# All Entrees # Best Chili Recipe ## ***Ingredients*** • 2 ½ lbs. Lean ground chuck • 1 lb. Lean ground pork • 4 garlic gloves, finely chopped • 8 oz Hunt’s tomato sauce • 1 cup water • 1 can beer (12 oz) • 3 tablespoons chili powder • 2 tablespoons instant beef bouillon (or 6 cubes) • 2 tablespoons ground cumin • 2 teaspoons paprika • 2 teaspoons oregano leaves • 2 teaspoons sugar • ½ teaspoon ground coriander • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa • ½ teaspoon hot sauce • 1 teaspoon cornmeal • 1 teaspoon flour • 1 teaspoon warm water • 1 large can of Hanover dark red Kidney Beans ## ***Directions*** 1. In a large saucepan, brown 1 ¼ lbs of the ground meat mixture (beef and pork). Drain the fat. 2. Remove meat (beef and pork). Brown the rest of the ground meat mixture, and drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. 3. Add the garlic and onion, and cook and stir until tender. 4. Add the other half of the meat and the tomato sauce, water, beer, chili powder, bouillon, cumin, paprika, oregano, sugar, coriander, cocoa, and hot sauce. Mix well. 5. Drain liquid from kidney beans, and save. 6\. Add beans to chili and mix well. (Use saved bean liquid if chili seems too dry) 7\. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer covered for 2 hours. 8. In a small bowl, stir together the cornmeal and flour. Then add the warm water and mix well. 9. Stir into chili and cook, covered, for an additional 20 minutes. # Chicken Broccoli Lasagna in Parmesan Custard ### Ingredients for Parmesan Custard - 4 tablespoons butter - 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour - 2 cups milk - 1 cup chicken broth or stock - 3 whole eggs - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste - Pinch of ground red pepper and ground nutmeg ### Other Ingredients - 15 plain lasagne noodles - 2 tablespoons butter - 1 cup chopped onion - 1 garlic clove, minced - 2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into 1/4 inch strips - 1 bag (1 1/4 pounds) frozen broccoli cuts or chopped broccoli - 1/2 cup shredded carrot - 1/4 cup chopped italian flat-leaf parsley - Salt and Pepper to taste - 1 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices - 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese ### Directions 1\. To make the Parmesan custard, melt the butter in a medium saucepan; stir in the flour, over low heat, until smooth and golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the milk: whisk over medium heat until smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth. Cook, whisking, until mixture boils and is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl; gradually whisk sauce into the eggs; return to saucepan and let stand, off heat. Stir in cheese; season with salt, red pepper, and nutmeg. 2\. Cook the lasagne noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, or firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain. Let noodles sit in a bowl of cool water until ready to use. 3\. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. When foam subsides, add the onion; stir until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic; saute 1 minute. Add the chicken strips and saute over medium heat until cooked through, turning as needed. Stir in the broccoli and carrot; cook, covered, over medium heat just until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. 4\. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Select a 9x13 inch shallow baking dish. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the Parmesan custard into the bottom of the dish. Lift the noodles from the water individually and blot dry on paper towel. Arrange 5 noodles, slightly overlapping, on the bottom of the dish. 5\. Arrange half the chicken and broccoli mixture over the noodles. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the Parmesan custard. Add a layer of one third of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Arrange a second layer of 5 slightly overlapping lasagne noodles on top. Add the remaining chicken and broccoli mixture, half of the remaining mozzarella, 1 tablespoon of the grated Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan custard. 6\. Top with the remaining 5 lasagne noodles in a slightly overlapping layer. Arrange the remaning mozzarella slices on top and carefully pour the remaining Parmesan custard over the top, pulling away the noodles along the sides of the dish so that the sauce can seep down. Sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmesan. 7\. Bake until the top is browned and bubbly, about 50 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving. Prep: 40 minutes Bake: 50 minutes Serves: 6-8 # Chicken Potpie ### **Ingredients** - 2 cups diced peeled potatoes - 1-3/4 cups sliced carrots - 1 cup butter, cubed - 2/3 cup chopped onion - 1 cup all-purpose flour - 1-3/4 teaspoons salt - 1 teaspoon dried thyme - 3/4 teaspoon pepper - 3 cups chicken broth - 1-1/2 cups milk - 4 cups cubed cooked chicken - 1 cup frozen peas - 1 cup frozen corn - 2 packages (14.1 ounces each) refrigerated pie pastry ### **Directions** 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, covered, 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. 2. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, corn and potato mixture; remove from heat. 3. Unroll a pastry sheet into each of two 9-in. pie plates; trim even with rims. Add chicken mixture. Unroll remaining pastry; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in tops. 4. Bake 35-40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked pies. To use, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Preheat oven to 425°. Place pies on baking sheets; cover edges loosely with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake 70-80 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°. Yield: 2 potpies (8 servings each). ### **Recipe Note** Tips • Feel free to use your favorite homemade pie pastry. • When the edge of the pastry falls inward off the lip of the pie plate, we say it slumped. Reduce slumping by letting your fluted crust rest in the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes. # Chicken Stir Fry ## Ingredients - 2 cups white rice - 4 cups water - 2/3 cup soy sauce - 1/4 cup brown sugar - 1 tablespoon cornstarch - 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger - 1 tablespoon minced garlic - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes - 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced - 1 tablespoon sesame oil - 1 green bell pepper, cut into matchsticks - 1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained - 1 head broccoli, broken into florets - 1 cup sliced carrots - 1 onion, cut into large chunks - 1 tablespoon sesame oil ## Directions 1. Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, and liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. 2. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and corn starch in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Mix ginger, garlic, and red pepper into sauce; coat chicken with marinade and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. 3. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir bell pepper, water chestnuts, broccoli, carrots, and onion until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet and keep warm. 4. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving liquid. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chicken until slightly pink on the inside, about 2 minutes per side; return vegetables and reserved marinade to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve over rice. # Crack Chicken Chili Ingredients - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts - 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed - 1 can (11 oz) corn, drained - 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese - 1 packet ranch seasoning mix - 2 cups chicken broth - 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies - 1 tsp cumin - 1 tsp chili powder - 1 tsp onion powder - Salt and pepper to taste - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Instructions 1. In a slow cooker, place the chicken breasts at the bottom. 2. Add black beans, corn, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with green chilies, cumin, chili powder, and onion powder 3. Stir to combine, ensuring the chicken is covered with the mixture. 4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. 5. Before serving, shred the chicken in the slow cooker using two forks. 6. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese until melted and combined. 7. Serve hot, garnished with extra cheese, sour cream, or green onions, if desired. # Fish Tacos ### **Ingredients** *Sauce:* 1/2 cup sour cream 1/3 cup Mayo 2 Tbsp lime juice (from 1 medium lime) 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste *Coleslaw:* 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage I use a mandolin to shred the cabbage, or you can use just one type 1 1/2 cups shredded purple cabbage 1 cup shredded carrots 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 cup sliced green onions *Dressing:* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 lime juiced 1 TB honey 1 garlic clove minced 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional 1/8 tsp salt or more to taste ### **Directions** 1\. In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw ingredients: shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions. 2\. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pour as much dressing over the coleslaw as desired. The dressing is also delicious over a salad if you have leftovers. 3\. Toss the coleslaw and dressing together. Serve the coleslaw over tacos, on sandwiches (a barbecue chicken sandwich is great with this coleslaw), or serve as a side salad. The coleslaw may be prepped in advance and refrigerated, or used immediately after preparation. # Italian Meatballs - Beef & Pork - Prep 20 m - Cook 35 m - Ready In 2 h 15 m "Homemade meatballs are very easy to make, and since we skip the very messy step of pan-frying these before they hit the sauce, it becomes downright simple. Here I use a standard half-beef/half-pork mixture. You can substitute water or beef broth for the milk, if preferred." #### ***Ingredients*** - 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs - 1/2 cup milk - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 onion, diced - 1 pound ground beef - 1 pound ground pork - 2 eggs - 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped - 3 cloves garlic, crushed - 2 teaspoons salt - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese #### ***Directions*** 1. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. 2. Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes. 3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions in hot oil until translucent, about 20 minutes. 4. Mix beef and pork together in a large bowl. Stir onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and Parmesan cheese into meat mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour. 5. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 6. Using wet hands, form meat mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Arrange onto prepared baking sheet. 7. Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. # Jambalaya There are a wide variety of ways to make jambalaya, with chicken and sausage, or shrimp, or ham, or even duck or alligator. Some involve tomatoes and tomato sauce, some use chicken or beef stock instead. This first one uses both tomatoes and chicken stock, and is a New Orleans Creole-style "red" jambalaya, as opposed to one made with only stock, a more Cajun-style"brown" jambalaya. #### **Ingredients** - 1 lb. boneless chicken, cubed; AND/OR - 1 lb. shrimp, boiled in Zatarain's and peeled; OR - 1 lb. leftover holiday turkey, cubed; OR - 1 lb. of any kind of poultry or fish, cubed; OR - Any combination of the above - 1 lb. (hot) smoked sausage, andouille or chaurice, sliced on the bias; OR - 1 lb. diced smoked ham - 1 large onion, chopped - 1 bell pepper, chopped - 3 - 6 cloves garlic, minced (amount to taste; I like lots) - 4 ribs celery, chopped - 3 small cans tomato paste - 4 large Creole tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced; OR - 1 28-oz. can tomatoes - 8 cups good dark homemade chicken stock - Creole seasoning blend to taste (or 2 - 3 tablespoons); OR - 2 teaspoons cayenne, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teapsoon thyme - 2 bay leaves - Salt to taste - 4 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked (Some people like converted rice, others prefer good old Mahatma. I use Uncle Ben's converted, as the rice doesn't get sticky or lumpy that way.) #### **Directions** 1\. In a sauté or frying pan, brown the chicken, sprinkling with Tony Chachere's seasoning if you've got it; a bit of salt, black pepper and red pepper otherwise. Don't brown if using leftover cooked bird, but you still might want to season the meat. Tear or cut the meat into bite-size pieces. 2\. Brown the sliced smoked sausage or andouille and pour off fat. In the pot, sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in oil until onions begin to turn transparent. 3\. In the same pot, while you're sautéing the "trinity", add the tomato paste and let it pincé, meaning to let it brown a little. What we're going for here is an additional depth of flavor by browning the tomato paste a little; the sugar in the tomato paste begins to caramelize, deepening the flavor and color. Keep it moving so that it browns but doesn't burn. Some friends of mine hate this step, so you can skip it if you want, but then it won't be Chuck's jambalaya. :^) 4\. Once the vegetables are translucent and the tomato paste achives sort of a red mahogany color, deglaze the pan with the about 2 cups of the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix up any browned bits, and stir until smooth, making sure the sautéed vegetables, paste and stock are combined thoroughly. It should be fairly thick. 5\. Add the Creole seasoning, tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the meat and/or seafood and cook another 10 minutes; if you're using seafood, be careful not to overcook it. 6\. Add the rest of the stock, check seasonings, and stir in the rice, combining thoroughly. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through. If you haven't checked your seasonings before adding the rice, it's too late! It's much better for the rice to absorb the seasonings while it's cooking. Check seasoning anyway, then turn the heat down to low-medium and let the sauce thicken up a bit, with the pot uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. When the jambalaya has thickened up a bit and has reached the "right" consistency (you'll know), it's done. 7\. Serve with salad and French bread. # Paella #### **Ingredients** - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 1 medium onion, chopped - 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped - 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms - 2 cups uncooked long grain brown rice - 2 garlic cloves, minced - 2 teaspoons paprika - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads - 6 cups chicken stock - 2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined - 1-1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets - 1 cup frozen peas #### **Directions** 1\. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper and mushrooms; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, garlic and seasonings; cook 1-2 minutes longer. 2\. Stir in stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 40-45 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Add shrimp and broccoli; cook 8-10 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink. Stir in peas; heat through. Freeze option: Place cooled paella in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, stirring gently and adding a little stock or water if necessary. Yield: 8 servings. # Smoked Chicken Salad #### *Ingredients* - 2/3 cup slivered almonds - 3 cups chopped cooked chicken - 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries - 2 celery ribs, diced - 1/2 small sweet onion, diced - 3/4 cup mayonnaise - 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice #### *Directions* 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 15 minutes). 2. Stir together almonds, chicken, dried cranberries, and remaining ingredients; serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 24 hours. # Zach's Chicken Sandwiches #### **Ingredients** General • 1 large bottle of vegetable oil • 1 lb of chicken, or 6 breast halves • 6 brioche rolls • 1 stick of butter Breading • 2 cups of AP flour • 1 tbsp of ground black pepper • 1 tsp of kosher salt • 1 cup of buttermilk Cole Slaw • 4 cups of shredded cabbage • 1/2 of a small red onion • 1 jalapeno • 1/2 cup bread and butter pickle juice • 1/3 cup bread and butter pickles Spicy Mayo • 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise • 1 tbsp Louisiana hot pepper sauce • 1 glove of garlic or 1 tsp of granulated garlic #### **Directions** 1\) Mix together mayo, minced garlic (or powder), hot pepper sauce. Chill until dinner 2\) In a large bowl, combine cabbage, diced red onion, diced jalapeno, diced pickles and pickle juice. chill until dinner 3\) Pour oil into a deep pan or frying pot and heat. 4\) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, black pepper, and salt. 5\) Pour buttermilk in a separate bowl that is easy to dip chicken into. 6\) Spread butter over rolls and toast on a pan on the stove top until browned and then keep heated on a cookie sheet in the oven at 225 until ready to make sandwiches. 7\) When oil is ready, dip chicken breasts in flour mixture, then into buttermilk and then back into flour mixture. Shake off excess flour and slowly drop into heated oil. 8\) Cook chicken 3 1/2 minutes on either side, or until 165 degrees internally. 9\) Lightly salt chicken after done cooking. 10\) Bring rolls out of the oven. 11\) Assemble sandwiches starting with the spicy mayo, then the chicken, then the cole slaw, then the pickles. Enjoy! # Cheese Zucchini and Sausage Sheet Pan Meal Ingredients - 2 medium zucchini, cut into thick half-moon slices - 2 medium yellow summer squash, cut into thick half-moon slices - 2 tbsp olive oil - 2 tsp italian herb seasoning - Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste - 12 oz. pre-cooked sausage of your choice - 1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 450° 2. Spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray 3. Wash the zucchini and yellow squash if needed, then cut off both ends. Cut zucchini and squash lengthwise down the center; then slice into 3/4 inch slices 4. Toss zucchini with olive oil, italian herb seasoning, salt and pepper 5. Lay zucchini out on the sheet pan, flat sides down, placing it so that no squash pieced are touching each other if you can 6. Note: If you prefer your zucchini to stay a bit more crisp, cut up the sausage, put it on the sheet pan, and put the pan in the over to start roasting the sausage before you do the steps above. 7. Roast zucchini and sausage pieces for 15 minutes. (Or roast sausage 5-7 minutes, add zucchini, and roast the rest of the time if you're going for crisper zucchini.) 8. After 15 minutes cooking time, sprinkle zucchini and sausage with coarsely grated Parmesan cheese 9. Put sheet pan back in the over and roast about 12 minutes more, or until cheese is nicely melted and starting tor brown and zucchini is done to your liking 10. Server hot. # Grandmom Ciraulo's Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients - 1 whole chicken/turkey breast - 5 medium potatoes - Mound of flour - 5-6 eggs - Salt and pepper Instructions 1. In a large pot of water, place chicken/turkey breast 2. Cook for the afternoon on low heat 3. Take out the chicken/turkey 4. After it has cooled, peel the meat off of the bone and cut into small pieces or shred it. 5. Peel potatoes and cut them into cubes 6. Skim the broth and add salt and pepper to taste 7. Cook the potatoes on higher heat, while making the dough 8. # Creamy One-Pot Sausage Gnocchi Sprinkle the top with garlic butter breadcrumbs. **Ingredients** - 2 Tbsp. salted butter - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped and divided - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs - 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste - 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste - 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided, plus more to serve - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided - 1/2 lb. hot italian sausage, casings removed - 1/2 lb. sweet italian sausage, casings removed - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped - 1 Tbsp. tomato paste - 1 tsp. dried oregano - 1/2 cup dry white wine - 2 (12-oz.) packages refrigerated or frozen gnocchi - 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes - 1 cup chicken broth - 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed - 1 (5-oz.) bag baby spinach **Directions** 1. In a large, 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped garlic clove and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper and toast, stirring frequently, until the panko is golden brown and crispy, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the mixture to a medium bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of parmesan and 1 tablespoon of parsley. 2. In the same skillet, cook the sausage and onion over medium heat until lightly browned and the sausage is crumbly, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, the remaining 2 cloves of garlic, oregano, remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute. 3. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced, 1 minute. Stir in the gnocchi, tomatoes, chicken broth, and cream cheese. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cover the pan. Cook for 5 minutes undisturbed. 4. Uncover the pan and stir in the spinach. Cook until the sauce is thickened and the spinach is wilted. Stir in the remaining ½ cup of parmesan cheese and 3 tablespoons of parsley. Taste for salt and pepper. 5. Serve the gnocchi sprinkled with the toasted breadcrumbs and more parmesan. # Beef and Sausage Lasagna # World's Best Lasagna This lasagna recipe takes a little work, but it is so satisfying and filling that it's worth it!
Prep Time: Cook Time: Additional Time: Total Time: Servings:
30 mins 2 hrs 30 mins 15 mins 3 hrs 15 mins 12
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage - ¾ pound lean ground beef - ½ cup minced onion - 2 cloves garlic, crushed - 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes - 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce - 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste - ½ cup water - 2 tablespoons white sugar - 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided - 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves - 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning - ½ teaspoon fennel seeds - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper - 12 lasagna noodles - 16 ounces ricotta cheese - 1 large egg - ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced - ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
## Directions
1. Gather all your ingredients.
2. Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well browned.
3. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Season with sugar, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. To assemble, spread 1 ½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 ½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
8. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
10. Let the lasagna rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cutting; this helps it set and firm up.
Notes
This recipe uses 2 layers of lasagna noodles by slightly overlapping 6 noodles on each layer. You can also use 3 layers, using 4 noodles on each layer that don't overlap. If you want the 3 layers, use 1 cup of meat sauce and 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture in each layer. # Greek Gyros ## Greek Gyro with Homemade Gyro Meat
*Make your favorite American-style Greek gyros at home! This gyro meat recipe combines ground beef and lamb to get that distinctive flavor you find at Greek restaurants. The texture is meatloaf-style rather than restaurant-style, but the flavors are on point. Doing it this way saves tons of time. Top with Tzatziki Sauce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers!*
Prep Time 20minutes
Cook Time 15minutes
Total Time 35minutes
Servings: 8
### Ingredients #### For the gyro meat
- 1 pound ground beef - 1 pound ground lamb - 2 tablespoons bacon grease OR butter\* - 2 large eggs - 1/2 cup milk - 2 tablespoons lemon juice - 1 cup Panko bread crumbs - 1 medium onion finely chopped - 6 cloves garlic smashed and finely minced - 4 teaspoons kosher salt yes, 4 teaspoons\*\* - 2 teaspoons black pepper - 2 teaspoons dried oregano - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary - 1 teaspoon dried thyme - 2 teaspoons dried cumin - 1 teaspoon dried marjoram optional
#### For the tzatziki - 2 cups plain Greek Yogurt - cheesecloth for draining yogurt, optional - 1 English cucumber diced small - 1 teaspoon kosher salt for cucumbers - 1 clove garlic smashed and minced - zest from 1 lemon - juice from 1 small lemon about 2 tablespoons - 2 tablespoons fresh dill - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste - 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling - black pepper to taste
#### To assemble
- 1 batch Tzatziki Sauce - 1 large red onion sliced thin - 2-4 tomatoes sliced - 1-2 cucumbers sliced - 8-10 pita rounds - fresh dill to garnish, optional
### Instructions
-
**Start by making the Tzatziki Sauce.** It needs time to marinate, so get it done first so it can sit in the fridge while you make the rest.
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**Make the gyro meat.** Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Or line with foil and spray with nonstick spray.
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If you have a food processor, use it to finely chop the onion and garlic. If not, use a knife to chop finely.
-
In a large bowl, add all gyro meat ingredients: 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground lamb, 2 tablespoons butter OR bacon grease,* 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 cup Panko crumbs, chopped onion, minced garlic, 4 teaspoons **kosher salt** (see note), 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon marjoram. (It's ok if you don't have the marjoram.)
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Combine the meat using your hands. I like to wear disposable gloves when I do this. Using your hands feels a little weird, but it mixes the meat so much faster and more evenly than using a spoon, resulting in nice tender meat (as opposed to being overworked.)
- Shape the meat into about 10 oval patties. See photos. Line them up on the pan making sure they are not touching each other. - Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and keep warm. - **Meanwhile, prepare the gyro toppings:** Thinly slice a red onion. Slice the tomatoes. Slice the cucumbers. Warm the pita bread either in the microwave or in the still-warm oven. Chop extra fresh dill, if you want. - **How to construct your gyro**: Add a layer of Tzatziki Sauce to a warm pita. Slice a gyro patty in half lengthwise for easier eating, and place on top of Tzatziki. Garnish with red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh dill. Devour! - Gyros are traditionally served with french fries, or you could try it with these 3 ingredient Roasted Potatoes. It would also be great served with this Greek Salad!
Notes
* Bacon grease is suggested because lamb is very lean and tends to dry out when baked. You can probably skip it if you have high-fat ground beef.
** If you are using table salt, use 3 teaspoons salt.
How to store and reheat this gyro recipe
Once your gyro is fully assembled, you should definitely serve it right away. However, you can prep the different components ahead of time, so they’re ready to go whenever the gyro mood strikes. Here’s how:
- **Veggies**: Slice the veggies up and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. - **Tzatziki Sauce**: Make the sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. - **Gyro meat**: Prep and cook the meat, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the oven until heated through. If you like, you can slice the meat before freezing so you can pull out just the amount you want at any time. - **Pita bread**: Pita bread can be kept on the counter for 2-3 days, or you can freeze it for 2-3 months and just warm it up in the microwave whenever you like.