Italian food Archives - The Midnight Baker

Italian-Style Meatloaf

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 23:00:15 +0000

Here’s a succulent and juicy Italian meatloaf the whole family will love. Better make a big one because they’ll beg for seconds.

Meatloaf Is A Family Pleaser

Meatloaf is one of the first things that comes to mind when you think “comfort food.” There’s a good reason for this.

Since ground beef is something that can be extended with the use of breadcrumbs or other fillers, meatloaf is a budget-conscious dinner. And who doesn’t love saving money while eating something so delicious? Of course that question is rhetorical since we all love delicious and saving money!

This particular Italian meatloaf has such a great flavor, you’ll make it often.

Great Italian Herbs

This Italian meatloaf gets it’s great flavor from the herbs used.

I always try to use fresh herbs in anything I make because I find the flavor to be superior to the dried stuff. I grow the herbs I need year round so this is not a problem for me. Outside in great weather and inside with one of those hydroponic growers during the off season.Even if you dehydrate your own, they taste much better than the store-bought kind in the jar.

However, it’s OK to use the jar stuff. Just make sure it’s fresh–that you haven’t had it sitting on the shelf for ages–and use half of what is called for for fresh. For instance, if the recipe calls for 2 tbs of fresh basil, use 1 tbs of the dried stuff.

The Sauce

The sauce here is pretty simple.

The major flavor is basil–and in this I strongly recommend using fresh because of not only the flavor, but the pop of color.

You can buy passata here. It’s widely used in Europe and all it is is strained tomatoes. It has a wonderful flavor too and it’s much better than puree, which can be substituted for it. Passata comes in a box much like juice boxes. However, it’s simply called “strained tomatoes” and not passata. It’s right where the canned tomatoes are sold.

The Recipe

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Italian-Style Meatloaf

Yummy meatloaf with a tangy sauce

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, fresh herbs, ground beef recipes, italian seasoning, meatloaf recipe

Servings: 6

Calories: 395kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
2 large garlic cloves finely minced
1/4 cup onion finely chopped
3 eggs
1 tbs fresh oregano chopped -OR- 2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped -OR- 2 tbs dried parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan -OR- Romano cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3 tbs tomato paste preferably sun dried
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Sauce:

2 cups tomato puree -OR- Passata
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil -OR- 1 tbs dried
2 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F/180C. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick parchment.
Mix all meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl. Turn onto the prepared sheet and shape into a loaf about 10-inches/25cm long. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until meat registers 160F/80C internal temperature.
While meatloaf is baking, prepare sauce by mixing all ingredient in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced about 25%.
Serve sauce over meatloaf.

Notes

Marjoram may be substituted for the oregano

Nutrition

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Bracciole

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 00:00:25 +0000

This bracciole only looks complicated but it’s quick and easy to make.

Savory Rolled Beef

Who doesn’t love a great piece of beef? Whether it’s a burger or this delicious bracciole, beef is an excellent dinner choice.

It’s surprising how each culture has a dish that with a few flavor changes becomes the same as another culture’s meal. If you’re of German extraction as was my late husband, you call this “rouladen” and use a different filling. I’ve made rouladen more times than I can count and even have a recipe where I fake it a bit with my slow cooker stuffed beef rolls

I have to admit that until I made this, I have never tried bracciole. I only knew how to pronounce the word properly when years ago a butcher told me. By the way, it’s “brah-zhol” not “brak-e-olee.”

I decided to make this after watching a video a friend posted on Facebook because the filling contained an ingredient I am crazy about–arugula (rocket to the Brits).

Save Yourself Some Time

You’ll find beef cut specifically for bracciole or rouladen in your supermarket’s meat case.

Of course you can buy a top round roast and cut your own then pound it down but why bother? These days I’m looking to save myself work, not create it so I bought the pre-cut meat.

It’s not that much more expensive when you factor in that doing it yourself is very labor intensive.

Don’t Like Arugula?

Or can’t get it?

