Lasagna, Egg Rolls, & Fried Rice - Not All Together, Of Course

Boy have I been busy this week.

I have been cooking up a storm AND sewing.  I've got projects lined up for days so before I get too far ahead of myself I thought I would share some recipes with you.  I've got my laptop all charged up, chips and salsa on the side table, and the Season 3 premiere of Sherlock playing on TV.  If you haven't watched Sherlock, DO IT.  Seasons 1 & 2 are on Netflix and Season 3 just started airing in the US.  While I'm on a television referral, you must watch Downton Abbey, too.  I digress.

Lasagna
First is lasagna. Have I told you how much I adore Italian food?  Pasta is seriously the way to my soul.  Well pasta and wine, but those naturally go together.  Tuesday was my first attempt at making lasagna and not to brag or anything, but I nailed it.  Here goes!

Ingredients for classic lasagna. 

Brown one pound of ground beef and one pound of Italian sausage, I used mild.  Drain.

Make sure it is a little more done than this :). 

Mince one onion and eight cloves of garlic.  Disclaimer: I LOVE garlic, by far my favorite flavor/spice and I add it to everything in copious amounts, so feel free to ton it down a bit if you aren't as big of a fan as I am. Go ahead and cook the onion with a little bit of olive oil in the same pan you browned your meat in.  Cook on medium-low heat until soft and translucent, probably 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

Lovely piles of garlic and onion. 

Mmm the smell of frying onions! 

Add your meat back to the pan and turn the heat down to a simmer.  Add 15 oz tomato sauce, 6 oz tomato paste, 15 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 tablespoon basil, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.  Let that simmer for a long time.  Try like an hour and a half to two hours, stirring occasionally.

Seriously looks like heaven. 

When the meat sauce is nearing completion, go ahead and cook (according to box) 12-16 lasagna noodles, depending on how big your pan is.  I used a 13x9 pan and maybe like 14 1/2 noodles.  In a separate bowl, mix 16 oz ricotta cheese, one egg, and 2 tablespoons parsley.  Sorry, no picture of this step...I got ahead of myself.

To assemble: spoon 1/3 meat mixture in bottom of pan.  Add a layer of noodles, then 1/2 ricotta mixture.  Sprinkle mozzarella over top to cover and then sprinkle with parmesan.  Add another layer of noodles and repeat.  Finish with a layer of noodles, sprinkling of mozzarella and parmesan.

Cover with a piece of foil sprayed with cooking spray (to keep the cheese from sticking) and bake at 425 degrees F for 40 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly on top.

Yum!!!

Chicken Teriyaki Egg Rolls 
So last week we jumped from Italy to China (roughly).  We had egg rolls and fried rice for dinner on Thursday, which is actually one of our regular meals because it is pretty easy and cheap.  I've made egg rolls several times and never the same way, but this seems to be a winner.  Jess loved them and we had company and they were a hit...and the best part, easy!

First, I put two chicken breasts in the crockpot and covered them with teriyaki sauce - I cheated a bit.  I cooked them on low for 3-4 hours and then shredded then and added a few more spoonfuls of sauce and let them sit on warm while I prepared the rest.

Shredded teriyaki chicken.

Next, I steamed/boiled-because-I-put-in-too-much-water 2 cups of broccoli slaw, which can be found at the grocery store next to the bagged lettuce and such.  I also cut up a handful (maybe 5-6) baby carrots into matchstick sized pieces and threw them in there because I wasn't satisfied with the amount in the slaw mix.  Only steam them a few minutes so they aren't raw anymore, you don't want them to get too soft or soggy.  Drain well.

Seemed perfect for egg rolls! 

Mix the chicken in with the veggies and add more teriyaki sauce if you'd like, I didn't.  Start rolling!  Egg rolls are simple once you get the hang of it.  First off, make sure your surface is dry and your hands are dry.  Don't try to fill them too full or they will tear.  Roll up tight  and seal by dipping one or two fingers in some water and rubbing it over the edges.  I always dab some water around the seams after I've finished rolling them, too.

I love this brand, they sell it at Kroger in the organic food
section next to the tofu and such.

This is probably the most filling you'd want to put in.

Wrapping them up is easy once you get
the hang of it! 

Finally, heat a pan of vegetable oil up to about 275 degrees.  Fry only a few rolls at a time.  The key to deep frying things is not to over-add items and bring the temperature too far down.  Fry the egg rolls about 4-5 minutes, turning over occasionally if it isn't deep enough, until they are bubbly and brown.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  They are best served hot!

Crispy, golden goodness!

Fried Rice
Last on the docket for today is fried rice.  This yummy take-out favorite is a staple in our home.  Sometimes I'll just add some chicken and make it the meal, sometimes I'll serve it with egg rolls (see above) and sometimes potstickers, which are for another day.  First things first, cook your rice ahead of time!  I use Minute Rice and cook 2 cups of dry rice with 2 cups of beef or chicken bouillon.  Make it a day ahead that way it'll be good and dried out by the time you use it (I promise that's what you want!).

Cooked, approximately day-old rice.

So next, mince up 1/2 onion and 2 cloves of garlic.

Once again, onion & garlic!

 Add a little bit of olive oil to a skillet and add the onion.  Cook 5-6 minutes, add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

You can't tell, but I've got this great wok-shaped skillet,
perfect for fried rice! 

Add 1 1/2 cups of mix peas and carrots.  You can use canned or frozen, or fresh if you're feeling fancy.  I usually use just the mixed bag from the Kroger freezer section.  Cook until the veggies are soft.  Add three eggs right into the skillet and cook mixed up with the veggies until they are cooked through.

Doesn't look like much, but it will, I promise!

Add the rice and cook until warm (presumably it will have been in the refrigerator from the night before) then add 1/4-1/2 cup of soy sauce, your choice.  I don't add a lot while cooking because Jess doesn't like it as much, but then I add more to my plate after it's done.  Keep frying on low heat as long as you want!  Seriously I've cooked it for up to an hour while I'm doing other things, just continue to stir it so it doesn't stick.

Better than takeout! 

So there you have it, folks!  Hope you all have a great day!