I hope the picture above does this dish justice. 

It was amazing. 

I’m not one to go crazy with personal horn tooting but this was a huge success. 

I have shared it with 13 people as of noontime today.  The responses were unanimous.  “Oh my.”  “Can I have one more bite.”  “Yum!”  “Is this recipe on Lemony Thyme?”

I’ve been making lasagna for nearly 30 years. 

In the early days my choice of ingredients weren’t necessarily classic (breakfast sausage links do not belong in lasagna) but the process hasn’t changed. 

So for my friend Sherry, who stands firm that any recipe with more than 5-ingredients, just isn’t happening in her kitchen….I’m going to break this down into Steps. 

You’ve got this girl.

Even as a veteran lasagna maker, I approach each one as a process….with clearly defined steps.  Here are my Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna Steps.

Step #1 ~ Gather all Ingredients

Gather all ingredients.  Don’t skip this step.  Cooking is so much easier when you have everything you need at hand.

Step #2 ~ Roast Veggies

Roast Veggies.  Slice and dice a good variety of veggies. 

We used zucchini, eggplant, summer squash, and broccoli.  That’s what the Farmers Market gave us.  Please use what’s fresh and local. 

You’ll want about 8 cups of veggies (cutting them thinly or bite-sized), tossed lightly with olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese, fresh herb sprigs, garlic & herb seasoning, salt & pepper. 

I prepped the veggies in two batches (a gallon Ziploc bag is a great way to toss), then spread them onto two shallow baking sheets and baked them for about 30 minutes, until tender.  Reserve. 

I also sautéed 2 cups of fresh spinach with some minced garlic, then pressed it dry between paper towels.  You could use thawed frozen spinach as well.

Note to Sherry:  Don’t stress over this step.  Can be done a day ahead.  Choose your veggies, your favorites.  The additional ingredients are conveniently limited to five.  You definitely have this!!

Step #3 ~ Cook Noodles

Cook your noodles.  While your veggies are roasting, bring a big pot of salted water to boil (big pot 2-3 gallon), add lasagna noodles and boil until al dente. 

You don’t want to over cook the noodles as they will finish cooking in the lasagna.  Drain and rinse cooked noodles under cold water.  

I know there are No-Boil noodles available, I’ve never used them and don’t judge those who do.

Can be made ahead.  Lay flat in single layer on parchment paper and reserve.

Step #4 ~ Make Sauce

Make your sauce.  While your noodles are cooking, start your sauce. 

When I’m making lasagna there are two things I don’t want to run out of.  Sauce and cheese. 

Make a big batch of sauce. 

If you have any leftover, you can freeze it or use it in almost any other comfort food dish. 

Because this is a Vegetable Lasagna, start off with a good amount of shredded carrots and onion (at least 3 cups worth). 

Sauté veggies in butter until tender, then dust with flour, stirring constantly.  Once fully incorporated and bubbly, slowly whisk in milk/cream, stirring constantly.  Sauce will thicken when it comes to a ‘gentle’ boil and as it cools. 

Remove from heat, add in parmesan cheese and whisk until melted.  Reserve.

Can be made ahead, just reheat slowly before assembling lasagna.

Step #5 ~ Prepare Cheeses

Prepare your cheeses.  In this case we used an herbed ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. 

The ricotta is beaten together with eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic & herb seasonings and dried basil. 

For the parm and mozzarella, I used two 8-ounce blocks and shredded them.  Each block yielded 3-4 cups of shredded cheese. 

Freshly shredded cheese vs. the prepackaged already shredded kind is much creamier and you get so much more for your $$.

Can be done ahead.  If you don’t have time to shred or shredding cheese is a deal breaker, buy the prepackaged kind.

Step #6 ~ Toast Your Breadcrumbs

Toasted breadcrumbs.  I love finishing this delicate lasagna with a layer of toasted panko breadcrumbs. 

It’s an easy step that adds a little something special to the dish.

Step #7 ~ Assembly

Assemble the layers.  All the heavy lifting has been done, now the fun begins.  I must admit I get a bit giddy over assembling all of these layers of goodness:

1. Sauce ~ Ladle just enough sauce to cover the bottom of your lasagna pan.

2. Noodles ~ Lay three noodles, side by side, on top of sauce.

3. Ricotta ~ Drop about 1/4th of ricotta mixture by spoonfuls over noodles.  Spread with fork.

4. Cheeses ~ Sprinkle about 1/4th of shredded cheeses over ricotta.

5. Veggies ~ Layer 1/3rd of roasted veggies over cheeses.

6. Sauce ~ Ladle about 2 cups of sauce over veggies.

7. Repeat ~ Continue at assembly step #2 above for three more layers.

8. Finish ~ Top final layer of noodles with remaining ricotta, sauce, grated cheeses and a generous sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs.

Step #8 ~ Bake & Rest

Bake & Rest.  Resting your lasagna after you bake it is almost as important. 

Bake Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna at 350 degrees for one hour.  Allow to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

This Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna is layered with so much veggie love. This recipe makes a big batch.  Definitely enough to share with a dozen or so of your closest friends.  We call that {Share the Love} around here.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna

This Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna is layered with so much veggie love. This recipe makes a big batch. 

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 12

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the roasted veggies…

• 2 sm.-med. zucchini thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 sm.-med. summer squash thinly sliced
• 1 eggplant partially peeled and sliced into 1/4-thick rounds
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 6-8 sprigs of fresh herbs lemony thyme, oregano, thyme
• 1 Tbl. garlic & herb seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt & pepper
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic

For the noodles…

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 Tbl. salt

For the sauce…

• 4 carrots grated
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 6 Tbl. butter
• 6 Tbl. flour
• 8 cups milk/cream or half & half
• 2 cup parmesan cheese grated
• pinch red pepper flakes optional

For the cheeses…

• 1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1 tsp. garlic & herb seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 8 ounce block mozzarella cheese freshly shredded (3-4 cups)
• 8 ounces parmesan cheese freshly shredded (3-4 cups)

For the toasted breadcrumbs…

• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• spray olive oil

Instructions

For the roasted veggies…

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut veggies thinly or bite-sized, toss lightly with about olive oil, parmesan cheese, fresh herb sprigs, garlic & herb seasoning, salt & pepper. Then spread onto two shallow baking sheets and bake for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Reserve. Can be done a day ahead.
• Sauté fresh spinach in olive oil with minced garlic, for 2-3 minutes. Cover and remove from heat until wilted. Press between paper towels to remove liquid. Reserve.

For the noodles…

• Bring a large pot of water to boil (2-3 gallons). Add salt, then add noodles one by one (do not break). Stir gently as they soften until all are completely covered with water. Return to a boil and cook 10-12 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook as they will finish cooking in the lasagna.

For the sauce…

• Sauté carrots and onion in butter for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Then dust with flour, stirring constantly. Once fully incorporated and bubbly, slowly whisk in milk/cream, stirring constantly. Sauce will thicken when it comes to a ‘gentle’ boil. Remove from heat, add in 1 cup parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes; whisk until melted. Reserve.

For the cheeses…

• In a small bowl whisk together ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, garlic & herb seasoning and dried basil. Reserve.
• Shred mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Reserve.

For the toasted breadcrumbs…

• Spray shallow baking sheet with olive oil spray. Spread panko in thin layer, then spray lightly with olive oil spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden brown. Remove and reserve.

For the assembly…

• Ladle just enough sauce to cover the bottom of your lasagna pan.
• Lay three noodles, side by side, on top of sauce.
• Drop about 1/4th of ricotta mixture by spoonfuls over noodles. Spread with fork.
• Sprinkle about 1/4th of shredded cheeses over ricotta.
• Layer 1/3rd of roasted veggies over cheeses.
• Ladle about 2 cups of sauce over veggies.
• Continue at step #2 above for three more layers.
• Top final layer of noodles with remaining ricotta, sauce, grated cheeses and a generous sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs.

Bake & rest…

• Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cover with foil part way through if crumbs begin to brown too much. Rest at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Allow lasagna to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

The post Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna {Share the Love} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

But I wanted to add a spooky element to the dish. 

Wait til you see what I did.

Today was our Halloween Luncheon at the office.  It is an annual tradition.  We decorate, dress in costumes, and feast. 

I made a ginormous lasagna and {Shared the Love} with my work-family.  This Classic Lasagna is layered with a rich meaty sauce, plenty of cheese and and lots of love.

Making lasagna is simply a layering process. 

I found it’s best not to be too focused on specifics, just use good ingredients alternately until you build as tall as your pan can stand. 

I will say, you do want to start with a base of sauce and finish with a layer of cheese. 

Oh, and assembly is so much easier when you have all of your ingredients prepared and close at hand.

