lizzycooks 3-Cheese Lasagna

I recently started making lasagna after a long while. This recipe makes one 13x9" pan (or two 8x8" pans) of hearty, delicious, and cheesy lasagna. And, you don't have to boil the noodles because the sauce cooks them. I didn't believe it at first, either. You can use the ready-to-bake noodles or regular. 

First step, make this recipe for lizzycooks Italian red sauce. You can make it a day or two beforehand and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the lasagna.

32 oz part-skim ricotta cheese

2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup reserved)

1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup reserved)

2-3 eggs

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced 

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

9-12 lasagna noodles

Mix up the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to create the cheese mixture. Preheat the oven to 375.

Layer a 13x9" pan with enough red sauce to cover the bottom, then add a layer (3 pieces) of the uncooked lasagna noodles, and then add a layer of the cheese mixture. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Repeat layering two-three more times and end with a layer of sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. 

Put a piece of parchment paper over the lasagna and then cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and parchment paper and let lasagna cook for 15 more minutes. Broil for 3-4 minutes on high to brown the cheese and make it all luscious and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving so it can set a bit. 

Serve with red or white wine or sparkling cider, garlic bread and a simple salad. Or, enjoy a piece for breakfast--it's good cold, too.

lizzycooks Italian Red Sauce

This beautiful red sauce goes well with lasagna, manicotti, and chicken or eggplant parmesan. I've been making and improving my meatless red sauce for years and this is the 2022 version. This is the sauce I use with my 3-Cheese Lasagna recipe. This sauce recipe makes enough for a 13x9 pan of lasagna. Any leftover sauce can be stashed in the freezer for your next bake. Bon Appetit!

      

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped 

1 28 oz can tomato sauce

2 14.5 oz cans organic crushed tomatoes

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed

2 teaspoons Kosher salt 

2 teaspoons sugar

Crushed red pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1 cup water

Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat up for a
minute or two. Add the garlic and onion. You want them to sizzle when they hit the pan. Stir until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste, stir well. Add the Italian seasoning, oregano, thyme, fennel seed, salt, sugar, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf. Stir it all together until the spices are blended in. Add the water and stir again. Continue to simmer the sauce on low for another couple of hours, stirring occasionally. Remember to take the bay leaf out when the sauce is done!

lizzycooks Slightly Spicy Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These crunchy, delicious wraps are served cold and full of flavor. There was leftover grilled chicken in the house which was perfect for this recipe and the reason I put it together. A small bounty of lettuce was ready to harvest and all of the Asian-inspired sauce ingredients were present, so lunch was created. Three parts here: chicken, lettuce, sauce, and the sauce measurements below are estimates. 

Homegrown "salad bowl" lettuce was used for this recipe but other types will also work. It was tough to get a photo of the rolled up wraps as it gets kinda messy once you pick one up. Next time I'll get a better shot and try out a different type of lettuce.

1/2-2 cups grilled chicken breast, chopped fine (another option is tofu)

1 medium red onion, chopped fine

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon chili paste

1/2 teaspoon dried ginger

8 lettuce leaves, good for wrapping

Mix together the chicken, onion, garlic, and cilantro in a medium bowl and put in the fridge. Whisk sauce ingredients (8) until all ingredients are dissolved. Put in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavors can get together. Wash the lettuce and refrigerate.

Remove everything from the fridge, grab a leaf of lettuce, and put some of the chicken mixture on top. Give the sauce another quick whisk, add some to the top, and roll it up. Another option is to mix together the sauce and chicken mixture before putting it on the lettuce. 

lizzycooks Greek Pasta Salad

I invented this salad when I was in grad school. A little pasta goes a long way, and this recipe makes a large amount, about 7 cups. Sometimes I add red onion; there are many different ingredients you can add. You can also use different types of pasta for this cold pasta dish. 

1/2 box bow tie pasta
8 oz. feta cheese
1 red bell pepper, chopped 

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil 
Kosher salt 

Cook and drain the pasta. Rinse with cold water and let drain again. If the phone rings and you don't get back to the pasta fairly soon, it will all be stuck together. Stay focused. (:

Put the cooked pasta into a large bowl. Crumble the feta over the pasta and add the bell pepper. Give it a mix. Add red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt. Mix again and put in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavors can blend. Goes great with fresh bread, sandwiches, or as a meal itself. 

lizzycooks Bruschetta

There are so many options for bruschetta toppings. And I should say my measurements are estimates. Bruschetta makes a great side but it can also hold its own as a satisfying entree. It is delicious and flavorful and the moisture of the tomato mixture with the crunch of the bread is a really nice combo. You could swap out the parsley for basil. For an extra special taste sensation, drizzle balsamic glaze over the bruschetta after you plate it. Pour a glass of wine and you're all set!

2 tomatoes, chopped 
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

baguette, cut into thin slices
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Grab a small bowl and throw in the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Stir and set aside.

