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.

LEMON TASSIES

Easy to make and charming in appearance, lemon tassies are an ideal dinner-party dessert. The name of these tart treats is derived from the Scottish word for "a small cup."

Lemon Tassies
Makes 24

For the crusts:
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus more for pans
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Pinch of salt

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Candied Lemon Peel (recipe follows)
1. Make the crusts: Preheat the oven to 350° with rack in upper third. Lightly butter one twenty-four-cup mini-muffin pan; set aside.

2. In a food processor fitted with steel blade, combine the flour and butter. Pulse until mixture is the consistency of fine crumbs. Add the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Process until evenly incorporated and smooth; do not overprocess.

3. Divide the dough into quarters. Divide each quarter into six equal pieces. Shape into balls. Place each ball in a muffin cup; press down in the centers so that the dough fits the cups snugly. Set muffin pan on a baking sheet.

4. Bake until lightly browned all over and slightly darker at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer baking sheet with muffin pan to a wire rack to cool.

5. Make the filling: In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla until completely smooth. Using a 1/4-ounce ice-cream scoop, fill the cooled crusts.

6. Bake until filling is set and just beginning to color at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer muffin pan to a wire rack. Garnish with candied lemon peel. Let cool completely before serving. The tassies may be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Candied Lemon Zest

2 lemons, well scrubbed
1 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup cool water

1. Remove zest from lemons with a vegetable peeler, keeping pieces long. Remove white pith using a paring knife, and finely julienne using a very sharp knife. Place julienned zest in a small bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes; drain.

2. Bring sugar and the cool water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When sugar is completely dissolved, add julienned zest, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand overnight. Remove zest, and drain on wire rack. Roll in sugar. Dry on wire rack. Store zest in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

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.