Assembly

Our Classic Lasagna assembly went something like this:

• Meaty Marinara to cover bottom of lasagna pan
• Layer of lasagna noodles (pre-boiled until al dente)
• Layer of ricotta/egg/parmesan mixture
• Generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella
• Light layer of béchamel sauce
• Repeat 3-4 more times.
• Finish with shredded mozzarella

The Spooky Effects

While the lasagna baked, I got busy creating my spooky effect. 

I wanted to create the feel of a haunting face rising out of the top of the lasagna.  Hee hee, have I told you how much I love Halloween?!!

I made a double batch of our Italian Meatballs recipe and formed it into Scream’s Ghostface.   Muaaahhhh…..

I baked our giant face-meatball, so that it was fully cooked. 

On it’s own it was pretty spooky, but I had a grand-plan for this guy.

I placed the baked face on top of the baked lasagna, then filled the eyes, nose, and mouth with marinara sauce.  Slightly melted mozzarella cheese to encase the face. 

Then back into the oven to heat through. 

The finished result….

While the ‘raw’ face showed more Scream similarity, this guy delivered enough creepy to be worthy of our annual Halloween Buffet. 

Our Classic Lasagna {with Spooky Effects} was just one of many fabulous dishes shared today.  Two Halloween Buffet tables this year, beautifully decorated by the uber talented Jennica.

As for the costumes.  Always brilliant.  Here are a few standouts and a link to our work Delaney Facebook Page.  We’re a fun group if you’d like to follow along.

Who else loves/hates the movie The Shining.  Gives me shivers.  These two nailed it.  “Come play with us Danny.  Forever….and ever…and ever.”

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

And me.  Fun day at the office.

All my best,
xo Libby

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Classic Lasagna

This classic lasagna is layered with rich meaty sauce, loads of cheese, savory sauce and an element of spooky fun!

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 boxes lasagna noodles 20 noodles

For the meaty sauce layer…

• 120 ounces marinara sauce
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

For the ricotta layer…

• 1 32- ounce tub ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic & herb seasoning

For the Béchamel sauce…

• 5 Tbl. butter
• 4 Tbl. flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

For the meaty sauce layer…

• Brown ground beef and Italian sausage (casings removed). Drain; combine with marinara sauce.

For noodle layer…

• Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions.

For ricotta layer…

• Whisk together ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs and seasoning.

For Béchamel layer…

• Heat milk in a saucepan to just boiling. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in flour; cook for 3 minutes. Add hot milk 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and nutmeg.

To assemble…

• Cover bottom of lasagna pan with sauce; then lasagna noodles. Spread ricotta layer; sprinkled with mozzarella cheese and ladle or two of béchamel sauce. Repeat 3-4 more times. Top with mozzarella.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake lasagna for 1 -1 1/2 hours until hot & bubbly. May need to tent loosely with foil if cheese begins to brown. Allow to stand 30 minutes before serving.

For spooky face layer….

• See our Italian Meatball post and get your creative happy on.

The post Classic Lasagna {with a Spooky Effect} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The ingredients are layered lasagna style and every bite delivers wonderful flavor.

There are three kinds of cheese in this recipe which adds layers of flavor.

Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce and Basil Pesto add richness.

Combined, it’s those ingredients that make this lightened up recipe all kinds of comfortable.

If this recipe looks good, you might also enjoy our Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash served in a Parmesan Crisp Bowl!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Spaghetti {Squash} Pie with Basil Pesto Chicken

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 2 Tbl. butter
• salt & pepper
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese shredded
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. garlic & herb seasoning
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 2 cups cooked chicken cubed
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut spaghetti squash in half length-wise. Scoop out seeds. Rub flesh with olive oil and place flesh side down on a shallow baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a fork pierces the skin easily and the flesh can be easily pulled into strands with a fork. Allow to cool slightly, then using a fork scrape squash into a bowl. Season with butter, salt & pepper.
• In a small bowl combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg and garlic & herb seasoning.
• In a small bowl combine cooked chicken cubes with pesto sauce.
• In a 2 quart casserole or baking dish, layer ingredients lasagna style. Cover bottom of pan with 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Top with 1/4 of the spaghetti squash. Top that with half of the ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Top with 1/2 cup marinara sauce, 1/4 spaghetti squash, 1/2 pesto chicken, sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with marinara, squash, ricotta, mozzarella, marinara, squash, pesto chicken, mozzarella.
• Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to soak up.

