Shameless Plug

You'll notice that in nearly all of my recipes, when something calls for oil I say "spray" instead of coat. How do I do this without using the gross, chemically, preservative filled spray-can options from the grocery store?

So glad you asked! 

The Pampered Chef Oil Spritzer of course! This product will change your life. The refillable pump bottle uses pressure, not aerosol, so it's good for the environment and good for you! And it's only $12.50!!!!

As luck would have it, my dear friend Tina is hosting an online Pampered Chef party this week. If you'd like to order this product, or any of their other fabulous kitchen gadgets. Click HERE. And enter the name Tina Kastner when prompted.

Spinach Lasagna

Rejected by the Red Cross. AKA... My  Adventures with Spinach

In the past few years I've attempted to donate blood four times. Four times I've waited in line, filled out all the necessary forms, and had my finger repeatedly pricked. Four times I've been rejected with a low iron count. FOUR TIMES!


After my most recent rejection I said aloud, "I'm married to an Ironman... shouldn't that count for something?" Apparently I'm not as funny as I think I am. The nurse glared and told me to take a vitamin. 


I bought the vitamins. I took them for 3 days. Now they're a paperweight.


But tomorrow my office is hosting a blood drive, and I'm DETERMINED to donate. My plan? Spinach.  

Popeye-Worthy Spinach Lasagna

(Adapted from this Herbivoracious blog post)

Ingredients:

• 1 plastic produce bag stuffed tightly full of spinach (preferably not baby spinach)
• 15 oz. partial-skim ricotta
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 head cauliflower florets and some stem, cut small
• 2 large (28 oz.) cans plain tomato sauce
• zest from 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons red wine
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (and additional salt & pepper to taste)
• 1 pound (or less) whole wheat lasagna noodles (soaked in hot water to soften)
• 1/4 lb grated mozzarella
• 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, diced
• 2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat your over to 375 F. Clean the spinach well and wilt it, cool, squeeze out all water, stir it into the ricotta, all mozzarella, along with the nutmeg. Salt and pepper to taste, then beat in the eggs.
2. Saute the onion & garlic  in the olive oil, add the cauliflower and saute 5 minutes, add the tomato sauce, lemon zest, wine, oregano, and pepper  simmer 5 minutes, salt to taste
3. Spray an 11" x 13" pan (at least 2" deep) with olive oil. Build your layers beginning with noodles, followed by the sauce/veggies, and finally the cheese mixture. Be sure to cover the noodles with the sauce. You'll likely have 2 complete layers. Cover the final layer of cheese with noodles. Finish by sprinkling the top with the the grated Parm.  
4. Bake at 375 F., covering with tin foil part of the time if needed to avoid overbrowning. It is done when internal temp is say 170 F. (check a few spots). In my oven this was approximately 40 minutes. When it's done you'll easily be able to pierce the noodles with a fork, and the sauce will be bubbling around the sides.
5. Broil if you desire a crispy brown top (personally, I like my cheese melty).
6. Allow to rest at least 15 minutes before serving so it has time to set.
7. Eat your delicious, nutritious lasagna.
8. Chuckle, and challenge someone to an arm wrestling contest. 

Butternut Squash & Kale Bread Pudding

Healthy Comfort Food: Not just for Oxymorons..

It was a perfect autumn afternoon in Brooklyn. The leaves were falling, the air was crisp, and I was feeling romantic.  

Unfortunately, my husband was on flight to glorious Pittsburgh, where he'll be working for the next four months.

Enter comfort food.

I found a recipe for Butternut Squash Bread Pudding that was so deadly fattening, it's title would be considered 'deceptive advertising' if it were being tried in a court of law. But oh boooooooy did it look good!!

So I did my "Lighten Up!" thing, and happily enjoyed the leftovers everyday for a week. Ok, some days I ate it twice. Regardless, I was guilt free. 

Butternut Squash & Kale Bread Pudding

(Adapted from:  Epicurious' Butternut Squash & Chedder Bread Pudding Recipe )

Ingredients:
2 pounds peeled seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for sprinkling
4 Eggs
1/3 cup egg whites
1 cup of half an half
1 1/2 cup of low fat milk
6 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
3 sage leaves diced
Ground black pepper to taste
1 day-old baguette (do not remove crust), torn into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 4 large)
2 bunches Tuscan kale (about 1 pound), ribs removed, kale coarsely chopped
3 ounces low fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until squash is lightly caramelized, turning with spatula occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

Whisk eggs and egg whites in large bowl. Add half and half, milk, wine, mustard, and pepper whisk to blend. Add baguette pieces; fold gently into egg mixture. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots, thyme,& sage and sauté until shallots are soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add kale and a dash of salt; cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover and stir until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes (kale will be a bit crunchy).

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with olive oil. Using slotted spoon, transfer half of bread from egg mixture to prepared baking dish, arranging to cover most of dish. Spoon half of kale over bread. Spoon half of squash over bread and kale; sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, kale, squash, and cheese. Pour remaining egg mixture over bread pudding.

Cover bread pudding with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until custard is set and bread feels springy to touch, about 20 minutes longer.

Preheat broiler; broil pudding until cheese browns slightly, about 2 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Welcome to my table!

For the past four or five years, I've been harassing my parents, brother, uncle, in-laws, and close friends with "look-what-I made-for-dinner-last-night" emails. I have a formula. First, I tell them how delicious it was. I mention all of the fabulous yummy noises my devoted (totally unbiased) husband makes during the meal. Then, I include the link for the recipe, followed by my adaptations, substitutions, or total bastardizations. I often include a crudely taken cell-phone snapshot, and conclude with "YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS".


I'm fairly certain no one reads those emails. 


Given my current success rate, I decided I'm well on the way to a career as a food writer. Welcome to my table, I hope you enjoy the meals!