Shavuot is unlike other Jewish holidays in that it has no prescribed Torah commandments, other than the traditional observances for every holiday which includes abstention from work, special prayer services and holiday meals. However, Shavuot is characterized by many specific customs, including the reading of the Book of Ruth and the consumption of dairy products like milk and cheese.

Jewish holidays are often stereotyped as revolving around food (“They tried to kill us. We won. Let’s eat!”), and most Jewish cookbooks you find will contain an abundance of recipes for meat dishes. It’s a nice change to have a holiday that is customary to have dairy, but the usual blintzes and cheesecake can become tiresome year after year, which brings me to this great recipe! This is an older one that I got from my mother and that I’ve tweaked over time, but it’s easy and delicious and I recommend trying it if you’re looking for a Shavuot recipe or a twist on the traditional lasagna.

Tuna Lasagna

9-12 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, chopped in a food processor
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 green pepper, chopped in a food processor
4-5 large white mushrooms, chopped in a food processor
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
3 cans of tuna
salt and pepper to taste
2 250g containers of light ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried parsley
1/3 to 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a food processor, chop two onions. Heat oil in a large pan, add in garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer onion from food processor to pan and cook until transparent.
3. While onion is cooking, add green pepper and mushrooms to the food processor. Drain as much liquid as possible. When onions are cooked, add the mushroom and green pepper mixture and cook until lightly browned and very little to no liquid remains.
4. While vegetables are cooking, mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley in a medium bowl. If mixture is really dry, add in the egg (Note: the original recipe calls for this, I’ve almost never had to add it). Set aside.
5. When vegetables are cooked, remove from heat. Add in the cream of mushroom soup (DO NOT add water- just the condensed coup), the tuna and the salt and pepper to taste, and mix through until combined. Set aside.
6. Line a greased 9×13 lasagna pan with lasagna noodles. On top of the noodles, add in half of the tuna mixture, and spread so that it covers all of the noodles. Add another layer of noodles, then add the entire cheese mixture and spread to cover the whole pan. Add the third layer of noodles, spread the remaining tuna mixture, and top with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour, until cheese begins to bubble slightly and brown. Enjoy!

   
   

Fortunate for me, my friend Katie (the Canadian), had family friends who generously let us stay at their Chalet for free! So Daniela, Katie and I booked our train tickets and stayed in Paris before we headed out to La Suisse!

Since our train tickets were really early in the morning and there were no trains on Sunday to take us to Paris, we decided to enjoy the city the day before we left to Switzerland.

We sat in front of the Eiffel Tour and just enjoyed being in the grass and talking

Daniela had a friend in Paris that she was staying with who invited us to go out to dinner that night. Dani’s friend actually met her in Chile because she was studying abroad there. It was so weird going between French, Spanish and English so casually. It just added to my love of languages.

I love Salmon. 

We all got up really early and met up at Gare de Lyon and got a couple of snacks before we got on our long train ride.

I was asleep for a good portion of the train ride and woke up when we were going through the alps! There was snow everywhere and it made me a little worried of my packing choices. I had to pack for about two weeks of traveling because I was set to go straight to Italy afterwards. Needless to say, I wore the same jeans a lot.

When we arrived in Lausanne, we had to take another train to Aigle. That bus ride was even more beautiful because you could see the lake!

Finally we arrived in Aigle and then figured out that we had to take a bus up to Villars. We accidentally sneaked on the bus and tried to get off at Chesieres La Pallette. Now I said “tried” because we accidentally got off at the stop before and spent good hour trying to figure out where our Chalet “Le Faisan” was.

After almost giving up and looking at our options (getting a hotel or staying on the street), we looked at the bus schedule and saw that we were at the wrong stop. So we hopped back on the bus and found our lovely Chalet!

Doesn’t it look so cozy?

We had already gotten a snack at the other stop at a cute restaurant, but we all figured that we would need food for dinner and for the rest of our stay in general. So Katie and I departed on a quest for food and Dani stayed to rest since she had severe altitude/motion sickness.

Katie and I went up to the Villars stop and could not find any food places open. We forgot that it was Sunday! We looked around the area and found a couple small things open but it was all pretty expensive. Still we were pretty hungry and saw a place that had fries and burgers, so of course we stopped there. After we were done eating, we checked out the area and looked to see what we could do the next day. Since everything was pretty much closed Katie suggested we go to Aigle to get groceries, but then the bus driver told us that it was 8 Swiss Francs to go to Aigle. THAT WAS SO EXPENSIVE.

