LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
This comes from my e-cookbook, titled Off the Wall Cooking, found on Amazon.com.
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. Everyone asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry herb tea or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
MAKE-AHEAD MEAT-LOVERS' LASAGNA ROLL-UPS
This comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts off, “Make a large batch of these meaty and cheesy lasagna rolls, and freeze them to help make quick dinners on busy days. Get a quick start by using Make-Ahead Seasons Ground and Sausage.” Prep Time: 30 min; Total Time: 1 hr 20 min; Servings: 16
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Roll-Ups (to make ahead and freeze)
16 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 lb bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce
2 containers (15 oz each) ricotta cheese
1 box (9 oz) Green Giant™ frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
2 teaspoons dried basil leaves or Italian seasoning
1 egg
Sauce and cheese (for baking roll-ups)
3 cups tomato pasta sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
Directions
In 5-quart Dutch oven, cook lasagna noodles as directed on package. Drain; rinse with hot water. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, cook beef, sausage and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
In small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, spinach, basil and egg. Spread about 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture over each cooked lasagna noodle to within 1 inch of one short end. Spoon about 1/4 cup meat mixture over ricotta mixture on each. Roll up firmly toward unfilled end. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil. Place roll-ups, seam side down, on pan; cover loosely with foil. Freeze about 30 minutes or until firm.
Place frozen rolls in airtight freezer container; label. Freeze up to 3 months.
To bake 16 lasagna roll-ups, spray two 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dishes with cooking spray. Remove roll-ups from freezer bag; place 8 in each baking dish. Cover with foil; thaw in refrigerator at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Heat oven to 350°F. Pour 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce over and around roll-ups in each baking dish. Cover tightly with foil; bake 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle each baking dish with 1 cup mozzarella cheese; bake uncovered 3 to 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
MAKE-AHEAD PIZZA CASSEROLE
This also comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts off, “Take just 20 minutes to put together this pasta bake, and dinner for the next night is done!” Prep Time: 20 min; Total Time: 9 hr 40 min; Servings:6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb mild Italian pork sausage
2 cups water
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with sweet onion, undrained
4 cups uncooked rotini pasta (10 oz)
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or pizza cheese blend (6 oz)
Directions
In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain.
In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, mix water, pizza sauce and tomatoes. Stir in cooked sausage, uncooked pasta and olives (pasta should be completely covered with sauce). Cover tightly with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 350°F. Stir casserole; cover with foil and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until bubbly.
Uncover baking dish; stir mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; bake uncovered 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times' cooking newsletter. Julia writes, “Ganache is the French term for the luscious combination of chocolate and cream, and it makes a strategic addition to any dessert playbook. When it’s hot and pourable, it’s a classic companion to ice cream. Warm, you can pour or pipe it over a cake, cupcakes or cookies; it will set to a soft, rich glaze. Let it cool to room temperature and whip it in a mixer to make a fluffy frosting. Or chill it, then roll into balls and dust with cocoa powder to make truffles. This sauce has a slightly more adult flavor than the ice-cream-parlor standard; coffee will do that to a dessert. Leave it out if you prefer. Also note that bittersweet chocolate will deliver a stronger, sharper chocolate taste than semi-sweet.
“Refrigerate leftovers in a jar; it will keep indefinitely. To rewarm, place the jar in a saucepan half-filled with simmering water, or uncover and heat in microwave at low heat.” Time: 5 minutes; about 1 1/2 cups
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
14 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3 tablespoons espresso, strong coffee or water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar (confectioners’, granulated or light brown)
3/4 cup heavy cream, preferably not ultrapasteurized
1 pinch coarse salt, more to taste
Preparation
In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients and melt together over very low heat, stirring. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave at low heat for 2 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking in 30-second blasts, stirring in-between.)
Just before all the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and stir until chocolate melts and mixture comes together. It may appear curdled, but keep stirring or whisk vigorously; it will smooth out. If too thick to pour, whisk in hot water a tablespoon at a time. Taste for salt and adjust the seasoning.
ALL-IN-ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Nigella Lawson, from the same The New York Times' cooking newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Nigella writes, “This is the perfect chocolate cake: beautiful, melting, intense but not heavy. The batter comes together quickly in a food processor, and the cake bakes at 350 degrees for a while, giving the baker time to assemble the frosting, which is given a luscious sheen by a bit of corn syrup. Use the best chocolate you can find for the frosting, and gild it however you like: with a few flowers, some birthday candles or nothing at all.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; 10 to 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Butter for greasing baking pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 ounces ( 3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Preparation
For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.
Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.
For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl, and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.
Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper, and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.
Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake, and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting, and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container, and set aside in a cool place until serving.
PUMPKIN ENCHILADAS
This comes from Food.com, and begins, “This wacky-sounding recipe was born after we accidentally used leftover pumpkin in place of refried beans. But it tasted FANTASTIC, so we perfected it, and now we're passing it on!” Yields 2 enchiladas (2 servings)
Ingredients
2 corn tortillas ( like Mission Super Size)
3/4 cup enchilada sauce, divided
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese, halved
1 1/2 tablespoons taco sauce
1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix
salt and pepper
nonfat sour cream
chopped scallion
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Add pumpkin, taco sauce, and taco seasoning to the bowl. Mix well. If you like, season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside. Warm tortillas slightly in the microwave.
Lay tortillas flat on a clean, dry surface. Spread 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce onto each one. Place a half-slice of cheese in the center of each tortilla. Evenly distribute the pumpkin mixture between the centers of the tortillas.
Wrap tortillas up tightly and place them in the baking dish with the seam sides down. Cover with remaining 1/2 cup enchilada sauce.
Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes, until enchiladas are hot. Carefully remove dish from the oven, and sprinkle enchiladas with shredded cheese.
Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Plate those babies and, if you like, top with sour cream and/or scallions. Enjoy!
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