Bake once eat twice Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) lasagna noodles
• 3 pounds ground beef
• 3 jars (26 ounces each) spaghetti sauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
• 6 cups (24 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat; stir in spaghetti sauce. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, 4-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Drain noodles. Spread 1 cup meat sauce in each of two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes. Layer each with three noodles, 1 cup ricotta mixture and 1-1/2 cups meat sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Cover and freeze one lasagna for up to 3 months. Cover and bake remaining lasagna at 375° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
• To use frozen lasagna: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 375° for 60-70 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 2 lasagnas (12 servings each).

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 365 calories, 17 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 78 mg cholesterol, 820 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein.

Slow cooker Recipes, Garlic Quick Bread and Applescotch Crisp

Parmesan – Garlic Quick Bread

Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook, p. 79

Leona Miller, Millersburg, OH

Makes 8 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ideal slow-cooker size: 2-3-qt.

1½ cups reduced-fat buttermilk baking mix

2 egg whites

½ cup skim milk

1 Tbsp. minced onions

1 Tbsp. sugar

1½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ cup reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

1. Combine baking mix, egg whites, milk, onions, sugar, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl.

2. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Spoon dough into cooker.

3. Sprinkle dough with Parmesan cheese.

4. Cook on High 1 hour.

Tip:

This bread is great with hot soup, Italian dishes, or salads.

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Applescotch Crisp

Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook, p. 629

Mary Jane Musser, Manheim, PA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-6 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 3-qt.

4 cups cooking apples, peeled and sliced

2/3 cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

½ cup quick-cooking oats

3½-oz. pkg. cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding mix

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ cup cold butter

1. Place apples in slow cooker.

2. Combine remaining ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.

4. Serve with ice cream.

Variations:

For a less-sweet dish, use only ¼ cup brown sugar.

Bread whole wheat zucchini

Bread whole wheat zucchini

3	cups shredded zucchini (2 to 3 medium)
1 2/3	cups sugar
2/3	cup vegetable oil
2	teaspoons vanilla
4	eggs
3	cups Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
2	teaspoons baking soda
1	teaspoon salt
1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2	teaspoon baking powder

Topping

3	tablespoons sugar
1/2	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1	tablespoon cold butter or margarine

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1. Move oven rack to low position so tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans or 1 (9x5-inch) loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, stir zucchini, 1 2/3 cups sugar, the oil, vanilla and eggs until well mixed. Stir in remaining bread ingredients; mix well. Divide batter evenly between 8-inch pans or pour into 9-inch pan.
3. In small bowl, mix topping ingredients with fork until crumbly. For 8-inch loaves, sprinkle evenly over batter in both pans. For 9-inch loaf, sprinkle over batter in pan.
4. Bake 8-inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on cooling rack 10 minutes.
5. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Health Twist

To reduce the fat, substitute 1/3 cup vegetable oil and 1/3 cup applesauce for the 2/3 cup vegetable oil.

Cooking With Beans

Directions for Soaking Dry Beans

There are four ways to soak beans, depending on how far in advance you plan and how much time you have, you can decide which method of soaking will work best for you.

Hot Soak

In a stockpot, bring 10 cups water to a boil. Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil. Remove from the heat; cover tightly and set aside at room temperature 2–3 hours. Drain and rinse the beans.

Overnight

In a large pot, add 1 pound dry beans to 10 cups cold water. Cover. Let stand in refrigerator overnight. Drain and discard soaking water. Rinse the beans. Replace water and cook immediately after soaking period. Longer periods of soaking are not recommended.

Quick Soak

In a large pot, pour dry beans into boiling water and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and allow to set for 1 hour. Drain and discard soaking water and proceed with cooking.

Gas Free Soak

In a stockpot, place 1 pound of beans in 10 or more cups of boiling water; boil for 2–3 minutes, cover and set aside overnight. The next day approximately 75 to 90 percent of the indigestible sugars will have dissolved into the soaking water. Drain, and then rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking them.

editCooking

Use approximately 1¾ quarts boiling water for each pound of soaked beans to be cooked. Add herbs or spices (not salt), as desired. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender for about 90 minutes. Boiling beans will break the skins and leave you with a mushy meal. Add more water if the beans are not covered. Add additional boiling water if beans become dry. Drain, if desired.

When the beans are tender, drain and use in recipes; or for later use, immerse them in cold water until cool, then drain well and freeze in 1- to 2-cup packages. One pound of dried beans will yield about 5 or 6 cups cooked beans.

editPressure Cooking

This is one of the quickest ways to cook beans. After you've soaked 1/2 pound of beans, place them in a 4-quart pressure cooker with 4 cups water. Cook at 15 pounds pressure following the manufacturer's directions for the type of legume you are cooking.

editCooking Tips

Do not add salt or acidic ingredients, like vinegar, tomatoes or juice, this will slow the cooking process. Instead, add these ingredients when the beans are just tender.

Cooking times vary with the types of beans used but also may vary with their age.

Beans are done when they can be easily mashed between two fingers or with a fork. Always test a few beans in case they have not cooked evenly

Soaking, cooking, tips, and times provided by California Dry Bean Board.