Since we didn’t think it was worth it to go down to Aigle we just settled for going to the wifi spot. The bus driver talked to us for a bit and we told him about our travel plans. So imagine our surprise when he leaves the bus and then comes back in and gives us  refund on our bus tickets and gave us his bus schedule so we didn’t have to pay when we got on the bus! (He turned out to be creepy later, but I’m overlooking that for now)

He dropped us off by our wifi spot area again that we found earlier so Katie could download our Corporate Law class readings and I called friends back home. Then we figured out that it was getting chilly so we were ready to get on the bus.

Pretty soon we became popsicles.  It also didn’t help that everything was so foggy that it made even crossing the street terrifying. However we did have a sick Dani at home and we had to bring her her baguette .

We all feel asleep pretty well that night and decided to go and explore Aigle the next day.

—-

I’m pretty sure the next day we all slept in like princesses (except Dani) and I was pretty dazed when I woke up. I remember walking toward the kitchen and all of a sudden just seeing the most gorgeous view ever.

Now I have fallen in love with many cityscapes and the scenic views from other countries, but this view actually woke me up. It kept me captivated. There was something about seeing those mountains in the background with the calm surroundings. They stood out so strongly and made me appreciate my opportunity to be in Villars.

Like a storybook picture. 

After fully waking up and realizing that we still had no food we got ready to go to Aigle. We had to wait until 12pm to leave because that’s when our nice bus driver would let us on.

What I loved about this trip is that it was a real vacation. None of us really knew what we wanted to do in Aigle or Switzerland in general. We were all happy just to be there and relax, so there was no pressure to find anything immediately.

We grabbed sandwiches by the train station and found a map to explore the town. After some walking we found a nice bar  (with wifi) and all grabbed drinks and chatted for a bit. We also managed to find the office of tourism and the ladies helped us figure out where the hot springs were and the spots to go in the town. There was a castle there!

Since places were still closed on Mondays, but we found a grocery store and packed food for the week. Dani told us that she could make lasagna (both vegetarian and meaty) and so we got our ingredients and headed back home. I was so excited!

This was taken on the bus, maybe it was worth the 8 chf. 

Before this trip, I had no idea how well Daniela could cook. I knew she was good but man her food was awesome. That first night she prepared the food, while Katie and I cut things (I just learned how to make pasta this year) and she got the lasagna ready.

It was so gooooood. 

We spend the night looking at how fortunate our lives were and taking in our lovely surroundings. I’ll always remember that night because I was perfectly content with everything and had two of my best friends in Reims with me.

—–

The next day we decided to go back to Aigle for the castle and I think we intended to go to Montreux afterwards.

One of the things I loved about Dani was her breakfasts! She would wake up before Katie and I and have the hot tea and bread ready for us! ^_^

It was pretty easy to find the castle because we could see it from the train station. I was excited to go because it was also a wine museum and I love castles in general.

On the way, we couldn’t help but take detours and take pictures

We’re the three best friends that anyone could have!

Eventually after many pit stops we found our castle! The outside was such a cute area with cobblestones all around.

We got our student discounts and proceed to Chateau d’Aigle et le musee de la vigne et vin! The museum was separated into several parts and had interactive exhibits that kept me entertained for a while. There was also a room that Katie found where you could spray different smells and you had to guess what they were!

As much as we saved on our student discounts and as much as the exhibits were interesting, the castle didn’t become worth it until we found out we could go to the top. I actually felt like I was in a castle and it was wonderful walking in the stone hallways. Dani got a little scared because there were bees around and Katie was being goofy.

See look at her!

It also gave us another beautiful view of the town, making me really feel like a princess in a tower.

Soon we got ready to leave and had no idea what we were going to do next.  It was very fortunate that we stumbled onto another cute spot and proceeded to take more cute pictures.

We also just liked taking pictures of the town. The mountains and rolling hills looked perfect in the background and Aigle was just wonderful that day.

This was fitting for the gynecologist office. 

We were going to go to Montreux but it was getting late and the weather seemed to be getting worse. We still had plenty of time before the next bus so we kept wandering until we discovered this park.

This probably had to be one of my favorite days this year because for a second, I felt like a kid again. We all had no worries and had fun playing and just being goofy. I don’t remember how long we stayed but I remember that we stayed even when it started raining. We were just so happy.

Dani fell and I caught it on camera >:)

When we finally left the park, we intended to make dinner but skies were so clear by our chalet that we opted to exploring our area instead. Let me just say that I’ve never had a more perfect day, even if I went hiking in ballet flats.

