Lasagna with homemade noodles and fresh mozzarella

This is one of my favorite recipes because it is so easy and quick to make. Sometimes I make lasagna in the crockpot but since I made the noodles I decided to cook it in the oven (since I really do the crockpot to help the dried noodles out). It is really simple and pretty cheap to make!

Ingredients:
15 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 tablespoon orgeano
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 package 93% lean hamburger meat
1 16 ounce container cottage cheese
3 tablespoons parsley
1 egg
1 8 ounce package of parmesan cheese
pasta noodles (i doubled my pasta noodle recipe and put it at the bottom)*
1 8 ounce package of fresh mozzarella

Directions:
1. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. brown hamburger meat in pan over medium-high heat

3. add in oregano, italian seasoning, salt, pepper
4. add in tomato sauce and simmer for ten minutes

5. mix cottage cheese, parsely, egg and parmesan together (sometimes i add spinach to this)

6. boil noodles for 2-3 minutes
7. take baking dish and coat bottom with hamburger sauce mixture
8. add layer of noodles
9. add layer of cheese mixture
10. repeat steps 6-8 until all ingredients are used

11. add mozzarella to top of dish

12. bake for 30 minutes


*Pasta Noodle Recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon orgeano
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients with your hands

2. Form ball with dough
3. Allow dough to rest for about ten-twenty minutes
4. either use a pasta maker (i use a kitchenaid attachment) or roll and slice with pizza cutter

5. boil for 2-3 minutes

Homemade Pasta Noodles/ Chicken Parmesan over noodles and sauce

The past few weeks I have been making homemade pasta noodles instead of buying the fresh pasta noodles at the store. I was doing this for a few reasons. Mainly, to justify having a pasta maker attachment to my KitchenAid. But, also because it is much more affordable than buying both dried pasta and fresh pasta at the grocery store where I shop. The recipe to do it is so easy and I have played around with adding tons of different spices, oils, etc to give different tastes. But, one of the best combinations is below!

Ingredients
1 Cup Flour
2 eggs (you can omit the yokes if you want to)
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon coriander

Directions
1. Put all ingredients in a bowl

2. mix with hands into a ball of dough
3. allow dough to rest for about 15 minutes

4. put in pasta maker attachment OR roll out with a rolling pin and cut with a pizza cutter

The other night I added some spaghetti sauce with herb seasoning and baked chicken parmesan with fresh mozzarella on top of the pasta and it turned out amazing!

Ingredients:
can of 15 ounces tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon marjoram
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1 egg (whipped)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
fresh mozzarella slices

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a bowl, mix together tomato sauce and all spices and put into baking dish
3. Dip chicken breasts in flour and cover completely
4. Dip chicken breasts in egg
5. Coat chicken breasts in breadcrumbs
6. Bake chicken covered for 40 minutes

7. add fresh mozzarella slices to top of chicken and cook for ten more minutes
8. cook fresh pasta in boiling water for three minutes and drain

9. Add fresh pasta to bowl and then add chicken on top


Thanks,
Kristin

Chocolate Cake in a Cup

This summer I discovered (probably really late) that you can bake in a cup if you use your microwave. I love this and do this when Andrew decides he wants dessert and we don't have any options in the house (aka Skittles). The recipe is simple and you can jazz it up with whatever you have in the pantry.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 Tablespoons milk (i use 1%)

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (i have found that olive oil leaves a weird taste)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons pecans

3 Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips

caramel syrup for topping

Directions

1. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a mug and stir to blend

2. Add milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extra and mix together until smooth

3. Add pecans and chocolate chips

4. bake on high for 90 seconds

5. drizzle top with caramel topping

I have also added ice cream to the top in the past if we have it in the freezer. Or, you can add whipped cream as well. Pretty much anything works in this recipe.

Thanks,

Kristin