Pumpkin Alfredo Lasagna with Roasted Veggies and Pork Sage Sausage
SERVES: 15 LEVEL: Intermediate
INGREDIENTS Lasagna: 1 lb of Lasagna Noodles cooked al dente (or no bake noodles) 1 lb of Mixed Shredded Cheeses (Mozzarella & Monterey Jack is great) 1 lb Whole Mike Ricotta 8 oz Boursin Cheese (Garlic and fine herbs) 1 egg ½ cup chopped fresh parsley or ¼ cup dried 2 Tbsp Amazing Herbes 1 lb pork sage spicy sausage (OPTIONAL-omit for vegetarian version) *cooked, drained and crumbled! 2 red peppers, julienned 3 summer squashes, julienned 3 zucchini Squash, julienned 3 carrots, julienned 1 cup of whole sage leaves if available (can be omitted) 3 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp of olive oil 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Rub **Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce *recipe follows
DIRECTIONS Set oven to 400F degrees. (Plan on 40 minutes large, or 25 mins individuals)
Cook Lasagna Noodles in Salted Water approx 10-12 minutes, add a little olive oil at the finish boil, drain and separate noodles on tray, set aside. You can also use no bake lasagna noodles for this.
Mix Ricotta, Boursin, Egg, Parsley, Amaz Herbes – Season with Salt and Pepper.
Slice all vegetables julienned style (Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks) , and mix Red Peppers, Squashes, Carrots, (Whole Sage Leaves if available) and any other veggies you would like with Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil and Amazing Rub (or use your own seasoning blend). Brown veggies in hot 400 degree oven for approx 15 minutes stirring once or twice…if you want more crisp or browning keep in an extra 5 minutes.
INGREDIENTS For Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce: 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. butter 2 cups milk 1 cup white wine (optional) 1 cup chicken broth 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 – 2 Tbsp of Amazing Herbes (or salt/pepper/oregano blend) ¼ cup grated Parmesan (more if desired) 1-2 cans pumpkin purée
DIRECTIONS Combine oil and butter and warm, add all other ingredients and do a consistent stir, bring to a low boil, when thickened, remove from heat and add 1 can of puréed pumpkin. If you like it more Pumpkiny – add more purée! Taste for seasonings and adjust according to your palate.
Now Line all ingredients like an assembly line:
Sauce
Lasagna Noodles
Ricotta Cheese Mix
Shredded Cheese Mix
Roasted Veggies
Cooked/Crumbled Pork Sausage
Spread pan bottom with sauce, arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles on top, next spread ricotta cheese mix, another layer of lasagna noodles. Next layer sauce and roasted veggies, add a little shredded cheese. Next sauce, crumbled sausage, a little shredded cheese, and more lasagna noodles, sauce, veggies—keep going till you have used all ingredients and the Lasagna Noodles and finish with sauce and a decorative garnish of veggies and cheese.
Bake in warm in oven for 45-50 minutes. You can add more cheese and Amazing Herbes to the top of the Lasagna for the last 5 minutes of cooking. If you would like, create individual lasagna in oven proof individual cassoulets. This recipe freezes wonderful – so make two or three! Highly delicious!
INGREDIENTS For Turkey: 1 bone-in whole turkey breast (6- 7 lbs), thawed if frozen ½ C apricot brandy ½ cup butter melted 2 tsp Amazing Rub 1 sheet puff pastry
For Sauce: Turkey pan drippings + water to equal 2 cups 1 can apricot halves 2 T cornstarch 2 T cold water
DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 325ºF. Place turkey, skin side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of breast and does not touch bone. Roast uncovered 1 hour.
Mix Brandy with melted butter and Amazing Rub. Brush turkey with half of the butter mixture. Roast 30 minutes; brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast about 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 165ºF.
Remove turkey from oven and let stand 30 minutes for easier carving to remove bones. When only Turkey Breast Roast is left, enrobe the Turkey Breast with a thin layer of Puff Pastry brushed with a light egg wash; and bake again for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into measuring cup; skim fat from drippings. Add enough water to drippings to measure 2 cups. Heat drippings to boiling in 1-quart saucepan add one can of Apricots. Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water; stir into drippings. Boil and stir 1 minute. Serve with turkey.
INGREDIENTS 2 lb. ground pork (double ground pork) ½ onion finely chopped ¼ C. dried sour cherries ¼ C. dried apricots 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley, sage and rosemary 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic ½ Tbsp. salt ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp. The Amazing Heat 1 tsp. The Amazing Rub ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes ¼ C. cold white wine fresh sage leaves – browned in butter
DIRECTIONS Mix all ingredients to prepare Spicy/Fruited Sausage and cook small balls of the sausage mixture in skillet or bake in a 375 degree oven approx 12 minutes. Remove from skillet and brown whole sage leaves in a little butter and sausage drippings. Serve Sausage Balls to garnish on Pumpkin Kissed Grits. I recommend small servings in individual ramekins – excellent as a Tapas, appetizer – or entrée. You can go sweet or savory on this one – finish with salt/pepper – or add very small amount of maple syrup – delicious!
SERVES: 12-16; makes 2 pies LEVEL: Intermediate—you got this!
INGREDIENTS Base: Pie dough for 2 complete pies, bottoms and tops Purchase Pie Dough pre made for a snap or see our house recipe (link)
For the Filling: 2 tsp. oil 1 cup celery finely chopped 1 cup carrot finely chopped 1 medium onion finely chopped 3 cloves finely minced garlic 1 Pound finely ground pork 1 Pound finely ground beef 1 Tbsp. Amazing Rub 2 Large teaspoons poultry seasonings (Love Bell’s) Fresh minced rosemary/sage/parsley is optional if available ½ tsp Pummull Spice (our house mulling blend spice) 5 Pounds potatoes, boiled/roughly mashed with a little butter and cream Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS In a large frying pan or Dutch oven start oil with onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook to wilt and push veggies to side and add meats sprinkled with the Amazing Rub to the center of the pan. Cook until meat is lightly browned and drain most of the fat (but not all – your call!). Add poultry seasoning and Pummull Spice, here is where you could add optional herbs if desired.
Boil potatoes in large, salted pot of water – as you would for mashed potatoes. When done, drain, roughly mash – add a little butter and cream for thick mashed with a little salt and pepper to taste. Add the mashed to meat mixture. Taste and season more per your desire.
This mixture can be served as is, or in meat pies, or to stuff cored and seeded vegetables (I.E.Pumpkins).
For meat pie (our favorite) prepare standard pie crust, top and bottom, Roll, fill, cover and seal. Brush pie top with egg wash, sprinkle with a little pepper, salt and Bake one hour at 350 degrees. Best to set aside for 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Keeps, saves and reheats beautifully!
Salad Nicoise has been a favorite of mine for decades and I was first introduced to this salad by our family “Salad Master,” Joyce. However, it is really my travels in France and experiencing the variations of the Nicoise Salad in anywhere from the finest restaurant to gas service stations (yes, really!) Nicoise is a “composed” salad, the ingredients are served side by side, rather than tossed. There is something wonderful in the art of this salad. So with my Fall Flag flying and my love of these late market gardens, I bring you my version of HARVEST SALAD NICOISE with Salmon!
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Harvest Salad Nicoise (with Salmon)
SERVES: 4 LEVEL: Intermediate—you got this!
INGREDIENTS Base: 4-6 cups Fresh Salad Greens 4 Hard Boiled Eggs (10 min boil) 1 ½ Cups of petite potatoes 2 Cups of String Beans, ends snapped, keep long 2 Cups of Butternut Squash, peel and cubed, 1” cubes 1 ½ Cups Red Pepper, cored, seeded and cubed 1” squares(1 large pepper) 2 Pcs. Of Salmon Olive Oil – Balsamic Vinegar Amazing Rub Seasoning (Amazing Heat/Amazing Herbes)
For the Dressing: 1/3 Cup Olive Oil (great quality) ¼ Lemon squeezed 1 tsp Dijon Mustard *optional 1 – 2 Tbsp Champagne Vinegar **optional chopped parsley/fresh basil Salt & pepper
For the Aioli Dressing: ½ C Mayonnaise 1 tsp of the Amazing Herbes (that’s it!)
For the Garnish: Chopped Parsley Chopped Basil Amazing Heat (especially over the eggs)
DIRECTIONS Preheat Oven to 400 degrees, convection.
In a large glass bowl, place potatoes, string beans, butternut squash, not mixed but layered. Sprinkle with a few Tbsp water, wrap with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes. Remove, drain water, set aside.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, place 2 entrée size pieces of Salmon that has been brushed with Balsamic Dressing in Center. Arrange the Potatoes, String Beans, Butternut Squash and the uncooked chopped red pepper pieces in the same baking sheet. Give a sprinkle of Balsamic Vinegar to all ingredients, a nice drizzle of Olive Oil, and a generous sprinkling of the *Amazing Rub Seasoning (this will make ingredients golden and seasoned)
Place into preheated (400) oven for 15 minutes, until all ingredients are toasty cooked. With the precooked Microwave time on first ingredients, this play like a symphony and all should crescendo together!
Peel boiled eggs, and half or quarter for salad plates.
Prepare 2 Dressings:Traditional vinaigrette is Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Dijon Mustard, with optional of Champagne Vinegar couple Tbsps, chopped parsley and basic – and salt and pepper (1/4 tsp of both). Herbed Aioli– ½ C or more mayonnaise with 1 tsp Amazing Herbes, stir together and set.
Plate 4 medium salad plates or 2 large plates, spread salad greens generously to create a base.
Center plates with Cooked Salmon (if 4 plateshalf salmon pieces), then create a frame of string beans, eggs, potatoes, red peppers, and butternut squash. Dress salad lightly by drizzling top with vinaigrette. Serve extra dressing and Herbed Aioli on the side. Is you would like, garnish plates with extra chopped parsley and basil.
My recommendation is to compose and serve this salad while roasted ingredients are still warm, absolutely delicious. However, you can make ahead and chill away. Just delicious also!
This Salad reminds me of an artists’ palette, so compose to your liking! Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS Base: 2/3 Cup of finely ground *oatmeal (That’s the French Canadian Roots but use bread crumbs if you like!) ½ C heavy cream 2 tsp butter 1 onion, finely minced 2/3 pound of ground beef 1/3 pound of ground pork 1 egg 1 Tbsp **Amazing Rub(brown sugar based house seasoning) ½ tsp black pepper 1 tsp. ***Pummull Spice(just the best Warm Spice Cinnamon, Allspice, Cardamon Blend going/our house!) 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
For the Sauce:2 Ways! Quickie: 2 cups Beef Broth 1 Can condensed Cream of Mushroom (gluten free if required) 1 tsp Dijon Mustard ½ C heavy cream 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ½ C sour cream optional
Traditional: 2 cups Beef Broth 1 C heavy Cream ½ Sour cream 1 tsp Dijon Mustard to thicken if necessary use 1 Tbsp Corn Starch with 1/8 C cold water
For the Garnish: Chopped fresh Parsley coarse ground black pepper Cranberry Sauce
DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Place ground oatmeal in a small bowl with Cream to absorb and soften, let stand a few minutes.
Important! Cook onion!Melt tsps Butter in a skillet and gently cook and wilt the onions, take off heat and cool in large bowl.
To onions add oatmeal/cream, ground beef, ground pork, egg, Amazing Rub, Black Pepper, Pummull Spice, Dijon Mustard, lightly mix all ingredients together. When mixed, take about 2 tbsp meatball mixture, roll and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When meatballs all made up, bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.
Set aside and make sauce. You can make a quick sauce in skillet or use listed sauce ingredients and place in a slow cooker, add meatballs and cook until tender.
These can be served immediately or set in cooler for the next day. Holds wonderfully.
Garnish when serving if desired with chopped parsley and serve with a chilled cranberry sauce!
Butternut Squash, the shapely cousin of pumpkin, really shouts fall! Love the taste, love the varieties of ways to prepare and season. Let’s kick off this October with a Hasselback* treatment of this squash, where our veggie is our canvas (for the look of it) and the technique intensifies the taste (roasted) and the squash bowl, is well, just the coolest bowl! So here, we have prepared meatless, but I also offer a suggestion for those who enjoy meat to kick it up at the end of recipe! Here goes, let’s celebrate! *Hasselback is a technique, where the squash is cut about one half through into thin slices
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Quinoa (and Ginger)
INGREDIENTS Base: 2 Medium to small butternut squashes Olive Oil Balsamic Vinegar Amazing Rub
For the Filling: 1 cup Quinoa 2 cups vegetable stock (or water) 1 cup baby peas Optional: 1 tsp shredded ginger, or ½ tsp spice ginger (any veggies or herbs you like!) Olive oil, salt pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS Peel butternut squashes, slice lengthwise in half, seed and clean. Hasselback the squashes by turning the inside squash to the cutting board and make thin slices on outer squash, without cutting thru! Take each squash piece (4) and brush with balsamic vinegar. Put on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Amazing Rub.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes one side, remove from oven and turn each piece over.