 Yodeling away

—–

The next day was the day that we decided to go to the hot springs since I was leaving on Thursday. I almost opted to not go since I was trying to save my funds but my friends convinced me and paid for the springs. It was truly one of the nicest things ever.

The office of tourism gave us two options for hot springs and we decided to choose Les Bains de Lavey. We went on the train to St. Maurice and then waited for a bus to take us to the springs. We had a lengthy time to wait so we decided to explore St. Maurice in the meanwhile and get some snacks.

We then found a nice, grassy area where we enjoyed our wine and chocolate while basking in the sun.

‘

Two of my favorite things!

The bus arrived soon after and we were on our merry way to the springs. We had a small problem since none of us brought a towel thinking we would be provided one, but we couldn’t seem to find them…..

The whole day was extremely relaxing, we went into the whirlpool several times,  laid on massage jets, and went under the waterfalls. It was nice, especially since I had been stressed and never gone to a hot springs before.

We also tried some pretty weird methods of relaxation that I’m not sure worked. One of the relaxation rooms was pitch black and had a purple light shining on us. I think it was suppose to give me energy but I didn’t feel like I got any extra. The second relaxation room was bright yellow and had pictures of trees all around. I liked that room more because it was so bright but we didn’t stay in it too long. Even though I thought the room was interesting, I’m not sure it did anything either.

Instead I went back to an old favorite, the sauna. I love them because I always feel so cleansed after I leave them and the heat feels wonderful. Dani and I loved them, but Katie did a good job tolerating them because she is not too fond of the heat. My favorite sauna was the one that also had nature odors because I was feeling clean and the room smelt nice.

After we got out of the sauna the first time, we saw that there was an ice bath right outside. We saw people going in and out but we didn’t want to be crazy and freeze our butts off. Still Katie decided she would dare Dani to go into the pool so I saw an opportunity to save a little cash. Since Dani didn’t want to do it, I told her I would if she would pay for the pasta sauce for dinner (that’s really embarrassing when you hear it out loud). She said deal, so I had to go into the bath. I went down slowly and felt like a cat taking a bath. Everything in my body jolted and I was wide awake.

Pretty soon my freezing limbs came back to normal and I felt really, really good. I would actually do it again.

Katie decided to do it too and then we got Dani to do it by calling her a “pollita”. Then we went back to the sauna and Katie took one last leap into the ice bath before we headed home.

Since we couldn’t really take pictures, I thought I would show you guys with an image on google

After our relaxing day in the spring!

When we finally got all dried up and found the bus stop, me made a shocking discovery. We missed the last bus…by a lot. So now we were stranded outside the spa and had to figure out our way to the train station. The three of us concluded that we either had to ask someone to give us a ride or walk to the station. Being the girls that we are, we decided to walk.

As we were walking to the station, we busted out laughing because this would happen to us! I figured that we should try hitchhiking since everyone I’ve meet in Switzerland had been nothing but kind. So we were all just kind of joking with the idea and then we all decided to stick out our hand and someone stopped!

This nice, old man who had been living in St. Maurice all his life and actually used to work at the Lavey springs. He was so nice and dropped us off right at the train station. It was the best luck ever!

And with that Hitchhiking in Europe is off my list of things I did abroad, along with Sleeping in an airport.

We got to Aigle timely and waited at the bus stop for awhile (because I read the times wrong) and then headed home for one last dinner. Daniela made the most amazing pasta ever and I said goodbye to them that night since they would be asleep by the time I left.

I got to Lausanne early,  connected to the next train (not before I was harassed by this British man who then gave me a flower) and then proceeded home.

The train ride to Paris was lovely.

Greek Pastitsio This is the Greek version of Italian lasagna is how I describe this dish. You use Hades Bite spice blend to make this dish. This blend can be purchased at the same time you purchase the recipe. It is a Greek inspired spice blend that gives this dish its traditional cinnamon flavor.

Hades bite spice blend is also used in our Greek traditional meatball recipe. Try both recipes and write me on how this dish gets you oohs and ahs from your guests!

Hades Bite Spicy Aegean Blend

You will need:

-       Heirloom Tomatoes (2)

-       Portobello Mushrooms (2)

-       Zucchini (3 large)

-       Yellow Summer Squash (2)

-       Kale (4 stalks)

-       Lemon (3)

For the Marinara Sauce:

-       Tomatoes (1 cup, I used Cherry Tomatoes)

-       Lemon (1, juiced)

-       Garlic (1 clove)

-       Onion (1/4 cup)

-       Basil (1 cup, loosely packed)

-       Medjool Dates (2, optional)

For the Cashew Sage Sauce

For this element, I actually used the Detoxinista’s recipe for Vegan Mac’n Cheese. I adapted her sauce to be a little thinner with some more lemon juice and a few leaves of fresh sage. It was perfect. The reason I did this is because I was making that mac’n cheese for my roomies (major hit) and I wanted something raw for myself. Who says you can’t cook for other people and keep it simple?

