Ravioli Lasagna

Ah, Italian Food. Such fond memories, such vast amounts of leftovers. Having an Italian mother meant there were always tons of leftovers. As I type, there is a plastic container in the fridge filled with spaghetti. I've been working on finishing it for days.

Still, I have to say, Italian food has to be on the top of my list for comfort foods. Pasta just seems to magically solve all of life's problems.

Mmmmm.....carbs are truly magical. 

Anyways, today I bring you a pasta dish that will be sure to fill you up with deliciousness for days. I do admit that it isn't (as far as I know) an authentic, old world Italian recipe. I also admit that there are probably plenty of old Italian Grandma's that would be disappointed in it (Sorry, Grandma Costelli!). But hey, its 'Merica. Most people think Olive Garden is authentic.

Sorry... I just had to. Olive Garden is perfectly fine, and I'm fairly certain that they put illicit substances into their bread sticks. Bread shouldn't make you go into withdrawal. Haha, kidding! 

So the recipe of the week is Ravioli Lasagna. Its simpler to make than real lasagna, but still makes you look like you toiled away in a kitchen for your loved ones all day. Good old Italian-Catholic guilt right there!

Ingredients:

1 egg

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

salt

pepper

Parmesan cheese, to taste

2 bags frozen ravioli, meat or cheese

mozzarella cheese

1 jar pasta sauce

mushrooms or other extras of your choosing

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix together the ricotta, egg, herbs, and Parmesan cheese. You can use my measurements, but just go with what you feel tastes good. Chop or prepare your chosen extras, ex- mushrooms.

2.) Lay down a layer of sauce into a baking dish. Place a layer of the still frozen raviolis, then top with small dollops of the ricotta mixture, more sauce, and your extras.

3.) Make 2-3 more layers depending on the size of your baking dish.

4.) On the top layer, put the remaining sauce and the mozzarella cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes or until it starts to bubble. Then, remove the foil and let cook an additional 10 minutes, to melt and brown the cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!

(Such bubbly, cheesy goodness <3 )

The "Lasagna" will be really cheesy, so you can omit the ricotta cheese mixture if you want, especially if you use cheese raviolis. Its gooey, comforting, and cheesy, just like a real lasagna should be. Minus the boiling of the noodles though. Which is a bonus. 

So, will you be giving this recipe a try? What Italian dishes do you enjoy? As always, leave a comment below and subscribe and share if you likey~

*Cutting back on Pinterest. Needed more sleep :p *

What's Wrong with Food Network

*Warning: All Just My Opinion. Feel Free To Take Offense Anyway*

Food Network is a channel I grew up with. I used to love watching it after I came home from school and honestly, between it and my Mother, it made me love food. In the last few years, however, something has changed.

What happened to the shows I used to love? Good Eats? Unwrapped? Ace of Cakes? Food Network Challenge (With Keegan, not that Claire Robinson. She was and is awful)? The faces of the network are the same, but there is just something missing.

And I'm not talking about Paula Deen. That's a Pandora's Box I refuse to open. I think I mean the "soul" of Food Network. Sure, I like Chopped and Alton Brown's new Cutthroat Kitchen  show, but it's lost its charm. Alton has been reduced to a host, even though he delighted fans for years on fun food facts and creative alternatives in Good Eats. Plus, puppets.

The same goes for Unwrapped. I liked learning about food, not just about cooking. Where does it come from? What is its history? What the freak is a Durian? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? Now, for real, the world may never know.

(Its around 450)

As it stands right now, Food Network has become more about the personalities than food. Its more so about how many shows can they give Guy Fieri and Rachael Ray than about how many "licks". The personalities don't even cook for the most part anymore, they tell people how they suck or how awesome they are. Also, If there is one more "undercover" or "fix up this restaurant because I'm stupid" show I will literally put my head through a wall.

Even if you want to watch reruns of some of your favorite mid-thousands shows, the only thing that ever seems to run in reruns is Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Seriously. I bet half of those places don't even have good food at this point...( I know that before 6pm the cooking shows air, but most of those are reruns. Plus, I work. No time for Food Network until nighttime). 

Then after those, all the competition shows start: Next Food Network Star, Rachel and Guy have another show together show, Worst Cooks in America. The network is no longer about cooking food, its about competing with food.

I suppose I can always look to the Cooking Channel, but besides the reruns of Good Eats, its basically all Food Network rejects Sorry, I'm only being truthful. So many of the hosts are just plain boring! Plus, I heard through the grape vine that they are going along the lines of Food Network: More competition and reality shows.

While I will continue watching Food Network when I come home from work or am cooking myself (I like the background noise), I just wish that is can find that spark it had earlier in its life. Don't give in to peer pressure, Food Network! You don't have to be like the History Channel, or the Discovery Channel. Stay true to yourself and you will succeed where the others fail!

