Easy Lasagna.

I drove home tonight, thinking about what I had in the pantry and freezer, knowing that I had no interest in stopping at the grocery store as the temperatures plunged to single digits.  The following recipe for easy lasagna is what resulted - and I must say that it turned out quite well - and if the four servings that my oldest ate were any indication, there was agreement around the table that this is a recipe worth keeping.

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 T fresh basil, chopped
• 1 T fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 6 fresh, uncooked lasagna noodles (large enough that two cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook ground beef with basil, parsley, and garlic until no pink remains.  Stir in tomato sauce and tomatoes.  Cook for 5 minutes over low heat.  Spread 1/2 the jar of spaghetti sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan.  Place two noodles over sauce.  Spread half the meat/tomato mixture on the noodles.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese over meat. Cover with two more noodles.  Spread the remaining meat mixture over noodles, and sprinkle another 3/4 cup of cheese. Place last two noodles on top of meat, cover with remaining spaghetti sauce, and sprinkle last 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Flatbread #2: Heirloom Tomato & Blackberry

It has been a busy Spring, although I'm no longer convinced that there is a time of the year that is less busy than another.  The only exception in my life might be the 7 days in March when no one in my family is in the pool - and the irony then is that we don't know what to do with the time and end up eating dinner at 8:30PM anyway.  That just goes to show that I have the appropriate target for my meals:  the whole premise of my life in the kitchen is to create meals that are healthy, flavorful, and fast.  I've made three versions of flatbread in the last week and all three fit my criteria.  The blackberries MAKE this recipe.  I'll add goat cheese and a balsamic drizzle next time.

• Thin pizza crust or flatbread (pre-baked)
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• handful of basil leaves, julienned
• 2 or 3 heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
• fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees or according to your crust directions.  Drizzle olive oil on crust; sprinkle garlic on and use a spatula to spread garlic and oil all over crust.  Sprinkle Parmesan in thin layer on crust.  Spread tomatoes across crust; avoid overlapping as much as possible.  Top with blackberries and basil.  Sprinkle another thin Parmesan layer over everything.  Bake 6 to 7 minutes, until cheese is melted and starting to brown.

White Bean & Chicken Chili.

If you've tried my "regular" chili recipe, you know that I like my chili chunky. This white bean & chicken version is no different. And, like my more traditional recipe, this can be made in 30 to 40 minutes, start to finish.  I like my bowl of chili without added toppings, but the possibilities are endless: choose green onions, sour cream, cheese, salsa, lime juice or your own favorites.  My biggest eater - and true foodie at age 15 - loved his with sour cream and shredded cheese on top. He proclaimed that it tasted like "a warm burrito in a bowl."  The recipe below will feed a crowd, with leftovers.

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 pounds frozen chicken breast strips
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large leeks, white & light green parts sliced
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3 cans cannellini beans, drained
• 3 cans diced tomatoes with mild chilis
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil in dutch oven.  Add frozen chicken strips and garlic and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently.  Add leeks, chicken broth, salt & pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat; simmer for 5-7 minutes. Using tongs and kitchen shears, lift chicken strips from broth and cut into bite-sized pieces, returning chicken to broth as it is cut. Add beans and tomatoes. Stir. Return to simmer and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro; cook 5 more minutes and serve.

Easy Bruschetta.

My family loves bruschetta and I love the ease of this recipe! While many recipes call for blanching tomatoes as a first step, I prefer to use uncooked, diced fresh tomatoes for my bruschetta.  This is a simple recipe that can be adapted to your taste.  The better quality your balsamic vinegar, the better this will be!

• 8 tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 8-12 basil leaves, sliced into thin strips
• salt & pepper
• baguette, thinly sliced

Gently toss tomatoes and garlic.  Stir in oil & vinegar.  Toss basil and add salt & pepper to taste, if desired.  Spoon tomato mixture on baguette slices and enjoy!

Easy Weeknight Pasta.

This was one of those nights when we got home late from swim practice and needed to eat. And when I say eat, I mostly mean inhale large quantities of food. On school nights, dinner is typically no earlier than 8:45PM, with two hungry swimmers ready to devour whatever crosses their plates.  When they start eating off my cutting board or snitching from the pan, I'm told, "the more I eat now, the less I eat later," which is true, but it makes recipe completion a challenge! This was a meal that I needed to put together quickly with what I had on hand. The result was a healthy pasta dish that was a good balance of flavor and texture. I do get lucky sometimes. And yes, they inhaled it all.

• 1 box whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans (more is fine!)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• 1 box cherry tomatoes, halved
• a few fresh basil leaves, chopped
• salt & pepper
• balsamic vinegar

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. With 5 to 6 minutes remaining for pasta to cook, add lima beans and minced garlic to boiling pasta.  When pasta is cooked, drain in colander and return to pan.  Add onion & tomatoes and toss gently.  Serve in bowls, adding some chopped basil, a sprinkle of salt & pepper, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to each serving. Inhale.

Chili with Ground Beef and Vegetables.

Cooler weather brings out my soup pots.  I love homemade soups of all kinds and find that making a big batch of soup and some fresh bread quickly brings my family to the table!  This recipe is for a simple chili, made with a combination of fresh and canned ingredients. When using canned ingredients, it's important to pay attention to quality; I use the most whole canned ingredients I can find, with the fewest bonus ingredients possible.

• 1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 6 stalks celery, sliced crosswise
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can light red kidney beans
• 2 can diced tomatoes
• dried seasonings: garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, parsley

Brown ground beef (or turkey) in dutch oven or large soup pot.  Add onion and celery and cook until tender.  Stir in beans and tomatoes. Season to taste. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Enjoy with crusty bread and fresh fruit.

Turkey Sausage, Beans & Vegetables.

This is a quick and easy dish to prepare on a chilly night. Served with fresh bread and some crisp apple slices, this is a filling and healthy meal!

• 1 package of lean turkey Italian sausage or bratwurst, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bag prewashed spinach
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed

Cook sausage and sliced onion over medium heat until sausage is cooked through.  Stir in beans and cook for five minutes over medium heat, until beans are heated through.  Add spinach and whole tomatoes. Gently stir in. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook five more minutes, until spinach is wilted and tomatoes begin to split open.