipe comes from the 365 Easy One Dish Meals cookbook. Which was a cookbook my Auntie Dee had for years and years that Ma wanted but couldn't convince her sister to give to her until she moved a few years back. Good thing cause this is quite a treat. So what goes into it? Follow me!


Spinach Pie
Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 40 to 45 minutes Serves: 6

1 (15 ounce) package all-ready pie crusts*
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup ricotta cheese
5 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound baked ham, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove 1 pie crust from package and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Unfold crust and peel off top plastic sheet. Press out fold lines and repair any cracks by pushing dough together. Place crust, floured side down, in a deep 9-inch glass pie dish. Peel off plastic sheet, easing crust into dish. Then press dough firmly against bottom and up sides of dish.

2. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, scallions, ricotta cheese, 4 eggs, and Parmesan cheese. Beat together to blend well. Stir in ham and pepper. Turn filling into pastry-lined dish.


3. Top with remaining crust. Cut top crust even with edge of pie dish. Reverse dough scraps. Fold edge of bottom crust over top crust, forming a rolled edge around dish. Flute edges of dough decoratively with fingers or fork tines. Cut a 1-inch hole in center of pie crust. Beat remaining egg and brush over top of pie.




4. Bake in center of oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, roll out reserved dough scraps and cut out flowers and leaves. After 20 minutes, remove pie from oven and arrange flowers and leaves over top (do not cover vent hole) of pie using beaten egg to attach them. Brush tops of flowers and leaves with egg. Cover edges of pie with foil strips to prevent overbrowning.



5. Return pie to oven and continue baking 20 to 25 minutes, or until set. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.









I really liked this dish a lot. My only turn off was the turkey ham. I'm not a fan of any kind of ham period. Not even if it's dressed in a turkey suit. Sorry piggy lovers. I liked the crispy and flaky pie crust with the spinach it made a nice balance.


Tid Bits:

*As mentioned above if turkey ham or ham isn't your thing try some chicken or turkey goodness.

*We used egg beaters and you can too! Besides eggs really suck in the cholestrol department so why not cut out the future damage and use a better alternative? As the package says 1/3 cup for every whole egg.

*If you don't have green onions, we suggest using regular onions.

*Make sure to squeeze all the liquid from the spinach in a kitchen towel. As I've mentioned before not doing so will result in a mega soupy spinach pie. *shakes head no* not good guys. Not good.

*Need something to accompany the main star? We made a nice chef salad to go with it so give it a whirl!



Ma's Spot:
I really enjoyed this dinner. I think it's a perfect light summer dinner. You can make & cook the pie ahead of time and freeze it in a freezer bag, pull it out, place in microwave till warm, and with a nice side salad you have a nice summer dinner. I like it cause it's so versatile, you can use whatever you fancy. Turkey, chicken, turkey ham whatever you like. You can turn this recipe into a healthy meal.




And that's it! I know I know, I get sad too. No worries, we'll be here again in 7 days to share our recipes. What's in store for next week? It's my pick and we're going a little Italian. So bring your wine and best Dean Martin music and we'll bring the food! Have a great week guys!



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Mock Taco Bell Beefy Crunchy Burrito's

Welcome back readers it's Tuesday and as always we're back to fill your recipe box and tummy's!

So if you are a proud lover of Taco Bell (which I must say I am) or even if you have snuck in a soft taco every once in a while and would never tell anyone of your guilty pleasure then tonight's recipe is on your agenda. Get a pen and paper this is gonna be grand.

So as written above...I am a Taco Bell lover. Yes, I'm aware it's bad for me and it's not the best food to fill your body with but COME ON peeps a little sometimes is glee for the soul. Who hasn't enjoyed the salty/spicy taste of the bell at least once in their lives? If I can proclaim it, well you can too! No judgment ;]. Anywho, they have this amazing burrito (some of you may have tried it or at least heard of it) called the
Beefy Crunch Burrito Oh my goodness...just epic. The crunchiness mixed with the cheesy/spicy makes this burrito amazing. So I was going on & on to Geoff about how amazing these burrito's were and he decided to make a mock version at home. At first I thought he was nuts not because my Geoff isn't a good cook (boy has chef skills) but because how can you take something from a fast food place and make it at home? Well he did. Wanna know how? Follow me:......

Okie, so before I type one word more I need to say that this dish is completely a cheat day dish (well a lot of our dishes are which isn't bad) but nonetheless it also serves an army so we're going to place the recipe under serving for 2 people.