-       Cashews (1.5 cups)

-       Lemons (2, juiced)

-       Nutritional Yeast (1/4 cup)

-       Garlic (1 clove)

-       Mustard (1 teaspoon)

-       Sage (3 leaves, fresh)

-       Sea Salt (1 tsp)

-       Water as needed

Do this:

1) Slice your mushrooms really thin. Cover with the juice of 1 lemon in a bowl. Set aside. This allows the mushrooms time to soften and plump up.

2) Make your marinara sauce by blending all ingredients. Keep in fridge. It’s not the prettiest marinara in the world, but it might taste the best.

3) Make your cashew sauce by blending all ingredients. Set aside.

4) Slice all your remaining “pasta” veggies into thin layers. You don’t need a mandolin. I used a knife since my mandolin has been stolen by the borrowers or something. For the kale layer, I just diced my kale up really fine with a little extra basil.

5) To assemble, start with a layer of zucchini noodles and then add one of the sauces. Continue adding layers and alternating sauces until you have a huge stack of beauty on your plate. Then enjoy.

So here are the so-called behind the scenes of cooking Lasagna with LOVE as the special ingredient. Nyahaha.

Meat sauce

White sauce

Pasta

Play timeee! I kid. Layering time, that is.

Baking in progress. Talagang binuksan ko yung oven para magpicture noh? Hahaha. Pasawaaay!

Busy bee in the kitchen. Haha. Photos and collage courtesy of my baby sis.

Dun-dun-dun-dun! Haha. My version of lasagna. Yeheeeey! *Cartwheel*

Happy Mother’s Day, Mommy. I love you into bits.

B

Love,
Your baby girl xoxo
———————————

Being that it is mother’s day, I really wanted to give my mommy a shout out .

I hope everyone is loving their mommies today!

Yesterday was a crazy productive day for me! I actually ended up sleeping in till 11:00!!!! I don’t do that…EVER! But it was absolutely amazing, and my body was begging me for it.

I got up and made lexi an egg of her own, and hubs and I an egg scramble.  That’s going to be a recipe I post later today. Its super simple!

Then, I headed out and did some grocery shopping, and I got poured on. Kudos to me for checking the weather before I left home (NOT!). Mother nature 1 Sarah 0 . But, I delt with it because I was not going home just to go back out later.

When I got home, I spent the entire rest of the day in the kitchen. It totalled about 10 hours!! I love cooking and making things,  and since I haven’t been able to for the past two weeks with school and work, I definitely made up for it yesterday.

I got all my food prep done for the week, including chicken and veggie dinners for school nights,  fruit bags, and  veggie bags. I made some more amazing guacamole to have for the week. I made a completely homemade dinner (lasagna and veggies), with awful noodles. Do me a favor, don’t ever buy oven ready lasagna noodles, they’re awful. Lesson learned. I also made jam, and I made a second attempt at making yogurt. And…….it was a success!!!!! Pictures to come tomorrow! I am so excited!

I had it planned to go to the gym, but then I got lost in my kitchen LOL!!!

Enjoy what’s left of the weekend!

Tootles xo,
Sarah

First, let me wish all of you Mothers in the blogosphere a very happy Mother’s Day!

I’m being selfish with my time today, because I can get away with it. Mother’s Day, much like a birthday, is a good excuse to gather with family and friends, eat good food and enjoy each others company. It’s not necessarily my favorite holiday, as that slot has been occupied for a very long time by Thanksgiving, but it does have it’s good points. Top on the list of Mother’s Day’s good points is that I get to say what goes.

Here’s my list of things I want today… and by golly, I’m going to get all of it.

1. I want to spend time on my blog (check…mission accomplished!). I get precious little time to come out here anymore, to write or to read my favorite blogs. Today, I get to spend time here. Yes!

2. I want to cook lasagna from scratch today. I love to cook, and don’t get a chance to very often. I have invited my parents over for supper tonight, and when I told Mom what was on the menu, she tried to tell me I should buy a frozen lasagna instead of making it from scratch. I was surprised at how I almost came completely unhinged. I know her heart was in the right place – she didn’t want me to put too much effort into cooking dinner on Mother’s Day. She just doesn’t understand how much like to cook, and how deprived I am in that department. That’s ok… I’ll get my way in the end.

