Eggplant Involtini

I have a recent obsession with America's Test Kitchen.  Everything that I have made from their site has been crazy delicious and easy to do!  This recipe was no exception.  It was like an eggplant parmesan meets a lasagna roll-up and it was super yummy.  It didn't take very long to make and it ended up yielding a ton of leftovers.  Who isn't a fan of that?

I'm also pretty pumped because today is Friday and I survived my first week back at school after winter break!  Tonight we have a holiday party for school and we are going to see a show at Second City!  I can't wait! 

So, while I will be dining out tonight and seeing a show, I figured you might be looking for a special dinner to make and this one is a must!

Eggplant Involtini

Follow the link for specific instructions, but here are a few things that I changed/noticed while I was cooking:

1.  I ended up with more lasagna rolls than they said I would (like 18 instead of 12)

2. Instead of white bread, I used whole wheat breadcrumbs

3. Instead of whole-milk ricotta, I used 8 oz of part-skim ricotta

4. So, instead of using a food processor, I simply mixed the breadcrumbs, ricotta, parmesan and basil together in a bowl.  

Other than this, I followed the instructions exactly and my eggplant involtini came out amazing! 

Enjoy :)

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

I'm writing a blog post at school! Well, sort of...

Today is a testing day for the students, so I am sitting here, bored out of my mind, watching students take a practice ACT.  I decided that a great use of my time (after I did everything I needed to do for school) would be to write a blog post about some amazing Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups I made.  My only fear is that this post is going to make me drool or that the students will hear my stomach rumbling! I hope you all enjoy this random, mid-week post about one amazing dinner idea!

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

Ingredients:
1 box lasagna noodles (the kind you have to boil)
your favorite tomato sauce
16 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained completely
16 oz light ricotta cheese
8 oz, plus a few tbsp light mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook the lasagna noodles according to directions until al dente.  Drain and lay each noodle on a damp paper towel.  Cover the noodles with another damp paper towel.
3. In a bowl, mix the spinach into the ricotta cheese.  Mix in the egg using a fork and then mix in half the mozzarella, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spread a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan.  Uncover the noodles and, using a spoon, spread a layer of the spinach-ricotta mixture over each noodle.  Then, tightly roll up each noodle and place seam down in the pan. When all noodles are done, spread more tomato sauce over the tops of the rolls and sprinkle with some mozzarella and parmesan.  Place in oven to bake for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Brussels Sprouts Lasagna

Happy first day of summer!  I always loved June 21st because it is the first day of summer, the longest day of the year, and exactly one month until my birthday!  So far, summer is off to a great start.  I just finished my first week of camp!  This summer, I am the director of three of the day camps and while my days are very hectic, I love what I am doing because I get to spend so much time outdoors or playing with the kiddos.  It's a lot of fun even when I feel a little stressed.

I also just finished my second week of marathon training! This week I ran a total of 17 miles and I am feeling really good! I am running the Chicago Marathon in October and I am running with an organization called Access Living.  To find out more, please check out my page: https://sites.google.com/site/teamaccessliving2014/accesslivingchicagomarathonrunners/jodie-berman

Today, I have a fun lasagna recipe to share.  I am not going to post the full recipe here since I want you all to go to the blog where I found it.  I did make a few changes though, instead of 2% or whole milk, I used skim because that is what I had on hand, and I also used a light ricotta cheese.  Otherwise, I followed the recipe to a T and and it turned out amazing! I made it for me and Bri and we were both huge fans.  (Even Bri who is not the biggest mushroom fan!).  So, without further ado, click here for the recipe: Vegetarian Brussels Sprouts Lasagna

I hope that everyone's summer is off to an amazing start!  Enjoy that beautiful weather :)

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Shells

I have been on quite the Spinach and Artichoke kick.  This has always been one of my favorite combinations and it goes so well with so many different kinds of dishes!  For example, I am writing this while I wait for my Spinach and Artichoke Quinoa Casserole to come out of the oven.   Today's recipe is for a pasta dish that incorporates spinach and artichoke.