The post Spaghetti Squash Pie with Basil Pesto Chicken appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It’s football season, officially Autumn Thyme and we’ve dipped into the low 60’s here in the sunny south.  I for one am ready for fall.  Bring on apples, pumpkins, soups, stews, chili, comfort food and game day recipes, preferably in the form of hot dips.  Hot dips like BBQ Chicken Pizza Dip.

I made a Hot Pizza Dip a few months back that was crazy good.  It was a traditional pepperoni pizza turned dip recipe.  What’s not to love.  Yet, that’s not my favorite pizza combination.  I’m a BBQ Chicken Pizza girl, served with a drizzle or dipping of Ranch Dressing.  Why not turn my favorite pizza into a hot dip?  Rhetorical. It happened.  And it was good.  Think Buffalo Chicken Dip concept except replace buffalo flavor with BBQ flavor.  Heavenly.

I picked up a rotisserie chicken on my way home from work, making this dip a cinch to put together.  The other key ingredient I love on our BBQ Chicken Pizza is grilled red onion.  It brings a nice sweet crunch which went perfectly in this dip as well.

Chopped cooked chicken, grilled red onion, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing, mixed well then scooped into your favorite 1 1/2 quart baking dish.

Sprinkle with a bit more mozzarella and diced red onion and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly.  Drizzle with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing then sprinkle with scallion and cilantro to serve.

I bought a tube of refrigerated pizza dough, cut it into strips and baked it.  It made delicious ‘pizza crust’ bread sticks, perfect for dunking into BBQ Chicken Pizza Dip.

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BBQ Chicken Pizza Dip

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 rotisserie chicken or about 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup diced grilled red onion
• 2 8- ounce blocks cream cheese softened
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce plus more for drizzle
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing plus more for drizzle
• scallion and cilantro for garnish
• 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough

Instructions

For pizza dip…

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Combine cooked chicken, grilled red onion, cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. Mix well and pour into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
• Drizzle with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. Garnish with scallion and cilantro to serve.

For ‘pizza crust’ bread sticks…

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Roll out pizza dough and cut into 12 strips. Place strips on cooking spray coated baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

The post BBQ Chicken Pizza Dip appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I needed a great HOT Dip recipe.

So off to Pinterest Wonderland I went.  Whoa.  The choices are vast, diverse, and oh so cheesy.  Hot Pizza Dip sounded too good to pass up.

There’s the seasoned cheese layer, your favorite marinara sauce, favorite toppings, then more cheese.  Off to the oven we go.  Ezzy-pizzy.

Once Hot Pizza Dip was on my radar I began building the layers in my mind.  The first layer has cream cheese, ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder.

Then a layer of your favorite sauce.  We used our Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce.  Slightly chunky, hints of fresh basil and garlic.  Oh so delicious.  Add your favorite pizza toppings, we chose mini-pepperoni slices this time.  Sausage and mushrooms will find their way into my next Hot Pizza Dip.

Load your Hot Pizza Dip with cheese, cheese, baby…and a bit more topping.  Pop it in the oven, deliver to your favorite people.

Win.  Big Win.

Twisted Parmesan Herb Breadsticks.  Here’s how that happened:

I used a tube of seamless crescent dough, but you could use puff pastry or your favorite pizza dough.

Roll out the dough.  Sprinkle it with minced fresh herbs (I chose rosemary), seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash garlic & herb and salt & fresh cracked pepper).  Add cheese (parmesan for us).  Cut into strips.  Twist and bake.

Rustic.  Tasty.  And oh so Hot Pizza Dip worthy.

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Hot Pizza Dip {with Twisted Parmesan Herb Breadsticks}

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

Layer One…

• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. garlic powder

Layer Two…

• 1 cup Marinara Sauce

Layer Three

• 1/2 cup favorite pizza topping ingredients we chose mini-pepperoni slices
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

For the breadsticks…

• 1 can seamless crescent dough puff pastry or pizza dough
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbl. chopped favorite herbs we chose rosemary
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning or favorite
• salt & freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the Hot Pizza Dip…

• Combine Layer One ingredients in an oven safe dish. Top with Marinara. Layer with pizza ingredients and cheese.
• Bake for 20- 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.

For the breadsticks….

• Preheat oven to 375 degree. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread the canned dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, salt & pepper. Press into dough. Cut into 12 strips and twist. Lay on prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.