3. I want asparagus. (Demanding wench, aren’t I?) I haven’t had asparagus in years because my picky children won’t eat it, and it really doesn’t pay me to buy it if I am the only one that likes it. Today, it’s just too bad for everyone else that doesn’t like it. I. Will. Have. My. Asparagus! In fact, I have a lovely new recipe that I found on Pinterest for roasted asparagus with olive oil and thyme. I can’t wait!

4. I want to clean my house. The boys are generally pretty good about helping out around the house, but their idea of clean and my idea of clean are galaxies apart. I’ve spent such precious little time at home lately that what little I am able to do gets undone pretty quickly. Today, that gets corrected, even to the point of scrubbing out the fridge. I think something died in there, and is crying out for a decent burial. Argh!

5. I want to spend time in my yard. Spring finally did make it to North Dakota, and there hasn’t been a snowflake in sight for a good three weeks. I think Winter is finally gone for good this year, but I’ll leave my collection of snow shovels out until June 1, because I am just that superstitious about that sort of thing. My yard needs a good raking, and my strawberry/kitchen garden needs to be weeded. There are lots of plants returning from last year, but the grass is trying to overtake them. Time to get out the gloves and open a can of whoop-ass on that nasty invader.

There it is…my top five demands for today, in all of their glorious depravity. Like I said, today I get what I want, and no one best get in my way…or else!

Here’s hoping all of you Moms in the blogosphere get exactly what you want, how you want it, and when. More importantly, I hope you have a lovely day with your families and friends.

No grocery list today. It’s Mother’s Day and we’re hosting. The Kid and I went to Starbucks and Bruegger’s Bagels to get The Wife bagels and coffee this morning. The Kid gave The Wife her gift — a Kindle Fire HD for Mother’s Day and The Wife’s birthday (May 28).

The crowd piles in around Noon, so I’ll be finishing a special two days to prepare lasagna, followed by gluten-free brownies and two different flavors of ice cream (vanilla and espresso chip). I’ll have posts about both this week.

Yesterday’s surprise was the delivery of my Father’s Day/Birthday present: a four-burner Char-Broil Infrared grill. The delivery wasn’t a surprise; I set it up. The surprise was that it came unassembled. It took about two hours, but it went together pretty easily. More on that later this week too.

This week will also mark the beginning of the Gluten Schmuten posts. We’re going to go through the products we have purchased for The Kid (thus far) and discuss how expensive they are (not as bad as you would think) and how they taste (not as bad as you would think).

Happy Mother’s Day. Do something nice today for your mother (even though she’s the reason you are a complete emotional and psychological mess) or the mother of your children (even though she’s the reason they will be a complete emotional and psychological mess). And then tomorrow we can all go back to ignoring them for another year. Ha!

Lasagna Roll-Ups

1/4 cup milk
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 jar (24oz) spaghetti sauce (I used Paul Newman’s Marinara)

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

* In medium bowl, combine cheeses and milk. Add cooked beef to combination.

* Spread 1/2 cup mixture on each lasagna noodle; roll jelly-roll fashion

* In a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, coat the bottom with spaghetti sauce

* Arrange lasagna rolls, seam-side down in sauce in baking dish

* Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot

* Serve with parmesan cheese

Ingredients
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided
1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil, chopped, divided
12 lasagna noodles, cooked

Directions
HEAT oven to 350°F.
COMBINE chicken, artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and tomatoes. Beat cream cheese, milk and garlic powder with mixer until well blended; stir in 2 Tbsp. basil. Mix half with the chicken mixture.

SPREAD half the remaining cream cheese mixture onto bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of noodles and chicken mixture twice. Top with remaining noodles, cream cheese mixture and mozzarella; cover.

BAKE 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-white-chicken-and-artichoke-lasagna/

Great news !

NEW STOCK has arrived !

 Le Creuset Rare Pink

Can be sold separately or bought as a set
Compliments previously posted set

1x Spatula Holder at RM 90.00  (~35% off) RM 59.00  each

1x Salt Pig at RM 105.00  (~35% off) RM 68.00  each

1x Square Dish cm at RM 140.00  (~35% off) RM 90.00  each

1x Rectangular Dish cm at RM 130.00  (~35% off) RM 85.00  each

Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg

Lasagna
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
12 dried lasagna noodles
Butter, for baking dish
2 cups “Quick Marinara Sauce”
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)

To make the sauce:
1. Melt the butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking continuously.  Whisk in the milk.  Increase the heat to medium-high.  Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes.  Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the cream sauce.

To make the lasagna:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, egg, the 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper until blended.
2. Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the lasagna noodles and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.
3. Preheat the oven to 450F. Butter a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.  Spread the cream sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish.
4. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Roll the noodles up and arrange the rolls, seam sides down and not touching one another, atop the cream sauce.  Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture.  Spoon 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the lasagna rooms, then sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.  Cover the dish tightly with foil.  Bake until the rolls are heated through and sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake until the cheese on top is golden, about 15 minutes longer.  Let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot.  Transfer the sauce to a sauce boat and serve alongside.

Makes: 6 Main-course servings

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups)

2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice
1 bunch of fresh basil, stemmed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a blender, purée the tomatoes with their juice and the basil until almost smooth.  Set the tomato purée aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until very tender, about 12 minutes.  Stir in the tomato purée, oregano, and sugar.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Decrease the heat to medium and continue simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. ( The sauce can be made 1 day ahead.  If storing for future use, cool, then cover and refrigerate.  Reward over medium heat before using.)

This has been a crazy couple of weeks, to say the least.  I knew it would be, but even I couldn’t prepare myself for the little wave of panic when I looked at my calendar and saw three tech-to-performance weeks in a row.  There is a reason that the theater industry calls these “hell weeks”…nah, I’m (mostly) joking.  Thankfully, all of these performances are with my children’s company which means: (A) I know those involved, (B) Most of our team has down this before, and (C) We are all awesome enough to make these week run smoothly and simply!  This post has been sitting in my drafts, half-written, for almost a week-and-a-half, and this recipe has been waiting even longer!

This lasagna was one of the actual “recreation” dinners I made after going gluten-free, and it was also the first time I’d ever tried making lasagna at home.  I was intrigued by the grain-free recipe (one less ingredient to worry about converting to gluten-free–score!) and the extra veggies with zucchini substituting for noodles.  I added more vegetables in the form of onions and peppers, but this recipes is incredibly flexible.  Sub more vegetables in for some or all of the meat, or any more to the onion-pepper mixture.  When I first made this recipe, I sliced the zucchini lengthwise, into long strips like noodles.  These had a tendency to slip out when trying to cut a bite’s-worth, so I recommend cutting into circle crosswise, or peeling the zucchini before slicing it.

I wish I had had time to make this Lasagna this week (the recipe and photos are from about a month back).  This makes the best leftovers, and we have plenty when I’m only serving dinner to three people.  This comforting dish is the perfect bridge between winter and spring (we’ve just had three days of torrential rain–yuck) and would be the best lunch on my hectic performance days.  I’ve got one more performance weekend, one more week of wrap-up, and then we’ll be off on our relaxing cruise!  I’ll certainly keep you posted before then, and plan to come back with a full review of Royal Caribbean’s gluten-free offerings!

As noted in the recipe below, there is plenty of room to play in this recipe. If you make this vegetarian or vegan, or sub in an awesome ingredient, let me know how it turns out!

Zucchini Lasagna (Pasta-less Lasagna)

Serves: 8 | Prep time: 30 minutes

• 2 large zucchini
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 large bell pepper (any color), finely diced
• 4 cups fresh spinach or kale leaves (kale stems removed), roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 oz ricotta cheese*
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese*
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese*
• 1 lb italian sausage (can replace with equal amounts of another ground meat or finely diced tofu or mushrooms or veggie mix)
• 2 c. tomato sauce (storebought or homemade), divided

*I’m guessing that you could possibly use cashew ‘cheese’ if you wanted to make this vegan.  I’ve never tried it myself, please let me know how it turns out if you give it a try!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice the zucchini into thin slices crosswise (making circles, not long strips). (Optional–peel zucchini before slicing).  Lay slices out on papertowels and salt generously.  Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes–zuchinni will release some of their liquid.  Crumble sausage/meat/tofu/veggies into a large sauté pan.  Cook completely, then set aside.  Drain grease. Cook chopped onions and peppers in a large sauté pan with minimal oil for about 5-7 minutes, until softened.  Set aside.  Rinse all zucchini well.  Cook zuchinni in sauté pan for about 5 minutes, until slices begin to wilt.  Spread on papertowels and allow to cool.  Cooked spinach/kale in a covered sauté pan until wilted, about 3 minutes.  Mix together wilted greens, basil, garlic, parmesan, 1/4 c. mozzarella, and ricotta cheese in medium bowl.  In separate bowl, mix together onions, peppers, and meat/veggies with 1/2 c. of tomato sauce.  Firmly pat zucchini slices dry