I have to admit, I'm a little bummed out today.  Wisconsin basketball is finally over for the season.  I was so proud of the team for making it to the final four and putting up such a great fight against Kentucky.  I was sad when they lost, but it was an amazing game and now I guess I can focus my energy on those Blackhawks!

In other news, I just started a Zumba class! I used to go to Zumba all the time in college and I have been missing it since graduation.  I just joined a local LA Fitness and they offer Zumba classes almost every day! It is such a fun way to work out and I am super excited to keep this up.
Finally, in school news, I officially have a job again next year!  I will be returning to the same school as a second-year teacher and I cannot wait! I can't believe this year is almost over (8 more weeks!).  Time has flown by and it has been such an amazing learning experience.  I spend so much time thinking about how I can better myself as a teacher for my students and I know this means that I am truly passionate and have found the right place.  For the summer, I will be working as a camp director for the local park district again and I am excited to break up my high school time with some cute camp experiences.  I feel like I've really found my niche and its great!

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Shells
(adapted from Tracy's Culinary Adventures)

Ingredients: 
your favorite pasta sauce (store bought or homemade)
20 jumbo shells
1 cup shredded light mozzarella cheese
1 cup crumbled light feta cheese
1/2 cup part-skim ritcotta cheese
dash of salt and pepper
9 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 and spread sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan.
2. Cook shells for 1 minute less than the directions on the box. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 of the mozzarella, feta, ricotta, salt, pepper, spinach, artichoke hearts, and garlic.
4.  Stuff each shell with the filling and place in the sauce covered pan.  Pour sauce over the tops of your stuffed shells and then sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella over the top.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Eggplant Rollatini

I love Sundays.  This Sunday is a little bittersweet though.  On Friday, after school, I drove straight up to Wisconsin to visit one of my best friends, Tamara.  Tamara is also a teacher and we became besties while in college together.  I truly think we're soul-mates.  We met because when asked to draw a picture of something that represented who we are, we both drew cupcakes.  Seriously.  So it was just wonderful to be able to spend the weekend with her.

She is a basketball coach and so I got to see a bunch of games this weekend.  It was really neat to see her school and her teams playing and it was also relaxing since I got to just sit around and chill out!  I met some of the teachers she works with and it was just nice to see what she has been up to.  On Saturday, we had a great night catching up over some homemade butternut squash risotto, bruschetta, and wine.  We watched movies and had some quality girl time.  I couldn't believe how much I missed those nights from college and it made me nostalgic.  However, it also made me so grateful how close she still is and how easy it was to pop in for a visit.  Friends like this are one in a million and I am so thankful for her and this great weekend.

This is why I am feeling slightly bittersweet on this Sunday.  I had to say goodbye.  But, then I went home to my family, went for a run outside (since its incredibly above freezing today!) and got to spend some time hanging out and just catching up on schoolwork for the coming week.  Finals start Thursday, and so I am organizing my review materials, reviewing the finals, and getting ready for the new semester!  I can't believe second semester is basically here!  This year is flying by!

Anyways, besides that risotto recipe that I linked to (definitely try it!) I have a new recipe to share! THis is going to be consistent with my attempt to eat healthy and lose a little bit of weight.  It is a recipe for baked Eggplant Rollatini.  This looks like lasagna roll-ups, but instead of noodles, you use eggplant!  The extra veggies combined with the delicious cheese and spinach filling is just amazing!  If you are looking for a great meal that is healthy and can feed a crowd (or give you tons of leftovers) this is a great one to try!

Baked Eggplant Rollatini

(adapted from Skinnytaste)

Ingredients:

2 eggplant sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices

salt and pepper

your favorite marinara sauce

1/2 cup light ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Romano

shredded light mozzarella

10 oz frozen spinach, cooked and drained

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

1. Place sliced eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt.  Let sit for 15 minutes and then pat dry.

2. Preheat oven to 400 and place eggplant slices on a lightly greased pan.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes or until eggplant slices are slightly softened.  Pat dry again with a paper towel.   

3. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, cooked spinach, egg, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper. 

4.  Pour some sauce into a 13 by 9 inch pan and spread it out to cover the bottom.  Take each eggplant slice and spread some of the cheese mixture down the middle.  Roll up the slice as tightly as you can.  Place into the pan.  Repeat with all of the eggplant slices.  Pour some sauce over the top of the eggplant rolls and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.  

5.  Bake for 60 minutes or until eggplant is very soft and cheese has completely melted.  

Enjoy :)  

Restaurant Week: Veranda Restaurant & Wine Bar

I have been such a slacker! I can't believe that I haven't posted here in so long.  I feel badly, but I have been so busy with school!  This past weekend was jam packed with fun and friends.  And now, I am back to the hectic full-time teaching gig.  

I have wanted to share with you yet another restaurant I discovered with Bri for restaurant week.  This place was in Fitchburg, but was only about 15 minutes away from where I live and a great find.  It is called VerandaRestaurant and Wine Bar.  When I saw "wine bar" I as immediately intrigued.  The food was great and I did get to enjoy a good glass of wine with my meal.  It was a really fun date night!

For appetizers, we both had amazing salads.  For dinner, I had the seared tuna and Bri got a vegetable napoleon.  Both were really yummy.  Finally, for dessert we shared the ricotta cheesecake and espresso ice cream.  It was all amazing.  Afterwards, we went back to campus and went to the Piano Bar for a fun evening with friends.

It was a really nice night all around.  Definitely hit up this restaurant if you are in town! 

Now, it’s time for me to return to lesson planning/worksheet creating/trying to work out occasionally! 

Easy Cannoli

Godfather night.  That's right, my friends and I decided to throw a get together and have it be Godfather themed.  I really can't take credit for this at all.  I have never seen the godfather, but my friend's Katie and Michael came up with the idea and since I just love to cook so much, I offered to host.

I was just in Boston and Bri and I had a lovely evening in the north end complete with good Italian food, lots of wine, and cannoli from Mike's Pastry.

Mike's has amazing cannoli! Since being there, I've wanted to try my hand at making some of my own.  I figured that cannoli would be the perfect treat for Godfather night!  However, I just didn't have time to make the shells and go through all the hassel associated with that.  So, I decided to use sugar cones!  I know it's not authentic, but it's easy and it's going to be perfect for our dinner party!

Easy Cannoli (adapted from Serious Eats)

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk ricotta, drained
8 oz. marscapone cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla or Grand Mariner
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
mini chocolate chips
ice cream cones

Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together except for the chocolate chips and ice cream cones.
2. Fill the cones with the filling and top with the mini chocolate chips

Enjoy :)


I even shared this recipe on Foodie Friends Friday!!!  You can vote for this recipe and others over at Everything in the Kitchen Sink!  Happy Friday!

Also seen on: Happy Home Blog.

Golden Birthday Part Two: Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Lasagna

Yesterday, Saturday, was my 21st birthday.  I turned 21 on the 21st and therefore it was my golden birthday as well! It was quite possibly one of the best days of my life.  I know that is dramatic, but it seriously was amazing.  Also, I totally remember all of it!

I just feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.  I started off the day with a nice 9 mile run, not kidding.  As I was running, I was amazed at how happy I felt that this was such a special day, but that I still felt totally the same. It was an amazing run where I just felt so happy and comfortable with who I am.  I have changed a lot through the years, and now, I feel very comfortable and happy.  After my run, my amazing boyfriend took me to the DMV to get my new license.  Not only do I now have a real-person sideways license, but I also registered to vote! It was so exciting! Following that excursion, we met my parents, brother, and bestie, Tamara, at a restaurant for a little Brunch/Lunch.  I got my favorite omelet and just continued to enjoy my day.  Also, I hadn't seen Tamara in AGES and it was awesome to catch up with her.  Then, it was time to really get the party started.  Some of the most amazing ladies in the world, Caryn, Lauren, Anna, Katie, and Jilly, met up with me, Bri, and Tamara at my house and my brother, mom, and dad were awesome enough to drive us all downtown to our hotel for the night.   We got ready to go out in the hotel and then headed to Goose Island Brewery for a fantastic dinner and my first legal drink! Of course, the waiter asked for my ID and it was really funny and exciting.  I was all decked out in my goofy birthday trinkets and of course, my golden shoes for my golden birthday! Then, we headed to Lincoln Park for the bars.  Everything was so fun.  We drank, we danced, and then we ended the night with pizza! It was the best!  I felt so happy to be surrounded by such amazing friends and I can't thank them all enough for the awesome birthday night I had because of them.  Also, Brian was amazing and even danced the night away with me! I don't even know how to express my love for all of them, they are all unbelievable!