(Sorry, I had to. It was just too easy to rip on the History Channel)

Let me know in the comments what your opinion of Food Network is, and maybe what can be done to fix it. Also, subscribe and share if you likey~

*Pinterest makes me happy with its pictures. Food Network makes me sad with its funk*

Biscoff Spread- Omnomnomnom!

A long time ago in a continent far, far away, a young Chef Oshawott tried cookie gelato. And the cookie that was in it? Biscoff cookies aka Lotus Speculoos. A European spice cookie.

And what could be better than a crunchy spice cookie? An edible spread made from ground up cookies and extra sugar. 

Its pretty much the love child of peanut butter and ginger cookies. Its also GMO and nut free. Its so good, definitely try it! On toast, on crepes, on a spoon, on anything!

*try it: I may or may not be eating a jar of it as we speak*

~Keep Calm and Eat Noodles~

I think everyone that has ever left their parents' house has fallen in love with at least one Asian take-out place. There really is nothing better than $4 Low Mien or Pad Thai.

(Didn't realize this was a cake until I put it here. Even better!)

Lucky for me, I lived with CaptainBarnes during college and am BFFLs with Psizzle, who is Asian, so I ate a good amount of Thai, Chinese takeout, and Vietnamese Pho.

(I love Pho soooooo much! OMNOMNOMNOM)

I can safely admit that I eat a lot of noodles. Having an Italian heritage automatically means I eat waay too much pasta. So I make up for that by eating rice noodles. It's different!!! You can't judge me!

Anyways, Peanut Noodles are a particular favorite of mine. Many a nights I have added peanut butter and soy sauce to Ramen noodles in a half-hearted attempt to eat something tasty and to forget how much sodium is in the little Ramen packet. 

(Can you tell I went to college?)

Finally, I decided to get serious and got pretty good at making fake Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles. But I  think I have finally found the best, simple peanut recipe, graciously shared on The Comfort of Cooking.

(Cooking for multiples = crud ton of noodles)

Ingrediants:

1/2 lb noodles (rice noodles, pasta, gluten free,  it doesn't matter)

1 1/2 tbs veggie/canola oil

2-3 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar (I used white balsamic, tasted just fine!)

1-2 tbs peanut butter

1 tbs honey (I added a little extra)

1tsp grated ginger (or ground, it worked out fine for me)

1 clove garlic, dived finely (i used 2....I'm Italian, we like garlic...)

3 scallions, diced (didn't have any, so i added a tsp of onion powder)

1/4 cup cilantro (I hate the stuff, so i used only a tad bit)

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

1 tbs sesame seeds

* I also added a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat and diced up an onion and some sweet peppers for some extra veggies. Oh, and I doubled the recipe, so don't be worried by how much I ended up with. You didn't mess up : )*

1.) Cook the noodles as directed.

2.) Dice up the onion and peppers, or your veggies of choice, and sautee them in a little oil, just until they're cooked and still crisp.

3.) In a large bowl, whisk together everything but the peanuts, sesame seeds, and cilantro (if you want to use it). Set aside.

Extra Step: I also toasted my peanuts to get a really rich and nutty taste. Just break them up and throw them in a hot sautee pan for a few minutes, until they get a little brown and smell awesome.

4.) Drain the noodles once they're cooked and toss with the sauce. Top with the peanuts, sesame seeds, and cilantro. Enjoy!

(At this point I was drooling too much to be patient and try to get a good picture)

The noodles are salty, savory, mildly sweet, and all around awesome. I will definitely be making this my go-to Peanut Noodles recipe.

So, what's your favorite noodle dish? Any tweaks you would do to this one? Leave a comment below and share if you likey~ I'd appreciate both!

*You know the drill, no images but of the food I make come from me. Le Pinterest is a kind mistress, check her out*

"Poke-Manju: The Rage Candy Bar"- Geek Recipe Highlight #2

Hello all, its time for Geeky cooking! And this weeks special is from the wonderful world of-

Erm, thanks Pikachu. I think the readers already knew what was coming...

Anyways, Pokemon! I love the little guys and have been playing since Gen 1, but there's just something about Gen 2, or Gold/Silver/Crystal, that has stayed especially close to my heart. I have such fond memories of picking out my Totodile every time I played,

(Dawww, look at him in his little costume!!!)

Or saving poor, sick Amphy. Even catching that crazy red Gyarados, and eventually taking on the big daddy of Pokemon himself: Red

The dude was almost as bad as Whitney and her Friggin' Miltank.

So...much...Rollout..... But that's a story for another day!

