Easy weeknight meals: From pasta to couscous

This week we celebrate starches. (Don't we always?) Ideas for what to serve with noodles, rice, potatoes and couscous.

Monday:  With noodles
Go meatless tonight with Mediterranean Spinach and Pasta. While 8 ounces of spaghetti or fettuccine are cooking, saute diced onion and chopped garlic in olive oil. Add red pepper flakes. Stir in 1 bag of baby spinach leaves and a can of undrained kidney beans. Let spinach wilt, add drained pasta and some grape tomatoes, a handful or two of feta cheese and fresh, chopped parsley. Heat through.

Tuesday: With rice
Pan-Seared Scallops and Scallion Rice is quick and easy for a weeknight. Start the rice first because the shellfish will take less than five minutes. Cook rice in vegetable broth and add chopped scallions toward the end. Sear the scallops in a bit of olive oil, basting with melted butter on each side as they cook. Squeeze lemon juice over scallops and serve with rice. Make a green veggie, too.

Wedesday:  With rotisserie chicken
Slice up the bird and serve it with Sauteed Broccoli Rabe. Broccoli rabe looks like skinny-stemmed broccoli but it’s actually a member of the turnip family. Strip off the little leaves (like you do broccoli) and saute the stocks in olive oil and garlic with a few shakes of red pepper flakes. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Crusty bread on the side.

Thursday: With potatoes
Hash Browns and Ham Casserole (recipe below) gets a head start from frozen hash browns, but you’ll need to make your own sauce. C’mon, you can do it.

Friday: With couscous
Grill or saute fish fillets and serve with Zucchini-Mint Couscous. Prepare couscous according to package instructions and make the accompaniment by sauteing diced zucchini and minced garlic in hot olive oil. Add a few shakes of cumin, diced fresh tomatoes and a handful of chopped fresh mint. Spoon sauce over couscous.

Hash Browns and Ham Casserole
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups diced ham
1 (24-ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs, optional
Over medium heat, melt butter in a large saucepan; add flour. Stir until smooth; add milk. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly; remove from heat and stir in cheese and mustard. Place half of the ham in a lightly greased casserole. Top ham with half of the hash brown potatoes and half of the cheese sauce mixture. Spoon spinach over the top. Repeat with the remaining ham, potatoes and sauce. Top with buttered bread crumbs if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 to 55 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Source: About.com

Easy weeknight meals: old-fashioned meatloaf to fast shrimp and grits

Have you run out of ides for dinner? Here are some suggestions to get you through this week ... and maybe next depending on how much you cook!

Monday:  Old-fashioned
A reader who called last week said she didn’t have a good meatloaf recipe so I am offering my Alton-Inspired Meatloaf (recipe below) in the hope she’ll see it and others will try it. The Food Network celeb recommends sauteeing the aromatics before adding to the mix. Sometimes I do that, sometimes I don’t, but it does make a delicious difference. I always serve meatloaf with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Always.

Tuesday: Veggie delight
Make a Quick Ratatouille by chopping a can of plum tomatoes and stewing them with diced zucchini, green, yellow or red pepper, eggplant, onion and dried Italian herbs. Add sliced kielbasa (optional, or add beans for vegetarian protein) and simmer until veggies are soft. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with French bread. Leftovers are delicious over rice or pasta.

Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken
California Barbecue Chicken Salad starts with shredded meat from a barbecued rotisserie chicken. Mix it with corn — canned or thawed frozen — and chopped, ripe avocado and diced red onion. Serve over lettuce with ranch dressing and crushed tortillas chips.

Thursday: Southern night
Fast Shrimp and Grits starts with inspiration by Bobby FLay and 6 slices chopped bacon, fried, drained and set aside. Make cheese grits according to directions on box. While grits cook, saute 1 pound peeled shrimp in the bacon grease with a cup of sliced scallions, the juice of 1 lemon and a handful of chopped parsley; season with salt if you’d like. Add back bacon bits. Pour grits into a shallow serving dish and scoop shrimp over the top. Serve with corn bread. (Photo above taken by me ... our dinner last Wednesday!)

Friday: Gone fishing
Make Lemon-Herb Fish Packets for the grill using whatever fillets look best to you at the market. Put fish on a layer of slices of lemon and onion and sprinkle on lemon pepper and dried or fresh herbs of your choice, then wrap foil tight and grill for about 15 minutes. Skewer grape tomatoes and zucchini brushed with olive oil and grill those, too. Rice pilaf on the side.

