3 Cheese Eggplant Lasagna

Cheesy delicious, meat-free, melty goodness!!!

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 8 servings

 2 eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
 2 tablespoons salt
 2 tablespoons canola oil
 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
 1 teaspoon dried oregano
 1 teaspoon dried basil
 1 teaspoon garlic powder
 1 teaspoon onion powder
 1 tablespoon olive oil
  salt and ground black pepper to taste
 1 teaspoon olive oil
 1 onion, diced
 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
 1 cup shredded carrot
 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
 2 eggs
 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
 1 teaspoon garlic powder
 1 teaspoon onion powder
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Sprinkle both sides of eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons salt, and layer them in a large baking dish with paper towels between each layer.

Place a smaller baking dish on top of the eggplant slices, and weigh it down with several heavy food cans. Let sit for at least an hour or until the paper towels are visibly moist.

Rinse eggplant slices with fresh water and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of canola oil.

Working in batches if necessary, cook both sides of eggplant slices until they are slightly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Set cooked eggplant aside.

Prepare sauce by combining the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add frozen spinach and shredded carrots to onion. Cook until mixture is dry, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine ricotta cheese, eggs, Romano cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl.

Spoon cooled spinach and carrot mixture into ricotta mixture and combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Begin lasagna assembly by pouring a thin layer of tomato sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Place half the eggplant slices in a layer on top of tomato sauce.

Spread half the ricotta cheese mixture on top of eggplant layer.

Add another layer of tomato sauce, then layer on the remaining eggplant slices and remaining ricotta mixture.

Finish with a final layer of tomato sauce, and spread mozzarella cheese over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese is browned. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Tip: Leftovers make an awesome cold sandwich. Just sayin'.

For a chilly night - Red Mole Chili

Ingredients

• 3 cups beef stock (if using ground beef) or chicken stock (if using ground turkey)
• 2 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin or ground turkey
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 15 ounce can  black beans, rinsed
• 1 15 ounce can  diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee
• 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups shredded or crumbled extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped

Directions
1. In a large saucepan, bring the beef stock and ancho chiles to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree.
2. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the beef, increase the heat to high and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the yellow onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes; season with pepper.
3. Stir the tomato paste into the chili for 1 minute. Stir in the ancho liquid, black beans, tomatoes, coffee, paprika, coriander, cocoa and cinnamon and simmer for 5 minutes; season with salt.
4. Serve the chili in shallow bowls. Top with the cheese and red onion.

Piccata Style Fish Fillets

Piccata is a classic Italian recipe that really takes all the difficulty 
out of preparing any kind of meat. This version uses mild white 
fish fillets, is easy to make and the simple, tangy sauce is pretty 
awesome. 
Serve with rice or orzo.

Fish Piccata

(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:
2 Mild white fish fillets such as Tilapia or Swai salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/2 lemon (sliced)
2 tablespoons capers
2 small pepperoncini peppers (sliced, optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

Directions:
Season the fish with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil and butter in a pan.
Add the fish and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes 
per side and set aside.
Add a splash of broth and deglaze the pan.
Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon slices, capers and 
pepperoncinis and simmer to reduce the liquids by half.
Stir in the butter and pour over the fish and garnish with 
fresh chopped parsley.

"Crab" Cakes with Zucchini

Using versatile and delicious imitation crab, these delightful appetizers are a great start to any meal. Top each cake with a dollop of Labne or Sour Cream.

"Crab" Cakes with Zucchini

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 to 6 servings
 1 1/2 cups imitation crab (flaked with a fork to break up into small pieces)
 1 cup grated zucchini
 1 egg, beaten
 2 tablespoons butter, melted
 1 cup bread crumbs
 1/4 cup minced onion
 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (or similar seafood seasoning)
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions

In a large bowl, combine imitation crab, zucchini, egg, and butter or margarine. Stir in seasoned crumbs, minced onion, and seasoning. Mix well.
Shape mixture into patties. Dredge in flour.
In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

This is a super easy recipe that you can just throw together quickly. One thing you may notice - no other liquid is added. The beef slowly cooks and the delicious juices created by this method make an amazing dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 10 servings

 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
 1 teaspoon dried oregano
 1 teaspoon dried basil
 1 teaspoon onion salt
 1 teaspoon dried parsley
 1 teaspoon garlic powder
 1 bay leaf
 1 Stalk Celery, Diced
 1 Small Onion, Diced
 1 each Red and Green Bell Peppers, Sliced
 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
 1 (5 pound) Beef Chuck Roast

Directions

Season your roast with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder. Place your roast, along with the celery, onion and bay leaf in slow cooker.
Cover, and cook on Low for 8 hours, add the package of dry salad dressing mix and bell peppers and cook for 2 hours more until peppers are tender and cooked through. (You can also cook on high for 4-5 hours, adding the dressing and peppers during the last hour.) When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork. Reserve the drippings for dipping!

Serve on crusty rolls. (I suggest fresh baked sesame rolls from our Bakery.) Delicious!!!

Jalapeno Poppers

These creamy, spicy poppers are guaranteed to kick-off your game day spread with a bang!

Ingredients

24 fresh jalapeño peppers (about 2 lb.)
8 oz. Cream Cheese or Labne
8 oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup  flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of panko bread crumbs
2 cups oil for frying

Directions

Cut a lengthwise slit in each pepper; scrape out seeds and veins. (Be careful to wash your hands after handling the peppers!)
Combine next 3 ingredients; spoon into peppers.
Roll the peppers in flour; dip in egg, then roll in bread crumbs to evenly coat. Place in single layer in shallow pan. Important: Refrigerate 15 min.
Heat the oil in medium saucepan to 375ºF. Add peppers, in batches; cook 3 min. or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Enjoy!