parmesan – Page 2 – The Pajama Chef

SRC: Mini Egg Quiches

April 19, 2015December 14, 2015 Sarah

These adorable mini egg quiches are easy to make and full of great flavor!

This month for SRC I was assigned to the fun blog, Living the Gourmet. This blog was started by Catherine in order to pass recipes down to her children. Aww! Her daughter, Tammy, contributes recipes and son Michael does reviews and interviews for the blog. It’s truly a family affair! When I was looking through the archives, I found several tempting choices, including Feta and Jalapeno Corn Muffins, French Apple Tart, and these Mini Egg Quiches! Obviously… quiche won. 🙂

These quiche are much easier to make than the traditional variety. The “crust” is merely sandwich bread. SO smart! And the filling is totally customizable, as all good egg/quiche dishes should be. Here I stuck with Catherine’s suggestions: Parmesan, sundried tomato, garlic, and herbs. I also threw in some spinach for good measure. Ben and I enjoyed these for a light dinner with smoothies, but I think they’d also be fantastic for brunch, breakfast, or even a snack. They’re portable, tasty, and cute! What more could you ask for? Enjoy!

Mini Egg Quiches

Servings: 10 mini quiches
Time: 35 minutes
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from Living the Gourmet

Ingredients:

5-6 slices soft bread, edges trimmed [I used oatmeal bread]
4 eggs
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped [I used the dried ones from Trader Joe’s]
1/4 cup spinach, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
2 scallions, diced
1 teaspoon dried parsley [I used dill]
1/2 teaspoon baking powder [I accidentally left this out and they were fine]
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Grease 10 wells of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Flatten bread with a rolling pin or your hands, then press it into the muffin wells, using about 1/2 of a slice for each. Bake the bread for 5-7 minutes, until just crisp. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. Fold in tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan, sour cream, garlic, scallions, parsley, baking powder, and pepper.

Divide the egg batter between the muffin wells. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set.

To see what my other Secret Recipe Club pals made this month, check out the links below!

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Zucchini and Yellow Squash Lasagna Rollups

April 16, 2015April 15, 2015 Sarah

Need a fun twist on regular lasagna? Try this zucchini and yellow squash stuffed variety! It’s easy and cheesy and full of all kinds of yum.

I don’t know about you but I know that zucchini and yellow squash are going to start invading my life in the next couple of months. I don’t know tons of people in Nashville with gardens [no offense Southerners, but midwest gardens>southern gardens ANY DAY. Same goes for farmer’s markets but that’s a whole ‘nother story.]. Back in the days of Indiana living, we knew tons of people with gardens and I could hardly go anywhere without being given zucchini and squash for free. Even at the farmer’s market. It was like, buy 1 get 24820 free. No joke. So I’ve got to start getting my recipes ready NOW. Even though I’m in the south, I know squash season is a-comin’.

I actually made these Zucchini and Yellow Squash Lasagna Rollups LAST summer but never got around to sharing them. Oh well, here they come! I know I’ll be making them several times throughout the summer. I don’t usually mind turning on my oven on a hot day if I know something tasty will come out of it. These lasagna rollups are quite a treat, and are so fun to eat. They use three kinds of cheese [creamy ricotta, sharp Parmesan, and mild mozzarella] so there’s something for everyone! For me, they’re a great way to use up yellow squash too. It’s not my favorite by itself, but when paired with something else I can handle it. Especially if there’s cheese! 🙂 I hope you enjoy this great meatless meal!

one year ago: White Chocolate Snack Mix
two years ago: Pork Chops with Quinoa, Kale, and Blood Orange
three years ago: Best Burrito Bowls Ever
four years ago: Sausage Apple Egg Strata

Zucchini and Yellow Squash Lasagna Rollups

Servings: 4
Time: 50 minutes
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from Skinnytaste

Ingredients:

2 cups marinara sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
1 medium yellow squash, grated and squeezed dry
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup + 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
freshly ground black pepper
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and cooled
1/2-1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 pan and spread about 1 cup of sauce in bottom of pan.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add zucchini and squash and saute for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.

Then, in a large bowl, stir together ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and pepper. Fold in veggies until combined.

Lay the lasagna noodles down on a clean countertop, patting dry with a dish towel as needed. Spread 1/3 cup of veggie mixture over the entire surface of the noodle. Gently roll and place seam-side down in the prepared pan. Repeat until all noodles and veggie mixture are gone.

Divide remaining sauce over top of lasagna rollups, then sprinkle with cheese.

Cover dish with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes, until heated through and cheese on top is melted.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Reviews, Salads, Sides, Vegetables

#TripleSBites: Caesar Salad with Fried Chickpeas

February 2, 2015February 2, 2015 Sarah

This caesar salad, made with tender spring mix and hearty kale, is full of flavor and spice! A perfect starter to any meal.

Welcome to #TripleSBites! For the next week, I’ll be sharing some fun, romantic recipes. Now, my definition of romantic might be a little nontraditional, but my husband LOVED every recipe I’m sharing so that works for me. 🙂 For more details about this week, and to enter the giveaway, go here now!

To start things off, I thought I’d share a salad. Salads have a reputation of being a boring way to eat veggies, especially if they are just a side salad. They don’t have to be boring though! I think it’s all in the toppings and dressing! To set the stage for this caesar salad, I made a fresh dressing that is just out of this world… just lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, and some seasoning. Simple and fresh, just how I like it. [The recipe is from Melissa D’Arabian’s new cookbook so you know it has to be good!!] After tossing the dressing with my greens of choice [this time, spring mix and kale], I added the star of the show: fried chickpeas. [And gigantic shreds of parmesan cheese. Ben was in charge of that, haha. :)]

Now, for these fried chickpeas I used one of our sponsor products: Acala Farms Chili Cumin Oil. This oil is awesome! It’s an infused cottonseed oil and is slightly spicy, so it gives a great flavor to those chickpeas as you fry them up in a skillet. I also seasoned them with dried parsley so they’d look a little prettier and to cut that spice a bit. Acala Farms also sent me a Cilantro Oil to try and I can’t wait to play around with that! If you don’t have time to fry up some chickpeas as a salad topper, did you know that you can buy crispy chickpeas that are kinda sorta the same thing?!? Another #TripleSBites sponsor is 2 Armadillos [what a fun name, btw!] and they make all sorts of flavored crispy chickpeas: rosemary, spicy cayenne, tomato basil, and cinnamon toast. So far, rosemary is my fave but I haven’t tried cinnamon toast yet so we will see! They’re perfect for a snack or to put on salad. I’m wondering about trying to bake with them too… as a crust or in granola or something?! Hmmmm… Since the package arrived the other night I just want to snack on them all. the. time! Who would’ve guessed chickpeas would be so tasty?! I truly loved the oil and the chickpeas, and don’t want my blog to read like an ad but simply must say… you need to try these products! I love buying from small businesses and really appreciate how the internet has made purchasing from smaller companies SO much easier. Hope you check them out! 2 Armadillos is on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Acala Farms can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks to these great sponsors!

Well, that’s all I have today but be sure to come back later this week for more #TripleSBites recipes, and check out the linkup below for more recipes from other #TripleSBites gals! Happy Monday!

one year ago: Chili Relleno Casserole
two years ago: Baked Jalapeno Popper Ranch Dip
three years ago: Fried Eggs on Pesto-Parmesan Toast
four years ago: Mini Meatloaf

Caesar Salad with Fried Chickpeas

Servings: 2
Time: 20 minutes
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dressing recipe from Supermarket Healthy by Melissa D’Arabian

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Acala Farms Chili Cumin Oil
15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
4 cups lettuce, kale, or spinach [I used half spring mix and half kale]
shaved parmesan

for dressing

juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add chickpeas [make sure they are dry!]. Season with parsley and fry for 10-12 minutes, tossing occasionally and allowing all sides to get browned.

Meanwhile, prepare dressing. Whisk together lemon juice, dijon, and garlic. While whisking, pour in 1 tablespoon oil. Season with red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add extra oil and/or water to thin as necessary.

Toss dressing with lettuce. Serve with shaved parmesan and fried chickpeas.

Check out these other yummy #TripleSBites recipes!

Disclosure: I received some infused cottonseed oil from Acala Farms and some chickpea samples from 2 Armadillos as part of my participation in #TripleSBites. I was not compensated in any way–for my time, to create a recipe, or to publish positive comments. I was not required to use these products as part of my recipe. My opinions are my own.

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Skinny Lasagna

January 23, 2015January 22, 2015 Sarah

Skinny lasagna… lot of flavor with a few substitutions to make a classic dish just a little healthier for the new year!

Lasagna is one of my favorite meals of all time! My mom’s lasagna is my go-to dish, but when Red Gold [an Indiana company… gotta support my home state, ya know!] contacted me to ask if I wanted to participate in their Lasagna Party this month I jumped at the chance. Lasagna is so good, how could I say no?!? 🙂 The Red Gold Simple Gourmet Lasagna Party runs through February 3rd on their Facebook page. Be sure to enter for a chance to win one of 750 aprons or 6 gourmet lasagna party prizes [that include a Le Creuset Lasagna pan! How fun!]. The fabulous folks at Red Gold sent me a fun package with a selection of canned tomatoes, lasagna noodles, a Laura’s Beef coupon and apron, and some recipes to try out.

I made this lasagna a couple weekends ago, on a Saturday morning before I did a long run. Psssssst! Did I tell you guys that I’m marathon training?!? #5, in Nashville! Woohoo. 🙂 It’ll be fun to do a marathon in my new city! Anyways, this lasagna was SO delicious. Using Italian seasoning, as simple as it sounds, along with tomatoes that have already been seasoned with basil, garlic, and oregano, made this dish SO flavorful. My only beef [ha ha ha] with this lasagna recipe was that it used a whole pound of lasagna noodles. I usually use just half a pound, so I thought it was very noodle-y and there was no way this would all fit in my pan. So I used two! [Ben’s idea. What a smartypants.] This lasagna was SO flavorful and delicious. PLUS it was really easy to make this sauce with just canned tomatoes and seasoning. I’ll definitely be using that trick more often. One less step to yummy lasagna! Hope you enjoy, and don’t forget to enter the contest! 🙂

one year ago: Broccoli Stuffed Loaded Potato Skins with Avocado Cream
two years ago: Lemon Cranberry Muffins
three years ago: Preparing Black Beans in the Oven
four years ago: Triple Chocolate Oat Cookies

Skinny Lasagna

Servings: 16
Time: 2 hours
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Ingredients

1/2 cup water
28 ounces Red Gold crushed tomatoes
2 – 14.5 ounce cans Red Gold diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, & oregano
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning – I used ~2 tablespoons of Gourmet Gardens Italian Herbs + 1 tablespoon crushed garlic instead
1 pound Laura’s Lean Beef or ground turkey
16 ounce traditional lasagna noodles, uncooked
15 ounces low fat cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to boil to cook the lasagna noodles to al dente. Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown ground beef or turkey. Cook noodles according to package instructions, then drain. Drain grease from meat when done.

In a large bowl, combine water, tomatoes, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir in cooked meat.

In a 9×13 baking dish, spread out 1 1/2 cups sauce. Top with 1/3 of noodles, overlapped. Top with 1/2 of the cottage cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup sauce. Repeat, then finish with remaining 1/3 of noodles and the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 60-90 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

I used an oval dish that usually can be subbed with a 9×13 pan but I had way too much so I made a mini lasagna in a 9×5 loaf pan. As I was typing up this recipe, I noticed that the original recipe does not call for cooking the noodles–just placing them in the pan uncooked. So you could try that too–probably cooking it for about 90 minutes instead of the 1 hour I did.

Next time I make this I will probably only use 8 ounces noodles. We felt it was too noodle-y but I usually only make lasagna with 1/2 a box of noodles so that’s just what we are used to.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary lasagna kit from Red Gold with all the tomatoes for this recipe, lasagna noodles, a Laura’s Lean Beef apron, a coupon for Laura’s Lean Beef, and 6 recipes. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Crockpot Minestrone Soup

December 12, 2014December 9, 2014 Sarah

An easy, flavorful minestrone soup that can be made in the crockpot. We love this soup on cold winter nights.

Growing up, I didn’t like soup at all. Minestrone soup was probably my least favorite of them all, with all its tiny vegetables, white beans, and floaty spinach. The pasta was the only good part!! And there never was enough of it. It’s not like my mom served soup all the time or anything. I just remember it being an option. A gross option. Fortunately, my tastes have matured a bit. Now, I LOVE soup. Love love love it. I frequently make a big batch on the weekend and freeze leftovers in individual containers to make the lunch packing chore easier.

In the winter, this is one of my favorite soups to make. I usually have all the ingredients on hand so making this hearty Italian in the crockpot is super simple. There are some ways to fancy it up though, if that’s your thing–you can saute the veggies, use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs, etc. But the classic crockpot cooking style of “toss it in and forget it” TOTALLY works for this recipe. The one deviation I take from that is cooking the pasta separately, to help it not soak up all the broth right away. That’s not too hard, is it? Hope not, because this is one delicious soup!! Enjoy!

two years ago: Cranberry Orange Pancakes with Cranberry Maple Syrup
four years ago: Eggless Cookie Dough

Crockpot Minestrone Soup

Servings: 8
Time: 6-8 hours
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adapted from Skinnytaste

Ingredients:

1 – 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups/48 ounces chicken or vegetable broth, reduced sodium if possible
1 small chopped onion
3 small diced carrots
3 stalks celery, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 – 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
Parmesan cheese rind, optional
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked small pasta like ditalini or small shells
1 – 10 ounce package frozen spinach, defrosted with liquid squeezed out
Parmesan cheese for garnishing

Directions:

Add beans, broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, basil, and rosemary to a large crockpot. Stir and add Parmesan cheese rind, if using. Set crockpot to cook on low for 6-8 hours.

An hour before you want to eat, bring a small pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add pasta to crock pot along with defrosted spinach. Stir, cover, and let crockpot cook for another 30 minutes or so to heat through.

Before serving, remove bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan!

Notes:

If desired, you can saute the onion, carrots, and celery before adding to the crockpot.
Fresh herbs can be used in place of dry herbs.
A thicker minestrone can be achieved by pureeing half the beans with 2 cups chicken broth.
The pasta absorbs the broth as it sits, so when you reheat it, you may have to add additional broth or water.
Soup reheats and freezes well!