Tomato, Broccoli & Mozzarella Pasta Casserole
1 pound broccoli florets, frozen or fresh
3 large ripe tomatoes, divided
3/4 pound onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, very finely minced
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
3/4 cup chopped basil leaves, divided
1/2 pound fresh full-fat mozzarella, divided
3 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (4% milkfat or greater)
1 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Heat a large pot of water to boiling and salt generously. Add the farfalle and cook for 11 minutes or until barely al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
Steam the broccoli in the microwave or in a steamer basket on the stovetop, just until tender. Drain thoroughly and chop roughly into bite-sized florets. Toss with the cooked pasta. Chop two of the tomatoes into rough pieces, and add them to the pasta. Stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic, along with the drained chickpeas, and 1/2 cup of the chopped basil. Tear about 2/3 of the fresh mozzarella into thumbnail-sized chunks and fold this into the pasta mixture.
Whisk the eggs with the cottage cheese and lemon juice. Stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Stir this liquid into the pasta mixture until well combined. Stir in the salt and pepper.
Spread the pasta in the prepared baking dish. Slice the remaining tomato into half-moons and arrange on top of the pasta. Tear the rest of the mozarella into bits and scatter between the rows of tomato slices. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on top, and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the cheese on top has melted and the casserole is bubbling. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the remaining chopped basil over top. Let stand for a few more minutes before serving.
Found at: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-tomato-broccoli-mozzare-153919
Homemade Frozen Pizza
Ingredients:
1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
1/2 to 1 cup sauce: tomato sauce or other spread
2 to 3 cups other toppings: sautéed onions, sautéed mushrooms, pepperoni, cooked sausage, cooked bacon, diced peppers, leftover veggies, or any other favorite toppings
1 to 2 cups (8 to 16 ounces) cheese, shredded or sliced: mozzarella, monterey jack, provolone, fontina, or any other favorite
Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 450°F: Place a pizza stone or baking sheet on a middle rack in the oven as it heats.
Roll out the pizza rounds: Divide the pizza dough in half to make two individual pizzas, if desired. Place the ball of dough in the middle of a piece of parchment paper. Roll it out to your preferred thinness. If the dough starts to shrink back and crinkle the paper, let it rest for a few minutes and then try rolling it out again. If making two individual pizzas, repeat with the second round of dough.
Par-bake the pizza rounds: Slide the pizza rounds on the parchment sheets onto the pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 3-5 minutes until the rounds are puffy and dry on the top, but still very pale.
Let the pizza rounds cool completely: Remove the parchment from beneath the pizza rounds and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Top the pizzas: When cool, top the rounds as you would if you were going to bake them right away: spread some sauce on the pizzas, add toppings, and sprinkle cheese over the top. Note: pizza rounds can also be frozen un-topped.
Freeze the pizzas: Place the pizzas on a baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, until solid, about 3 hours.
Wrap the pizzas in plastic wrap and aluminum foil: Once frozen, remove the pizzas from the freezer and wrap them first in plastic wrap. Write the pizza toppings on a piece of masking tape and stick the label to the plastic wrap. Then, wrap the pizzas in a layer of aluminum foil. The double layer protects the pizzas from drying out in the freezer.
Freeze for pizzas for up to three months.
Bake the frozen pizzas: When ready to eat eat the pizzas, preheat the oven to 550°F (or the temperature at which you normally cook your pizzas). If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven as it heats; frozen pizzas can also be baked on the foil used to wrap them. When the oven has heated, unwrap the pizzas, discard the plastic wrap, and slide into the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is dark brown and the cheese in the center of the pizza is bubbly. Eat immediately.
Helpful Tips:
Tip#1: Par-Bake the Crust
The first trick is to par-bake the crust, which sounds more complicated than it really is. Par-baking really just means you partially bake the crust before topping and freezing it. This ensures an extra-crisp crust and zero sogginess upon final baking.
Tip #2: Double-Wrap the Pizzas Before Freezing
The second trick is to wrap the par-baked and topped pizzas first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. This double layer protects pizzas and their toppings from drying out in the freezer, which leads to freezer burn and a less-than-stellar pizza. Wrapped this way, pizzas can be kept frozen for up to three months.
Found at: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-homemade-frozen-pizza-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-186527
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as yukon gold, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup small broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes, garlic and enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes; drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and shred; season with salt.
- In the same skillet, add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Lower the heat to medium, add the peas and carrots and broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. In a bowl, stir the cornstarch into the remaining 1/2 cup broth, then stir into the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Stir in the chicken and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- In a bowl, mash the potatoes with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the reserved cooking water. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, make a well in the center and top with the chicken and vegetables.