Today is all about a Pokemon inspired edible from Gen 2 called the Rage Candy Bar, which you buy from  a guy in Mahogany Town. It has subsequently appeared in the later Pokemon games, and still heals a Pokemon for 20 hp. 

Strangely enough, according to the all-powerful Bulbapedia, aka the virtual Pokemon Bible, the name Rage Candy  Bar is actually a miss-translation. In Japanese its called a "Rage Bun", based upon Japanese Manju cakes. After learning of this I had no choice but to discover the "true" Rage Candy Bar and found a simple and delicious recipe from Maangchi. So, hold onto your pokeballs, folks! We're taking a culinary trip to Japan ( technically, the recipe is for Korean Manju, but the recipe was so user-friendly I couldn't resist)!

Ingrediants:

1 cup Lima Beans

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup flour + 1/2 cup extra

2 eggs

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla

Filling

1.) Soak the beans in cold water overnight. Then, pop them out of their skins with your fingers. It will take a while if you use baby limas.

2.) Place in a saucepan with 1 1/4 cup water and boil for 10 minutes. Then, simmer for 30-50 minutes. They should get fluffy and absorb the water.

While waiting, occupy your time. I chose to do so with Woodchuck's Spring cider. I told you before, didn't I? I'm a bad role model.

3.) Mash the beans until they look like mashed potatoes. Then add in the sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir for around 1-2 minutes until it thickens. Then let it cool. It will get thicker.

Dough:

1.) Mix the 3/4 cup flour, 1 egg, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, and 1 tsp vanilla in a bowl until its smooth.

Make the Poke-Manju:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.) On a floured surface, roll the dough into around 8, even-sized balls. Roll out the filling too, if you can. I didn't and ended up just plopping it into the dough.

3.) Flatten the dough out into flat circles. 

4.) Put some of the filling into the center and fold the dough over it. Make sure to seal the edges with some water so nothing leaks out!. Then, dip the smooth side into water, then sesame seeds, then brush with the extra egg's yolk.

5.) Lay onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

6.) Let cool on a wire rack and Enjoy!

The Poke-Manju will be slightly sweet and earthy in flavor. With a light crispness from the sesame seeds (I think I made them correctly, either way they were pretty good). They actually reminded me a lot of Italian Sesame seed cookies (Giuggiulena), so if you like those you'll like these.

Not sure about next week's Geek Recipe, either Lemon Cakes from "A Song of Ice and Fire" or Pumpkin Pasties from Harry Potter. Maybe something completely different. Let me know in the comments below!

*All images are not mine, except for the recipe pics. Look at Pinterest if you want the others*

"One Small Bite..." Geek Recipe Highlight #1

What kind of nerd/food lover would I be if I didn't try out different recipes from the many, very many, fandoms that lurk out there on the internets. Except maybe the Homestuck group. I'm still not entirely sure what that is, but Pinterest is slowly being taken over by them. Is it a Podcast, a comic, a book? All I ask for is a summary of some sort!

Thanks, internet. Real helpful there....

Seriously, some one send me a link or something!

Anyways.....Highlight recipe #1! And the winner is......Elven Lembas Bread!!!! If you don't know what that is, go watch the Lord of the Rings! Right now, I can wait.......

Too impatient to watch 3 movies and two prequel movies? Ok, here is a brief description of the bread in question:

Thanks guys!

The recipe I used is more of a cookie one, although there are some that are more like bread or even hardtack military biscuits. I did do some minor altercations to suit my own tastes, so if you want the original recipe you can find it here: http://www.geekychef.com/2008/12/elven-lembas-bread.html 

But for now, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS"....on trying this recipe!!!

First off, gather your ingrediants:

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup honey
• zest and juice of one orange
• 1 cup cranberries
• 3-5 cups flour (you'll use around 3 or 4 cups for the cookies and the rest for rolling out the dough)
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Gather your stuff. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with no-stick or use parchment paper.
2. Mix together the eggs, honey, cranberries, orange zest and juice until combined. 
   
3. Slowly add in the 3-4 cups flour until it comes together and isn't very sticky. *I apologize for the missing image in this step. Those responsible have been sacked*
4. Lightly flour your preferred rolling surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to around 1/2 inch thick. Cut out squares or a fancy leaf pattern or be a dork and use a cookie cutter like I did (because you forgot the materials to make leaf covers and wanted to overcompensate).
   
5. Line on the cookie sheet, as many as can fit. These cookies don't spread or rise much, so no need to worry about making a super-cookie by mistake. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. 
6. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
   

Hopefully yours will look better than mine did. The leaf shape is sort of annoying to me..... Either way, these cookies have a nice scone-like quality to them, especially with the orange and cranberry flavors, so odds are you'll end up eating more than "one small bite." 

Next week: