Lasagna Casserole

Pictured: Lasagna Casserole made with egg noodles.

Original recipe from Inspired Taste.

Noodle Ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles or 8 oz pasta of choice (1 1/2 c dry orzo)

Red Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 pepper (or 1 can diced green chilis)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• *3 small (or 1/2 gallon freezer bag) zucchini, sliced
• *16 oz mushrooms, sliced 
• OR replace *above 2 ingredients with 1 lb browned ground beef
• 1 c shredded greens, optional
• 16 oz spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 t salt

Cheese Sauce Ingredients: 

• 2 c cottage cheese (16 oz)
• 1 tub (1 can) pureed white beans
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 parmesan cheese
• Shredded cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese to taste (~1 c)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Pasta: In a large pan filled with water over high heat, cook noodles until al dente (more firm than mushy)--for lasagna noodles, 10-12 minutes. While cooking, move to the next steps. 
3. Red Sauce: In a medium frying pan over medium low heat, warm oil. Sauté veg, cooking until all juices have evaporated. Add optional ground beef (browned), optional greens, spaghetti sauce, and salt. Bring to a simmer; set aside.
4. Cheese sauce. In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, pureed white beans, eggs, and parmesan cheese. 
5. Assemble. In a 9x13 pan, spread 1/2 red sauce mixture. Lay 3 lasagna noodles or a thin layer of pasta of choice over top. Carefully spread with 1/2 cheese sauce mixture. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles or pasta of choice. Spread second 1/2 of red sauce mixture, last 3 noodles (or pasta), and last layer of cheese sauce. 
6. Cover with tinfoil, bake 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with shredded cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese, and bake 15 more minutes. Let cool 5 minutes to set up before serving.

Deep Dish Baked Zucchini

 

Pictured: deep dish zucchini served with quinoa. 

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini,* cut into 1" rounds (about 8-10 rounds. De-seed if necessary.)
• 1/2 recipe tomato lentils or marinara sauce (about 2 c)
• 1 c shredded cheese or to taste
• 1/4 c breadcrumbs or to taste
• cooked quinoa, rice, or other grain to serve with, optional
• fried eggs per person, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray 9x13 pan with oil.
2. Lay zucchini rounds flat side down in pan. Pour tomato lentils or marinara sauce to cover zucchini. Cover tightly with foil and bake until zucchini is soft, about 40 min if fresh and 10 if frozen & thawed.
3. Remove foil covering and sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs over top. Set oven to low broil for 1-3 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn!
4. Serve each zucchini round with an optional fried egg on top. Enjoy!

*Zucchini can be sliced and frozen in rounds until ready to use! Simply thaw beforehand and drain juices.

Parmesan Patties

Pictured: Parmesan patty with hash browns seasoned with pesto. 

Original recipe from Food52.  

Ingredients:

• 1 tub hummus (1 cup)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 c fresh or frozen zucchini, cubed or shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c cooked quinoa (1/3 c dry)
• 2 T mustard
• 1 T lemon
• 2-4 T parmesan cheese, or to taste, until thick 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T olive oil

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Add extra season to taste.
2. Heat 1 or 2 frying pans to medium low. Drizzel a thin layer of olive oil. Plop big spoonfuls onto hot pans, making about 6 patties. Pat down and shape edges into round circles.
3. Fry 3-5 minutes on each side, misting tops with extra oil (if you have an oil sprayer) before flipping them.
4. Serve with fried potatoes or potato wedges, sweet potato hash, macaroni and cheese, or favorite roasted winter squash.

Summer Squash Soup

Pictured: patty pan squash soup frozen in serving sizes.

Original recipe from Food & Wine.

Don't let that summer squash go to waste! Puree it into this soup to use later as a simple winter meal, or as a yummy broth base.

Ingredients:

• 3 T olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped,
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs summer squash, chunked (yellow, zucchini, patty pan--remove large, fiberous seeds as necessary)
• 1 c broth, or to cover
• salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Saute onion and garlic. 
2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer until soft.
3. Double or quadruple recipe according to your amount of squash.
4. Eat fresh or freeze in sandwich bags for later use.