Four-Cheese Chicken Lasagna

If you followed our CSA adventures at all, you'll know that we got a lot of kale.  A. Lot.  Bunches.  Oodles and oodles of kale.  I barely knew what kale was before last summer, now my 6-year-old likes to remind me periodically that he hates kale.

Needless to say that with so much kale coming into our house, I had to get creative with what to do with it. So when I saw this recipe in a magazine, I knew I had to try it.  Just because it called for kale.

I am incredibly talented at wrecking pretty lasagna layers when scooping.

And, once again, I LOVE when I'm forced to try something new and the experiment totally pays off!

Four-Cheese Chicken Lasagna
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine
Prep time: 30-40 minutes   Cook time: 1 hour, 25 minutes   Bake time: 1 hour, 5 minutes   Rest time: 30 minutes

For the sauce:
2 tbsp EVOO
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups water
28 oz (one can or two 14oz cans) crushed tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the lasagna:
2 bunches of fresh kale, stems removed and leaves finely chopped*
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 15oz containers cottage cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated asiago OR cheddar
1 lb lasagna noodles (whatever you prefer, whether it's the boil or no-boil kind)

*The fresh kale is AMAZING but this can be substituted with frozen. OR if kale really isn't your thing you can use spinach too, fresh or frozen. Using frozen greens would allow you to skip Step #5 altogether.

1. For the sauce: Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook until browned, turning once (about 5 minutes).

I used a combo of thighs and breasts for this actually.

2. Add the onion, garlic, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes.

When dealing with only tablespoons, invest in a tube of tomato paste. Save your cans!

3. Stir in the water, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, parsley, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 50 minutes.

It's hard to get a clear shot when steam gets in my way.

4. Remove the chicken thighs and shred. Return the shredded chicken to the pan and cook until thickened, about 20 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

You could chop this instead, but I love how shredded chicken soaks up more sauce.

5. Optional Step (can be skipped if using frozen greens): While the sauce simmers, steam the chopped kale in the microwave until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water and squeeze dry.

I feel healthier just looking at this.

6. Place the kale in a bowl, and stir in the eggs, cottage cheese, and half of the Parmesan and parsley. Add a little salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.

Rule of thumb: don't like something? Just add cheese.

7. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella, shredded asiago, and remaining Parmesan. Set aside.

I was fully prepared to use Cheddar, but rejoiced when I found some pre-shredded Asiago.

8. For the lasagna build: [NOTE: I used no-boil noodles, but if you can't find those, make sure your noodles are boiled, drained, and tossed with a teensy EVOO to prevent sticking before you build.] Preheat oven to 350.

My setup station!

9. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with one-third of the noodles. Cover with half of the kale mixture, then two more cups of sauce. Sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella mixture. Repeat the layers (noodles, kale mixture, sauce, mozzarella mixture). Top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and the remaining mozzarella mixture.

Sauce

Layer  Set 1: Noodles

Layer Set 1: Kale

Layer Set 1: Sauce

Layer Set 1: Mozzarella. Repeat layer sets starting at Noodles a couple more times

Finish with Parmesan

10. Set on a baking sheet to help keep any bubbling drips from baking onto your oven. Loosely cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Then uncover and bake until golden and bubbly, about 25 more minutes. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. Total time to allow in this step is 1 hour and 35 minutes!!

I'm fairly neurotic when it comes to labeling and details.

I froze one and baked up one right away as a reward for my day's work.

So by now if you weren't intimidated by the number of steps I listed, you probably just freaked out over the time necessary for that final step alone. But trust me when I tell you that this dish is WORTH IT. Totally, totally, totally worth the time and effort to prepare. To make this even more worth your while though, consider splitting this into two 8x8 or 9x9 dishes and freezing one after assembling it to bake up later. If your family can inhale a 9x13 pan of lasagna in one sitting, then definitely consider doubling, or even tripling this to have some spare pans in the freezer.

If I haven't made it obvious enough, I'm a big fan of making the most of what cooking time I have. That means if I'm going to spend the many minutes necessary to simmer a sauce and build a lasagna, then I want to eat it as often as possible! Investing an extra 10-15 minutes to build a second pan is worth the hours I'll save in the long run.