The post Hot Pizza Dip {with Twisted Parmesan Herb Breadsticks} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The pictures don’t do this recipe justice, but I am here to tell you that Italian Sausage & Polenta Lasagna is pure comfort.  Surprisingly, that comfort is delivered without a guilt trip.  That’s right, this recipe came straight out of the new Weight Watchers cook book AND it’s made in the slow cooker.  Badda bing.  Badda boom.

The star ingredient in this recipe is a tube of polenta.  Not only does it replace traditional lasagna noodles, making this a gluten free recipe, but it also adds a wonderful creaminess to the overall dish.

I made a couple modifications to the original recipe.  First, I replaced Sweet Italian Sausage with Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage.  They’re not spicy hot, but they do bring a bit of flavor punch.  Then I substituted chopped frozen spinach for frozen kale, only because I couldn’t find kale in my grocer’s freezer.  I also increased the amount of parmesan & mozzarella cheese.  Well because cheese.

The original recipe was for 6 servings at 8 WW Pts+ per.  We easily got 8 servings, so even with my additions, each serving weighed in at only 8 WW Pts+ or 320 calories.

Once the sausage and mushrooms are pan browned, all the ingredients are layered lasagna style in your slow cooker.  Marinara sauce, sliced polenta, mushrooms, sausage, spinach, zucchini, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and seasonings; repeat.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.  Once hot and bubbly, turn off slow cooker, top lasagna with mozzarella cheese and allow to rest covered for 20 minutes.

I’m really loving this new Weight Watchers cook book.  So much so I’ve basically kidnapped it.  You see it belongs to my Healthy Choices buddy DJ.  We’ve sort of worked out a deal.  If I can hang onto it for a bit longer I promised to bring her samples of anything I make.  I think it’s working out well for both of us :)

Today I hauled the whole crockpot to work to Share the Love.  Everyone who sampled, loved this recipe.  They couldn’t believe that Italian Sausage & Polenta Lasagna was figure friendly as well.  That’s what bold flavors and creamy comfort can do for a dish.

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Italian Sausage & Polenta Lasagna

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author lightly adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced
• 1 one-pound tube polenta cut into 18 slices
• 1 zucchini thinly sliced
• 1 10- ounce box frozen spinach thawed & squeezed dry
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 24- ounce jar favorite marinara sauce
• 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Remove sausage from casings and brown in skillet, breaking up with wooden spoon until cooked through. Remove from pan and pour off any grease. Brown mushrooms in skillet coated with cooking spray.
• Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup sauce to bottom of slow cooker. Layer 6 slices of polenta. Top with half of the sausage and half of the mushrooms. Add half of the zucchini slices and half of the spinach. Spread 1/2 cup of ricotta over top (I used a teaspoon to drop ricotta). Sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, Mrs. Dash and basil. Spread 1 cup of sauce over layers.
• Add 6 more slices of polenta, then top with remaining sausage, mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, ricotta and parmesan cheese. Spread 1 cup of sauce over layers. Add remaining 6 slices of polenta and top with remaining sauce.
• Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Lasagna will be hot and bubbly. Turn off slow cooker. Spread mozzarella cheese on top. Cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving.

The post Italian Sausage & Polenta Lasagna appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

We brought 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip along with a bottle of red and white Italian wines to a happy-hour party recently. We stepped outside the comfort zone on the wines, perhaps this is a chance to discover a new favorite.

And about this dip.  Oh my.  I knew when I first read this recipe from Eat at Home Cooks that we’d have a new favorite.  Boy was I right.  As it turns out, when we delivered 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip straight from the oven, we walked into a happy-hour party already in progress.  All in attendance who sampled this new recipe loved it.  I think you will as well.

Let’s break down these seven layers of Italian flavor love.

Layer #1 ~ Cream Cheese

Layer #2 ~ Basil Pesto

Layer #3 ~ Roasted Red Peppers

Layer #4 ~ Parmesan Cheese

Layer #5 ~ Artichoke Hearts

Layer #6 ~ Sun Dried Tomatoes

Layer #7 ~ Mozzarella Cheese

7-Layer Hot Italian Dip is that easy and ready to be served in less than 30-minutes.  Be sure to keep these key ingredients on hand for your next happy-hour or game day party.  We served this yummy appetizer with Cheddar-Parmesan Savory Biscotti.  The flavor combinations were wonderful together.