Alton-Inspired Meatloaf
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground chuck (see note)
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound ground sirloin
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Saute onion, garlic and celery in olive oil until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool.

Mix cooled sauteed vegetables with remaining ingredients. Using your hands, incorporate thoroughly. Form into a loaf shape and place in the middle of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce to 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Note: This is a basic meatloaf recipe made using suggestions from Alton Brown, host of Food Network’s Good Eats. Cooking it at a high temperature for 20 minutes gives the meat a crispier crust. The lamb provides a bolder flavor, but you can use all beef or a beef-pork combination.

Source: Janet K. Keeler, St. Petersburg Times

Easy dinner ideas: Weeknight meals of fish, black bean soup and rotisserie chicken

Here are some ideas for making dinner when you don't have time to make dinner. Your family will think you're a hero.

Monday: Get fishy
Baked Herbed Fish goes well with quick-cooking wild rice and roasted Brussels sprouts. To make the fish, put 2 pounds of firm, white fillets in a baking dish. Sprinkle with dried seasoning (such as Italian herbs), garlic powder, salt and pepper. Top with chopped onion and about 1/2 cup of white wine. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Tuesday: Oh beans
Black Bean Soup With Rice is a tasty meatless meal that can start with a few cans of your favorite black beans. Make a quick black bean soup by cooking 1 can of beans with 3/4 cup vegetable broth, 1 to 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 chopped onion and 1 teaspoon (or to taste) ground cumin. Simmer until onion has softened, about 15 minutes. Puree and serve with cooked rice and chopped onions. Hot, buttered Cuban  bread on the side.

Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken
The Philly cheesesteak gets flipped on its head by a rotisserie chicken for Chicken Cheesesteaks With Peppers (see recipe below). Okay, okay, there’s no Cheez Whiz either. Serve with potato salad.

Thursday: Stuff ’em
Chili Potatoes With Cheese can be made with canned chili or your own recipe. Split hot baked potatoes and ladle on the chili, then top with grated cheese and diced onions. Want to reduce the fat? Use meatless or turkey chili and go easy on the cheese.

Friday: Open face it
Make Crabby-Cheesy Melts by first mixing up a crab salad of canned crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, diced celery and a few shakes of Old Bay seasoning. Pile on split English muffins and top with Swiss cheese. Melt under the broiler. Serve with a mixed green salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Chicken Cheesesteaks With Peppers
2 to 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 mixed bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
4 soft hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
1/4 cup light mayonnaise

Heat broiler. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss together peppers, onion and garlic with vegetable oil. Broil, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to broiled vegetables; toss, and spread in a single layer.
Top chicken and vegetables with cheese; broil until cheese is bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scoop out most of the doughy center from both halves of rolls; discard. Spread rolls with mayonnaise; fill with chicken and vegetables. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food (October 2008)

 

Easy weeknight meals: Meatloaf, shrimp tacos and rotisserie chicken

Start Tuesday's dinner on Monday by roasting garlic for a new favorite recipe: Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Walnuts. Here's the rest of your simple weeknight meals ideas:

Monday: Old-school dinner
Dust off your mother-in-law’s meatloaf recipe and make your spouse oh-so-happy. Or perhaps dish out some punishment. Serve it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Green salad with Thousand Island. (While the meatloaf is cooking, roast the garlic for Tuesday’s dish.) (Meatloaf makes me think of the '50s which makes me think of the Donna Reed Show, pictured here. I loved to watch that in reruns. Had a big crush on Dad Carl Betz.)

Tuesday: Blooming pasta
Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Walnuts (recipe below) isn’t our usual Stir Crazy dish because it takes some time to prepare. If you roasted the garlic last night when you made your meatloaf, you’re ahead of the game.

Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken
It’s not high-brow for sure, but Poppy Seed Chicken Bake will get high-fives from the family. In a large bowl, mix 3 cups cubed cooked chicken, 2 cans condensed soup (make it low-fat, low-sodium), 1 cup low-fat sour cream and 2 teaspoons poppy seeds. Spread the mixture in a shallow casserole dish and cover with a cup of buttery crackers (like Ritz) mixed with a couple tablespoon of melted butter. Layer on some shredded cheese if you’d like. Serve with green salad.