Still don't believe that this meal is worth the time? Let me just leave with an idea of the taste. This dish is delightly cheesy, thanks to the variety of cheeses used. The sauce has that tangy, tomato-y zing to it, but with the lightness that comes with using chicken instead of ground beef. And the kale adds this healthful aspect, but without any bitter taste, that made me want to stand up and do a happy dance. I loved this so much that on my next "Stock the Freezer with Lasagna" Day, I fully plan on doing a double batch of this, along with my usual beef lasagna, so I've got some happy, healthy options for those busy days to come!

Oatmeal Pan Bread

This is a Special Occasion Bread.

And by that I mean that this isn't going to be as "hands-off" as some of the other breads I've posted, like this one and this one. BUT that does NOT mean that this recipe is difficult! I only mean that this one maybe demands a slight bit more of your focus and attention. That's all. No special equipment, no crazy ingredients. Just your brain and your hands. Ok? Great!

Now, are you ready to make, and consume, the best bread you've ever had in your life?

Herbed Oatmeal Pan Bread
Recipe from my mother-in-law
Prep time: 20 minutes   Rise time: 1 hour total   Bake time: 25-30 minutes

Bread:
2 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp butter
3 3/4 to 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (two of those little packets)
1 egg

Herb Topping:
6 tbsp butter, melted and divided
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder

1. Grease a 9x13 baking pan (OR two 8 or 9-inch square pans if you want one tonight and the other for tomorrow). Set aside.

2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in rolled oats. Remove from heat and stir in the 3 tbsp butter. Cool to 120-130 degrees F.

No thermometer? Touch it. If it's tingly hot, but you're not screaming in pain, it's good to go.

3. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; blend well. Add the rolled oats mixture and egg. Blend with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened; increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes. By hand, stir in 1 3/4 cups to 2 1/2 cups flour to form stiff dough.

Add in the oatmeal.

Sorry about that finger slipping into the shot.

Looking kinda soupy but we'll tighten it up!

Stir, stir, stir

Use those muscles!

4. On a floured surface, knead in 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Shape dough into ball; cover with large bowl. Let rest 15 minutes. Punch down dough to remove all air bubbles.

Nice and smooth and ready-to-rise

Cover and maybe tidy up the kitchen a bit.

A little bit bigger than before

Got any aggression you need to let out?

5. Press the dough into the greased pan. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal lines 1 1/2" apart, cutting completely through the dough. Repeat in opposite direction creating diamond pattern. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and a cloth towel**. Let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

The dough might take some coaxing to press into the corners.

Cut carefully.

We're getting closer! This is ready to cover and rise again.

**Get Ahead: To bake at a later time, at this point let stand at room temperature for only 20 minutes. Remove cloth towel and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. Remove plastic wrap from dough; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake as directed below.

6. Heat oven to 375 F. Uncover dough. Redefine cuts by poking the tip of the knife into the cuts until the knife hits the bottom of the pan; do not pull the knife through the dough. Spoon 4 tablespoons of melted butter over the cut dough. Bake for 15 minutes.

This pan stayed in my fridge for 24 hours before looking this pretty.

BUTTER

7. While the bread bakes, combine the cheese, basil, oregano, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Brush remaining 2 tablespoons butter over the partially baked bread. Sprinkle with the herb topping. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This little bowl will take this bread over the top.

Half-baked and ready for the fun stuff!

Omg it just keeps getting better!

I watched my mother-in-law make this bread for years, in awe, before I finally felt confident enough to make this myself.  I mean, come on, the need to measure the temperature of an ingredient?  Kneading??  Clearly this was some crazy Laura-Ingalls-Wilder-esque recipe that was much too difficult for me to handle.

I knew, after my first time making this, that I could not have been more wrong. This. Is. EASY.

Because after making some oatmeal (touching it to make sure it was hot but not too hot), stirring up some dough, punching dough, and watching a clock, I had the most amazing bread I've ever eaten. These rolls are light but hearty. Buttery golden, and pure herb-y deliciousness. I won't tell you that you'll stop at seconds. Rather, I'll just say that no one will judge you for having fourths.

And that's why this is Special Occasion Bread.

Baked Chicken with Parmesan Crust

In between massive mouthfuls of food, Gavin kept repeating variations of how much he liked this and that I should make this again.

