Thai Red Coconut Curry

I love Thai food.  It is delicious.  I tend not to cook it that much, but only because I usually don't have the ingredients.  That all changed last week though when coconut milk was on sale.  Boom.  Thai food.
Also, as a note, I made this with chicken, but this can be made easily into a vegetarian/vegan dish with the addition of tofu and/or more vegetables.

Thai Red Coconut Curry

Thai Red Coconut Curry

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz. can coconut milk
*1 Tbsp. red curry paste (or more, depending on how spicy you want it)
**Other optional ingredients: tofu, eggplant, etc.

Preparation:
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken.  Saute until almost cooked.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer over medium-low heat until desired spiciness.
Serve over jasmine rice.

Recipe Adapted from At the Corner of Happy and Harried

*Red Curry Paste can be found at Asian specialty stores

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Squash was on sale this week at the grocery store, which is perfect because with fall finally in the air, I wanted to make this fall lasagna!  Though the recipe called for more fresh herbs than I had, I still think it turned out great!

Butternut Squash Lasagna 

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients:
One 3-4 pound butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 pound no boil lasagna noodles
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. sage
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
1 cup low sodium chicken broth (to make this vegetarian, use vegetable broth)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used a 4 cheese blend)
Ground nutmeg
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400.  Spray the casserole dish with cooking spray.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place the squash halves, cut side up, on a large baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from oven and let cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 375.
Melt the butter in a small frying pan over low heat.  Add the garlic and saute to golden.
Stir together ricotta, eggs, and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream.  Add the sage and garlic and mix well.  Season with 1 tsp. of salt and pepper.
Scoop the cooled squash out of the skin and place it in a bowl.  Mash it with a fork and stir in the remaining cream, chicken broth, and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.  Season with 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg, 1 tsp. of salt, and pepper to taste.
Spread a few spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.  Layer with lasagna noodles, (it's okay if they overlap a little).
Spread half the remaining ricotta mixture, noodles, half the squash, and sprinkle mozzarella.
Repeat layers.
Sprinkle remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Sprinkle with nutmeg.  (Careful, it can overwhelm!)
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Take off foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
Let stand for 15 minutes before eating.

Recipe Adapted from Not Your Mother's Casseroles by Faith Durand

Eggplant Parmigiana

Before I went to the grocery store this week, I decided to check out the farmer's market.  I haven't been down there before, and my friend Hilary was visiting, so I figured we could check it out together!  Among other things, I got a lovely looking eggplant!  When I got home, I found out that mozzarella was on sale this week, so it seemed like fate.  Eggplant Parm!  Of course, I had to call my mom for her recipe. Bonus, this recipe is much healthier than normal eggplant parm because the eggplant is baked instead of fried!  Hooray!

Eggplant Parmigiana

I halved the recipe and Matt ate the whole thing.  Well, actually he ate the whole thing except for two bites.  Trust me, it's super good.

Eggplant Parmigiana 

This picture is my updated picture, because the light was better!  I served it with some arugula salad for a yummy dish! 

Eggplant Parmigiana 

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp. skim milk

1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs

1 13/4 -2 lb. eggplant (or 2 1 lb. eggplants)

2 tsp. olive oil

1 jar of your favorite sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used fresh mozzarella that I shredded)

Grated parmesan cheese (I used grated 4 cheese blend that had parmesan, asiago, fontina, and mozzarella)

Pepperoni, optional

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 375, spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs and milk in shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.  Dip eggplant in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs and arrange in a single layer on the baking pans.  Lightly spray the eggplant with the cooking spray, season with salt & pepper & spices.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for 10 more minutes.
Spoon sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with a layer of cooked eggplant, pepperoni (if using), mozzarella cheese,  repeat. Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly about 30 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Rosemary Sage Burger

I've been on a burger kick lately.  Probably because they are super simple to make after working all day and french fries were on sale last week.  Perfect!  This recipe comes complete with toppings, though I'm the only one that actually used them.  (Matt used just the apples and Lyss used ketchup.)  Oh well, the apple slaw and "mayo" were delicious and definitely added to the burger!

Rosemary Sage Burger with Apple Slaw and Chive "Mayo"

Rosemary Sage Burgers

Ingredients:
Burgers:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 Tbsp. rosemary
1/2 Tbsp. sage
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Hamburger buns

Chive "mayo":
1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. chives
Salt and pepper, to taste

Apple Slaw:
1 apple, grated
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients of burgers, except the buns, and mix well.
Form ground beef mixture into four patties.
Heat grill pan over medium heat with olive oil.
Place patties onto grill pan.  Cook about five minutes.  Flip.  Cook another 4 minutes, or until desired doneness.
Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for chive mayo, set aside.
Combine all ingredients for apple slaw, set aside.
When burgers are done, top with apple slaw and chive mayo.
Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from Self