Ricotta Gnocchi w. Pesto

2 Cups Ricotta

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 1/2 tbsp EVOO

1 tbsp Salt

2 Large Eggs - Beaten

1 1/4 Cups Flour (+ More for dusting)

Combine Ricotta, Parm Cheese, EVOO, Salt & Eggs.  Add in the flour in 3 parts.

Roll out the dough on a floured service.  Cut into 4 quarters.  Roll into long ropes about 1" thick.  

Cut into 1" cubes and place a fork impression.

Place on a semolina lined tray.  Boil in salted water about 2 minutes or until they float to the top. 

Cover in Pesto and Enjoy.

Vegetable Lasagna

3 tbsp EVOO
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Thyme
2 16 oz. Crimini Mushrooms - Sliced
2 tbsp Marsala Wine

2 tbsp EVOO
2 Medium Red Onions - Cut in 1/2 and Sliced about 1/4" thick
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp Pepper

2 tbsp EVOO
2 tbsp Butter
3 Leeks - Cut in 1/2 - rinsed in a bowl of cold water and patted dry
1/2 tsp Pepper

2 tbsp EVOO
1 Bunch Kale - Stems removed & Chopped
1 Bunch Rainbow Chard - Stems Removed & Chopped
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Pepper

2 tbsp EVOO
3 Zucchini - Sliced about 1/4" thick longwise
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper

3 10 oz. boxes of Frozen Spinach - Defrosted and squeezed
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots

2 32 oz. containers of Ricotta Cheese - room temp.
3 Eggs - beaten
3 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Bechamel Sauce:
8 tbsp Butter
1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Gallon Milk
4 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Cups Parmesan Cheese - Grated

1 32 oz. package Mozzarella Cheese - Shredded

2 16 oz. boxes of Lasagna Noodles

2 tbsp Butter cut into tiny cubes
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

OK, I will start off by saying this is a very labor intensive recipe. That being said, the payoff is enormous as this feeds an army.  Each part and it's ingredients are separated above.

In a large bowl combine EVOO, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, thyme.  Add in the mushroom to coat.  Spread out on a large baking sheet and place in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes to roast.  Then transfer to a bowl and pour over the Marsala Wine and stir.

In a large pan over medium heat add the EVOO.  Add in the onions and stir to coat.  Stir occasionally for about 30-40 minutes until the onions are caramelized.  When they are almost finished pour in the balsamic vinegar and stir.

In a large pan over medium heat add the EVOO & butter.  Add in the leeks and stir to coat.  Stir occasionally.  Cook for about 15 minutes until the leeks are caramelized.  At the end add in pepper.

In a large pan over medium heat add the EVOO.  Add in the Kale & Chard.  With tongs keeps mixing.  It will wilt down a lot.  Once it's wilted, about 3-4 minutes, add the salt, pepper and garlic powder and stir to combine.

Drizzle the zucchini with EVOO, then sprinkle with the salt & pepper.  In a large pan over medium heat add the EVOO. Cook the zucchini about 2 min. per side, just to get a little golden color on it, but not to make mushy.

In a large bowl add the ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne.  Mix well.

In a large pan over medium heat add the butter to melt.  Add the flour and stir to combine and cook about 2 minutes.  Add in milk gradually, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.  Once combined add in the garlic, parmesan cheese and dijon.  Continue stirring until thickened.  It should coat the back of a spoon and when you run your finger down the center of the spoon, it stays separate, but you don't want a thick clump, you want it to still flow.

In a large pot of salty boiling water add the lasagna noodles and cook for about 6-7 minutes.  You want to slightly undercook them because they will bake in the oven.  Then drain and pat dry with a paper towel.

Now comes the assembling and if you're prepared it will go easily.  You could build individual layers but honestly it's really not worth it and no one will taste the difference. In a very large bowl combine the mushrooms, onions, leeks, kale/chard/spinach, carrots.  Mix to combine.

In a tall 9x12" pan (I used the aluminum throwaway kind), coat the bottom with a little Bechamel sauce (so the noodles don't stick). Add a layer of noodles slightly overlapping.  Spread a layer of the mushroom, spinach, etc. mixture.  Top w/ a 3rd of the ricotta and then the béchamel and then the mozzarella.

Add the next layer of noodles but going in the opposite direction (trim the noodles to fit).  Add the zucchini and repeat the steps of the mushroom, etc.

Dot the top layer w/ the butter and sprinkle the parmesan cheese.  Bake in a 350 degree oven lightly covered w/ aluminum foil (try to tent it so as to not touch the cheese) for 60 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbly on top.

Take out of the oven and let rest about 30 minutes before you cut and serve.  This gives all the cheese, etc. time to settle so that once you cut it, it doesn't just run out all over the place.

I served mine w/ a side of meatballs and slow cooked Italian Gravy but those recipes I keep to myself :)

Enjoy.

Roast Chicken & Spinach Stuffed Shells

1 Roast Chicken or 3 Chicken Breasts – Skin on, bone in.

  - Lemon slices under the skin and salt, pepper, onion & garlic powder, etc. on the skin.

1 Pkg Frozen Chopped Spinach – Thawed and drained

2 32 oz Ricotta Cheese – Room Temp and broken up.

2 Eggs – Room Temp – Beaten

2 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp Salt

½ tbsp Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

¼ tsp Nutmeg

2 8 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – divided in half

1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 12 oz boxes of Jumbo Shells

¼ cup Fresh Basil – Sliced thin

2 tbsp Butter

2 jars Tomato Sauce

You can either break down a store bought rotisserie chicken, roast your own (whole 350 for about 60 minutes) or roast chicken breasts (350 for about 30-35 minutes).  Shred chicken.

In a large bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, eggs, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  Add in the shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and shredded chicken and taste to adjust seasoning if necessary.

In a large pot w/ boiling, salted water, add the shells.  Under cook the shells by 2-3 minutes.  My brand said to cook for 9 minutes so I cooked mine for 6-7 minutes.  You want to slightly undercook the shells because they will continue cooking in the oven and this way they will stay together and not fall apart.  Cool shells.

Fill the shells generously with the filling.  Take a buttered baking dish and coat the bottom with your tomato sauce.  I make my own but you can use 2 jars of your favorite brand.  Layer the shells in a single layer in the dish.  This recipe made 2 large baking dishes full.  Ass another layer of sauce over the shells (add as much or as less as you’d like).  Sprinkle basil over the shells.  Sprinkle over the 2^nd half of the mozzarella cheese and dab bits of the butter over the shells.  Loosely cover the shells with aluminum foil, trying not to have the foil touch the cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes (take foil off for final 15 minutes to brown the top).  Let cool about 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy.

* If making this in advance, after you cover in foil, put in fridge.  The day you’re going to serve, take out about ½ hour before you put in oven.  Also can freeze well, but just take out of freezer the day before and let thaw in fridge.