Put the baguette slices on a foil covered baking sheet and brush olive oil on one side of the bread. Broil, and speaking from experience--keep a close eye on the bread, for a few minutes on one side until golden brown. Remove from oven and spoon the tomato mixture over the baguette slices.

lizzycooks Italian Beef Sandwiches

Growing up in the Chicago area these sandwiches were called "beefs" or "Italian beefs". Tasty, juicy, beef sandwiches on a sturdy roll with sweet or hot peppers. I worked at a Portillo's restaurant in Villa Park where they served these beefs, mild or hot, and this exposure influenced my love for this delicious hot sandwich. Some people ordered their beefs completely submerged in the beef juices. Small shops that sold beefs seemed to be everywhere in Chicagoland. Most sold hot dogs too. Memories of Portillo's, Al's, Poodle's...and there were so many others dotting the streets.

This simple recipe is one I've had for years and is comfort food in a crockpot. It will make your home smell absolutely wonderful. This recipe is easy to make and you'll end up with 6-8 beefs. 

3 lb boneless chuck roast
2 cups water
8 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

3 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

Sturdy bread rolls

Pepperoncini

Pour 2 cups of water into a crockpot. Trim any excess fat from the roast. Rub the garlic on both sides of the roast and sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Place the roast in the crockpot and cook on low for about 8 hours. Remove roast from the crockpot and place on a large platter. 

Shred the meat and place on sturdy bread rolls. Add juice to taste, to moisten the roll. This is called "beef, wet". Yum. Top with pepperonci, sweet or hot pepper slices, and serve with a side of pickled cucumbers. Grab the napkins.

Here's to Chi-town! Go Cubs!

Cheesy Roasted Broccoli with Panko

This delicious broccoli dish can be a side dish or a meal. 

2 cups broccoli, cut into 2" pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil

ground black pepper to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

Heat the oven to 450. Place broccoli on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Coat broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste. Mix the bread crumbs, cheese olive oil, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Roast broccoli at 450 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle Panko mixture over broccoli and roast for 15 more minutes. 

Potato Pancakes

I'd never made potato pancakes until today. I've had them in restaurants and always chose sour cream versus applesauce as my topping. This is a small batch recipe that made the 7 small (3") pancakes in the photo. 

1 large Yukon gold potato
1/2 large yellow onion
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons flour

Chives for garnish

Vegetable oil

Grate the potato and onion on the large holes of your grater into a medium bowl. Drain and squeeze out the liquid. Add the egg, salt, pepper and flour to the potato mixture. Stir together the ingredients until well blended. 

In a large pan, heat 1/4" of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. The oil needs to be just right or the potatoes won't cook enough or evenly, so be sure you let the oil heat up for a couple of minutes before adding the potatoes. 

Drop 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the pan and flatten with a spatula so the pancake is 1/2" thick. Cook until golden brown and flip once. This just takes a couple of minutes on each side, depending on your stove. Season with salt.

Dad's Garlic Sea Scallops

My dad cooks daily and is an excellent unofficial chef with a huge stack of recipes in his arsenal. From his collection of shellfish recipes comes this simple and delicious scallop dish. I used fresh/frozen Pacific Ocean sea scallops. Yum. So sweet. And did you know the pink ones are female? Yep. This dish is garlicky with 2 cloves of garlic and you could add more. The parsley used was homegrown, which makes every recipe a little better.

6 large sea scallops

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons butter
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and dry the scallops.

Melt half the butter in a sauté pan and sauté the scallops over medium to medium-high heat, turning once, until tender (do not overcook). Approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Season to taste and set aside.

Pour out the butter and wipe the pan clean. Add the remaining butter and sauté the garlic and parsley. Return the scallops to the pan and mix with the garlic and parsley. Serve immediately. You could also pour the butter mixture over the scallops as seen in the photo above. Season with salt and pepper. Lemon also goes well with scallops but I don't always use it.

Cook’s Note: The scallops can be served on a bed of sautéed julienned vegetables (e.g. zucchini, squash, cabbage, carrots).

Garlic Lovers Tzatziki

Following my experience with some excellent tzatziki at a local food truck recently, I was craving a thicker and creamier version and mixed this up today. I'll continue to play around with the amounts of sour cream and yogurt in future recipes. This recipe uses low-fat sour cream and yogurt instead of yogurt only. Next time I make it I'll add more sour cream and reduce the amount of yogurt.  You can find my recipe for another version of tzatziki here. 

Good news--you don't need to peel or seed the cucumber! 

1 1/4 cups cucumber, grated and drained (1 medium cucumber)

1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Grate the cucumber and let it drain in a strainer. Squeeze the water out or the tzatziki will be too watery. Mix up all the ingredients and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. Serve with toasted pita bread triangles and bite-sized veggies. Tzatziki also goes well with crackers and gyros sandwiches.