Lasagna Roll-Ups

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry; I use a bag of fresh spinach and steam it, then squeeze dry.
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 3 large mild italian sausage links, cooked
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Directions

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, sausage, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

*www.foodnetwork.com

Avocado Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

16 oz. bag of frozen corn, thawed

1-2 4 oz. cans fo sliced black olives, drained

1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2-5 garlic cloves, chopped

1/3 c. olive oil

1/4 c. lemon juice

3 Tablespoons vinegar, any kind

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teapoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4-5 ripe avocados, peeled and cubed

Directions:
Mix first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the next 6 ingredients, to make a dressing. Add the 4-5 chopped avocados to the veggie mix. Add all the dressing to the veggies and chill at least 3 hours to develop the flavors.

Giada's Couscous-Stuffed Peppers with Basil Sauce

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 cup couscous
• 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1 packed cup chopped baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium red bell peppers
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper
• 1 medium orange bell pepper
• Hot water, as needed

Sauce:

• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) creme fraiche
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra, as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra, as needed

Directions:

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Filling: In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and cumin to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover the pan until the couscous is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 to 6 minutes. Put the couscous in a large bowl and add the beans, currants, spinach, feta and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.

Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all the ribs and seeds. If necessary, cut a very thin slice from the base to help the peppers stand up. Stuff the peppers with the filling and drizzle the tops with olive oil. Put the peppers in an 8 by 8-inch square baking dish. Fill the baking dish with 3/4-inch hot water and bake until the filling is golden and the peppers are cooked through, about 55 to 60 minutes. Cooks Note: If the filling begins to brown too quickly, cover the pan with foil.)

Sauce: In a blender, combine the basil, creme fraiche, olive oil, water, garlic, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove the peppers from the oven and arrange on serving plates. Spoon the sauce around the peppers and serve.