You can easily substitute baby spinach which can be found anywhere. The bracciole also uses prosciutto. I think this can be found anywhere–I even found it in the pre-cut deli area–but if you can’t regular old deli ham will do. BTW this was also the first time I ever tasted prosciutto–and I came from a heavily Italian area of Brooklyn New York too!!!

The Recipe

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Bracciole

Braciole is a beef steak rolled around stuffing and baked . It makes a delicious Sunday dinner but is easy enough to make any night of the week!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: beef recipe, braciole

Servings: 6

Calories: 595kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

6 large thinly sliced top round steaks see NOTES
6 slices prosciutto OR deli ham
3 tbs olive oil
2 large garlic cloves crushed

STUFFING:

1 cup plain breadcrumbs
2-3 tbs milk or water
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1 cup coarsely chopped arugula
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

GRAVY:

1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 tbs butter
4 tbs flour
1 cup dry white wine
8 oz beef stock
1 tbs tomato paste

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix breadcrumbs and the milk/water. Stir to moisten. Add the remaining stuffing ingredients and mix well.
Lay a slice of prosciutto on the top of each steak. Place about 1/4 cup of the stuffing on top. Roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the garlic and let the oil heat until it begins to shimmer.
Brown meat rolls on all sides; remove from pan.
Add the butter to the same pan, let it melt and then add the chopped mushrooms. Salute for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour on mushrooms and whisk to combine so there are no lumps. Slowly add the wine, whisking to make sure there’s no lumps and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and the tomato paste.
Return meat rolls to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the meat is cooked through (165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer).

Notes

You can make your own top round steaks by buying a top (or bottom) round, slicing it thinly and hammering with a meat mallet

Nutrition

*Adapted from Rachael Ray

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Meat & Cheese Stuffed Shells

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:49 +0000

Pasta shells stuffed with cheese-packed savory ground beef is the ultimate comfort dinner and it’s easy to make too!

Meat Stuffed Shells Are Easy And Tasty

Stuffed shells are always a crowd pleaser. They make a great buffet food at parties too.

It’s the one Italian-style dinner I thoroughly enjoy and I make these often. You can also fill them with cheese and here’s the Cheese Shells I make.

However, the cheese variety are not as easy to make as the meat stuffed shells. The shells stuffed with meat filling are actually very quick and easy to make.

Cheese Lovers Rejoice

This meat filling is packed with mozzarella cheese and any cheese lover will sure to be pleased!

I include some Parmesan or Romano in the meat mixture too. I prefer the Romano because it’s flavor is stronger so it gives the filling a bolder flavor than the milder Paremesan imparts.

For an even bolder cheese flavor, you could also add some grated Asiago. I have never tried that, but I absolutely love Asiago cheese so I just know this would be outstanding.

When It Comes To Sauce…

These shells are one dish where I make my own sauce. Of course, you can opt to make your favorite sauce or use a high-quality sauce from the jar if you prefer.

My Quick Chunky Tomato Sauce goes perfectly with these stuffed shells. This sauce has a great texture that pairs well here. It also comes together quickly–in 15 minutes! It would be good to make double the amount of the sauce if you have family members who like loads of sauce on their pasta. But even if you don’t, that sauce stores well because it’s a meat-free sauce and that makes it suitable to serve to vegans (if you do that is). I often have it on plain spaghetti as a hurry-up meal when I don’t feel like fussing.

Watch The Video

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Meat & Cheese Stuffed Shells

Pasta shells stuffed with cheese-packed savory ground beef is the ultimate comfort dinner and it’s easy to make too!

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 40

Course: beef, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, pasta

Cuisine: American

Keyword: meat and cheese, stuffed shells

Servings: 6 -8

Calories: 537kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

24 large shells cooked per package directions, cooled
1 recipe Quick Chunky Tomato Sauce see NOTES

FILLING

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
8 oz mozzarella diced small (1/4-inch dice)
3/4 cups plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan -OR- Romano cheese
4 eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley -OR- 2 tbs dried parsley
2 tbsp milk
Extra parmesan cheese for topping
1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Divide into 24 equal portions (should be about the size of a ping pong ball)
Stuff the shells tightly with the portions of meat filling. Place the filled shells in the prepared pan.
Top with remaining sauce, then sprinkle the extra parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella on top.
Cover with foil and bake for 60-75 minutes.

