Lazy Man's Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

• LASAGNA:
• 1 pound dry lasagna pasta sheets
• 6 cups Bolognese sauce, recipe follows
• 3 cups Bechamel sauce, recipe follows

• 1 pound freshly grated mozzarella
• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for sprinkling

• BOLOGNESE SAUCE:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2 dried chili peppers, crushed
• Sprig fresh rosemary

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 cups tomato sauce or La Salsa di 5 Minuti, recipe follows
• 3 basil leaves, torn
• Salt
Total Time:
4 hr 5 min
Prep:
1 hr 45 min
Inactive Prep:
20 min
Cook:
2 hr

Level:

Difficult

Yield:

6 servings

MOLTEN CHEESE, VEGGIE AND CHICKEN EGGPLANT BOATS

3 Japanese eggplants
1 tbsp olive oil (15 mL)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic (5 mL)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (411 g)
1/2  tsp oregano (2 mL)
1/2  tsp basil (2 mL)
1/2  tsp salt (2 mL)
1/2  cup water (125 mL)
Liquid sweetener to equal 2 tsp sugar, (optional) (10 mL)
1 cup diced, cooked chicken (250 mL)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (250 mL)

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Wash eggplants, dry and cut them in half lengthwise.  Cut out the pulp, leaving a skinny rim around the edges and on the bottom of the boat.  Dice pulp.

In large saucepan, in olive oil, cook diced eggplant and onion a few minutes.  Add crushed garlic; stir fry l minute.  Add diced tomatoes, oregano, basil and salt.   Add water and liquid sweetener.  Simmer until moisture evaporates.  Stir in cooked, warm chicken.

Fill eggplant boats with veggie and chicken mixture and sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.  Bake in oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until eggplant rims test soft to the tip of a paring knife and cheese is golden.  If desired, sprinkle warm eggplant boats with more cheese.

Yield:  6 eggplant boats
1 boat (half eggplant)
110.3 calories
6.1 g protein
6.3 g fat
8.3 g net carbs

Helpful Hint:  The sweetener is just to balance out flavors.

Strawberry-Banana Cheesecake Salad

Stir together:

1 bag of miniature marshmallows
16 oz of vanilla yogurt
1 regular size tub of cool whip
1 package of nobake cheese cake filling

Stir in
1-2 containers of sliced up strawberries
3-4 sliced up bananas

Vegetable Beef Stew

2 lbs. Ground Chuck Hamburger......
1 Can Corn (15oz)
1 Can Peas (15oz)
1 Can Green Beans (15oz)
1 Can Tomatoes, diced (15oz)
1 pkg Frozen Normandy Blend Vegetables (16oz)
(Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots)
1 Onion, diced
3 Potatoes, diced
2 Envelopes McCormick Beef Stew Seasoning Mix (15oz)
3 c. Water

Brown hamburger meat with ½ of the diced onion.
Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook
On low for 6-8 hours. Or on high for 3-4 hours.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

You will need:
8 oz of softened cream cheese
1 container of marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup of whipped cream.. I use cool whip
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

What You do:
Beat together cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, pumpkin and spice...
Then by hand stir in cool whip... serve...
This is great on fruit, graham crackers... with a spoon 

Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup

Ingredients:
1 30oz. bag of frozen diced hash browns
1 32 oz box of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup (10 oz)
1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz, not fat free)
3 oz bacon bits
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Put the potatoes in the crockpot. Add in the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and half of the bacon bits. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Cook on low for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender.
An hour before serving, cut the cream cheese into small cubes. Place the cubes in the crock pot. Mix a few times throughout the hour before serving.
Once the cream cheese is completely mixed in, it's ready to serve.
Top with cheddar cheese and some additional bacon bits.

Brussels Sprouts in Garlic Butter

1 package of Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Melt butter and olive oil in a medium skillet (over medium-high heat) until butter is foamy. Reduce heat to medium, add smashed garlic and cook until lightly browned. Remove garlic and discard.

Add sprouts cut side down, cover, and cook without stirring on medium-low heat 10-15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. The cut side of the sprouts should get nice and browned, with a nutty, buttery flavor enhanced by garlic. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies....OH YA... They have Chocolate Too!

You will Need:
1 Cup of sugar
1 cup of brown sugar
2 cups of flour
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 cup of white chocolate chips
1 3/4 cup of oatmeal I use quick.. but regular would prob be better
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp. of pure vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of unsalted butter (softened)
1 tsp baking soda
1 Cup of Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
Here is what you do:
Preheat your oven to 350
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (they have really cool pop up sheets now.. so they stay down)
Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and salt
In another bowl cream together... butter, sugar and brown sugar
next add your pumpkin egg and vanilla.
Then you will add this mixture to your dry mixture... mix well
Then add your oatmeal and chocolate chips... continue to mix
Batter will be moist....Use an Ice cream scoop and drop onto your cookie sheet
Bake for 15 min or until the edges are lightly browned... DON"T over cook... they may seem soft but as they cool they will firm up ... this will keep the moist ...
Store in a plastic container .

Ranch Potatoes

8 -10 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 1/4 cups milk
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
salt and pepper
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Add the potatoes to a saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cook about 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender; drain. Place drained potatoes into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish.
In a bowl, mix together the soup, milk, salad dressing mix, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper to taste; pour over potatoes. Sprinkle crumbled bacon and the remaining cheese over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender