Good eats!

I absolutely love trying new recipes!  Last night I had the pleasure of trying yet another new recipe courtesy of Dairy Goodness.  Up on the menu was Lazy Lasagna in a bowl.  When Beatrice sent me the email with the new recipes this was on there and immediately caught my eye.  Boys and girls… this recipe did NOT disappoint!

Lazy Lasagna in a Bowl

1 lb (500 g) mild or hot Italian sausages or bulk sausage meat (I had a brainfart and went to the deli looking for sausages, so instead I used pepperoni & the leftover sliced Summer Sausage from yesterdays’ Pizza submarine recipe.)

1 tbsp (15 mL) butter

1 pkg (8 oz/250 g) button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 zucchini (about 12 oz/375 g total), chopped

1 tsp (5 mL) dried Italian herb seasoning

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes

1 tbsp (15 mL) all purpose flour

1 cup (250 mL) 10% half-and-half cream

2 cups (500 mL) water

¾ cup (175 mL) baby shell pasta (I used linguini because it’s just what I had at home.)

Salt (optional)

¾ cup (175 mL) shredded Canadian Mozzarella or Provolone cheese

Instructions

1. Remove sausage meat from casings and crumble into large deep pot. Place pot over medium-high heat and cook breaking up meat with a spoon for about 5 min or until no longer pink. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat into a bowl; discarding any fat left in the pot.
2. Return pot to medium-high heat and add butter, mushrooms, zucchini and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring for about 8 min or until no liquid remains from mushroom mixture. Return meat with any accumulated juices to pot and add tomatoes.
3. Whisk flour into cream and add to pot along with the water and pasta. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 min or until pasta is tender but firm. Season to taste with salt (if using).
4. Divide cheese among soup bowls and ladle soup over top to melt cheese.

My sauce was a little lighter than the picture on the Dairy Goodness website but it was still oh-so flavorful!  The batch made enough for 4 servings so Dave & I had it for lunch today… it tasted even better than last night!

Tonight wasn’t anything special – I whipped up a chicken stirfry with Quinoa.  The first time I cooked with Quinoa I was worried Dave wouldn’t like it – he’s very much a “I don’t like anything weird looking” and a “texture” man.  Thankfully he actually enjoys it so I’ve been using Quinoa in many of our meals! 

Into the stirfry:

Sliced chicken breast, seasoned with Epicure Herb & Garlic spice

1/2 Yellow Pepper

1/4 Diced Onion

Frozen Cauliflower & Broccoli

A couple shrimp

Et voila:

And to top it off I enjoyed a nice glass of cheapy cheapy vino:

Thanks again, Beatrice, for introducing me to these delicious recipes!