Brainy Skillet Lasagna... with Ragu!

Have a taste for lasagna but don't have the time or patience to make it, then try skillet lasagna, you won't be disappointed. I prefer a 'ragu' (chunkier meat) sauce because it lays better on the large noodles.

Ragu sauce is one of the most popular and beloved sauces in Italy. It is made from tomatoes and ground or chopped meat cooked for a long time. For this Ragu dish you will need: 1 lb. quality beef stew meat (or ground beef if you prefer).  One large jar of either fresh jarred stewed tomatoes or canned, 3/4 cup of beef stock, one whole onion, 1 tbs garlic paste, 3 tbs of tomato paste and herbs: rosemary, oregano, and mint. And of course, ready to use lasagna noodle pasta.

To get started: gently saute the onion (chopped) along with garlic paste. Add your meat, if using stew meat make sure the chunks are small or not too big and brown the meat a bit before adding the stock. Let this simmer for about 25 min. making sure the liquid is yet covering the meat. You can add more stock if needed. Next, add the jarred tomatoes and 3 tbs of paste. Let this simmer for about 45 minutes until the beef is tender.

You can add the 'dry' pasta directly to the skillet as they will cook in the bubbling meat and tomato sauce. However, you can also boil the pasta separately and then add the boiled pasta to the skillet and serve. Its a lot quicker that way.  I don't add mozzarella cheese to this dish but of course you can. We prefer it served with grated Parmesan which is shaved and put on the table.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Asian Food with Lots of Flavor...

Asian flavor... what does that mean?"

Asian flavor usually refers to a combination of savory, aromatic and other ingredients such as: soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and chilies. 

Check out these Brainy Asian dishes for your dinner menu... 

[Type in the Search Box top left margin of this blog: Asian Pork, Asian Beef or Chicken]

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Chicken Enchilada Lasagna... Tex Mex Style!

Looking for a quick Sunday evening meal that's different but familiar... try this!

For this dish, you will need: corn or wheat flour tortillas, one store bought rotisserie chicken, salsa sauce, mozzarella and shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, chicken or beef stock and hot sauce.

To begin, layer this Tex Mex lasagna just as you would any lasagna. First, spread a hot spicy coat of olive oil onto a glass baking dish and then layer: first tortillas, shredded cheese, a quick splash here and there of chicken stock, pulled rotisserie chicken, salsa sauce... and again until the glass dish is to the brim with deliciousness. Lastly, top with more cheese and bake on 350 until golden brown. 

Garnish and eat as much as you want... with sour cream, diced tomatoes, cilantro and hot sauce!

~ Tutti a Tavola!

 

Bacon and Eggs for Dinner... Its Brainy!

Farm food... bacon and eggs can become an elegant dinner; served on the terrace... 

My daughter and son-in-law live in the country and have the wonderful pleasure of raising their own chickens, beef and pork. And, of course, parents are treated to their generosity. Eggs are one of the best basic food items to keep in the pantry (as you know farm fresh eggs don't need refrigeration). That's because they are full of protein, not as expensive as meat, easy to cook making eggs a fast and frugal food item.

When I make omelettes, I like to keep the omelette simple and have extra ingredients on the side. This keeps any veggie who want to add crisp and the omelette pure... also, its a good idea to do this in case any family member doesn't like green pepper, mushroom, asparagus or whatever else you like to have in your omelette.

Farm food... bacon and eggs can become an elegant dinner; served on the terrace. For today's meal, begin by sauteing fresh green asparagus with fresh green pepper, onion and mushrooms in olive oil and a dollop of fresh creamy butter.

Once, brown and tender, remove from the skillet and set aside. Add a bit more olive oil to the skillet and lay in your bacon. Fresh cured pork is so delicious, there is no store bought comparison. As the bacon browns and crisps up, set on top of the asparagus, mushrooms and green peppers. Drain off any excess bacon grease (in Poland they use this to make lard spread) and wipe out the skillet with a clean napkin. Drop in another dollop of butter and then pour into the hot skillet a mixture of whisked eggs (use as many eggs as you will need per person omelette) with 1/4 of heavy cream or more depending on number of eggs used (cover the bottom of the skillet only).  

Cover and let it bubble up, remove cover and check edges. If they lift of up easy shuffle your omelette in the skillet and cover again until you see most of the egg mixture solidifying in the middle, add a few slices of cheese and or grated Parmesan and cover again for a few seconds. Finally, remove the lid and turn over the omelette in half, slide onto a serving plate.  Put out the bacon and veggies as a side of extra ingredients.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Lamb Chops with Caramelized Onions and Molasses....