STOP HERE AND MAKE **QUINOA FILLING WHILE SQUASHES BAKE!
Bake squashes for additional 30 minutes, again turn squash over so the bowl side of squash is up. If there are veggie juices in the olive oil drippings add to the Quinoa stuffing. Now, fill the squash bowls with Quinoa mixture. Bake an additional 5 minutes.
This is a good time to sprinkle the squashes with the Amazing Herbes for a super accent, if you have it.
**QUINOA FILLING, in a small pot boil 2 cups water, or veggie stock. Add 1 cup Quinoa and gently simmer for about 10 minutes, remove from heat and add, ginger, peas, a little olive oil, salt/pepper if desired. More veggies of your choice if desired!
Set aside for an additional 5 minutes – ready to stuff Squash Bowls.
ADD MEAT IF YOU LIKE, for flavor or a heartier meal. My suggestion would be finely ground pork, pan sautéed. Cook pork (1/2 #) and crumble and then add whole sage leaves (8-10)cooked in pork drippings until golden brown. With slotted spoon remove pork and sage and sprinkle over top of the squash bowls! ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS Base 2 5 pound whole chickens, often sold in 2 packs
For the Filling/Cavity: 1-2 Lemons quartered
For the Seasoning: 4 Tbsp Amazing Rub (2 front/2 back) 2 Tbsp of Amazing Herbes (herb blend Mediterranean) 2 Tbsp of softened butter
For the Sauce: 2-3 cups chicken stock 1 Tbsp of corn starch
DIRECTIONS Rinse and dry 2 whole chickens. Take the quartered fresh lemons and place in cavity. In a large shallow roaster, place the chickens fronts facing down and season with butter, Amazing Rub and Amazing Herbes.
*If you like this is a great place and time to roast potatoes, squash and whole onions at the pan bottom!
Set oven hot to 375 degrees and convention if you have that option.
Roast uncovered for 35 minutes.
The backs should be browned and at this point, turn chickens front side up, use a little butter or oil to brush on fronts, and sprinkle with Amazing Rub.
Bake 30 minutes in the still hot oven (375) and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and continue to cook for 40- 60 additional minutes, covered with foil. That’s about a 2 hr cook time, but I like roasted chicken falling apart tender – and that is what this timing delivers! Let your oven do the work!
Remove from oven, set for 10-15 minutes, the juices make a great sauce, remove top oil/fat, add stock, bring to slow boil, add ½ cup water and corn starch. Should be nice and smooth and very flavorful!
If you want to get decadent you could add wine or cream –
This is a fun way to make a meal for now, and have a glorious spare for chicken salad, fajitas, soup, pot pie…I could go on and on! ENJOY!
These Walnuts (using English or Black Walnuts) are perfectly coated, a little sweet, a little spicy, with a delicious crunch! Use for a salad, YES – on their own, delicious! (Make for gifts!)
WARNING; Absolutely addictive!
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
The Amazing Sweet n’ Savory Spiced Nuts
SERVES: 8-10 LEVEL: Presto!
INGREDIENTS Base 4 Cups Walnuts whole or halves Sauce 4 tablespoons of the Amazing Rub 2-3 tablespoons of Brown Sugar, optional for sweeter taste 1 large egg white
DIRECTIONS Parchment Sheet and baking spray
Preheat oven to 350 Convection, place parchment paper on a sheet pan with baking spray.
Whisk egg white in a large bowl until frothy then add and coat walnuts. Add Amazing Rub and any additional brown sugar desired and toss to coat.
Spread nut mixture in 1 layer in sheet pan. Bake, stirring once or twice, until dry and well toasted, about 20 minutes total time. Loosen nuts from pan, then cool completely. ENJOY!
WATCH FOR THESE AMAZING SWEET N’ SAVORY NUTS coming soon on the Kitchensbounty.com Shop ( 8.8oz bags)!
