Lasagna

I've been craving lasagna, for a while now. With the holidays, I never got around to it. I really don't know why. It's not so bad once, you get started. The leftovers freeze well, so it will be handy, for a quick meal.

My recipe is pretty standard. The one thing I like about my lasagna, is that it has a huge cheese layer, in the center. I include provolone cheese, to give a nice cheese pull. I'm going to break this recipe, into easy steps.

If you make it, comment below. There is a demonstration video, on my YouTube channel: The Righteous Kitchen. It's important, in this recipe, to do your prep work before you get started. 

LASAGNA

NOODLES:

1 (16 Ounce) Package lasagna noodles

1 1/2 Teaspoons salt

 

MEAT FILLING:

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

1 1/2 Pounds ground turkey breast

2 Teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce

2 Teaspoons ground mushroom powder

8 Ounces ground breakfast sausage

5 Garlic gloves, minced

2 Teaspoons Righteous Seasoning

2 Tablespoons dried oregano

2 Tablespoons dried basil

1 (12 Ounce) Can tomato paste 

3 (15 Ounce) Cans tomato sauce *(reserve 1/2 Cup to spread on bottom of baking pan)

 

RICOTTA & CHEESE FILLING:

8 Ounces Provolone cheese, sliced, halved

1 (15 Ounce) Container ricotta cheese

1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 Eggs, beaten

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

12 Ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

 

CHEESE TOPPING:

12 Ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated

 

TO PREPARE NOODLES:  Boil noodles, according to package directions. Lay cooked noodles between layers of plastic wrap, until ready to assemble. 

 

TO PREPARE MEAT FILLING:  *Coat lasagna pan with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Set aside. In a medium bowl, blend ground turkey, Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce, and mushroom powder. Blend ground breakfast sausage to turkey mixture. Heat oil, in a Dutch oven, over medium high heat. Cook, and crumble, meats. Add minced garlic. Cook until meat is fully cooked. Drain liquids. Stir in seasoning. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste. Stir in tomato sauce, blending well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover Dutch oven, with a lid. Let simmer 10 minutes. Let meat filling cool. Divide into 2 bowls. Set aside.

 

TO PREPARE RICOTTA & CHEESE FILLING:  Slice provolone cheese, in half. Set aside. Blend ricotta cheese, eggs, and parsley, in a medium sized bowl. Grate mozzarella, in a large bowl. Set aside.

  

TO PREPARE CHEESE TOPPING:  Grate mozzarella, in a large bowl. Set aside.  Place Parmesan cheese, in a small bowl. Set aside. 

 

TO ASSEMBLE:  Coat a lasagna, or 9 X 13" pan with tomato sauce. Place in this order: single layer of noodles, 1/2 of the meat mixture, single layer of noodles, sliced provolone cheese, ricotta filling, mozzarella cheese, single layer of noodles, remaining meat mixture, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese. 

 

Bake at 350, until golden brown and bubbly, approximately 1:10. 

 

Parmesan Pull Aparts

This is a new recipe, I created. I wanted a savory pull apart bread that would compliment spaghetti. This fits the bill!

The recipe starts with a crescent roll dough. The dough is slathered with butter. Cheese and spices are sprinkled on top. 

Then cut, and rolled into miniature rolls. I cut the dough with a pizza cutter, and used a large offset spatula as my guide.

Once the dough is rolled, place into a well greased bundt pan, covered with plastic wrap.

If it happens to be a really hot day outside, feel free to let it proof outdoors! You will want to put a lid over the pan, to prevent the dough from escaping.

The dough is ready when the pan has filled with risen dough. This is a general rule in baking breads. Often, bakers are in a rush and do not allow the dough to fully rise. The goal is for the dough to fill the pan.

Bake at 350 until golden brown. To test for doneness, place a thermometer into the bread and check for a reading of 185.

Invert on a cooling rack, or butcher's block. Serve immediately! With butter, if desired.

Go ahead! Tear into it. The pieces will pull apart. Hence the name, Parmesan Pull Aparts.

Parmesan Pull Aparts:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon butter, softened

DOUGH:

3/4 Cup milk

1/2 Cup water, 110 degrees

2 Eggs

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon salt

1/3 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon dry yeast

4 Tablespoons butter

FILLING:

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 Teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 Cup Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare a bundt pan by brushing olive oil, then softened butter; to ensure a well greased pan. Place dough ingredients into a bread machine, in order given. Run on the dough cycle. Once dough is ready. Roll onto a floured surface, to a 15 X 15" square. Using an offset spatula, spread softened butter over entire surface of the dough. In a small bowl blend Parmesan cheese, parsley and garlic. Scatter the cheese blend over the butter. Top with Monterey Jack cheese. Cut the dough, in half, down the center. Using an offset spatula and a pizza cutter, cut horizontally across the dough. Roll each section, in the same manner you would roll cinnamon rolls. Place rolls in prepared bundt pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise, to fill the pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for approx. 30 minutes, until bread is golden brown and temperature tests to 185. Serve hot. Pull pieces of bread from the loaf. Enjoy.