Recipe Wednesday: Straw & Hay Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus

Today's recipe comes from a Cooking Light class Jody Lehman led in March 2009.

Straw & Hay Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

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2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 T. All-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
Cooking Spray
8 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
8 oz uncooked spaghetti
2 T. Truffle oil
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the first four ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add milk mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until mixture simmers, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Cover.

Place asparagus on jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until browned, stirring once. Cook both pastas according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

Place pastas and asparagus in a large bowl. Add cheese mixture, tossing well. Add truffle oil and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately.

Cooking Tip: Boiling vs Simmering

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Are you simmering or boiling? Many recipes will instruct you to bring a liquid (usually water) to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. The main reason for this method is to compensate for the drop in temperature when food is added. While both techniques are very similar and may be used in the same recipe their effect on foods are very different.

Simmering or a "gentle boil" happens at temperatures between 185 degrees and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This method of cooking allows meats and other foods more time to cook without overcooking. You'll recognize the simmer by the occasional small bubbles that rise to the center. Simmering requires less energy from your appliances and keeps many proteins from becoming tough.

Boiling is reserved for liquids, typically water, at the temperature of 212 degrees. Once a liquid reaches a higher temperature, it's transformed into steam. You'll recognize it by the rapid, rolling, large bubbles rising to the surface. Boiling may be used on green vegetables to cook them quickly and keep their texture and color. It may also be used to keep foods like pasta moving quickly so it doesn't stick together or get soggy. Boiling may also be used to reduce sauces.

Lasagna Recipe Wednesday: Lasagna Roll topped with Pepper Vodka Shrimp with Trinity Sauce over Sautéed Spinach

Today's recipe comes from a 2010 Tupelo Country Club Invitational class by Chef James Allen.

Lasagna Roll topped with Pepper Vodka Shrimp

with Trinity Sauce over Sautéed Spinach

The versatility of the lasagna roll is endless with the topping being your choice. Marinara, Alfredo, Pesto, or anything you create pairs great with this easy yet appealing entrée. By changing the herbs and seasonings you can easily make this dish your own. These rolls can be made in a larger quantity and frozen for later use.

For the Lasagna Roll:

8 Sheets of Lasagna Pasta, curled edges


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 1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup large cottage cheese
1 package Boursin Cheese
1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 TB Basil
¼ cup Chopped Scallions
1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and submerge your lasagna sheets for seven minutes. Drain the lasagna sheets and rinse under cold water. Set aside to drain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except the mozzarella, and mix well. Lay one sheet of pasta on a clean surface and spread about 2/3 cup on the pasta leaving about an inch and half of the top and bottom of the pasta with no cheese mixture. Gently roll the sheet on top of itself to form a lasagna roll. It should be about the size of a tennis ball. Continue making the rest of the rolls placing them into a greased baking dish, glass preferably. Place in a 350F oven and bake for 30 minutes. After twenty minutes remove the dish and top the rolls with shredded mozzarella, place them back into the oven and continue cooking the last ten minutes.

For the Pepper Vodka Shrimp:

2 # Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Red Pepper, fine dice
1 Green Pepper, small dice
½ Vidalia Onion, small dice
2 Stalks Celery, small dice
1 Jalapeno, fine diced
1 Tomato, medium to large dice
1 TB Garlic
1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1 TB Fresh Basil, chopped
½ cup Scallions, chopped
½ cup Vodka
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, sauté peppers, onions, celery and jalapeno, in olive oil, until soft then add the garlic, the spices, and the herbs. After a minute add the shrimp and stir. Once the shrimp is almost done, (completely pink) pour in the vodka and cook for a few more minutes. If the vodka flames up, stay calm and slowly move the skillet off the heat. If you are comfortable playing with flames in a pan, give your guests a show and move the pan back and forth to create a bigger flame. I will however, not be held responsible for burned ceilings. Proceed at your own risk!!!!!

Once the flames die down, add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper then spoon the mixture onto the plated lasagna rolls. Enjoy!
 
For the Sautéed Spinach:


1 bag clipped spinach
½ tsp. garlic
½ tsp. nutmeg
Salt and Pepper – to taste
In a large skillet, preheat the olive oil and butter until it is just turning brown. Add the garlic and the spinach, continuing to move the spinach and garlic in the pan so it doesn’t burn. Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper and enjoy!