The Newlywed Chefs – Page 24 – keeping a fresh outlook on life, love, and food

Main Dishes

Lasagna Bolognese

Posted on 10.21.2013

In the upcoming weeks, you may receive a phone call from someone saying one of the following:

“Hey, turns out we’ll be there the whole week before Thanksgiving, too!”

…or,

“We’re looking for volunteers to make their family a meal one night this week. Can you help?”

…or,

“Mom, can some of my friends from football eat dinner with us tonight?”

…or,

“We need you to work late this week into the evening. You’ll be home by 8:00 each night.”

What do you do?

Answer: Make this lasagna.

These 12 layers of cheesy, saucy, rich goodness are sure to satisfy the masses. It’s a great meal to make ahead and keep throughout the week refrigerated in an airtight container. Yet again, it’s another tried and true dad-tested recipe, passed down to these newlyweds, so you know it’s going to be good.

We love using Neil’s bolognese for the sauce, but you can make your own version by using your favorite tomato sauce (try Elena’s Semplice Pomodoro or Lucini Italia), and doctoring it up. Simply brown 1 lb. of Italian sausage, drain the grease, and simmer it for half an hour with your favorite sauce along with some chopped parsley, fresh tomatoes, and about 6-oz. tomato paste.

No matter what may come your way, you now have a great recipe to help you through! We hope you enjoy!

Lasagna Bolognese

Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

18 lasagna noodles, homemade or DeCecco

45 oz. whole milk ricotta

20 oz. frozen chopped spinach

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

8 slices Italian fontina cheese

8 slices mozzarella cheese

8 slices provolone cheese

8 oz. Sargento’s 6 cheese Italian blend

60 oz. bolognese sauce or doctored up tomato sauce

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 13x10x3″ foil pan and set aside. In a large stockpot, prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions with a little olive oil added in the water to prevent sticking. Drain noodles and lay them separately on a non-stick surface (such as a cutting board, your counters, wet paper towels, or on parchment paper).

In a microwaveable bowl, cook the spinach for about 5 minutes or until totally thawed. Drain excess water using paper towels. Transfer for a large mixing bowl and add the ricotta. Stir in the parsley, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese.

To assemble the lasagna, remember NRCS: noodles, ricotta, cheese, sauce.

Lay 6 of your lasagna noodles on the bottom layer. Using your fingers, spread a very thin layer of ricotta mixture evenly atop the noodles.

Next, lay a sliced cheese layer, followed by a few cups of bolognese sauce (the more the better). Repeat three times until you have created 12 layers of goodness. Sprinkle the shredded 6-cheese Italian blend on top.

Cover with foil and bake for 80-90 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes uncovered. Let rest at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 12 hungry friends.

7 comments

Breads

Whole Wheat Pretzel Rolls

Posted on 10.08.2013

When I was sixteen, I had the opportunity to spend a month living in Germany on an exchange program. While immersed in German culture, my young eyes were opened to the importance of stepping outside of my comfort zone, embracing differences, challenging myself, and fostered a love of travel from early on. Contrary to popular belief, Oktoberfest is held at the end of September and lasts through the first week of October. 6 million people visit Munich to eat, drink, and be merry. Did you know that there is criteria for the beer sold at Oktoberfest? It must be brewed in Munich, and contain only water, barley, and hops. Read about it here.

One food you are certain to find at Oktoberfest is the humble, hearty, delicious pretzel. Pretzels have made their way recently to American culture beyond the baseball stadium bleachers and have exploded on the food scene. I have seen soft pretzel sticks, bites, buns, and chips in gastropubs, fast food restaurants, and now…. food blogs.

I wanted to create whole wheat pretzel rolls that are easy to make, can function either as dinner rolls or sandwich buns, and that taste good. Easy. Multifunctional. Delicious. They’ll last about a week stored in an airtight container. Bring the flavors of Oktoberfest to your table. Prost!

Whole Wheat Pretzel Rolls

Adapted from My Life as a Mrs.