Lightly grease a 9×9″ pan.  Spread  1/2 c. of tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan, coating evenly.  Layer zucchini in even layer, top with cheese mixture then meat/veggie mixture, spreading evenly for each layer.  Top meat/veggie mixture with 1/2 c. of tomato sauce.  Continue this pattern (zucchini, cheese, meat, sauce) until ingredients run out–I got three layers.  Be sure to end with sauce on topmost layer.  Cover with remaining 3/4 c. mozzarella cheese.

Cover pan with aluminum foil.  Bake at 375 degree F for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until cheese is browned and bubbling.  Allow lasagna to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Can be refrigerated in sealed container for up to 4 days.

I’m not one to shy away from challenges or intimidating circumstances but my gosh, Ironman is beginning to cast a dark, looming shadow. The more I talk about it with people the more I wonder to myself WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING TRAINING FOR THIS THING!?!

I was recently explaining the race to some friends and was trying to put it in context for them in relation to our lives in Reno. Basically, I will swim across Donner Lake, bike to Sacramento, and then run to Fernley. Gah, the panic is slowly trickling into my head as I’m becoming more in touch with the sheer magnitude of this kind of event. Frankly, it’s overwhelming even just reading about strategies for surviving the race because everyone has their own opinions and strategies for success. Some suggest eating a gel every 20 minutes, another camp fully supports eating PB and J while drinking chocolate milk, some bring Twix and Snickers in their bags, and yet others swear by a strange mix of guava juice, monkey fur, and ketchup. Sigh…

I only know a paltry handful of people who have completed an Ironman, not more than three, that’s pretty daunting odds if you ask me. That means the chances of me being the only Ironman someone knows is also pretty high. Better not let the expectations weigh me down. Oh the pressure, I love it!

The similarities between 2011 and 2013 are so far somewhat disturbing me. In 2011 I was gearing up for my first half Iron (70.3 miles) and this year is of course the full 140.6 excursion through Idaho. 2011 had me soul-searching to discover myself in the MBA program; 2013 has me soul-searching because I’m graduating. 2011 forced me into all kinds of fun adventures and 2013 has yet to disappoint me with a new dog, a new career, a new degree, a new camera, new social circles…

Food is what keeps us alive, fuels our body and our minds, and keeps us pressing on as long as we consume it in adequate amounts. The amount of food I purchase and devour is rather insane, but without it I would wither away (and often do as my friends can vouch). It’s a great source of energy but so are many other things in life:

• Social interactions – I thrive on meeting new people, having engaging conversations, debating the strengths and weaknesses of superheroes, and just engaging my friends and people close to me at a personal level. It’s not energizing in the way that a power nap is but it’s fun exposing my brain to new things.
• Good support – I will never forget the construction adventures with my dad as a little kid. He used to drive me around to various sites where a new bridge or parkway or other wonderful feat of human ingenuity was taking place and would talk me through how it all works together. Frankly, I find large-scale construction quite fascinating especially how it is all rooted in the supports that are put into place. Bridges need massive amounts of cabling, concrete, towers, arches, or whatever else to keep them up in the air while bearing a load, and roads need to be built so as not to collapse under thousands of cars driving over certain areas every single day. Our lives aren’t different; in fact, we take beatings on a daily basis which is why we must find support through those around us. Life is rife with stress, disappointment, and downers but it’s also packed with joys, wonderful experiences, and adventures of an epic proportion. Sometimes, we just need to view it all through a different lens…
• Fuzzy pets – I have always had a soft spot in my heart for warm creatures dating back to my 6 year old self in Tennessee when I got my first hamster Rocky. I gradually progressed through the ranks with my Fuzzies and have finally arrived at a dog of my very own. Next time you see me, you should ask me to tell the story of how my parents replaced me with a dog the week after I went off to college. That’s always a hoot… Regardless, there’s just a great feeling coming back to creatures that look forward to seeing you.
• Tools of the trade – I wouldn’t be a very good IT dude without a computer or a very diverse set of computer skills just like an artist would really suck without brushes and a slew of rainbowed pastel splotches on their palette.  A triathlete without goggles, a bike, or running shoes sure won’t get far, and an astronaut without oxygen, well, that won’t end nicely. We all gather tools for our chest in life and may use some of them often, and others rarely. Interestingly, it’s the collection of tools and how we use them that makes us unique and exciting individuals.
• Mental perseverance – My mad devotion to success in life and triathlon can only be explained by an inane locus of control, the ability to set ridiculous (yet achievable) goals for myself, and just an internal thirst for more, more, more! For whatever reason, my mental and emotional aptitude for success are thrusting me ever forward to June 23^rd. The words “Russell Aaron, you are an IRONMAN!” will be well worth the grocery bill, taxing training, loss of sleep, sore muscles, and social outings cut short. It’s going to be a good year. Strap in!