EASY CASSOULET

EASY CASSOULET
Cassoulet is one of those comfort foods all in one dish. A slow-cooked bean stew? Count me in. I usually make the more traditional version from southwest France that includes duck legs and rustic sausages, but I adapted this simplified recipe from the amazing Southern Living Comfort Food. It has more affordable ingredients than any cassoulet recipe I’ve ever come across; it’s also one of the few recipes calling for dried beans that doesn’t call for presoaking the beans. If you can’t find boneless center-chop pork chops, buy them bone-in, and cut out the bone after browning them. I added the sausage as I found a fresh pork-leek one at my local market and thought the leek would infuse the rest of the dish, but any kind would be good (or you could leave it out as per the original recipe). I also added parsley to give it a fresh finish and add some color to an otherwise very beige-looking meal. Serves 6-8.

2 cups dried Great Northern beans
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless center-cut pork chops
1 sausage (any type), sliced
8 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup tomato paste
8 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Sort and rinse beans; combine beans and 8 cups water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 1 hour; drain.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add pork chops. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove pork to a platter, but leave drippings in the pot. Cool pork slightly, and chop (remove the bone, if necessary). Cover and refrigerate.

Cook sausage and bacon in reserved pork drippings in the pot until crisp. Add onions, and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add beans, halved garlic cloves, thyme, tomato paste and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hour until beans are almost tender. Drain; reserve bean mixture and 3 cups of broth separately.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Return bean mixture to Dutch oven or other ovenproof cookware; add pork, reserved 3 cups broth, and wine. Cover and bake at 350° for 75 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Toss together breadcrumbs, butter, minced garlic and parsley. Sprinkle over bean mixture; bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until crumbs are golden.

Fettucine Broccoli and great Northern beans

• refrigerated fettucine 1 package
• 4 crowns broccolishopping list
• a clove garlic
• 1 can bush's northern beans
• salt
• pepper
• xtra virgin olive oil
• grated parmesan cheese
• 1 loaf Italian or French bread split and spread withbutter and rubbed with garlic

• chop garlic into very small pieces or use press
• wash and cut broccoli into small pieces leaving the small heads whole
• open can of beans and mash half of them in a bowl - add whole beans to mixture
• put spaghetti pot with inside strainer on stove and fill 1/2 way with water which has been salted
• bring to rolling boil add 1 tsp oil to water
• add fettucini
• place steam colander in top and fill with broccoli and garlic cover half way
• place bread in oven on 200
• place ovenproof bowl in oven with bean mixture of salt and pepper
• cook fettucine about 6 minutes
• • remove carefully broccoli and fettucini and place in warm bowl with beans
  • mix gently
  • add cheese on top
  • serve immediately placing a piece of garlic bread in botttom of each bowl if desired=or in a bread basket on table

Garlicky White Beans, Sage and Orecchiette

Garlicky White Beans, Sage and Orecchiette

Salt
3 c Orecchiette
6 md Size fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
2 Cloves garlic
1/2 c Fresh parsley leaves, packed
2 c Cooked white beans or 19 oz can drained white beans
1/3 c Olive oil
1/4 c Dry white wine
1/2 c Small dice of mixed yellow green and red bell pepper, for garnish
Grated Asiago cheese

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is tender.

Cut fresh sage leaves into fine shreds; peel and mince garlic, chop parsley. Rinse and drain canned beans.

Heat olive oil in a medium size saucepan. Add garlic and sage and cook for 10 seconds. Add wine and cook until evaporated, about a minute. Add beans, cover and simmer until heated through: 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered, off heat, until pasta is done.

Drain pasta and return it to the pot, off heat. Stir in bean mixture, toss well and serve immediately garnished with raw peppers. Pass cheese separately.

Greek Pasta with Tomatoes and White Beans

Greek Pasta with Tomatoes and White Beans

16 ounces no-salt-added tomato sauce
29 ounces tomatoes, stewed -- Italian style
30 ounces white beans, canned -- drained and rinsed
10 ounces fresh spinach -- chopped
1 pound pasta -- penne or other
1/2 cup feta cheese -- finely crumbled

Combine tomato sauce, tomatoes, and beans in a large skillet over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Add spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Combine cooked pasta and sauce in a large bowl. Serve garnished with feta cheese.

Apple Bean Bake

Apple Bean Bake

1 (48 oz.) jar Great Northern beans
2 lg. cooking apples, cubed
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. catsup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. salt

In a skillet, melt butter. Add cubed apples and cook until tender. Add brown sugar and white sugar, stir and cook until sugar is melted. Stir in cinnamon, catsup and molasses. Add beans and mix well. Pour into 2 quart casserole. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 1 hour. Serves 6-8.

Yankee Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups dried navy beans
• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/3 cup chopped celery leaves
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons molasses
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

• Place the beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour.
• Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Set beans aside. In the same pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings.
• In the drippings, saute onion until tender. Stir in carrot and celery leaves. Return beans to the pan. Add water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until beans are tender.
• Stir in the milk, molasses, salt and bacon. Remove about 2-1/2 cups of soup; cool slightly. Place in a blender or food processor; cover and process until pureed. Return to the pan; heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 315 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 22 mg cholesterol, 847 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 13 g fiber, 18 g protein.