Prep. Time: 75 min. Cook Time: 17 min.

Ingredients:

3 cups white whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon kosher salt + enough for sprinkling

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (or 1 packet)

1/3 cup baking soda

9 cups water

1 egg, beaten

Preparation:

Add 1 cup of warm water (120°ish) to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and sugar together. Add the melted butter (not too hot- below 120°) to the water, then add the dry mixture. Knead with a dough hook for about 10 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl coated lightly with olive oil. Cover with a damp paper towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.

Once dough has risen, knead dough on a lightly floured surface with hands for about 10 minutes. Your dough has been kneaded enough when you press it with your fingers and some of the dough bounces back to place.

Cut the dough in half, then in half again, and so forth until you have 16 2″ pieces. Using the palms of your hands, form each dough piece into a ball.

Smooth the dough with your fingers down toward the bottom of the ball, then pinch to seal. Continue and set all dough aside on parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large saucepan, boil 8 cups of water. Remove from heat and slowly add the baking soda. Place back on the heat and simmer. Place 2-3 rolls at a time into the water, cook for 30 seconds, then flip and cook for another 30 seconds on the other side. Remove rolls from the water and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Continue this process with all the pieces of dough.

Brush each roll with the egg, then sprinkle generously with salt. Using a sharp knife, slice an “X” in the top of each roll. Bake for 17 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!

8 comments

Dessert

Bourbon Ice Cream with Salted Caramel Sauce

Posted on 09.03.2013

So, now that Labor Day is over… can we crack open that can of pumpkin for baking? How about apple crisp? Can we make that now? These are the questions I found myself asking this weekend. Every year at this time I so yearn to fast forward straight to full out fall flavors- pumpkin, cinnamon, caramel, apple, oh my. However, I truly believe that before fall baking commences, I need to feel at least a little chill in the air. It’s hard to wait for fall.

While wrestling with this inner struggle of mine, this weekend I decided to go for it. I am holding off on fall baking for a little longer, but I did indulge in decadent fall flavors by incorporating them in everyone’s favorite cool treat- ice cream!!!

This recipe is not a joke. It’s so good. The ice cream freezes overnight, but should still be soft enough to easily scoop the next day. Enjoy.

Bourbon Ice Cream with Salted Caramel Sauce
Caramel Sauce From:Caramel Budino with Salted Caramel Sauce
Ice Cream Adapted From: Brown Sugar-Bourbon Ice Cream by Bon Appetit and Vanilla Ice Cream by Alton Brown

Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 12 hours

Ingredients:

For the Bourbon Ice Cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups whole milk
6 egg yolks
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup bourbon
1 tablespoon vanilla

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:

½ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
½ stick butter cubed
3 pinches of kosher salt

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring heavy cream and milk to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until light in color and texture. Whisk in both sugars and salt to the yolks. Slowly stir in ¼ cup of the cream to eggs to temper the mixture. Stir in the remaining cream and return this mixture back to the saucepan.

Cook over low heat stirring occasionally until mixture thickens, about 12 minutes. Pour custard into a container and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the bourbon and vanilla and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the ice cream is chilling, prepare the salted caramel sauce.

In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla. Set aside. In a medium heavy saucepan, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, and water together over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Continue to boil sugar mixture stirring frequently and swirling pan until it becomes a dark amber color, about 6 minutes.

Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream and milk mixture. Cook this mixture over medium high heat, whisking frequently, until thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and salt. Set aside to cool. Now, it’s time to make that ice cream!

Remove custard from the refrigerator and pour slowly into a rotating ice cream maker. Churn for about 30 minutes or until a frozen yogurt texture forms. Transfer ice cream to a container and freeze for 3 hours. After 3 hours, remove from freezer and stir in ½ of the salted caramel sauce. Return ice cream to freezer and freeze overnight.

Store caramel in an airtight container in refrigerator overnight.

Allow caramel sauce to come to room temperature before drizzling over the bourbon ice cream.

8 Servings

5 comments

Sides

Cheesy Cauliflower Corn Patties

Posted on 07.09.2013

So, if you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time, you know that we’re not on a posting schedule. We believe that food blogs should be saturated with good content, not with an obligation to post mediocre recipes. Thank you for coming back again and again to see what’s up in our busy world and what’s cooking in our little kitchen.

The original idea for this recipe was floating in Facebook land somewhere. My father changed up the recipe quite a bit to an even better version. These cauliflower patties are awesome. They work as a delicious crispy vegetarian side or a main that incorporates fresh flavors of summer.

Cheesy Cauliflower Corn Patties
Prep. Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 12 min,

Ingredients:

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup very sharp cheddar, grated
1 cup Panko or bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped chives
2 cups corn off the cob (can be cooked or raw. Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn works)
1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut cauliflower into florets. Cook in boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Mash the cauliflower in a large wooden bowl when warm but not hot. Stir in cheese, corn, chives, egg, Panko, salt and pepper to taste.

Form the cauliflower mixture into patties about 3 inches across. An ice cream scoop helps the process. Let set in fridge an hour or so, or sprinkle some bread crumbs or Panko on the patties to firm them.

Over medium heat, coat the bottom of a skillet with the olive oil and melted butter.

Cook until golden brown and set, about 3-4 minutes per side. Keep each batch warm in the oven while you cook the rest.

Makes at least 12-15 patties

0 comments

Travel

Wilmington, North Carolina

Posted on 06.11.2013

Easter, Hogewood House, Apia, 7 months, Lilia, Armando Viego, Tootoo House

If you were wondering where in the world the Newlywed Chefs have gone due to our lack of posting, the answer is…. not in our kitchen! Living only a few short hours from the beach (keep in mind we both grew up in land locked Missouri where the nearest beach was 12 hours away), we decided to head to the coast for a weekend getaway. Just because. One of our favorite places to visit in North Carolina is the historic town of Wilmington. Located about 20 minutes from the beach, this port town is located right along the Cape Fear River. The Riverwalk is adorned with restaurants, wine bars, and shops, and is perfect for a romantic stroll at sunset.

The houses in Wilmington are amazing. I loved wandering the streets and gazing at the Victorian homes, antebellum architecture, and southern charm of each unique dwelling. There are several bed and breakfasts to choose from in Wilmington, and we decided to stay at the Hoge-Wood Bed and Breakfast, built in 1891. The owners were very nice, the house only had three rooms to rent, which made the experience feel more intimate. The omelettes were made fresh and were served with cheese grits, biscuits, fruit, and homemade jam. Yum. This bed and breakfast is conveniently located just a hop away from downtown, so we walked everywhere we wanted to go!

Photo from www.hogewoodhouse.com

Wilmington is a foodie town. This was our third visit to the city and each time we are pleasantly surprised with such good eats. The Fortunate Glass is a wine bar that boasts an impressive wine list, along with delicious small plates and desserts. We sat inside facing the windows to watch everyone pass by on the street. It was the perfect spot to unwind in the afternoon. Our antipasto dish of sopressatta, Spanish manchego, fresh bread, fruit, and nuts complimented our wine nicely.

We checked out a place called Rx for dinner. It’s a hip and trendy spot located in a former drug store with a menu that features local food and changes daily based on what is available. We split the crispy buffalo pig ears from Heritage farm. Crunchy, salty, delicious strips of pork were tossed in a homemade buffalo sauce with just the right amount of heat. The celery and blue cheese dressing cooled the intense flavor of the pig ears. I’m still thinking about these things! They were excellent.

For my entree, I had the NC Sheepshead with clams, sugar snap peas, carrots, Stefan’s tomatoes, arugula, and Rx lardo. The sheepshead was light and flaky, perfectly seasoned and with a nice sear. The host of accompaniments in the sweet and savory broth were addicting. And the clams! These were some of the best clams I’ve had- they were fresh, delicate, and very enjoyable. I was incredibly pleased with this dish.

Neil ordered the braised pork cheeks with baby carrots, snow peas, filet beans, mushrooms, and crispy onions. Oh, wow. This was our first time seeing pork cheeks on a menu, and we are so glad we had the opportunity to try them. They were incredible. The pork is braised so well that it simply melts in your mouth. It was similar to pork shoulder… but better. We are still telling everyone about our awesome experience with pork cheeks.

We decided to walk around downtown Wilmington and the Cape Fear Riverwalk before dessert. Our walk didn’t last long as we were lured into a fantastic fudge and ice cream shop by the smell of freshly baked waffle cones. I had never heard of Kilwins before, but apparently it’s all over the country. Their ice cream was great, and we took it to go as we continued strolling along the river.

It was a perfect day full of foodie adventures. We recommend Wilmington to any food fan, history buff, hopeless romantic, or someone who just wants to unwind and relax for a weekend. Don’t forget, the beaches are only 20 minutes away. Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure beach are the closest to Wilmington- full of restaurants, shops, and a boardwalk. We like these beaches but they were a little crowded for what we were looking for. On the last day of our trip, we found Oak Island beach, a 10 mile quiet strip of beach with no visible commercial shops. We loved it.

We’ll be back, Wilmington!

2 comments

Breakfast

Chocolate Hazelnut Granola

Posted on 05.18.2013

Today, I’d like to talk about unrequited love. I really like sugar. A lot. To my dismay, sugar doesn’t so much dig me. I have a sweet tooth the size of Africa, and am constantly reminding myself to limit sweets. Now, I know there is a lot of talk whether natural sugars such as honey and maple syrup are in fact better for you than plain ol’ white sugar, and I’m not here to defend either side of the debate. However, I find that when I use honey, I need less of it than sugar. Either way, calories can really pile up in the morning.

The problem I find is that most sugary breakfasts (such as my childhood obsession with Reese Puffs and Oreo O’s) aren’t high in protein, nutrients, or other energy boosting ingredients my body needs (and don’t worry- mom only let me have those cereals once in a blue moon). This recipe calls for 1 cup of honey, which seems like a lot, but it makes a big batch of granola. Per serving, it’s not as bad as other sugary breakfasts, and contains protein from the nuts, nutrition from the wheat germ, and other health benefits from the coconut oil. Overall, I feel better about eating this for breakfast. And hey, it’s CHOCOLATE!

The chocolate and hazelnut flavors make this granola taste similar to Nutella. It’s a great snack with chopped dried fruit, sprinkled atop fat free frozen greek yogurt, or on its own for a late night chocolate craving. Warning: It’s addicting. Although it is healthier than some snacks, portion control is still advised.

The dry ingredients in this recipe give the granola a nice roasted flavor and satisfying crunch.

The combination of coconut oil, vanilla extract, and honey really adds that sweet flavor that makes me come back for more. I love baking with coconut oil. It adds nutritional value to food with just a hint of coconut flavor.

Simply mix the crunchy dry ingredients and sweet gooey ingredients together and spread on a silicone baking mat. Baking the granola will roast the hazelnuts and really marry all the flavors together.

Store this granola in an airtight container and keep in the fridge to maximize freshness. It will stay fresh for about a week, but if your house is anything like ours, it probably won’t last that long!

Chocolate Hazelnut Granola

Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

3 cups oats

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 cup slivered blanched almonds

1 cup raw hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup honey

3/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, almonds, hazelnuts, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and toss until well combined.

Spread granola evenly on a silicone baking mat atop a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, moving the granola around on the baking mat every 10 minutes.

Cool completely on the silicone mat and enjoy.

Makes 12 cups

8 comments

Lasagna Bolognese

Whole Wheat Pretzel Rolls

Bourbon Ice Cream with Salted Caramel Sauce

Cheesy Cauliflower Corn Patties

Wilmington, North Carolina

Photo from www.hogewoodhouse.com

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