Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

RECIPE from Julia's Albums.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup milk (or more, if needed)
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup cooked spinach (8 oz uncooked)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste
• 10 oz lasagna noodles, cooked 
• 1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (on top)
• Italian seasoning
• Paprika
• Basil
• 
  

    DIRECTIONS:

   

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
Butternut Squash Filling:
2. For this filling, you will need to have pre-cooked butternut squash puree. Using food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed (to make the butternut squash filling very creamy). Mix very well, taste and add more salt, if needed.
Spinach Filling:
3. Combine spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix, taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
Cooking lasagna noodles:
4. Bring a very large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse in cold water, drain. Using knife, trim noodles to fit your baking dish (if necessary).
Lasagna assembly:
5. Prepare a baking dish - I used a casserole dish 11 inches x 8.5 inches x 3 inches deep. Grease the lasagna dish lightly with olive oil spray. Spread 1/3 of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked lasagna noodles without overlapping (I used 3 noodles).
6. Spread half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
7. Spread another layer (1/3) of butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
8. Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with the final layer of cooked noodles.
9. Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining 1/3) over this final layer of noodles, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remaining mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup of mozzarella). Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning, paprika, basil.
10. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.

Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce

RECIPE from Julia's Album.com

DOUBLE the RECIPE for some tasty LEFT-OVERS!

• INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound chicken (chicken breast or tenders)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano, basil - combined)
• 5 medium tomatoes, chopped in large cubes
• 1 cup cooked spinach
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 6 bacon strips, COOKED, DRAINED OF FAT, AND CHOPPED
• 1 and 1/3 cups half and half
• 1 and 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 10 oz penne pasta 
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
• (optional - saute and add in onions and mushrooms)

      

   DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet, on high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add chicken and cook on one side on high heat for 1 minute. While it cooks, sprinkle the uncooked sides of the chicken with paprika and Italian seasoning. Flip the chicken over, and cook on the other side for 1 minute on high heat. Reduce heat to medium, flip chicken over again and cook, covered, for several minutes until no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from the pan and keep chicken warm.
2. To the same pan (but without chicken), add chopped tomatoes, spinach, garlic, crushed red pepper, 1/3 of the chicken (sliced into small strips) and half the bacon (already cooked and drained of fat). Mix everything.
3. Add half and half and bring to boil. Only after half and half starts boiling, add grated Parmesan cheese - immediately reduce to simmer and stir, while simmering, until the cheese melts and makes the sauce creamy, only about 1 minute (at most 2 minutes). Then, immediately remove from heat. Season with more crushed red pepper and salt, if needed.
4. In the mean time bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it according to instructions. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water and drain again.
5. Add pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Add remaining half of bacon (cooked and drained of fat). Season with more salt if necessary. Slice the remaining 2/3 of chicken into thin strips. To serve, top the pasta with chicken strips and grated Parmesan cheese.

3 TASTY GREEN SMOOTHIES

MANGO/COLLARD GREENS (or Spinach) with grapes

INGREDIENTS

1. 2tablespoons fresh lime juice
2. 2cups stemmed and chopped collard greens or spinach
3. 1 1/2cups frozen mango
4. 1cup green grapes

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the lime juice, ½ cup water, the collard greens, mango, and grapes in a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute, adding more water to reach the desired consistency.

********************************************************************

SPINACH/AVOCADO/APPLE

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 1/2cups apple juice
2. 2cups stemmed and chopped spinach or kale
3. 1apple—unpeeled, cored, and chopped (different apples=different flavors and tart/sweetness...your choice!)
4. 1/2avocado, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the apple juice, spinach, apple, and avocado in a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute, adding water to reach the desired consistency.
2. ********************************************************************

3. KALE/PINEAPPLE/COCONUT milK

4. INGREDIENTS

   1. 1/2cup coconut milk (or almond milk...homemade, not store bought!)
   2. 2cups stemmed and chopped kale or spinach
   3. 1 1/2cups chopped pineapple (about 1/4 medium pineapple)
   4. 1ripe banana, chopped

   DIRECTIONS

   1. Combine the coconut milk, ½ cup water, the kale, pineapple, and banana in a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute, adding more water to reach the desired consistency.

Italian Sausage Soup with White Beans and Spinach

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 large vidalia onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup small cut pasta, like shells or ditallini
• 2 cups baby spinach
• grated parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place a large pot or dutch oven over med-high heat and add the sausage, breaking it up in to small pieces with a fork as it browns. Continue cooking until the sausage is no longer pink. Transfer the sausage to a bowl with a slotted spoon and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat.
2. Return the pot to the stove and add the onions. Cook the onions until translucent, approximately 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, cooking for one minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the Italian seasoning and ¼ cup of chicken stock to deglaze the pan being sure to scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, sausage and remaining stock. Add the pasta and bring the soup to a boil. Cook for 6-7 minute or until the pasta is al dente.
5. Stir in the spinach. Serve immediately topped with parmesan cheese.
6. FROM - 
The Suburban Soapbox

SHRIMP and SAUTEED SPINACH from BRENDA

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of cleaned, deveined and shelled large shrimp
2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons of Simply Asia Sweet Ginger Garlic Seasoning
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups of fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat until a slight shimmer occurs on the surface.

In a separate bowl combine the shrimp, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the sweet ginger garlic seasoning, tossing lightly until shrimp are thoroughly coated.

ADD the shrimp to the hot skillet, quickly sautééing until they are cooked and turn opaque. Pour in wine to quickly bubble and deglaze the skillet, scraping up the delicious brown "bits" on the bottom. 

JANE'S SPINACH SQUARES

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs beaten

10 oz. chopped spinach (thawed)

16 oz. Jack cheese (shredded

1/4 cup butter 

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder


DIRECTIONS:

MIX all the ingredients together and spread in a 9x13" pan.

BAKE at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

CUT into squares

Can be served warm or cold.

****

NOTE of INTEREST -

Jane Kenny met up with Colorado Cowboy Cousin, Jim Lane. Jim 

decided to hang up his spurs and head East this Fall (2015) to join Jane in 

Stonington, CT. 

Welcome to the Family, Jane!

Jane would also like it to be known that this is the only item that she makes 

and brings to pot-lucks, meal-shares, etc. So, when you get together with her, 

don't even think about bringing a batch of "Spinach Squares," as the chances 

are good that that is what she will be bringing!

********

Did you know that spinach is high in iron as well as an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid, and a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. Vitamin K is important for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach.

So, on the plus-side, if we all bring Spinach Squares, and that's all we have...we'll be good to go with all of these Spinach vitamins and minerals!

:)

LIL SPINACH BALLS

OVEN 350 degrees

INGREDIENTS:
1 box seasoned stuffing mix (6 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cup grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese
6 beaten eggs
2 boxes frozen, chopped spinach (10 ounces each)

DIRECTIONS:
1) Thaw spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
2) Combine stuffing mix, garlic powder, melted butter, cheese and eggs.
3) Add spinach and combine well.
4) Shape mixture into balls.
5) Bake in preheated 350(F) oven for 15 minutes.

Directions for FREEZING:
1) Prepare through Step 4, above.
2) Place on a lined baking sheet and freeze until hard.
3) Store in an airtight container or plastic bag.
4) Bake frozen in a preheated 350(F) oven for 20 minutes.

from Average Betty - http://www.averagebetty.com/recipes/lil-spinach-balls-recipe/