Gluten Free Crockpot Lasagna

This lasagna is ridiculously good and easy.

Thank goodness for crockpots right!

I found the full recipe was too much for my little family (and crockpot) to handle so I made the sauce and split it in half.  Grated the cheese split in half.  Put both of the "leftovers" (cheeses and sauce) into separate baggies and then into a large bag labeled "Lasagna" and had another meal waiting in the freezer for another day.  I didn't freeze the cottage/ricotta cheese or the noodles.

I used the DeBoles brand Lasagna noodles and they worked really well.  Since they "no-cook" it cuts the down the prep time.  If you use cottage cheese only cook the lasagna for 3-3.5 hours otherwise the noodles will get really mushy.  If using ricotta cheese, cook for the 4-5 hours.  The lasagna is done when the noodles are pierced easily with a fork.

Gluten Free Crock Pot Lasagna

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb sausage

(or 1 lb of either meat)

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 t. dried oregano

8 oz package Gluten Free Lasagna noodles

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese or cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 t. salt

In a skillet, cook meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt and oregano; mix well. 

(If freezing, put sauce into containers or baggies.  When ready to use, defrost and continue with the next step)

Spread 1/4 of the meat sauce in an ungreased 5-quart slow cooker.  Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over sauce (breaking noodles if necessary).  Combines the cheeses and then spoon 1/3 of the mixture over noodles.  Repeat layers twice.  Top with remaining meat sauce.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours (shorter time if using cottage cheese) or until noodles are tender.

Alfredo Fettuccine

I know that I have posted other Alfredo sauce recipes, but hands down this is the best.

Paul said it tasted like we were dining at the Olive Garden...I guess I should have lit some candles, next time. It's super easy so I will have time to decorate next time!

I got this recipe from a neighborhood cookbook from my sister in law. This recipe is from a lady whose relative who said it came from the Olive Garden, so maybe that's why it was so good.

I made this recipe a little "healthier" if an Alfredo sauce can be. I'll note the changes I made in parenthesis.

Alfredo Fettuccine

1 pt. heavy cream (1 c. heavy cream, 1 c. half and half)

1 stick butter (just 1/2 a stick)

2 T. cream cheese (reduced fat)

3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 T. garlic powder

Salt to taste

Combine the first three ingredients and simmer until melted. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15-20 min. Serve over warm GF fettuccine noodles.

Italian Chicken

I had to make this chicken for dinner last night.

I had to.

I was craving pasta and something non-low caloric.

This recipe covers both.

It's ultimate comfort food.

It's so good, you can rationalize by using low fat cream cheese.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Italian Chicken

2 chicken breasts

1 T. butter

1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Place chicken in the crockpot and cut dabs of butter over the chicken. Sprinkle the salad dressing mix.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is cooked. (If chicken is browning too quickly, pour a little water into the bottom.)

When chicken is cooked, remove from crockpot and shred. Put aside.

Make the sauce by mixing together and bring to a boil:

1 brick cream cheese

1/2 cup liquid from the crockpot or 1/2 cup milk (I prefer the drippings)

1 recipe GF soup mix (or for you non-GF eaters, 1 can cream of chicken soup)

When thick and boiling, add in frozen green peas to your liking and the chicken. Heat throughly and serve over your favorite type of GF noodles.

Yum!

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup

I was told this is the Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana soup recipe.

Authentic or not, wow, it was good!

Be sure to use mild sausage and if you don't want it too spicy, half the amount of crushed red pepper. This soup has some zing to it!

Also I halved the recipe, it makes a lot.

Excellent with bread sticks!

(I just make a pizza crust, bake it with a little drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan cheese and cut into thin strips.)

Buon appetito!

Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana

Makes: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.
Stir in the sausage.
Add kale just before serving. Delicious!

Skewerless Kabobs

So easy and the possibilities are endless. Just add any vegetable you like to have on a kabob, if you don't like the ones listed.

My husband said this was the best pork I have ever made. I'll take the compliment.

This dinner actually reminded me of the Kabobs at Olive Garden.

Yes, Olive Garden does have a GF menu! It's small, but it's better than nothing.

This came together really fast, and I just served the pork and veggies over hot brown rice.

Skewerless Kabobs

3/4 lb- 1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes

3/4 cup Italian salad dressing, divided

1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 small zucchinis, cut into 1/2 in slices (I cut these on the diagonal.)

3 mushrooms, thickly sliced

1/2 sweet onion, cut into wedges

1 roma tomato, cut into cubes

1/4 t. pepper

1/8 t. salt

In a large skillet, saute pork in 1/4 cup salad dressing until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

In the same pan, saute the pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, pepper and salt in remaining salad dressing until vegetables are tender. Return pork to skillet; heat through.

Marinara Pasta with Grilled Chicken

This recipe couldn't be easier! I didn't have to get anything from the store, I had all the ingredients on hand. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!

Double the recipe if making for more than 3 people.

Marinara Pasta with Grilled Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts (one per person)

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 t. dried parsley

1/8 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. brown sugar

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Your favorite GF noodles

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Flatten chicken to 1/2 in. thickness, place in a resealable bag. Add salad dressing. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, oregano, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken over medium heat for 4-6 minutes per side or until no longer pink. Cut into strips if desired.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Stir in parmesan cheese into sauce. Drain spaghetti. Serve with chicken and sauce; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Italian Chicken

I couldn't get a good picture of this one...guess you'll have to make it to see what it looks like. This chicken dish whips up really fast and the mushrooms have a really nice flavor. Double the recipe if you are making more than 3 servings.

Italian Chicken

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 T. butter

2-3 chicken breasts (one per person)

2 T. Italian salad dressing mix

1/2 recipe GF cream of chicken soup (or 1/2 can cream of chicken soup)

4 oz. (1/2 carton) spreadable chive and onion cream cheese

3 T. chicken broth

2 T. milk

2 cups uncooked GF noodles

Minced chives for a garnish

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Remove and keep warm; set aside.

Sprinkle chicken with salad dressing mix. In the same skillet, brown chicken on both sides. Transfer to a 8x8 pan coated with cooking spray. Stir the soup, cream cheese, chicken broth, milk and reserved mushrooms into skillet; heat through. Spoon over chicken.

Cover and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until done.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles and drain. Serve with the chicken; sprinkle with chives.

Three Cheese Pesto Pizza

Wow, for a pizza, pesto and cheese lover this was a dream come true!

The picture does not do it justice.

I think next time I make it, I'm going to roast the onion and pepper first, we shall see...

Three-Cheese Pesto Pizza

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper

1 GF pizza crust (look under the 'pizza' label for my fav. GF crust)

1/2 cup prepared pesto (homemade or store bought)

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 medium tomato, sliced into rounds

Make crust according to package or recipe directions. Spread pesto to within 1/2 in of edges. Layer with 2/3rds cheese mixture, onion and peppers, and then sprinkle on most of the cheese. Spread tomato rounds over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted. (If following my GF pizza directions, bake 15-20 more minutes or until crust is done).

Enjoy!

Pasta Primavera

This recipe looked so simple and I love asparagus so I had to try it!

It whips up fast and is a nice meatless meal.

Use rigitoni noodles so the sauce doesn't slide off!

Pasta Primavera

1 1/2 cups GF pasta (or like we do at our house, 3/4 cup GF, other 3/4 cup whole wheat noodles, cooked in separate pots.)

1 lb fresh asparagus

3 medium carrots, cut into strips

2 t. canola oil

1/2 roma tomato, cut into sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 t. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, saute asparagus and carrots in oil until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in cheese, cream and pepper.

Drain pasta, cover with sauce.

Pesto

All I can say is, YUM.

I love, love, love pesto.

One of my favorite places to eat is Noodles and Co. Weird, I know, of a celiac person to make such a claim, but you can get rice noodles in place of any of the dishes they serve.

{Not all the sauces are GF, make sure you ask...I know the pesto and penne rosa are safe, but not the Mac&Cheese.}

Try this pesto, it's so good. I tried to replicate Noodles, and I think it came pretty close. Next time I make it I'm going to use 1/2 of the sauce on a pizza, yum!

Pesto

1/2 cup olive oil (must be olive)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 medium cloves of garlic

2 cups fresh basil leaves

3 T. pine nuts

Place all ingredients in blender, except salt/pepper and cream. Process until smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cream or whole milk 1 t. at a time until it's the consistency that you would like. Serve sauce immediately on GF noodles (I like the curly kind to hold the sauce). Makes 1 cup.

I like to saute mushrooms and roma tomatoes in olive oil to add to the pasta and top with more grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Chicken Florentine Meatballs

I thought these meatballs were very good, lots of flavor and easy to prepare.

You serve them over spaghetti squash, which I had never had before.

My husband described this meal as "tastes healthy". I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

So if you need something different, or just "healthy, try these meatballs.

I thought they tasted even better the next day.

Chicken Florentine Meatballs

2 eggs, beaten

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup GF bread crumbs (I just toast a piece of GF bread and then run it through the food processor until I get the size I want)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 T. dried mined onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1 lb. ground chicken

1 med. spaghetti squash

Sauce:

1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms

2 t. olive oil

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried basil

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble chicken over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Place meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down on a microwave safe plate. Microwave, uncovered on high for 15-18 minutes or until tender.

For sauce, in a large nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms in oil until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add meatballs and heat through.

When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. Serve with meatballs and sauce.

Scrumptious Vegetable Lasagna

So, I tried to take a picture of this, well, scrumptious lasagna and I just couldn't get one that would look good. So just imagine.

This is so good, you won't even miss the meat!

"This is my favorite lasagna" direct quote from my husband.

Scrumptious Vegetable Lasagna

12 GF lasagna noodles

2 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 large green pepper, chopped

1/2 lb sliced mushrooms

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1 T. olive oil

1 jar (25oz) marinara sauce

1 carton(15oz) fat-free ricotta cheese

1 egg

9 slices provolone cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute the squash, zucchini, green pepper, mushrooms, and onion in oil until tender.

Mix together the egg and ricotta cheese.

Drain the noodles. Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce in a 13x9 inch pan coated with cooking spray. Top with 4 noodles, a scant 1 cup marinara sauce, 2 cups vegetable mixture, 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, six halved slices of provolone cheese, 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice.

Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Rich Fettuccine Alfredo

I found this recipe in a Healthy Cooking magazine. I don't know what's healthy about bacon, whole milk, and cream cheese....

But I do know it's dang good!

Hope you're hungry, this makes a lot!

Rich Fettuccine Alfredo

8 oz uncooked GF fettuccine

3 bacon strips

1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms

1 small onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, cubed

2 T. cornstarch

2 cups whole milk

3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 t. salt

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. Saute the mushrooms, onions, and pepper, in drippings until tender. Add the garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in cream cheese until melted.

Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Add the chicken, cheeses, salt; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Chop bacon in to bite size pieces and add to cheese mixture.

Drain fettuccine; add to chicken mixture. Heat through.

It will taste as if you are a fancy Italian restaurant!