Notes

A large jar of prepared chunky pasta sauce may be substituted.
If you make my sauce recipe, add an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, if desired, to extend sauce quantity.

Nutrition

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Cheese Stuffed Shells

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 00:00:43 +0000

Classic cheese stuffed shells in a tasty chunky tomato sauce. These shells make an excellent holiday buffet dish,

Cheese Stuffed Shells Are A Classic

These shells are a wonderful classic Italian meal.

They’re light, yet filling. Stuffed with a savory blend of three cheeses, they’re sure to please the fussiest eaters. And kids just love them.

I consider this to be one of my best family-style meals!

Perfect For Buffet Parties

Another big plus to these cheese stuffed shells is that they are a perfect dish to put out on a buffet.

Now that the holidays are almost here, a lot of us are thinking about getting together with family and friends. And lots of us do buffets where everyone can serve themselves. These require no cutting or fuss because the shells themselves are individual servings.

Another thing to consider is these stuffed shells are vegetarian (but unfortunately not vegan) so those friends and relatives who do not eat meat will appreciate these!

The Perfect Sauce

Because the cheese stuffing in these shells is very smooth, I like to serve this with a sauce that has some body to it.

The funny thing about my Quick Chunky Tomato Sauce is that it is done in less than 30 minutes! However, it’s one of the most versatile sauces I make because you can use it on lots of other dishes besides pasta.

Another good thing about this sauce is that if you serve it on a holiday buffet with a big pot of pasta, this sauce is not only vegetarian, it’s vegan too!

The Recipe

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Cheese Stuffed Shells

Classic cheese stuffed shells in a tasty chunky tomato sauce. These shells make an excellent holiday buffet dish

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: beef, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: beef, mozzarella, pasta

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 808kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

32 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley -OR- 2 tbs dry
1/2 tsp oregano
2 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
8 oz large shells pasta cooked per package directions
4 cups chunky Italian pasta sauce
Extra Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread about 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan
Mix all ingredients, except for the cooked pasta and sauce, in a large bowl.
Fill shells with cheese stuffing mixture and place in prepared pan.
Pour remaining sauce over the filled shells. Top with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Cover with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Nutrition

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Fresh Tomato Deep Dish Pizza

Judith Hannemann — Thu, 05 May 2016 23:00:40 +0000

Delicious meat-free deep dish pizza that’s perfect for brunch or a light dinner!

Here’s a gourmet-style pizza that is very easy to make! Yes, even if you make your own crust, it’s still easy because the crust really doesn’t require any rolling; you just pat it in the pan!

I used a special pizza yeast in this. Pizza yeast contains a dough relaxer so it doesn’t require resting or any rising. The caveat with this yeast is it cannot be substituted in other recipes that require rising. It’s for pizza crust only. Of course you can use regular yeast or rapid-rising yeast in this as well. All you have to do is knead the dough, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes. If you want to eliminate making your own crust, then it’s fine to use the pizza dough you can get pre-made in the supermarket and you can even use one of those Boboli shells that’s sold in the bread aisle.

Soon a lot of us will have glorious fresh tomatoes from our gardens–I SO advise making this when you get your first yield! It will have so much more flavor than even the best store-bought tomatoes. Another plus is using fresh basil that you’ve grown. It’s not necessary because you can use the dried variety in the jar, but fresh is always better–yes, even if you buy it (like I do off-season).

The cheeses include the usual mozzarella and Parmesan, but I added just a touch of Asiago for bolder flavor. You can omit the Asiago, and it’ll taste just fine, but it definitely tastes better with it!