Mock Taco Bell Beefy Crunchy Burrito's

1 package refrigerated flour tortilla's (burrito style)
16 ounce can of refried beans
1 bag of fritos
1 package burrito seasoning
butter or vegetable spray
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 box Rice-A-Roni Creamy Four Cheese
1 lb ground turkey


*In a hot greased skillet cook turkey until brown and fully cooked. Use burrito seasoning as directed on back of package. If yours doesn't have anything on the back then we suggest pouring 1/2 cup water over browned meat and stir in half of burrito seasoning packet. Stir and cook on low until moisture is gone.

*While turkey is browning take your bag of fritos and place into a large Tupperware container. Spray the fritos with your butter or veggie spray and then sprinkle remaining burrito seasoning over top of fritos. Place lid tightly back over container and once secure shake container vigorously until chips are broken up and coated evenly.

*Fix the rice to the box directions.

*Take your tortilla and follow his pattern for the whole package (or however many you plan on making):
2 tablespoons of refried beans
2 tablespoons of meat mixture
2 tablespoons of cheesy rice
2 tablespoons of fritos
2 tablespoons of shredded Mexican blend cheese



*Roll tortilla's up and enjoy!




I love Geoff, I swear. Not just cause he can make some mean meals but he took something I love and made a version for home. Nice! These aren't exactly the things they sell at the Bell for a cheap price of 89 cents but mannnn are they close.


Tid Bits:

*Need to feed an army? Try making it twice. OH MY GOD. you can feed your family, friends, and their relatives. No joke.

*As always turkey not your thing? You can always use beef.

*Now, the real burrito doesn't call for the refried beans but they add a nice background accent so if they doesn't make nice with your tummy then leave them out.

*So your store out of Rice A Roni? Don't fret, try some boil in a bag rice and cook it to box directions and place in a bowl once cooked mix in some salsa con queso. Awesome!



Ma's Spot: I like Mexican food. I'm not a fan of spicy or cheesy items but as I said at the beginning we are trying to broaden our horizons so I did make up my burritos tonight but I did put less of the cheesy rice and the fritos. I did end up liking tonight's meal although when I make them for myself at home I will put brown rice instead of the cheesy rice and I have to say mozzarella cheese or provolone since I tend to like Italian cheese's better. I wouldn't want to take anything away from my son in law's recipe as it was delicious but cheesy and spicy don't do well with me.



Ladies & Gents it's now almost 11. Time for some shut eye. No worries, we'll be back in 7 days. Same time, same channel. Next week is to be a treat! It involves a pie & veggies....wanna know more? Meet us here next week!




Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Ma's Sloppy Joe's

Glass of wine? Check!
Good jams? Check!
Tuesday night's blog entry? Check!
The fabulous peeps who join us here every Tuesday? CHECK!

Sorry, I have to run through my list of needed things and we're good to go. How goes it guys on this (well depending on where you are) chilly winter evening? Am I the only one who is pining for some much needed rays and green grass? Yeah thought not. As always I'm Dinah and it's Tuesday guys!

This week's recipe is a family favorite. Actually we make this at least twice a month and as always all that is left after we devour this recipe is the dirty dishes in the sink, ha! Now, I plead get into your inner 6 year old and go all nostalgic with these sloppy joe's. Who doesn't love a good sloppy joe? Aw, I know you do. Even if that head is shaking in the no motion. It's an American staple and I promise if you have ever had a Manwich moment and it scarred you for life trust me in our recipe there is no mention of a man or a wich. Well, maybe a guy since I'm married to one and he does get to eat, haha. Nope, this recipe is all my ma's and it's homemade. No cans needed. So toss out your Manwich coupons or use them for some decoupage. Now you see that big pot looking thing in your kitchen that collects dust and you use as storage? Aw, come on you know I'm talking about the DUN...DUN...DUN SLOW COOKER! Ah, the slow cooker now if you are a faithful reader (as we hope you are) then you know we are some slow cooker loving chicks. So grab yours and away we go.....

Here's all you need:

Ma's Sloppy Joe's

2lbs ground turkey
1 can of Campbell's tomato soup (low sodium is preferred)
1 1/2 cups of frozen pepper/onion blend
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons of ketchup
1 tablespoon of taco seasoning

You'll need hamburger buns. A pack usually does it for us and usually they come 8 in a pack.

*Brown turkey in skill over medium heat. While that's cooking away place pepper/onion frozen blend into a microwave safe bowl. Place bowl in microwave on high for 40 seconds. When pepper/onion blend is done take kitchen scissors or knife and chop to your liking. Add pepper/onion blend to slow cooker then add tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, turkey (after it's completely brown), & stir until mixed well. Add your taco seasoning and stir well to combine. Turn your slow cooker on low for 4 to 5 hours and let the sloppy joe mix come together.




*After the hours mentioned grab yourself some buns and evenly distribute the mixture to complete your sloppy joe. Enjoy!





Tid Bits:

*Need something to go with this awesome dish? Try some garlic fries or chips.

*Looking for something to tang it up a bit? Oh, who doesn't love some tang? haha. Add some mustard before eating. My hubby showed me this trick and it gives it a nice extra little something.

*If you don't have a slow cooker mix all your ingredients in a pot then place on stove on low for an hour and a half. Make sure to stir often.

*Missing that carnivore side of yourself? Don't turn into the Hulk, just use 1lb hamburger and 1lb turkey. Hell, you can use 2lbs hamburger if you'd like. It's yours to jazz up and make it tasty for your family.

*I do recommend the low sodium soup because in the slow cooker regular tomato soup become overpowering with the salt. Regular soup = extremely salty sloppy joe mix. Not good guys. *shakes head no.*



Ma's Spot: The idea for this recipe came from the Campbell soup website but over the years I have taken the basic idea and made it my own. I've never let this recipe out and I planned on keeping it a secret because over the years (especially my daughter) would keep saying "Ma, I tried making it at my house and it just didn't taste the same. What am I doing wrong?" so finally I decided to let my secret recipe out due to the fact my son in law was suffering without the original and my daughter felt bad for as she says "messing it up". When I revealed my secret ingredients you should've seen the look on her face. So here it is, for you all our faithful readers to enjoy. I encourage you to play with the recipe but I'd also say keep the basic in tact to get the whole sloppy joe flavor and feel.



Alrighty guys this week's blog entry is done. I am confident that I have showed the way on the path to sloppy joe heaven. So go forth and make sloppy joe's! As always we'll meet you here next Tuesday for more dishes. What's in store for next week? It's a recipe my hubby perfected...should be interesting, haha.



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Spicy Fajita Soup

Ready...set...go...It's Tuesday night!

Hey guys, welcome back to our favorite spot on Tuesday nights. I have had a glass of strawberry wine and Glee was just on so it's onto the fabulous blog. Tonight we head down the healthy path. Oh come on, no turning up nose's please! It's nice to eat healthy and give your soul and bodies a good feeling with food that's good for you. Time to center your chi and get in touch with your inner domestic healthy person. Alright, well...not that extreme but you get my drift, haha.

So last week while hanging out on my couch (which shall be tossed to the curb as soon as our new beautiful shay lounge sectional finds it's way out of Big Lots layaway and into our living room SOON!) I was catching up on cooking shows on our DVR (hey, gotta do research, haha) and came across our faithful (as Wendy Williams would say) friend in our head Sandra Lee. She was whipping up something that caught my attention in the form of a slow cooker soup. Oh and as I mentioned last week leave the alcohol in the cabinet no matter what Sandy tells you or at least until dinner is done peoples! Wanna know what this mystery soup is that hangs out in your slow cooker for 4-6 hours?


Let's get jamming:

Spicy Fajita Soup

Ingredients

* 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
* 2 green peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
* 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
* 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
* 2 tablespoons chile powder, divided
* 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
* 1 quart chicken broth
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups canola oil, for frying
* 12 corn tortillas, cut into eighths
* 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
* 2 scallions, sliced

Directions

In the sleeve of a slow cooker, add the onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, garlic, 1 tablespoon chile powder, chipotle, and broth. Season with and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

In a deep skillet over medium heat, add the canola oil and heat to 365 degrees F. Fry the tortilla pieces until brown and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on brown paper and immediately season with salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon chile powder.

Preheat the broiler.

Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls or crocks and top each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Put the bowls on a sheet pan and put under the broiler until the cheese is brown and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with scallions and serve.

Click to land at Foodnetwork.com for the recipe


(NOTE: We didn't do the round two recipes listed on the website since this is a one meal at a time blog)





It was a hit. Especially the chips. We made a ton and decided to use them during the week for snacking and other dinners. The only complaint I have is the cheese in the soup. I didn't care for it since it seemed to clump up and make this stringy kind of glue consistency. NOT GOOD but once I removed it I enjoyed it a great deal. It reminded me of Ma's cabbage soup, well minus having cabbage but that's another recipe for another Tuesday ;].



Tid Bits:
*Not a fan of having your mouth feel like you need to call the fire department because spicy things don't make your taste buds dance for joy? Try leaving out the chipotle pepper. We did and it was just as yummy.

*Have carnivores in your family to make happy? Try adding some ground chuck, chicken, or turkey.

*That inner Italian trying to reach out? Try some pasta with this dish. We recommend multi-grain or whole wheat pasta.




Ma's Spot:
I really enjoyed cooking tonight's dinner. It was very fun, healthy, & simple to do. I do pride myself that I am a meat lover but I'll admit that this recipe was tastey without it. Usually I try to cut corners by buying frozen peppers and onions but I'll say using fresh really made a difference on the recipe and I would encourage you to try out fresh. The chips we made I loved them because in the packaged chips they contain a lot of salt and with ours it wasn't needed since they were great tasting on their own. Monterrey Jack cheese was called for this recipe but I used a blend of mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan. As much as I like the cheeses listed it wasn't working in the soup for me. I have to agree with my daughter and say that it didn't work. It felt like a big clump which is a big turn off.



Guys, that's it for tonight. My wine has wore off and I'm in need of my bed and my book. Aw, get some sleep and enjoy your week! We'll be back next Tuesday night for another fabulous recipe as always. What's in store for next week? It's an All-American classic and a real family pleasing meal. Wanna know? Well get your booty's back here in 7 days!




Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Ma's Enchilada's

Grab some tequila! It'sssss Tuesday night ladies & gents!

Sorry, I'm in a dancing bouncy mood. Lady Gaga's new single came out recently and it just makes you wanna get up with your disco shoes and dance on a local table but I digress since this isn't a blog about either Lady Gaga or disco dancing shoes. Although, I love her and I may have a cute pair of dancing shoes around here somewhere if any of you guys are looking to dance the night away?? Just a thought...

Dinah here with the latest recipe of the week. I'm always so jazzed to meet you guys here every week with our common goal, making yummy food and having our tummy's full. Ma is behind this week's recipe. It's her enchilada's and let me tell you out of all the recipes we've featured so far you MUST try this one. It honestly feeds an army and it's quite delicious.

Here's the list of what you'll need to get this feast going:

Ma's Enchilada's

5 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup water
1/2 Stick butter or margarine
1 16 ounce bag of shredded cheddar cheese
1 10.75 ounce can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 pack taco seasoning
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 10 pack soft flour tortilla's
1 cup sour cream
1 10.75 ounce can of cream of celery soup


*Start by placing chicken & a 1/2 cup of water in your slow cooker on slow for 6 to 7 hours. (Salt & pepper if desired)

*Once chicken is ready remove from slow cooker and let it cool. While the chicken is cooling melt the 1/2 stick of butter or margarine in a skillet. Add the chopped onion and the 1/2 packet of taco seasoning and stir. Cook until onions are translucent then add chicken to onion mixture, stir, & then add cream of chicken soup. Continue to stir the mixture with heat set on slow for 5 minutes. One time has elapsed add your cilantro.

*Grab your tortilla's and place 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture on each tortilla. Spread out mixture into a line then add a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. Roll up and place seam down in a greased casserole dish. Continue process with remaining chicken mixture & tortilla's until none remain. Once done combine in a bowl your sour cream and cream of celery soup. Stir to combine and then place on top of your tortilla's spreading evenly. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes (depending on your oven).

Before:




After:





LOVE.THIS.RECIPE.

That's all I can really say. I've never seen my hubby hoover any food down like he did tonight. He even ate the little bite I had left over. I'm not mind reader but by George I think the guy liked it.




Tid Bits:

*No slow cooker? No probs, just bake your chicken in the oven at a 350 to 400 degree temperature for about 25-35 minutes (depending on your oven). Also, using some butter spray is a good idea as well.

*Not a fan of chopping onions and having your eyes feel like bees stinging them?...yeah me too. Grab yourself some frozen chopped onions they work just as well.

*Cheddar not your idea of cheese heaven? Try some Mexican blend, it fits nicely.