Need I say more?

Baked Chicken with Parmesan Crust
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine
Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 20 minutes

2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme 
Salt 

Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup panko
Cooking spray

1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 

2.  Mix the mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cayenne in a medium bowl. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat completely; set aside.

There's just enough to lightly coat the chicken.

3.  In a medium shallow bowl, combine the Parmesan and panko. Dredge the chicken pieces in the panko mixture, coating evenly and heavily, and pressing the coating into the meat.

Crunchy!!

4.  Put the chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet, spray with a quick burst of cooking spray and put the sheet in the middle of the oven. Bake until the chicken is golden and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting or serving.

Golden crusty perfection.

Yes, this is yet another variation on Chicken Parm.  But I really, really like this one!  I love when the breading process is simple and minimal.  I love baking instead of frying.  And I really love when my kids pretty much do a happy dance in their chairs in between bites.  This one's a winner!!

Garden Chicken Risotto

Who here needs that perfect One Pot Wonder recipe?

I know I do!!

Garden Chicken Risotto
Recipe from my mother-in-law

TIP: Prepare all the ingredients BEFORE starting the recipe.  Once you get started, this recipe comes together very quickly.  And it's really hard to chop and measure with one hand while stirring with the other.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (10.5oz each) condensed chicken broth, undiluted
2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 3/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
1 can (15oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1" pieces.  

Great way to stretch two chicken breasts to feed probably 6-8 people!

2.  In a large nonstick skillet heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 2 minutes.  Add broth, broccoli and pasta. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently.  

I like to toast the orzo a couple minutes before adding the broth and broccoli.

3.  Add chicken; cook for 6 minutes. Mix in corn, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  

Whenever possible, I prefer to use fresh broccoli.

4.  Remove pan from heat. Stir in cheese.

 

 

 

"Behold the power of cheese"

Ok, ok.  I know what you're thinking.  "But Jeanna, how could this be called risotto if it uses pasta instead of rice??"   Truthfully, I have no idea and quite frankly, I don't really care.  I LOVE risotto and this dish does pull off a very similar consistency to risotto.  It's creamy.  It's cheesy.  It's got that great crunch from the broccoli and corn.  It's comforting.  And at the end of a long day, when I just want a filling, healthy dinner on the table in under 20 minutes, the recipe can call itself whatever it wants and I'd still inhale it.

Parmesan Potatoes

Mashed?  Meh.

Boiled?  No thanks.

Roasted?  Not in the mood.

Baked?  Yawn.

I like think that's pretty much what was going on in my mom's mind when she tried out this recipe.  Just goes to show you to never underestimate the power of boredom, my friends.  Boredom, when carefully channeled, can yield AMAZING results. 

And if it's not carefully channeled you get Toy Box Explosion that is my boys' bedroom.

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Parmesan Potatoes
Recipe from my mom, whom I think got it from my aunt

1/2 stick butter
4 potatoes, peeled
1 egg
Splash of milk
3/4 cup Panko
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/4 tsp Emeril's seasoning (or similar seasoning blend of choice)

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  While oven heats up, put the butter on a large baking sheet and stick it in the oven to melt.

That little half stick will coat the whole pan

2.  While the butter melts and baking sheet heats up, thinly slice the potatoes.  You want them about a 1/4" thickness.

Yeah, about that thick.  No need to be precise.

3.  Whisk the egg and milk in a shallow dish.  In another, combine the Panko, Parmesan, and seasoning.  Dip the potato slices in the egg mixture, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.  Place in a single layer on the butter coated baking sheet.

Like my fancy schmancy new breading trays??

4.  Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden.

Single layer.  Everyone shares a little butter bath.

I really can't decide how best to describe these delectable little beauties.  On the outside, they're like a potato chip: crisp from the butter and breadcrumbs, with a nutty saltiness from the Parmesan.  However they're waaaay thicker than a chip, which means the inside is still soft and velvety.  You think regular ol' chips are addicting??  I dare you to stop at just one of these.

You can serve these alongside whatever main dish you'd normally do potatoes with.  Since it is a slightly more involved side dish than I normally prepare, I like to make these on Grill Nights, when the main dish is left in Rob's care.  Makes it just a bit easier for me!