Thursday: Tacos that swim
Load Spicy Shrimp Soft Tacos with shrimp tossed in chipotle peppers with adobo sauce and sauteed in a bit of oil. Garnish with sour cream mixed with cilantro, shredded lettuce, crumbled fresh Mexican cheese and sliced avocado. Spanish rice and fruit on the side.

Friday: Two in one
Cheeseburgers and pizza are at the top of the list for most Americans when it comes to favorite foods. Why not combine them for Cheeseburger Pizzas tonight? Use whatever type of pizza crust you like. Brown ground beef with diced onions; drain well. Mix pizza sauce with ketchup and spread over crust. Layer on meat mixture, then sliced tomatoes and lots of grated Cheddar cheese. (Crispy bacon pieces before the cheese if you dare.) Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pasta With Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Walnuts
2 heads garlic, papery skins removed, top quarter of heads cut off and discarded
6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds, see note)
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 pound pasta
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 to 3 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Adjust oven rack to middle position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack and heat oven to 500 degrees.
Cut one 12-inch sheet of foil and spread flat on counter. Place garlic heads, cut-side up, in center of foil. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon oil over each head and seal packet. Place packet directly on oven rack and roast until garlic is very tender, about 40 minutes. Open packet and set aside to cool.
While garlic is roasting, trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom. Cut head from pole to pole into 8 equal wedges. Place cauliflower in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste and sugar.
Remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer cauliflower to baking sheet and spread into even layer, placing cut sides down. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until cauliflower is well browned and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to cutting board. When cool enough to handle, chop into rough 1/2-inch pieces.
While cauliflower roasts, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook until al dente. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins into small bowl. Using fork, mash garlic to smooth paste, then stir in red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 cup oil.
Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water, and return pasta to pot. Add chopped cauliflower to pasta; stir in garlic sauce, 1/4 cup cooking water, parsley, and 1/2 cup cheese. Adjust consistency with additional cooking water and season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately, sprinkling with remaining ½ cup cheese and toasted nuts.
Serves 4.
Source: Cook’s Illustrated

Veggie tales from the Carle sisters

I am digging "College Vegetarian Cooking," the new cookbook by sisters Megan and Jill Carle (Ten Speed Press, 2009). They've already written three others books: "Teens Cook," "Teens Cook Dessert" and "College Cooking." They aren't teens anymore but graduate students at Arizona State University.

We should all be so successful.

Anyway, the new book is filled with great recipes for going meatless, a trend that even carnivores are trying one day a week. Read more on the Meatless Monday trend here. Yeah, I know, it's Thursday. Lots of delicious sounding recipes to share but Crisply Polenta with Sauteed Vegetables. The sisters provide instructions on making the polenta from scratch, which usually tastes better, but they know us Stir Crazy folks all too well and concede that polenta from the tube works just as well. If you use a roll, trim off the ends and cut into 8 slices. Brown two slices each for each serving.

I'll add grated Parmesan to the polenta before adding the veggies.

Crispy Polenta with Sauteed Vegetables
2 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup uncooked polenta
1 clove garlic
1 red onion
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Line an 8- or 9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap.

Bring the water, bouillon cube, and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly pour the polanta into the pan, stirring constantly. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until creamy. Spread the polenta evenly in the prepared pan and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 30 minutes. (IF YOU BUY THE POLENTA IN A TUBE, YOU CAN SKIP THIS STEP. READ INTRO FOR DIRECTIONS.)

While the polenta is cooling, peel and finely chop the garlic or pass it through a garlic press. Peel the onion, cut in half, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut the bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and membranes and cut into thin slices.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet and add the garlic, onion, zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Remove the vegetables from the pan to a bowl and set aside. Wipe the plan clean with a paper towel and return it to the stove.

Cut the cooled polenta into 4 squares, then cut each square into 2 triangles. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan over medium-high heat and add the polenta triangles. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, then flip the squares over and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the other side.

Place 2 pieces of crispy polenta on each of 4 plates and top with some of the vegetables. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Source: "College Vegetarian Cooking," by Megan and Jill Carle (Ten Speed Press, 2009).

PETA wants your vote for sexiest vegetarian

Bacon isn't vegetarian, but Kevin is. Actor Kevin Bacon is apparently leading the voting for PETA's 2009 World's Sexiest Vegetarian. (I guess Jerry Seinfeld had his place in veggiedom already.) His competition includes Ginnifer Goodwin, Mark Ruffalo, Robin Quivers, Kellie Pickler, Milo Ventimiglia, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. Singer Leona Lewis and Red Hot Chili Pepper dude Anthony Kiedis won last year. Don't know if Bacon's wife, actor Kyra Sedgwick (shown at left with him at a Lakers game on May 12), is a veg-head or not. If so, she seems just as sexy, don't you think?