Ma's Spot: This is a combination of my tastes & a little bit of Donny Osmond's wife's chicken enchilada recipe. I changed a few things to please the tastes of my family. Please keep in mind, if you're watching your calories feel free to use low fat or no fat sour cream or cheese. May I suggest Campbell's Healthy Request soups because it doesn't alter the taste too much and it's good for your waistline. If you like it a little more on the spicy side you can always add hot sauce to your chicken mixture. I encourage you play with the recipe a bit to favor it to your family's taste. This simple recipe is a wonderful treat to your taste buds.


That's it for tonight guys. Now no pouting, we'll be here next Tuesday evening with another handy dandy and tasty recipe. So cheer up chums!
What's in store for next week? Two words: SANDRA LEE. Yeah, and leave the alcohol in the cabinet for this upcoming recipe, no matter what Sandra tells you on her show.


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Spicy Mexican Casserole

Hola!

Well faithful readers here we are once again it's Tuesday, our favorite day of the week. See I said it was only a hop, skip, and jump right on over to the next Tuesday and here we are! =D
This week we are getting in touch with our inner Mexican side. Gosh I wish I had a head full of fruit and shook it like a Polaroid picture all fiesta style right now...OH! sorry daydreaming a bit, haha. Anywho, tonight's dish comes from the Pillsbury website and it's a little bit of Mexico in your kitchen. What's in the details? Let's see shall we?


And away we go:

First here's the recipe from the Pillsbury website: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/spicy-mexican-casserole/bf435235-2f7d-409b-a38e-80f3c1762e01/

INGREDIENTS
1lb chorizo or pork sausage
1 can (11 oz) Green Giant® Mexicorn® whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
5 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar-Jack with jalapeno peppers cheese blend (6 oz)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
Sour cream, as desired
Salsa, as desired

DIRECTIONS
* 1Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook chorizo over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until cooked through; drain. Stir in corn. Spoon into ungreased 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish.
* 2In medium bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in onions and cilantro. Pour evenly over meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.
* 3Unroll dough; place on top of cheese.
* 4Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut into 6 rows by 2 rows. Top with sour cream and salsa.















While this was a hit with everyone else I was not a fan. I thought the egg was too much and the title was a bit misleading. Sometimes it's a hit and sometimes it's a miss and tonight for me it was a miss. Oh, no sad faces we knew it was bound to happen. We can't like everything. I digress though, please I encourage you to give this a try because who knows you may end up liking it like everyone else here did. I may just be the lone woman out with this Mexican dish.



Tid Bits:

*It really works well with turkey and beef. Which is what we ended up using since pork really isn't my style of meat.

*We also suggest checking on it during the 25 minute mark. When we pulled ours out of the oven it wasn't completely done in the middle so we ended up having to cook it about 5 minutes longer than the maximum time listed but that was just us, every oven is different so bake tonight's dish at the suggest temperature but keep an eye on it.

*We also used cheddar cheese instead of the cheese listed but really we believe it would work with either or maybe a nice spicy cheese.



Ma's Spot: Like all recipes unless you've had it before it's a risk making a new one. Dinah's pick was "Spicy Mexican Casserole". When I heard the name I was a little worried because I'm not into spicy food, actually that's an understatement I hate spicy foods. Turns out there is actually nothing spicy in it. Not a drop. Which is odd considering the name. Nonetheless I really enjoyed it but to give it that Mexican flavor I suggest putting salsa on top with sour cream as well. That really set it over the top and made a delicious dinner. Without the sour cream and salsa it lacks it's Mexican flair. I will be making it again as myself and my sister Jane both enjoyed it.


Our night has come to a close, hey look, I love it when we're together like this but guys it's Glee night and they're doing love songs and Puck is gonna sing.
So we're gonna have to part but as always we'll be back here next week with another trip to Mexico! Get your taste buds ready =D


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

White Lasagna Roll Ups

It's Tuesday....and a storm is a comin'!

Well, storm is a light word. More like blizzard and no I'm not talking about your favorite one from Dairy Queen cause if that was true holy moly I'd be outside with a bowl and spoon. Wouldn't you? Oh come on yes you would! I hear it's gonna be pretty bad so curl up with your blankets, coffee/hot chocolate, computers, and read your favorite blog. It is you're favorite blog right....? *puppy face*....thought so! Puppy face always works, haha.

