FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

(From Paula Dean)

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

VEGGIE LASAGNE, NOODLES INCLUDED

(I haven't tried this yet...but last time I made lasagna without a recipe it was sooooo gross, so I'll try using this one.)
This recipe makes one large lasagna (9 by 13 inches) or two smaller ones (8 by 8). For the perfect make-ahead meal, prepare two; bake one now, and freeze the other for later.

Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 8
4 cups (32 ounces) whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
Salt and fresh ground pepper
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess moisture
6 cups store-bought or homemade tomato sauce
12 no-boil lasagna noodles (8 ounces)
1 pound fontina cheese (4 cups), shredded
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add spinach, and stir well to combine.
Spread a small bit of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish or dishes. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles on top. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by 1/3 of the remaining sauce; sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat to make two more layers, ending with cheese. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Before baking, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.

Pasta Free Veggie Lasagna

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound (or 1 ½ pounds) firm tofu, tempe or vegetarian Italian style sausage (torn or broken into bite-sized pieces)
1 zucchini or yellow squash, grated (optional)
2 carrots, grated (optional)
1/2 cup to a cup of fresh or frozen chopped spinach (drained if you have time) (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup grated low fat Italian style cheese
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

Lasagna noodles or 1 large eggplant (purple), peeled and sliced into circles, about 1/8 inch thick or 3-4 zucchini sliced into thin, long strips.

I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten’s turkey lasagna, when I wanted a good comfort food dish that was good for you that I could eat all week.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

If you're going to do not use lasagna noodles (or only use 1/2 of the noodles):

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the baking sheet with pam and layer the eggplant or zucchini. (it’s ok if they overlap). Spray the tops with pam and bake for 10 min or until golden brown on some edges.

If you're going to use some lasagna noodles:

Fill a bowl or pan with hot tap water. Soak the lasagna noodles for about 20 minutes to soften. (Usually I do a layer of noodles on the bottom of the lasagna, a layer of veggie "noodles" and then top with a layer of lasagna noodles. I'll need about 6-8 lasagna noodles to do this in a rectangular casserole pan.)

Main Recipe:
Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the tofu, tempe, or sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, until slightly browned or heated through. If using, add the zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and spinach and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1/2 -3/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of grated cheese (I leave this out sometimes), the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the eggplant, a small handful of grated cheese, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the eggplant, a handful of grated cheese, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Swaps: For meat eaters you can make this with ground chicken, turkey, or italian style sausage, taken out of the casing. After you cook the onions, add the meat to the pan and cook until done, about 8-10 min. Then add the tomatoes, etc. (If I'm using ground chicken or turkey, I add about a tablespoon of McCormick grill seasoning, or just salt, pepper and whatever spices sound good at the time.) You don’t have to use a whole can of tomato paste, I’ve been short and only added a few teaspoons and it’s fine.

Sometimes I leave the grated cheese out of the layers and only use it to top the lasagna, if I’m cutting back.

Wheat Berries with Vegetables

This is a great recipe to make and have a great veggie side dish, or omelet filling to use all week. I like to make the wheat berries separately and add them to the veggies when I eat them, so if I ate more carbs during the day I can cut back here. I also leave out the onions and garlic and I really like it--nice and light and really colorful and pretty dish.

Serves 8 to 10 as a side dish.
1 cup wheat berries
1 quart water
1 small head broccoli (about 15 ounces), trimmed and cut into florets (I use frozen)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (optional)
One 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano or a teaspoon of dried
1 large yellow zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces OR 1 acorn squash
1/2 coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400.
If using, slice the acron squash into wedges and spray lightly with pam. Place in a baking sheet, cover with foil and roast for 15-20 min until soft.

Place wheat berries in a small stockpot over high heat. Add the water. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until tender, at least 40 minutes. Drain; set aside.

Steam the broccoli, once bright green and tender sprinkle with cold water and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Raise heat to medium, and add the tomatoes, oregano, zucchini, eggplant, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 15 minutes. Add the broccoli, acorn squash (if using) and wheat berries, and continue to cook until broccoli and wheat berries are heated through, about 3 minutes more. Serve.

LIME MELTAWAYS

The dough can be stored in logs in the freezer for up to two months.
And baked cookies can store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.


Makes about 10 dozen

* 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* Grated zest of 2 limes
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
* 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 3/4 cups , plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add lime zest, juice, and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined.
3. Between two 8-by-12-inch pieces of parchment paper, roll dough into two 1 1/4-inch-diameter logs. Chill at least 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Remove parchment from logs; slice dough into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart.
5. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, place cookies in the sugar-filled bag; toss to coat. Bake or freeze remaining dough.