Tiny House Cooking

We all appreciate tiny efficient spaces, right? Well, this recipe lends itself well to small cooking spaces because the entire dish can be prepared in one large skillet or Dutch oven. Most lasagnas are heavy but this one is lighter and delivers a fresh and flavorful surprise in every bite!

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3-5 cloves garlic, sliced
5 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 cup chopped FRESH basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 egg
1 cup ricotta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 carrot, sliced into ribbons with a peeler
1 zucchini, sliced into ribbons with a peeler
2-3 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 pkg FRESH Mozzarella
10-12 strips of cooked lasagna noodles

Directions

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, add water and bring to rolling boil and precook lasagna until slightly less than al dente. Pour lasagna in large bowl and let rest in its own hot water – lasagna will actually continue to cook so be sure you don’t over-boil it. Drizzle olive oil over bottom of hot pan you just poured the lasagna from and add garlic. Bring to a slow simmer to infuse the oil with the garlic ~1-2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until slightly thickened ~4-6 minutes. While that’s simmering, mix the ricotta, egg, 1 cup parmesan and S&P to taste in a large bowl – blend well. Back to the pan, pour all of the sauce into a large measuring cup and set aside leaving about a cup in the bottom of the pan. Line with a layer of lasagna noodles (3-4). Add half of the cheese mixture. Layer half of the carrots and zucchini and about 1/3 of the spinach leaves. Top with a spattering of the tomato sauce. Add another layer of lasagna noodles, then the remaining cheese mixture, layer in the remaining carrots, zucchini and another 1/3 of spinach. Top with a spattering of the tomato sauce. Add final layer of noodles (the noodles won’t completely cover the top) and the remainder of the tomato sauce and spinach. Cut mozzarella and arrange on top and sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Put a lid on it and return it to the stove and simmer on LOW for 20-30 minutes. If you’re a purist and want to test for doneness, stick a toothpick in it. When you can push it in with no resistance, it’s done. For the rest of us, 20-30 minutes will be just fine. Turn stove off and allow to sit UNCOVERED for ~10 minutes to allow ingredients to meld. Drizzle top with extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground pepper. Cut with a Teflon spatula and serve with fresh bread and a nice Cabernet. I usually always prepare this in a large non-stick skillet and it will yield 4 generous or 6 average portions. And, if you’re like me and have discovered the value in cooking a large dish and then freezing portions for later meals, this recipe freezes well and is just as good on its encore serving. Top the meal off with a scoop of chocolate ice-cream with fresh raspberries sprinkled over and a dollop of whipped-cream and you’ve got a meal you or your guests won’t soon forget.

Notes

You can adjust most of the seasoning ingredients to your own tastes. If you really like basil, pile it on. If you aren’t crazy about garlic, use shallots instead. As for the basil, I’ve tried this recipe with several varieties, but Thai really adds a wonderful sweetness that compliments the fresh tomatoes. I have made this using other types of pasta, but for it to hold together with typical lasagna consistency, you really need lasagna noodles; otherwise, it’s more like a casserole. In spite of the seemingly complicated instructions, this is really easy to prepare, easy to cook, easy to serve and easy to clean up. It’s almost a shame to be that easy and taste so good! This dish compliments small kitchens so well, it’ll quickly become a favorite of yours too! Enjoy!

Thanks for the great recipe Randy! -Michael

This recipe can serve two but it’s so yummy it might only serve one!

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1/4 red onion
• A sprinkling of brown sugar (optional)
• 1 clove chopped garlic (fresh) or 1 tsp pre chopped garlic
• Olive oil

So I usually cook this by instinct but I’ll try to put it in recipe format!

Coarsely slice onion. Break the cauliflower up into bite sized florets.

Heat skillet to med-hi. Add oil, onion and brown sugar. cook until onion is a nice dark brown, stirring frequently.

Add a little more oil if necessary (olive oil is good for the heart you know!) and add garlic, cauliflower and a little bit of seasoned salt or whatever other spices you want. Cook until brown and tender.

This recipe was submtted by Lelly at Project Rolling Freedom.

This recipe requires no refrigerated ingredients, no cooking, and is an excellent appetizer/snack or could be served as a side dish for the Apricot Dijon Ham.

• 1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Pour the drained tomatoes and mushrooms into a bowl. With a knife, make some cuts through the mixture to even the texture of the tomato and mushroom pieces. Add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve on crackers or italian toasts.

Submitted by James King. Thanks James!