A Simple French Bistro dinner... Lamb chops with caramelized onions/garlic and molasses; and yes, you read it right, molasses. 

For this dish you will need: as many lamb chops as per person at the dinner table. Molasses, onion, garlic, sherry and Worcestershire sauce. As a garnish, and while searing the chops, use a few fresh sprigs of rosemary.

The side dish for this meat delight was au gratin potatoes. Now, to get started, marinate the chops in Worcestershire sauce. Then move on to the potatoes; wash, peel and slice thin to be layered in a glass baking dish drizzled with olive oil and dried herbs.

Once you have layered the potato slices to the brim of the dish, pour over the top 1/2 cup of chicken stock, 1/2 cup of milk and smooth over the top 4 tbs of mayonnaise. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and a pinch of salt. Bake at 375 until bubbling. Prior to serving, grate Swiss and smoked Gouda over the top, let crisp on top.

When the au gratin is nearly finished, chop one onion and 2 gloves of garlic. In a medium sz. skillet, saute in olive oil and a bit of sherry, and 1 tbs of molasses. Cook until caramelized. Push aside in the skillet and lay in the chops to sear on all sides.

Once seared, top with a quick pour of sherry to each chop. Bring back the sauteed onion and garlic and pour in 1/4 cup of soup stock (beef/turkey). Turn up the heat until it roars and then reduce the heat to cover while you make a leafy green salad.

The flavor is absolutely delicious!

 ~ Tutti a Tavola

Brainy Farm Chicken and Dumplings....

Farm life means steaming hot comfort food.This dish can be done in one single skillet or old fashioned cast iron French oven 'on the stove' in no time at all.

You need to have chicken pieces: legs,and thighs are best with bone in and skin on. Take from your pantry: one onion, 1 quart chicken stock, flour, milk and one egg.

Begin by browning one chopped onion in 3 tbs of olive oil in your covered skillet/cast iron pot on med heat. Once the onion is browned on the edges, add your chicken pieces. Season using generously: rosemary and oregano, pinch of sea salt and a dash of garlic powder. Cook the chicken on med heat until all sides have browned nicely.

Next, you will need to add 1 and a half cup of chicken stock. Cover and let simmer for 30-40 min. on low heat until chicken is nearly falling off the bone. In the meantime, prepare your dumplings: mix 2 cups of milk with 1 and 1/2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, and one egg.  The consistency of the dumpling dough should be sticky but not too thick.

Just before you drop in your dumplings, add 1/2 cup more of chicken stock to the skillet with chicken. Turn up the heat on the chicken so that it is bubbling in the skillet. Now, drop in the dumpling mixture and cover to let them grow up into dense clouds of yummy deliciousness.

Test them to make sure that they are completely cooked through, they should not be gooey. If the are cooked through, then ladle all that goodness onto a large serving plate along with pieces of the cooked chicken. There should be some gravy left in the skillet... pour into a gravy boat and on the table. 


~ Tutti a Tavola!

... Yummy for sure!

Brainy Bavarian "Spring' Stuffed Mushrooms with Ravioli...

The Piedmont region is a very mountainous region in Italy where hunting and fishing are commonplace. Mushrooms can be gathered in the Spring as well as Fall.There are a plethora of mushrooms to pick from and now is the time for Morels. 

Tonight, I am serving stuffed mushrooms with mushroom filled ravioli. This recipe is truly delicious way to enjoy mushrooms. The bigger the size of the mushroom, the easier to stuff. The large 'palm size' Bavarian mushroom is easy to stuff even with finely ground morels. 

For widely preferred mushroom stuffing, use a mixture of finely ground beef and or seasoned ground pork; in fact, a mild breakfast sausage will work. Or you can use only pork if you prefer. Next, wash your mushrooms and remove the stem. 

Press a small amount of meat into the dark side or gill side of the mushroom...depending on the size of your mushrooms. Prepare your skillet with olive oil and fresh dried herbs for sauteing the stuffed mushrooms, meat side down. 

Let them sizzle for 5-6 min. on a high heat, then reduce heat to med and cover. After 5 min, flip them over gently and add 3/4 cup of heavy cream. Cover again and simmer for 8 min on low heat.  In the meantime, prepare water to boil the ravioli (which can also be stuffed with mushrooms). 

Set the table and get ready to serve. Ladle the ravioli onto a low lipped serving plate, spoon the stuffed mushrooms onto the plate 'here and there' and pour out the sauce. Garnish with fresh green parsley.

~ Tutti a Tavola!