Prep-Ahead Spinach & Artichoke-Stuffed Shells
Try preparing this delicious meal ahead of time so all you’ll need to do on a busy weeknight is warm up the food—minimal effort required—and the rest of the evening is yours to savour.
Try preparing this delicious meal ahead of time so all you’ll need to do on a busy weeknight is warm up the food—minimal effort required—and the rest of the evening is yours to savour.
Quick-rising (instant) yeast will have the dough ready in an hour, but you can also make it ahead by letting it rise in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or until doubled in bulk. You can substitute 250 g fresh mozzarella for the bocconcini: Just drain it, tear it into chunks and pat it dry with a paper towel before adding it to the pizza. To turn the dough easily on the grill, gently grasp the sides with two sets of tongs.
You can turn this colourful and delicious lasagna into a vegetarian main course by omitting the pancetta.
I thought about making a healthier version of lasagna with vegetables instead of pasta and thought of using eggplant instead of the lasagna noodles to come up with "Moussagna" (Moussaka and Lasagna combined). I've eliminated the bechamel sauce to cut back on the fat and used the tomato based sauce from the lasagna recipe to make it low fat. I also used low fat cottage cheese instead of the full ricotta cheese.
True Maritimers know lettuce doesn't really belong on a donair—after all, it's about the spiced meat and sweet, garlicky sauce—but adding this leafy green cuts the richness and provides great crunch.
This focaccia dough is moist and a bit difficult to handle at first. It needs a long kneading (easiest in a stand mixer) and a rise overnight in the refrigerator to come together in texture and flavour. To prevent the dough from taking on any fridge odours, place the covered bowl in a plastic bag. Whole spelt flour gives a wonderful and subtle nutty boost to the flavour of the white flour; you could replace it with whole wheat flour, if you prefer. To prepare the chipotle peppers, soak them in boiling water until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove stems; split and seed.
These Gnocchi alla Romana are infused with rosemary, garlic and sage while the butternut squash is caramelizing and roasting in the oven. The squash is then added to the polenta like dough while cooking on the stove top. It was a winner and a technique I will use over and over again.
This colourful vegetable lasagna will delight vegetarian guests — and even the most dedicated meat eaters, too — with its rich flavours. You can save time by using 4 cups (1 L) of store-bought pasta sauce instead of making the tomato sauce.
I like to prepare dishes for guests that allow me to enjoy their company. In order to do this, I select dishes that can be prepared before the guests arrive and are already cooking while we are enjoying their company. My "Sure to Please" Chicken Cacciatore is a prime example of this. Over time I have made several adjustments to enhance the flavour while at the same time using healthy alternatives (eg. skinless chicken thighs and breasts; I saute ingredients in extra virgin olive oil instead of butter). Because this dish has an Italian flare, so do all the other dishes that I serve before, during and after this meal. I serve an antipasta tray as an appetizer, and toasted garlic bread, a tossed green salad with an oil and vinaigrette dressing, whole wheat spaghetti, and the same wine that is in the cacciatore. For dessert I serve Tiramisu (also made ahead). As a result, most of my work is complete before company arrives. I have shared this recipe with women who say they do not cook and I have received rave reviews from all of them - their guests loved it so much that one man ate the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. I like to make this dish in the summer, when I can use fresh produce from my vegetable garden or from the local farmer's market. My inspiration for this recipe is that I love to cook and entertain. This recipe is full of flavour, easy to prepare and tastes like you were in the kitchen all day (what a bonus!).