Voting ends on May 31. Cast your preference at PETA.

In honor of the sexiest-vegetarian to-be, I am featuring a bacon recipe today. Just kidding. Here's a good veggie dish that will get you off meat at least once this week. If you don't want to do it for yourself, consider beef's environmental impact. That steak you're eating represents a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, more than if you drove your car for three hours. Scary stuff. Marion Nestle, the food policy guru at NYU, says we should stop worrying about how far our food has to travel to get to us and just eat less meat.

Linguine With Asparagus, Lemon, and Spring Herbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large bunch scallions, including half of the greens, thinly sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, sage, or tarragon, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 pounds fresh asparagus, tough ends removed
1 pound linguine
4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh snipped chives
Parmesan or other cheese, as desired

While water is heating for the pasta, heat half the oil and butter in a wide skillet over low heat.
Add the scallions, lemon zest, thyme, and a few pinches of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, slice 3-inch tips off the asparagus, the slice the remaining stalks diagonally or make a roll cut.

When the water boils, salt it, add the asparagus, and cook until partially tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Scoop it out, add it to the scallions, and continue cooking. Cook the pasta, then add it to the skillet with some of the water clinging to the strands.

Raise the heat and stir in the remaining oil, the pine nuts, parsley, chives, pepper to taste, and a few tablespoons of cheese, if desired.

Divide among pasta plates, grate a little cheese over each portion, and garnish with chive blossoms (if available).

Serves 6.

Source: www.ivu.org

(Photo by AP)

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Basil pesto isn't the only kind out there

I was thumbing through the new Yankee magazine (yes, I get it at home; no, I am not the one) and came upon a recipe for Dandelion Pesto. Really? They are totally out of dandy greens at the Publix where I shop. But the recipe got me thinking about a story I wrote last September about making pesto out of something other than basil. Arugula, parsley, peas, artichokes, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes can all be candidates for pesto.

Hot pasta isn't the only foil for the simple, yet so-flavorful, sauces. They can be spread on crostini and pizza crusts, draped over grilled shrimp and chicken or folded into potato and pasta salads. Pesto ramps up sandwiches, especially a cheesy panini, and adds punch to veggie side dishes such as green beans or squash. Mix a spoonful with creamy salad dressing for added flavor.

Of the pestos I tested last year, Walnut-Arugula was my favorite. I am sharing it again because there's nothing wrong with a command performance of a favorite. Pestos freeze well, too. Make sure they are in airtight containers and place plastic wrap against the pesto's surface to keep air from changing the colors. More pesto recipes here.
 

Arugula Pesto 

2 bunches arugula (about 6 cups packed) 

1 1⁄2 cups walnuts, toasted and cooled 

3⁄4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 large clove garlic 

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

Remove stems from arugula and discard. Wash leaves and spin dry.

In a food processor, combine arugula, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, salt and garlic clove. Chop fine. With the motor running, add the oil in a stream. 

Makes enough sauce for about 1 pound pasta.

 

Source: Adapted from Gourmet magazine.

Photo from the Food Network

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Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday with blue cheesy green beans

  Today we eat the store-bought bird as is, served with perfectly perfect green beans scattered with blue cheese and toasted walnuts. You tell me, what's not to to like?

I am often in a quandary with vegetables. I steam them, season with salt and pepper and maybe add a bit of butter or olive oil. Rather boring, wouldn't you say? No wonder no one at my house wants two-thirds of their plate loaded with plant material. I really put more effort into the protein portion of the meal. I know, tsk-tsk.

This recipe should help remedy that boring old veggie dish syndrome. No leftovers tonights.

Blue Cheese-Walnut Green Beans
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon salt and reshly ground pepper
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Bring green beans and water to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the beans are just tender, 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more.

Add oil, salt and pepper to the pan and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Transfer the beans to a large bowl and toss with blue cheese until well coated. Sprinkle each serving with walnuts.

Serves 4, about 1 cup each.

Source: Eating Well magazine (recipe and photo)

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Press a panino

When is a grilled cheese sandwich not a grilled cheese sandwich? When it's a panini, of course. (Actually, panini is plural. It's panino in the singular.) This fancy dancy Italian grilled cheese has been quite the rage for the past few years, so much so that the panini grill is standard equipment in lots of kitchens. The cool thing about a panini press is that the top come down straight on the sandwich, giving it an equal press, which results in even grilling. Oh, yeah, and those cool grill marks.

You can get the even press with a brick covered in foil or a second, heavy skillet. No grill marks though.

This recipe (and photo) comes via the Washington Post and is adapted from Panini by Melanie Barnard (Fireside, 2009). It's meatless but might cost just as much with the fontina. You could use Swiss as a substitute, though it'll be a bit stronger. To reduce the cost, I'll use the dried tarragon I've got in the pantry (just a couple shakes) and sub the 2 tablespoons of cognac with apple cider. (I actually have a lot of booze miniatures in my pantry, too. Because I don't drink much, I buy the small bottles for cooking.)

The Post suggests serving the sandwiches with crisp slices of pear or apple and a mug of vegetable soup. I concur!

Mushroom, Spinach and Fontina Panini
1 large or 2 medium shallots (or 1/4 cup minced white or yellow onion)
Leaves from 2 to 3 tarragon stems (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
6 to 8 ounces fontina cheese (or Swiss), divided use
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided use
8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms, such as chanterelles and buttons (or all button)
2 tablespoons cognac (may substitute apple cider)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 slices crusty country-style bread (may substitute firm whole-grain bread)
2 ounces (about 2 cups) baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

Mince the shallots to yield about 1/4 cup total. Chop the tarragon leaves to yield about 2 tablespoons. Cut the fontina cheese into thin slices.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened and released their juices; those juices will be reabsorbed later as you continue cooking.

Add the cognac, tarragon and salt and pepper to taste; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to combine. Turn off the heat, leaving the saucepan on the stove top.

Heat a panini press according to the manufacturer's directions. (Alternatively, heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat and wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of a filled teakettle for pressing the sandwiches; a bacon press also may be used.)

Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small microwavable container; microwave on HIGH just until the butter has melted.

Place the bread slices on a work surface covered with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. Brush the top of each slice with the melted butter, then turn 4 of the slices over. Use half of the cheese to build a layer of cheese on the 4 inverted slices, then divide the mushroom mixture evenly over the 4 cheese-topped slices.

Divide the spinach evenly among the portions, creating a layer on top of the mushroom mixture. Divide the remaining cheese evenly, layering it on top of the spinach leaves. Top each portion with one of the remaining slices of bread, buttered sides facing up, to form sandwiches. Press gently to pack down the sandwiches.

Place 1 or 2 sandwiches at a time on the panini press (depending on the size of the bread and the machine); press and close. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the bread is toasted, the spinach has wilted and the cheese has melted. Cut in half, then transfer to individual plates and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Makes 4.

NUTRITION Per serving: 528 calories, 21g protein, 49g carbohydrates, 27g fat, 17g saturated fat, 79mg cholesterol, 779mg sodium, 5g dietary fiber, 8g sugar. 

Source: Adapted from Panini by Melanie Barnard (Fireside, 2009)

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Tofu Tuesday ... with no tofu

We're eating meatless on Tuesdays and here's a delicious veggie lasagna that fits the bill. I use a combo of the zucchini and spinach because I think the zukes alone give off too much water and make the whole thing soupy. The mushrooms have a lot of liquid, too. You can use frozen spinach but make sure you thaw it and then squeeze the livin' daylights out of it.

This recipe is lighter on the mozzarella than other lasagnas I've made. If you want to add a few handfuls in the layers, it'll make it more cheesy-delish.

Veggie Lasagna

1 (32-ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1 pound lasagna noodles, made without eggs
3 cups diced zucchini or chopped fresh spinach, divided
1 pound low-fat Ricotta cheese
1 egg white
1 teaspoon salt-free Italian seasoning blend
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup grated part-skim Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of noodles. Scatter 1 cup of zucchini pieces over noodles; drizzle with spaghetti sauce. Cover with more noodles, zucchini and sauce.

Beat ricotta cheese with egg white, seasoning blend, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. Carefully spread over casserole. Scatter mushrooms over cheese. Cover with 1 more layer of noodles, zucchini and sauce. (Save enough sauce so top can be completely covered.) Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Uncover, scatter mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 3 minutes more, just to melt cheese. Put on baking sheet. Makes 8 servings.

Source: cooks.com

Photo: www.examiner.com

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