Welcome to tonight's blogcast. As always I am Dinah, your blog diva extraordinaire. So what's up our sleeves for tonight? Let's get this rolling....

Yours truly is the star of tonight's meal. I made the sauce all on my own while the other portion of the meal was made by Ma. Now, don't be afraid, I'm not an all around terrible cook. I do make a mean chili and eggs are pretty swell for me as well. Not that those two things can carry you in life in your culinary area's but they're something right? Let's start off with how this came to be. I was searching through Woman's World mag which is my favorite of the printing world, besides People that is. Yes, that People with all the celebrities in it. I...well...okie, FINE I'm a celebrity gossip whore. HEY! Don't judge me. It could be worse, haha. Anywho I was trying to find something to make for dinner when I came across this recipe for pierogi lasagna. I thought, why not? When it was made for that night's dinner it wasn't the greatest. Still I felt something was there with the bland ingredients listed. I could jazz it up, cause I know jazz. So I took a few items and added my own touches and presto! we have tonight's joyful meal.

Now normally I make what is called my "White Lasagna" but tonight Ma decided to do roll ups since let's be real who doesn't love a good roll up? If you've never had it then let me give you a little summary on roll ups. It's basically lasagna rolled into the noodles rather than laid out in a pan. So needless to say if you like lasagna then you'll love roll ups.

So here's what you'll need:

White Lasagna Roll Ups

2 jars Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce
10 Lasagna Noodles
1 large tomato (chopped & no seeds)
1 small onion diced
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 15 ounce ricotta cheese's
1 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach
Italian seasoning to taste

Garlic Bread (optional)

Prep: Place chicken breast in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water on low for 6 hours.
Also, take spinach out of freezer and let it thaw over night. Once thawed place in clean dish towel and squeeze excess juice into sink.

In a large pot boil water and cook 10 lasagna noodles as directions on box. Once fully cooked drain pasta then run cold water over noodles until they're cool enough to handle. Remove chicken from slow cooker, cut chicken into small pieces then add those pieces into a large bowl. Add spinach, ricotta cheese, & mix well. To assemble the roll ups here's what to do: Lay 1 lasagna noodle on your table, add table spoon and a half of chicken mixture onto the noodle, spread along the noodle (start from end & roll up), place in greased pan (seam side down), and repeat with remaning noodles.




Meanwhile....

In a medium pot saute the tomato and onion for 5 minutes then add your sauce & 2nd container of ricotta cheese, stir to blend all ingredients, and bring to a boil. Once it's begun boiling turn flame down to a low heat. Simmer for 10-12 mins stiring occasionally so sticking won't occur.

Once sauce is complete remove from heat and pour over roll ups. Place pan in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes depending on oven.



This recipe is a huge hit. Who knew a girl who didn't know a spatula from a slotted spoon could come up with such a delish meal? Not bad eh?




Tid bits from us:

*I strongly recommend you use the Ragu sauce. I've tried it with other sauces and it just doesn't have the same taste.

*You could always add a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan or mozzarella cheese to the top before baking but we didn't bother since there was so much ricotta in the whole dish as is.

*In this dish because it was served with a white sauce we prefer to use olive oil during the boiling process. Whenever you're going to make a pasta dish with red sauce I'd think twice before grabbing for the olive oil simply because for some weird reason the sauce won't stick properly to the noodles.

*Watch the size of your chicken breasts. If you buy small then we would suggest making this recipe with 5 breasts instead of 4.
Also, whenever you can use frozen chicken breasts that come from a bag that you would find in your freezer section at your local grocery store.

*Although I love the white sauce the best, you can use a marinara sauce as well.

*Make sure whenever you're working with frozen spinach thaw it out and then place spinach into clean dish towel. Once in place over your sick give it a good squeeze to release all juices. You don't want that to end up in your roll ups. Otherwise you'd end up with spinach and noodle soup. Not good *shakes head no*



Ma's Spot: I love this dish. Dinah's sauce is a great topping to my roll ups. If you like salad or bread sticks to go along with it then go for it but for us these are very filling on their own.



Well peoples, we have come to the end of this weeks blog. I get sad too. Don't you cry, worry, or fret cause, we'll be back here. Same time, same channel, and everything. What's in store for next week's food liaison? Hmmm...well actually I've got nothing yet BUT fear not our foodie readers it'll be good.
We've gotta head on out and get this place tied down cause as you may have heard, THERE IS A STORM A COMIN'! Be safe guys!



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma