Lasagna Cordon Bleu

 Happy Spring!  It finally feels like spring!  I shouldn't speak up so fast, it could be snowing tomorrow, but right now....awesome!

This is a recipe my husband has been wanting me to work up for awhile now.  This is the first recipe I have made since losing my mom.  I think she brought me good luck, it was amazing.  He told me what he was thinking, I wrote down a tentative recipe, and nailed it.  I am going to make it again this week, because, well, it was THAT awesome.  Have you ever put food in your mouth that made you close your eyes and just soak it in?  This is that food.  I swear.

This seems like a bit of a hassle but it really isn't, I just wanted to be as thorough as possible for any new cooks wanting to try it.

Did I mention it felt awesome to be back in the kitchen?  Thank you ALL for your private messages, emails, tweets, etc, they made my heart joyful, and thankful.  I am so blessed to call you all my friends.  Enjoy this lasagna, and if you make it, tweet me, post it on Facebook, tag me in your Instagram photos, all of it!

Did I mention to NOT skip the topping?  The crunchy, delicious, almost just want to eat it off the whole thing, crunchy top.  YES!!!!


2 large chicken breasts
1 lb thin sliced deli ham
1/2 box of lasagna noodles
16 ounces grated Swiss cheese
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
4 cups half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
4 tbsp. melted butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick spray or butter it and set aside.  In a medium pot, poach chicken breasts.  If you have leftover chicken or want to roast it, go for it, but I poached mine.  When they are done, remove from water and set aside to cool.  Take your deli meat and give it a slice, into strips.  No science here, I just cut mine all at the same time into smaller pieces, 3 or 4 cuts top to bottom and it was perfect.   When the chicken cools at some point during this process, just shred it. 

Cook your lasagna noodles.  Just follow package directions, you will only need about 9 noodles.  Make them all, and let your husband use the rest for buttered noodles.  (yes, I am a fabulous wife) Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking and to be able to handle them without visiting a burn unit.

Time for that cheese sauce!  In a large-ish pot, melt your butter, add flour and stir to let the flour cook for a minute or two.  Slowly whisk in your half and half.  When it begins to boil, add in HALF of your grated cheese.  Stir until melted and thickened.  Now, set that aside so we can assemble this bad boy.

Lay down 3 noodles to cover the bottom, now add 1/3 of your cheese sauce, half of your chicken and half of your ham.  Just cover it evenly.  Now take 1/3 of your remaining shredded Swiss and sprinkle that over it all, then back to the noodles.  Rinse and repeat.  When you put your next layer of noodles on (the last layer)  you should have a bit of your cheese sauce and shredded cheese left.  Now STOP.

In a small bowl melt your 4 tbsp. butter.  When it is melted and slightly cooled, add in bread crumbs and remaining shredded cheese.

To finish the top, pour and spread over the remaining cheese sauce, and then sprinkle buttered breadcrumb/cheese mixture on top.  Trust me on this one.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then 15 more minutes at 375.  Perfection.  Just, perfect perfection.  If you love Chicken Cordon Bleu, and you love pasta, this might be your most perfect culinary dream!

PS. Excuse these photos.  I used my phone, it is a long story but, back to regular photos next time!

ENJOY!

Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

When will I learn?  Huh?  Seriously.  When will I learn that when my husband has a request or "idea" that it will turn out amazing and I should have made it weeks ago after the initial sharing of the idea?  This is another one of his ideas, requests, "let's try its". 

He wanted me to try and make a chicken alfredo lasagna, plain and simple.  Then he wanted spinach and now he wishes we had added mushrooms.  This is how we do, folks.   When he has an idea, he emotionally exhausts me about it until I make it.  Well, maybe that is a LITTLE exaggeration but he always knows it is gonna be great and boy was it ever!  I adore my husband, in case you hadn't noticed, we have a fantastic time together.  We tease, and harp, and laugh and enjoy every moment we can, so it was no different when it came to cooking this together.  No matter what you love doing together, (keep it clean holmes) do it often and enjoy it.  We love cooking together and we sing and we dance and we do obscene motions with kitchen utensils, it is a blast!   Some of these photos I can't even post because we started photographing obscene gestures with kitchen utensils and folks, he has some blackmail material on there.  I HAVE to find that memory card!

Ok, let us get started, this seems like a process, but, eh, it isn't really.  Just keep on truckin', it seems wordy and long but it is easy. I won't make a master ingredient list because it will be to confusing so just know that everything in ORANGE are ingredients.   Just follow the directions in the order they are written.  K?  K.

Grilled Chicken
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into strips or small pieces
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter

Mix all ingredients together and let sit and marinate as long as possible.  If you have no time that is fine too.  In a large skillet, add in olive oil and butter.  Let the butter melt and add in chicken, saute until completely cooked through and set aside to use later.

Alfredo Sauce
6 tbsp butter
5 tbsp flour
5 cups milk
1 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan, melt your butter most of the way then sprinkle in your flour.  Using a whisk, keep it moving around the pan for 2 minutes, add in milk and continue to whisk.  As it heats it will begin to thicken.  When it starts to thicken you can add in the cheese, keep whisking so the cheese doesn't stick.  When it has simmered until it is as thick as you want it, turn the flame off, and set aside.

1 box Lasagna Noodles

Cook per the package direction.  Drain and run cold water over the top, let drain.

Ricotta Layer
1 15oz container, whole milk ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

Mix all ingredient together until smooth and completely combined. 

4 cups grated mozzarella
6 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1-2 cups fresh spinach (plain or baby, but has to be FRESH)
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Now, preheat your oven to 375.  Spray the bottom of your 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

Now to layer..........

 

Alfredo

Lasagna noodles

Ricotta (use all)

2 cups shredded mozz

Lasagna noodles

Alfredo

Provolone

Chicken

Spinach

Lasagna

Alfredo

2 cups mozz cheese

Parmesan cheese

 

Ok, did I do that right?  Yea, I think I did. HA!! You can do it how you want really.  But the funny thing is my husband told me I would forget, and I did! LOL  Bake for approximately 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.  It is a just a matter of everything getting hot, and gooey and delish!

And here is the glorious result!!!















 Enjoy this most delicious, rich, and luxurious dish.  My husband has a foodie brain that usually translates into the real deal pretty well!!  Don't you think?

Your "lasagna dreams" chefwannabe

 

Hoss's Famous Lasagna

Oh what an experience this was.  I turned into his um, kitchen workhorse.  He had never measured out his ingredients before so I was writing and the man who HATES to have his photo taken, suddenly went into supermodel mode and wanted to pose for pictures of every step.  I would have been annoyed at his demands had I not been laughing so hard pretending to have to take second and third photos just to get him to stand in his "pose" a little longer.  Since this will be a blog, full of photos, let me get started on the instructions.

This recipe is HUGE.  We make an aluminum turkey roaster pan and a 9x13 pan.  We like lots of leftovers since we only make this once or twice a year.  When you marvel in awe or disgust at the ingredients, remember this is a ONCE in awhile treat, nothing we eat regularly, so no comments, you got it?

(DISCLAIMER: This is my husbands recipe and he had it long before me, so I am not touching it!)

I will list the ingredients you need in a list.  The ingredients will most likely need to be divided among the different parts of the lasagna.   This is just a master list.....and boy is it a master list alright!

Meet my husband George, aka Hoss or (Geo)

3lbs ground beef
1.5 lbs mild/hot Italian sausage
3 jars spaghetti sauce of your choice
1 can whole tomatoes (use your clean hand to smoosh)
1 box Pomi strained tomatoes *or any crushed tomatoes*
6 eggs
3 lbs ricotta cheese
4.5 lbs shredded mozzarella
3/4 grated Parmesan
2 boxes of dried lasagna noodles (I recommend NOT using the "no boil")
Dried - Italian Seasoning, Basil, Oregano
1/2 cup sugar

Boil noodles.  Drizzle them with oil and lay out in a single layer, cover with foil and lay more on top, etc.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make bolognese:
In a large pot, empty your jars of sauce.  Add a little bit of water to each jar and swirl around to get all of the sauce out and thin your sauce.  Add in 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup dried Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp garlic salt, 1 tbsp basil, 1 tbsp oregano and pepper to taste.  You can add red pepper flakes to taste if you like.  While it simmers...

Brown ground beef and Italian sausage in large skillet. Season it with...
1/4 cup dried Italian Seasoning
2 tbsp garlic salt

Make sure to break it into very small bits.  You don't want large chunks of meat in your sauce.  Well YOU might but not mine!

Drain ground meat but DO NOT RINSE, you will rinse off all of the flavorings!! Pour into your already simmering sauce.



Your spoon should stand up in it, that is when you know it is perfect!

Simmer sauce for as long as you can on a medium low temperate. Be sure to stir often as the sugar will burn on  the bottom.  Try to let simmer up to 2 hours.  This sauce simmered for 2 hours.

Showing off his um....2 handed egg whisking skills.

Cheese Layer:
3lbs ricotta
6 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp dried parsley

Combine until creamy and everything is mixed completely



Sauce

Add a ladle full of sauce to the bottom of both pans.  This keeps the pasta  from sticking.  Then layer as follows:


Noodles



Sauce

noodles 

mozz cheese

sauce
noodles

ricotta mixture

mozz cheese

sauce                                                                                   

noodles

mozz cheese

grated parm

This is just my suggestion, you can layer it however you choose to.

Put larger pan on a cookie sheet for stability.  The large one will take 1hr-1.5 hrs in the oven. Keep covered until the last 20 minutes.  The small one will take 30-45 minutes, keep covered until the last 15 minutes.  After removing from the oven, let sit 10-15 minutes before cutting!

Sauce

Only missing its top layer of cheese!

Here he is in his sprinkling glory.  We had a great afternoon cooking.  Nothing can replace simple time together, laughing, singing, and laughing some more!  Thank you honey for making lasagna for my blog.  You are my best friend and my coolest buddy ever!

Happy guy eh?

This is not cheap to make but when  you consider the amount of food you get, it really works out.  You can also make 3- 9x13's. Great from the freezer!  Let thaw in the fridge overnight and pop in the oven for dinner!  We just served it with the usual suspects, salad and crusty bread!

I hope you enjoyed the photo shoot my husband roped me into.  Disguising it as a lasagna blog was clever.........he totally has an inner supermodel!!  I adore this guy...xoxo

Your "wife of a lasagna making supermodel" chefwannabe

Chris

Lasagna Rollups with Alfredo...

Grab a bucket, hurry!  Your drool will short out your keyboard!  Got it?  Ok.........good.
 



Really?  Are there even words for how amazing this looks?

Happy Halloween!  What is left of it.  What did you dress up as this year?  I dressed up as myself again, it is always very scary for the children.....and adults.  I figure its effective, keep going with it!

So as most of you may have read, today is mine and my husbands 9th wedding anniversary.  Why you ask did I agree to being married on the MOST pagan holiday of all time?  It was the next date open for the mayor who we wanted to marry us because he was a preacher as well.  The clerk laughed, and said, "well I have next Thursday, but it's Halloween", before I could object my husband responded in typical male fashion, "AWESOME".  My wedding cake had Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein on it.  I wish we had a photo, but I don't think we do.  My mother will never get over that fact I got married in BLACK.  *Charcoal gray suit mother*.  Regardless, it has been the most adventurous 12 years of my life with this man.  Oh the things we have done, been through and things we have experienced.  I could write a book, and for those who really know me, you can attest to this.  So this year, we decided no gifts.  We decided to do something for each other we love best.  My husband gave me a 2 hour pedicure, we are talking ped-egg, lotion, painted toenails, massage, the whole bit.  *no, he has no available brothers*  I in turn made him one of his favorite meals.  It was a double whammy, I could make it AND then blog it!  You should all know that when I blog something, I have generally made it 5,000 times.  I just never paid attention to what I put in it, so I have to make it and measure everything.  It still is strange for me, I feel like a total conformist when I measure things appropriately!  But, if it means you being able to make it, and experience it and LOVE IT...I will do ANYTHING! teehee

So, when I first got this idea, I had seen something similiar on HSN.  Advertising a set of baking dishes.  I thought about it, and decided the concept was amazing but their recipe, or combination was heinous and I needed to make it new.  I stole the method, but the recipe is mine.  It may seem labor intensive, but it isn't. It is just alot of "steps" and will be so worth it you will wonder how you ever lived without me in your life.

Lasagna Rollups with Alfredo

1 1/2 lbs of ground meat.

(beef, Italian sausage, turkey, chicken or a combo) I used 1 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb of turkey Italian sausage, if in casing remove)
1.  Brown and drain, set aside to cook while you move on to the next step

2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/4  cup grated mozzarella
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 egg
2.  Combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Stir in drained and cooled ground meat

3.  Cook 15 lasagna noodles in oiled and salted water according to package directions.  Drain and run under cold water immediately lay out on sheet pan to prevent sticking.

(Red Sauce/Gravy)
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic finely minced
1/2 large onion also finely minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil or 5-8 leaves torn into sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4.  Add olive oil, onion and garlic to saucepan, cook for 2-3 min stirring constantly until onions are cooked slightly, add in tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt, and basil.  Cook on low until ready to top dish *if using fresh basil add at the very end of cooking*

Alfredo Sauce (the nontraditional way)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk/cream/half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
5.  Melt butter and add flour, let cook for 2 min and whisk in milk, salt and parmesan cheese.  Stir constantly until thickened.  Set aside.

Now you have all the components made, a red sauce, a cheese/meat mixture,  alfredo sauce and the cooked pasta.





Pour alfredo into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Take a piece of pasta, spread the cheese mixture on it, starting at one end, roll it up, stick a toothpick in it to hold it and stand it on end in the alfredo sauce.

Spread filling on and roll up!  You can lay them on their side or stand them on end in the pan!

Repeat with all noodles.  When you have your pan full, pour red sauce over all roll ups, making sure each top is covered well, use ALL sauce.  Top with remaining mozzarella and parmasen cheese.  Bake in a 375 oven for 20-30 minutes.  Remove when you see cheese is beginning to brown.  

Before baking!

You will love these!!  Do not let the recipe scare you, you all know I am terrible at writing recipes, so I wrote this one in the order you can make it, it seemed easier.  I served some great crostini and a salad.









A few more hours of Halloween left!  Go watch a scary movie after you put the kids to bed,  Make sure to lock your doors............!!!!

Your "Halloween Wedding" chefwannabe

Chris