The dish I used here was perfect for this type of pizza. It’s actually sold as a tray at Allora and it’s part of the Colombino collection from Ceramiche Tapinassi. It’s approximately 12-inches in diameter (nominal because in EU everything is metric). But you can use a large (10-inch) deep-dish pie plate, a medium-sized rectangular baking sheet (the kind that has sides) or a 10-inch cake pan too.

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Fresh Tomato Deep Dish Pizza

Delicious meat-free deep dish pizza that’s perfect for brunch or a light dinner!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast, lunch, pizza, vegetarian dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: deep dish pizza, pizza recipes, vegetarian

Servings: 4

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 recipe pizza dough see NOTES
1 large tomato beefsteak is good, sliced thinly (I used 8 slices and used a mandoline)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella -OR- 6-8 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp shredded Asiago cheese optional
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil -OR- 1 tsp dried
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Pat pizza dough in a deep 10-12-inch greased round pan (see post for other pans you can use)
Brush crust with the olive oil
Distribute shredded mozzarella over crust
Place one tomato slice in the center, then place the other slices around the outer edge.
Divide basil between each tomato
Sprinkle Parmesan over filling
Sprinkle Asiago over the top (optional but suggested)
Bake for 12-15 minutes

Notes

You can substitute pre-made store-bought pizza dough or a Boboli shell for the homemade pizza dough

For the homemade dough (link in recipe)--if using special pizza dough yeast, eliminate the dough resting time.

Nutrition

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Chicken Gabriella

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 00:00:21 +0000

A rustic Italian chicken stew, chicken gabriella is fancy enough to be served to guests, easy enough for a weeknight meal.

I fell in love with this recipe when I first saw it on Epicurious. Not only did it look delicious, but it was quick and easy too.

The original seemed to have too much rosemary for my taste so I cut that in half. Also cut the sage to 3 large leaves. To me, it’s better to have a whisper of flavor rather than it be overpowering and rosemary and sage are not only overpowering herbs, but too much tastes medicinal and to me, ruins the flavor.

Cutting down on the herbs was the correct choice, at least for me. This chicken had a wonderful flavor–bold but not overpowering, I also added a tablespoon of butter for that extra flavor and butter seems to meld flavors, unlike using oils alone.

I didn’t cut up a whole chicken. I’m not sure I really understood the originator’s description of how the chicken should be cut. It sounded a lot like the way the Chinese cut up a whole chicken. However, I intended to use parts anyway, so the butchering was a moot point to me. I used boneless skinless thighs–because they were on sale this week and I thought they’d be perfect for this.

Drumsticks would work too–not sure about breast, but my intuition tells me it would be good as well. I just thought the bold herb flavor needed a deeper chicken flavor, i.e. dark meat. But that’s only my individual taste. Use whatever you prefer.

This is SO good, it really doesn’t need any salt, which makes this an excellent meal for those watching their salt intake. Before you add, taste it. The salt is added in the final stages of cooking anyway. I do believe it’s the splash of lemon that makes this so tasty it doesn’t need any salt, but your mileage may vary, so salt to taste.

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Chicken Gabriella

A rustic Italian chicken stew, chicken gabriella is fancy enough to be served to guests, easy enough for a weeknight meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Chicken, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, skillet dinners

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken recipe, skillet dinner

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 721kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks skin removed
2 onions chopped
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 lemon
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Remove the leaves from the rosemary sprig; discard stem and chop the leaves very finely.
Chop sage leaves finely.
Heat a large skillet (about 11-12 inches) over medium heat.
Add chicken, rosemary, sage, onion and olive oil; stir to coat well.
Cook until chicken is golden brown and onion begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
Add wine, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until chicken tests done by either the juices running clear or internal temperature is 175 degrees F.
Add butter to the pan and mix well until blended.
Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice over chicken
Serve over pasta or rice

Nutrition

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Fresh Asiago Meatball Sub Casserole

Judith Hannemann — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Fresh Asiago Meatball Sub Casserole

Meatball sub and garlic bread in one casserole. Add authentic Italian DOP asiago cheese–fresh and aged–and it’s a little bit of heaven.

