All wrapped up and ready to eat—Individual Lasagna Packages

     
Inspired by a luncheon dish that Giada prepared on Food Network (Mini Lasagnas with Sweet Corn), I created my own version using a meat filling that is reminiscent of one of my Aunt Waunita’s go-to dishes for entertaining—Meat Delight (I will get around to posting that in the future.)
     Not only were these mini lasagnas tasty, they were perfect for two (supper tonight and lunch tomorrow). And,  it didnt’t take long before they are all wrapped up and ready to eat!

Individual Lasagna Packages    4 servings
8 lasagna noodles
1 lb. lean ground beef (80/20 blend)
1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
1 to 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4  ounces cream cheese (reduce fat works)
½ to ¾ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Olive oil for drizzling and for oiling custard cups

1.  Prepare the lasagna: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender and very pliable. Drain and set aside.
2.  Prepare the filling:
a.  Add ground beef to a hot skillet (medium high temperature), stirring to break up large chunks.
b.  Add onions and continue to cook until the meat is lightly browned and the onions are tender.
c.  Add tomatoes and seasoning and continue to cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has been absorbed.
d.  Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese. Stir occasionally and allow to melt and blend with other ingredients. Cool slightly.
3.     Assembling lasagna packages:
a.  Drizzle a little olive oil in 4 custard cups and brush to cover interior.
b.  Using 2 cooked lasagna noodles in a criss-cross shape, line each custard cup, pushing the noodles gently into the bottom of the ramekins, allowing any excess pasta to overhang on the sides.
c.  Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling into the bottom of each noddle-lined custard cup and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese.
d.  Fold 2 overhanging pieces of pasta over the filling, (trim the ends of the pasta with scissors, if necessary).
e.  Add another ¼ cup of filling to each ramekin and top with another tablespoon or Cheddar cheese.
f.   Fold over the 2 remaining overhanging pieces of pasta (trim excess pasta with scissors, if necessary).
g.  Spoon any remaining filling on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the tops with additional Cheddar cheese.
4.  Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet, drizzle each with olive oil. Cover with foil (to prevent the noodles from drying out).
5.  Bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until tops are lightly browned and the filling is bubbling,.
6.  Cool for about 5 minutes.
7.  Use the tines of a fork to ease lasagnas out of custard cups and onto a plate to serve.

We served ti with  Brussels Sprout-leaf Salad .
Recipe without photos . . .
Individual Lasagna Packages    4 servings
8 lasagna noodles
1 lb. lean ground beef (80/20 blend)
1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
1 to 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4  ounces cream cheese (reduce fat works)
½ to ¾ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Olive oil for drizzling and for oiling custard cups

1.  Prepare the lasagna: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender and very pliable. Drain and set aside.
2.  Prepare the filling:
a.  Add ground beef to a hot skillet (medium high temperature), stirring to break up large chunks.
b.  Add onions and continue to cook until the meat is lightly browned and the onions are tender.
c.  Add tomatoes and seasoning and continue to cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has been absorbed.
d.  Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese. Stir occasionally and allow to melt and blend with other ingredients. Cool slightly.
3.  Assembling lasagna packages:
a.  Drizzle a little olive oil in 4 custard cups and brush to cover interior.
b.  Using 2 cooked lasagna noodles in a criss-cross shape, line each custard cup, pushing the noodles gently into the bottom of the ramekins, allowing any excess pasta to overhang on the sides.
c.  Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling into the bottom of each noddle-lined custard cup and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese.
d.  Fold 2 overhanging pieces of pasta over the filling, (trim the ends of the pasta with scissors, if necessary).
e.  Add another ¼ cup of filling to each ramekin and top with another tablespoon or Cheddar cheese.
f.   Fold over the 2 remaining overhanging pieces of pasta (trim excess pasta with scissors, if necessary).
g.  Spoon any remaining filling on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the tops with additional Cheddar cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
4.  Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet, drizzle each with olive oil. Cover with foil (to prevent the noodles from drying out)
5.  Bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until tops are lightly browned and the filling is bubbling.
6.  Cool for about 5 minutes.

7.  Use the tines of a fork to ease lasagnas out of custard cups and onto a plate to serve.

IIndividual Lemon Pudding Cakes — looking forward to spring


A few warm days amidst the frigid cold and snowstorms in Kansas has made me start thinking about spring foods . . . like Lemon Pudding Cake. These individual desserts gave us a  glimpse of spring before another blast of winter cold again hits this region.

Individual Lemon Pudding Cakes     Makes 8 individual cups


These portion-controlled little cakes are light and airy – a great way to end a meal.
           
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼  teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated – make sure there is not even a trace of yolk in with the whites and that the whites are placed in a clean, grease-free bowl
1 cup granulated sugar – divided use
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
1 ⅓ cups milk

1.  Preheat an oven to 350°.
2.  Place eight ½-cup ramekins in a large baking dish; spray inside of each with ron-stick spray.
In addition to preparing ramekins, I pre-measured most of the ingredients. Egg yolks are in one mixing bowl while the white are in another. Eggs separate best when cold but whip up to higher volumes is allowed to cold to room temperature.
3.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour and salt.
4.  In a separate nonreactive* bowl using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes.
5.  Stir in the flour mixture and beat until very thick, 2 minutes more.
6.  Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and milk. The mixture will be thin at this point.


7.  Using a clean electric mixer on high speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Mixing bowl and beaters must be clean or egg white will not whip properly.
8.  Sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and whip until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Do NOT overbeat – whites should NOT form stiff peaks; they should appear moist and satiny and not grainy
9.  Using a silicone spatula, stir one-fourth of the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Gently fold in the rest just until no streaks of egg white are visible.
10. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. A half cup measure works well for portioning the mixture.

11. Carefully pour hot water in the large baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. 


12. Place in center of preheated oven and bake until the centers are firm to the touch and the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the ramekins, 35 to 40 minutes or until they are puffy and golden brown.
13. Remove from the oven but leave the ramekins in the water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. The pudding cakes will loose some of their poof!
14. Serve the pudding cakes warm or at room temperature straight from the ramekins. Pudding cakes may be served warm or can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Lemon Pudding Cake topped with whipped cream, a lemon slice and a sprinkling of whipped cream.
Recipe without photos . . .
Individual Lemon Pudding Cakes     Makes 8 individual cups


These portion-controlled little cakes are light and airy – a great way to end a meal.
           
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼  teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated – make sure there is not even a trace of yolk in with the whites and that the whites are placed in a clean, grease-free bowl
1 cup granulated sugar – divided use
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
1 ⅓ cups milk

1.  Preheat an oven to 350°.
2.  Place eight ½-cup ramekins in a large baking dish; spray inside of each with ron-stick spray.
3.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour and salt.
4.  In a separate nonreactive* bowl using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes.
5.  Stir in the flour mixture and beat until very thick, 2 minutes more.
6.  Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and milk. The mixture will be quite liquid at this point.


7.  Using a clean electric mixer on high speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Mixing bowl and beaters must be clean or egg white will not whip properly.
8.  Sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and whip until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Do NOT overbeat – whites should NOT form stiff peaks; they should appear moist and satiny and not grainy
9.  Using a silicone spatula, stir one-fourth of the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Gently fold in the rest just until no streaks of egg white are visible.
10. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. A half cup measure works well for portioning the mixture.

11.  Carefully pour hot water in the large baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. 


12.  Place in center of preheated oven and bake until the centers are firm to the touch and the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the ramekins, 35 to 40 minutes or until they are puffy and golden brown.
13.  Remove from the oven but leave the ramekins in the water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. The pudding cakes will loose some of their poof!

14.  Serve the pudding cakes warm or at room temperature straight from the ramekins. Pudding cakes may be served warm or can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Raisin (or Craisin) Allgood Pie . . . from Chef Dave in Hutchinson, KS

     Yesterday I attended the Sunflower Publishing Contributor Workshop in Lawrence. It was a great chance to meet others who write for various regional and state publications. As I leafed through the Winter 2013 Hutchinson Magazine, I was drawn to a photo and recipe for Raisin Allgood Pie.
     Well, I couldn’t stop thinking about it so today I made this incredible pie. I must admit that I didn’t have raisins on hand but did have craisins so I’ve adapted Chef Dave Duree’s recipe just slightly. 
     Thank you Amy Conkling for a fun article and to Aaron East for the great photo that caught my attention.

According to the article, Chef Dave can be reached @ www.facebook.com/hutchchefdavid

Raisin (or Craisin) Allgood Pie    9-inch pie serves 8 / 8-inch pie serves 6
½ cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons vinegar (I used white)
1 cup raisins (or craisins – dried cranberries)
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
9-inch (unbaked) pie crust (I used an 8-inch)

1.  Cream butter and sugar, and then add yolks and vinegar. Beat well.
2.  Add raisins (cranberries), nuts and vanilla, then fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Craisins, nuts & vanilla added to creamed ingredients.
Stiffly beaten egg whites
Stiffly beaten eggs folded into craisin & nut mixture.
3.  Pour in unbaked pie shell.
4.  Bake for 1 hour at 325°.


Recipe without photos . . .
Raisin (or Craisin) Allgood Pie    9-inch pie serves 8 / 8-inch pie serves 6
½ cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons vinegar (I used white)
1 cup raisins (or craisins – dried cranberries)
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

9-inch (unbaked) pie crust (I used an 8-inch)

1.  Cream butter and sugar, and then add yolks and vinegar. Beat well.
2.  Add raisins (cranberries), nuts and vanilla, then fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
3.  Pour in unbaked pie shell.
4.  Bake for 1 hour at 325°.