Boy, it's starting to get cold outside. Time to bust out the casseroles!
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| Cheesy:) |
I love lasagna, its such a simple yet interchangeable recipe. Any pasta sause, meat, cheese and vegetable combination will be delicious. Just make sure the basic fondation is followed. This version is really all about the pesto.
Ingredients:
20- 24 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
2 chicken breasts, shredded
Pesto:
2 bunches of basil
1 handful of nuts, I used almonds cause I don't like pine nuts.
1 cup parmesan cheese
4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
Bechamel:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk (whole or lowfat)
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Make the pesto:
Use just enough oil to make a paste. Too much oil would cause the bechamel to separate and that's gross. Just give the basil, nuts, cheese and garlic a nice whirl in the food processor and maybe 2 tbs of oil.
Make the bechamel:
In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and stir for a couple of minutes until the flour is cooked. Add the chicken broth. Whisk until smooth. Add about a third of the milk, slowly, and whisk over medium heat. Add the oregano, pepper and cheeses. When the sauce is smooth, add another third of the milk and whisk. When the sauce is smooth again, add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a heat proof bowl or Pyrex cup and let cool slightly.
This is how I layer up my lasagna:
Make ahead for another night or preheat oven to 350ºF
I used a ladle for the bechamel, so each scoop was a little over 1/2 cup.
In an 12x9 pan:
Enough bechamel sause to coat the bottom of the pan
4 lasagna noodles
Sause and Pesto
4 lasagna noodles
Pesto, Chicken and 1 cup Mozzarella
4 lasagna noodles
Sause and Pesto
4 lasagna noodles
Remainder of Sause and Pesto
Top with Mozzarella
Wrap tightly with foil.
Bake for one hour. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more, until top is golden. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
This was super yummy! I turn out so good, I made it as Mac 'n' Cheese too.
Enjoy:)
2 chicken breasts, shredded
Pesto:
2 bunches of basil
1 handful of nuts, I used almonds cause I don't like pine nuts.
1 cup parmesan cheese
4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
Bechamel:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk (whole or lowfat)
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Make the pesto:
Use just enough oil to make a paste. Too much oil would cause the bechamel to separate and that's gross. Just give the basil, nuts, cheese and garlic a nice whirl in the food processor and maybe 2 tbs of oil.
Make the bechamel:
In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and stir for a couple of minutes until the flour is cooked. Add the chicken broth. Whisk until smooth. Add about a third of the milk, slowly, and whisk over medium heat. Add the oregano, pepper and cheeses. When the sauce is smooth, add another third of the milk and whisk. When the sauce is smooth again, add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a heat proof bowl or Pyrex cup and let cool slightly.
This is how I layer up my lasagna:
Make ahead for another night or preheat oven to 350ºF
I used a ladle for the bechamel, so each scoop was a little over 1/2 cup.
In an 12x9 pan:
Enough bechamel sause to coat the bottom of the pan
4 lasagna noodles
Sause and Pesto
4 lasagna noodles
Pesto, Chicken and 1 cup Mozzarella
4 lasagna noodles
Sause and Pesto
4 lasagna noodles
Remainder of Sause and Pesto
Top with Mozzarella
Wrap tightly with foil.
Bake for one hour. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more, until top is golden. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
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| Sause in the bottom. |
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| 4 noodles, sause and pesto. |
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| 4 noodles, chicken, cheese and pesto. |
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| 4 noodles, last of sause and pesto. |
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| Top with cheese:) |
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| Nice crispy edges:) |
This was super yummy! I turn out so good, I made it as Mac 'n' Cheese too.
Enjoy:)