Have you guessed I love asiago cheese? This is a big LOL since a lot of my recipes feature it–especially my ever-popular Mushroom Asiago Chicken and my new Philly-Style Mushroom Asiago Chicken Stuffed Peppers!

Gobs of authentic asiago cheese

Since I show my love for this cheese quite a bit, I was contacted by the folks from the Asiago Cheese Consortium to try some genuine asiago direct from Italy.

Delicious cheese from Italy

I found out something interesting–and delightful. Asiago also has a fresh version (not aged) that I was sent to try. It’s a nice change of pace from the usual mozzarella–which you will see when you try my meatballs in this recipe!

Meatballs stuffed with fresh asiago

My casserole combines the fresh and the aged!

When you see this seal, you know you’re getting the real deal:

The “DOP” is Italian for “Denominazione D’Origine Protetta” which in English is “Protected Destination of Origin” (PDO). This guarantees that your cheese was produced and packed in the stated region. Something like our “California Cheese” seal.

A little bit of heaven

Believe me, once you taste the real thing, you’ll make an effort to find where it’s sold, so here is a list of retailers in the US–Where To Buy Authentic DOP Asiago.

Can you taste it yet?

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Fresh Asiago Meatball Sub Casserole

Meatball sub and garlic bread in one casserole. Add authentic Italian DOP asiago cheese–fresh and aged–and it’s a little bit of heaven.

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: beef, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef meatballs, casserole recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 599kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

1 lb very lean ground beef
3 slices white bread
water or milk to soften bread
2 tbsp minced onion
1 clove garlic minced
12 cubes approx. 1/2-inch fresh asiago cheese*
1 egg
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbs oil for browning

GARLIC SPREAD FOR BREAD

3 tbsp softened room temp butter
1/2 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt optional

TO COMPLETE CASSEROLE

2-3 cups spaghetti sauce of your choice
sliced Italian or French bread
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded aged asiago

Instructions

*Mozzarella may be substituted if you cannot find fresh asiago
To prepare meatballs:
Soften bread in just enough water or milk to dampen bread. Let the bread sit for about 5 minutes until most liquid is absorbed. Squeeze excess liquid out of bread.
In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients, except the cheese cubes. Mix this well so that the softened bread is well incorporated into the meat mixture.
Separate meat into 12 more or less equal portions. Place a cheese cube in the center of each portion of meat and form a meatball.
In a large skillet, brown meatballs on all sides. Remove from pan and drain.
Prepare casserole:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread about 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 11×7-inch baking dish. Place meatballs in the center of the pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix all the garlic butter ingredients in a small bowl.
Cut the bread into slices from 1/2-1-inch thick. You will need about 10 slices (depending on the width of the bread). Spread each slice with the garlic butter; set aside. Note: you can use the remaining bread to make garlic toast in a separate pan. Just butter it with the spread and lay it on a baking sheet.
Remove the meatballs from the oven and remove the foil. Place the buttered bread slices around the perimeter of the pan, keeping the meatballs in the center.
Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over the meatballs and top the meatballs with the shredded cheeses.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and bread is golden brown.
Serves 4 for dinner.

Nutrition

Fresh Asiago Meatball Sub Casserole

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Cheesy Lasagna Rolls

Judith Hannemann — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Fancy enough for company! And a great way to use leftovers.

This meal is actually a leftovers story.I had so many things I wanted to use up before I forgot about them and they went bad–a continuing story around here.To start out, I had a little bit of roast chicken breast meat that would probably be about 1 cup chopped. I also had tag ends of bagged shredded cheese all over the fridge and not to mention a darned brick pack of chopped spinach that kept falling out of my freezer and onto my foot each time I opened the freezer door–hey, that HAD to go!!