The weeks are blazing by, and summer will be in full force soon. What had previously been a neatly laid out plain is quickly becoming a cratered pothole of craziness, beautiful weather, and no more school! Huzzah! Happy Friday to all and to all a good weekend!

Picture credit 1.

 Tomato Mozzarella Panini with Cream of Mushroom Soup

Whale Meat with a Baked Potato Loaded with Butter

Ox and Steak Tenderloin with Frites

Vegetable Lasagna Stacked with Zuchinni and Pasta and a Side Salad

Icelandic Skyr Hereford style [ kind of like a  lemon custard or panna cotta]  garnished with mint

Frozen Icecream Stuffed Crepe with Nutella and Strawberries

Photos by Andrew Lane

I was able to go visit them today, take some pictures, talk to the students and see what they were making. I felt like a paparazzi

Some dishes they were making were Potato Pancakes, Vegetable Dumplings, Mini Lasagna and last but not least Empanadas. I was able to get pictures of all the students because they are “camera shy”. Here’s a few.

MINI LASAGNA!

The Lasagna mix, includes onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomato sauce, pepper and other condiments.

Prepping the wonton wrappers to make the Mini Lasagnas.

“I like cooking because I like experimenting with different ingredients” ~Israel Dones

“I like cooking because I love food and I love the different flavors ” ~ Kanisha Wise

                                                                               VEGETABLE DUMPLINGS!

Students prepping to make the Vegetable Dumplings.

OTHERS:

Students makes the mix for the potato pancakes and empanadas.

 I was told by some students that they had fun in this intensive and some were even thinking of being chefs! That is so awesome to hear!! Sadly enough I wasn’t able to taste any food but it smelled amazing!!

Appetizer, Drink, salad, main course and dessert. They were so funny. I had to pick and choose to create a meal that made sense! I mean – rice and beans just don’t “go” with Lasagna and coconut shrimp! This is what we ended up with:

Drinks – Lara picked anything with coconut or a drink made with fresh grapefruit juice. I ended up making a pitcher of “The Best Drink Ever” (out of my cookbook) A yummy, coconutty daiquiri
Appetizer – Jonathan is king of snacks so he got this category. He loves anything cheesy and dippy. So…Italian queso it was! (Also in my cookbook) I served it with toasted baguette pieces.

Salad – Alison raved about the salad I threw together for the chicken and waffles meal I made a couple of weeks ago. So I pulled that one back out just for her.

Main Course – Joey is the Italian in our group and loves anything with ricotta! Homemade Lasagna it was. I added extra ricotta to the meat sauce to make it extra rich.

Dessert – Aaron loves Cheesecake and Courtney loves all things chocolate Mousse! So… I combined them. I made a thick vanilla cheesecake and topped it with a light and creamy chocolate ganache mousse and fresh strawberries.

It was a feast! We had to be rolled out of the dining room! It was a lot of fun to take time to figure out what my friends like and to come up with a way to do something special for each of them all at the same time. I hope you get a chance to celebrate your friends “just because” sometime soon. Friends are a blessing and a treasure and time spent with them is a treat! Thanks for indulging my craziness, guys!

Since it was such a hit, I am including the recipe for the salad dressing and the ingredient list for the salad I threw together. Hope you enjoy this one! Homemade dressings are super easy and leave little excuse for purchasing bottled ones! You will have most of these ingredients on hand I bet! And your guests will think you are brilliant!

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

½ Cup white wine vinegar

3 T honey Dijon mustard

1 T olive oil

Juice of 1 fresh lemon (about 2T)

Salt and pepper

Whisk all ingredients together.  This makes enough dressing for a salad that feeds 8- 10 people.  You can save the rest in an airtight container for your next salad!  Or marinate chicken tenders in it!

Salad that I use it on:

Chopped romaine

Chopped Kale (stems removed)

Diced avocado

Pepperoncini peppers

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Crumbled Crispy salami  (I cook salami in a 400 degree oven until it is brown and crispy)