Now, it is Sunday, and it is definitely a Slow-Cooker kind of day.  Which is why I am sharing a fabulous recipe for a Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna.  It is the easiest comfort meal I have made in a while and it is perfect after yesterday's/early this morning's shenanigans.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna (adapted from Betty Crocker)

Ingredients:
1 box whole wheat, uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 red peppers, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
4 cups, or more marinara sauce
2 cups shredded, light mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
15 oz low-fat, part skim ricotta cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Lightly grease your slow-cooker and prepare the vegetables.  Place the veggies, without the tomatoes, in a bowl and combine.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta with the mozzarella and parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Coat the bottom of the slow-cooker with some marinara sauce. Place lasagna noodles over the bottom.  Break noodles to make them fit. Spread some of the cheese mixture over the noodles to coat them.  Spread a few spoonfuls of the veggies over the cheese and then top with sauce and some chopped tomatoes.  Place lasagna noodles on top and then repeat with the other ingredients to create the layers.  Once you have 4 layers, top with the final lasagna noodles, coat with marinara/tomatoes, and then sprinkle on some extra parmesan.
4. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Enjoy :)


This recipe is featured on Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party!

Eggplant Rollatini

This appetizer was fantastic and we got to make it a week ahead, freeze, and then simply stick in the fridge the day before.  It was easy and delicious.  It's also a vegetarian option so it was perfect for The Dinner Party which included a couple people who were looking for meat free options.

Eggplant Rollatini is something that Chris sort of made up after having something similar at a nice French restaurant.  It's eggplant rolled up with a cheese and spinach mixture, coated in a bit of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and then deep fried for a minute to get it a little crispy.  Can you say yum? It's so good!

Eggplant Rollatini

Ingredients:
1 cup ricotta
1/2 cup Boursin with Garlic and Fine Herbs
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and with all the water squeezed out
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
2 medium eggplants
olive oil
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
marinara sauce, for serving
1 cup mozzarella cheese, for serving
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:
1. Peel the eggplant and then cut into rounds that are about 1/2 inch thick.  Place on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.  Let sit for about 15 minutes so that the eggplant dries out a bit. Rinse and pat dry.  Place back on the paper towel.
2. Heat a large pan over medium heat and coat with olive oil.  Saute the eggplant, adding more oil as needed, until soft, about 5 minutes on each side.  You want the eggplant soft enough to roll. They can turn slightly brown.  Place on a paper towel lined pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let cool.
3. Mix the ricotta, Boursin, parmesan, Italian seasoning, spinach, basil and artichoke hearts in a medium bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread the cheese mixture on each eggplant slice (if the slices are really small, you can stick two together using the cheese as glue to make a larger slice).  Roll the eggplant up.
5. Get three plates or small wide bowls, and place flour in one, two eggs (lightly beaten) in the second one, and breadcrumbs in the third.  Season the flour and bread crumbs with pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning.
6. Using tongs, pick up each eggplant roll and coat with flour, then egg mixture, and finally breadcrumbs.  Place on a wire rack.  Let sit for about 15 minutes so that they have time to set.
7. Using a pan or deep fryer, heat enough oil to cover an eggplant roll to 360 degrees.  Deep fry each roll until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Place on a wire rack over a paper towel.  This will allow the grease to drain off without the eggplant sitting in it.  At this point you can continue to the next step, or place in the freezer until ready to serve.
8. When ready to serve, heat oven to 325, place eggplant rolls in a casserole dish, and heat for 15 minutes.  Heat marinara sauce in a small saucepan, drizzle marinara over the eggplant and then sprinkle with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  Place back in oven and heat until the cheese is melted. Serve :)

All the Apps from The Dinner Party

Enjoy :)

Daring Cooks June 2012 Challenge: Cannelloni

Another Daring Cooks Challenge is finally here! Manu from Manu's Menu challenged us to make Cannelloni for the June 2012 challenge.  Thank you Manu for the fun challenge and the motivation to get some of my friends together for a unique dinner!

Cannelloni was a bigger challenge than I expected simply because I'm trying to avoid tons of carbs and my mom is trying to avoid tons of cheese. On top of this, my boyfriend is a vegetarian.  With all of these dietary obstacles I had to get a little creative.  I found a fun recipe for a zucchini cannelloni over at My Pans and Pots and it inspired me to make something similar.  This way, I could avoid the carbs and use some lighter ingredients and still celebrate the June challenge and the spirit of the cannelloni dish!

Zucchini Cannelloni

 Ingredients:
4 large zucchini, peeled and with the ends cut off
1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup baby spinach
1 egg yolk
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
a pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp flour
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. With the prepared zucchini, cut them in half length-wise and scrape out the insides.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil the gutted zucchini halves for 5 minutes.  Remove from the water and set aside to dry.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the spinach over low heat until wilted.  Place the spinach in a bowl with the ricotta and egg yolk and mix to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, saute the olive oil, onion, and garlic until onion becomes translucent.  Mix in the chopped tomatoes and continue to cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. Pour the tomato sauce into a 9 by 13 inch pan.
4. Preheat oven to 350.  Place 4 of the zucchini halves in the tomato sauce, stuff them with the ricotta mixture, and place the other halves on top.
5. Pour the milk into a small sauce pan and mix in the flour over medium-low heat until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper and stir until sauce thickens.  Pour the sauce over the tops of the stuffed zucchini.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dish.
6. Bake the zucchini for about 30 minutes and then place on high-broil for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is browned on top.

Enjoy :)

Simple Pasta with Ricotta and Veggies

I can't believe that I forgot about "Half Marathon Monday!"  This week has been INSANE.  Not only has my half marathon training progressed to week 4, but I also started my summer job.  I've officially made it up to a 6 mile run (Saturday) and this week I have a 3 mile, 5 mile, 3 mile, and then 8 mile run. On top of this, I've spent every day working from 8:30-4 getting ready for camp, meeting the counselors, prepping the school where we will have camp, and planning for next week when we actually get to meet all the campers!

I am the site director at a day camp for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders and I honestly could not be more excited about it.  My theme for the camp is the "Olympics" and I can't wait! This is not only a fun way to spend the summer and make some money, but it also is widely helpful for working on my classroom management skills, creativity, and people skills.  I get to plan the summer, find activities, and manage the entire campsite! It's a huge responsibility, but I love it.  Also, I am exhausted! I worked from 8 to 3 and then ran 5 miles and right now I am pooped.

Tonight was looking like a frozen meal night simply because my parents were not around and I was being lazy.  However, I decided that I really did want something more exciting and I thought it would make me feel good to put together something good to eat.  The saying goes, "You are what you eat" and I fully believe that.  I threw together this simple pasta dish and it made me feel amazing.  I loved that I was eating something fresh, filling, and healthy.  Now, I am going to go sit on the couch and not move for at least 2 hours (aka I'm going to watch So You Think You Can Dance).  

Simple Pasta with Ricotta and Veggies

I used this stuff which tasted awesome! Pomegranate!!!

Ingredients:

4 oz. whole wheat pasta

1 cup packed baby spinach

1/4 cup frozen peas

1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1-2 tbsp low-fat ricotta

dash of red pepper flakes

dash of garlic powder

parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions, drain, and place in a bowl.

2. Place spinach and peas in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Pour about a tsp in the pan and saute the veggies until the spinach is wilted. Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and garlic and toss with the veggies.

3. Toss the pasta with the ricotta until coated.  Mix in the veggies and sprinkle with more balsamic and parmesan.  

Enjoy :)