I also had a half jar of marinara sauce that I had to keep moving around in the fridge–get the idea? Oh, and that half package of lasagna noodles in the cupboard that was taking up space….I waste FAR too much food and like most folks, I don’t have money to burn so I really want to use this stuff, not throw it out.OK, I did open a jar of alfredo sauce I’d bought because I wanted to see what it tasted like (I make my own all the time), and I did have a large container of ricotta I’d just bought.Bottom line is I didn’t care too much for that alfredo sauce, probably from being spoiled and making my own, so I mixed it with a bit of the marinara and found it improved the taste, so I used it.

But upon making these again, I’d either use all marinara or better yet, make my own rich, fattening and PACKED WITH CHEESE alfredo!BTW, dish can be made entirely meatless if the chicken is left out.

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Cheesy Lasagna Rolls

Lasagna rolls are the easiest lasagna recipe ever! Individual servings of your favorite comfort food.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lasagna, lasagna rolls

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 362kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

8 lasagna noodles
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded provolone
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded asiago
10 oz frozen chopped spinach thawed
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg beaten
1 cup shredded cooked chicken optional
26 oz marinara sauce (see notes)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella for topping

Instructions

Cook lasagna noodles per package directions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Squeeze all the water out of the spinach. Best way to do this is squeezing by hand I take small handfuls at a time and really squeeze the heck out of it. Place squeezed spinach in a. large bowl.
Add the ricotta, shredded cheeses, salt, pepper and chicken to the spinach and blend well. Add the beaten egg and mix thoroughly.
Place about 1/2 cup of any sauce you use in the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baker; spread across the bottom.
Place about 1/3-1/2 cup of the spinach mixture onto each lasagna noodle, spreading it out and leaving about 1/2 inch at one end of the noodle without any filling. Roll up, rolling towards the unfilled end. Place seam side down in prepared pan. Repeat.
Pour remaining sauce over rolls in pan, taking care to cover the tops of the rolls with sauce. Distribute the 1/2 cup of mozzarella for topping evenly over rolls.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes.

Notes

For the sauce: I mixed 1/2 prepared Alfredo sauce to 1/2 prepared marinara–which totaled about 2-3 cups of sauce. Feel free to use 100% of what you like! But if you want to mix the sauces, mix a teaspoon of each together and see if you like the taste first before committing.

*Bulk Italian sausage would be an excellent substitute for chicken, or omit meat for vegetarian lasagna rolls.

Nutrition

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Party Rice Balls

Judith Hannemann — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:39:00 +0000

Party Rice Balls

In a word, purely addictive. The perfect snack for watching football or any time.

These are as easy as 1-2-3 and can be made ahead of party time. In fact, they can even be reheated.

Addictive!

Serve with marinara sauce for dipping and extra grated cheese for dunking.

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Party Rice Balls

In a word, purely addictive. The perfect snack for watching football or any time.

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Total Time40

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: rice balls

Servings: 24 rice balls

Calories: 69kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked white rice
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 eggs beaten
1 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 tbsp fresh minced parsley or 1/2 tbs dehydrated parsley
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
oil for frying

Instructions

Bring water and 1 tsp. of salt to boil and stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and cook rice until all water is absorbed. Fluff rice and set aside until it is warm to the touch. You must work with WARM rice, not cold.
Mix the eggs, cheese and parsley in a small bowl. Add to the warm rice and stir well until all rice is coated with the egg mixture.
In a separate bowl, add the cup of breadcrumbs. Keeping your hands wet, roll rice mixture into balls the size of a golf ball. Coat with breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the rice mixture is used.
Heat about 1-inch of oil in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron. Oil should be about 375 degrees OR when a cube of bread is dropped in the oil, it will brown in 1 minute.
Add rice balls to hot oil and brown on all sides. This may have to be done in stages--do NOT crowd the pan! Fry maybe 6-8 balls at a time so they have plenty of room to move around in the pan. When brown, remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain oil. These may be kept warm in a 200 degree oven until all the rice balls are cooked.
Makes about 24 rice balls. Serve with marinara sauce and extra cheese.

Nutrition

Party Rice Balls

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