Eating is Art

1 lb. lean beef (15% fat)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fennel
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon oregano
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 14.5 oz. cans tomatoes, petite dice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup water
3 large or 4 medium zucchini
15 oz. ricotta
1 lb. frozen chopped spinach
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 lb. mozerella, grated
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
9 oz. lasagna noodles (no-boil)

Saute the beef until just brown; drain. Add garlic and saute about 5 minutes more. Meanwhile, crush fennel, peppercorns, and red pepper in a mortar. Stir in the spices, then add the two cans tomato paste and two cans tomatoes. Stir in sugar, salt, and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer gently while preparing the other layers.

Wash and cut the zucchini by sectioning once lengthwise, then cutting into 1/4 slabs. Lay these out in one layer on an oiled sheet. Gently sprinkle with oil and salt. Broil until slightly golden, turning once (ten minutes or so). Remove and set aside.

Prepare the spinach as directed and allow to cool slightly. Stir ricotta, nutmeg, and salt to correct the seasoning. Set aside. Grate cheeses and set aside.

Time to layer! I hate following layering directions, and honestly, you can just fly your own flag and do it your way. You can't really go wrong. Just make sure the noodles are covered up so they don't end up brittle. But here are the layers I use:

a tiny bit of sauce
four noodles
1/3 the zucchini
half the ricotta mixture
1/3 the mozerella
1/3 the sauce
four noodles
1/3 the zucchini
half the ricotta mixture
1/3 the mozerella
four noodles
1/3 the zucchini
1/3 the sauce
1/3 the mozerella

Bake, covered, for 50 - 60 mins. Uncover, sprinkle on parmesan, and broil until cheese is golden, about 5 minutes. Allow to sit 15 minutes before cutting.

12 servings.

I hope my readers realize my recipe names are a joke. Anyway, this is nearly identical to a favorite at allrecipes.com, with the addition of grilled chicken. You can cook the chicken ahead of time and assemble this salad very quickly.

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodle soup (with flavor packet)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 large head napa cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar

Grill, cool, and slice the chicken. Crush noodles, place them in a medium skillet and brown in butter over medium heat. Add almonds and sesame seeds. Stir often to prevent burning. Add seasoning mix from noodles and cool. Toss in a large bowl with cabbage.

Whisk together the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Pour over salad, toss and serve.

I've tried to think of a good snappy housewife-y name for these - like, "Kelly's Beef Enchiladas Muy Fantastico!", but so far nothing's stuck. Anyway, they're great. This recipe freezes well. You can make the beef and roux ahead of time, refrigerate, and assemble the day you want to bake them.

3 pounds beef chuck roast
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic whole and 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups sour cream
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided (2 and 1 cup)
1/2 cup canola oil for frying
20 corn tortillas
1 19 oz. can red or green enchilada sauce

Place roast in a large saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Pour in water, cover, and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Uncover, increase heat, and brown on all sides. Once the water has boiled away, pour in the beef broth, vinegar, and whole garlic. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beef falls apart (you can cook longer if you like). Shred the beef and place shredded beef back into the saucepan with all the juices. Let cool to room temperature.

Alternatively: use leftover roast, cooled and shredded (I often buy a larger roast than we need for one dinner, then save the leftover beef for this recipe).

In a large skillet, saute the garlic until just soft. Mix in flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes until smooth. Stir in sour cream and 2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese. Cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the cheese is all melted and mixed. Set aside and let cool.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Using tongs dip the tortillas, one at a time, into the oil for 30 seconds each side or until soft and pliant. Drain on paper towels.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread about 3 tablespoons of sour cream mixture down the center of the tortilla. Top with about the same amount of beef. Roll up and place seam side down in large baking dish (you may need two). Repeat for each tortilla. Continue until you are out of the filling. Pour sauce on the top, covering enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining Monterey Jack cheese.

Cover and bake 30 minutes, or until all ingredients are hot and bubbled through. Remove tinfoil and broil cheese for the last five minutes, if desired.