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7-Layer Hot Italian Dip

7-Layer Hot Italian Dip is that easy and ready to be served in less than 30-minutes.  Be sure to keep these key ingredients on hand for your next happy-hour or game day party. 

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup basil pesto
• 1/3 cup roasted red peppers chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts drained & chopped
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Layer ingredients in order listed in a 1-quart oven-safe casserole dish.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
• Serve hot with savory biscotti, pita chips or crackers.

The post 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Sometimes you need a deep dish of comfort.  No questions asked.  Bring on the comfort food.  That’s what our Smoky Chicken & Spinach Stuffed Shells were intended to be.  And on that day they delivered.

I’ve come to understand the allure of stuffed shells.  They are the perfect delivery vehicle for just the right amount of savory love.

In this recipe…chicken, spinach, aromatics, and cheese all get cozy under a blanket of creamy cheesy mushroom love.  Smoky cheesy love.

Smoked Gouda is where it’s at.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts baked in Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup will yield an awe-mazing sauce.  Why not cook your chicken into the ‘sauce’ for your dish?  Whether it’s your own cream of chicken soup or prepared, both deliver creamy love.

Chicken breasts baked at 350 degrees, covered in soupy love will be done in about 40 minutes.  Plenty of time to cook large pasta shells and golden mushrooms.  Comfort awaits.

The post Smoky Chicken & Spinach Stuffed Shells appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I should have named this my “Chicken or the Egg Pizza” because I couldn’t tell you which came first, our desire to make Pizza or to make Homemade BBQ Sauce and Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.  Both of which found their way onto this BBQ Chicken Pizza.

We recently made a batch of Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and I confessed that my favorite way to enjoy ranch dressing was drizzled on top of BBQ Pizza.  There’s something about the cool ranch flavor and the tangy BBQ sauce together that makes me happy happy.  Once the confession had been made I couldn’t get the thought of that pizza out of my mind.

Which led to me requesting a jar of Homemade BBQ Sauce.  I love this stuff.  It’s a little sweet with just a bit of heat.  Perfect for BBQ Chicken Pizza.  All I needed now was the pizza dough, and we just happened to have a really easy bread machine pizza dough recipe on the blog.

We topped our pizza dough with BBQ sauce, grilled chicken breast and red onion slices, shredded cheeses and served it with a drizzle of homemade ranch dressing.  It had been years since I’ve had BBQ Chicken Pizza and it was just as good as I remember.

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BBQ Chicken Pizza

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 Bread Machine Pizza Dough recipe or favorite dough
• 2 chicken breasts grilled & cut into cubes
• 1 red onion thick sliced and grilled
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup B’s Homemade BBQ Sauce or favorite
• Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Instructions

• Prepare pizza dough according to recipe instructions. Link in post.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Once dough is ready for the oven, transfer to pizza stones or pans and proceed with toppings. BBQ sauce, grilled chicken, grilled onions, and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 12 – 18 minutes, depending on thickness of crust.

Notes

This recipe makes two 12-inch pizzas with fairly thick crusts

The post BBQ Chicken Pizza appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Arancini {with Basil Pesto & Marinara Sauce}

I was the girl who grew up eating my spaghetti with butter and parmesan cheese.  No red sauce for this kid.  I even scraped the sauce off pizza before eating it.  

Over time I fell in love with Alfredo Sauce but still avoided tomato based sauces for the most part.  It was all about white sauce in our home, with lasagna and occasionally meatballs being an exception.  This all changed on Christmas Day.

Our annual family Christmas dinner has evolved over the years into a vast array of appetizers and heavy hors d’oeuvres.  Each family brings a couple different dishes to share. 

This past Christmas I made Arancini, deep fried mozzarella stuffed risotto balls served with homemade basil pesto and store bought marinara sauce. 

We’ll get back to the marinara sauce in a minute. 

The risotto balls were a hit, definitely a recipe worth sharing.  Yet with the hustle and bustle of the holidays no pictures were taken until now.

THE Marinara Sauce

When the party was over nearly a full jar of marinara sauce remained in our refrigerator.  I decided to make those occasional Italian Meatballs and serve them with the marinara sauce. 

Rao’s Marinara Sauce.  

Oh my word. 

Rrrrao. 

No, no…really, unless you’ve had Rao’s you won’t appreciate when I say, it changed our lives.  

Little did I know when I selected it off the super market shelf that this sauce had achieved award winning status.  We are full-in believers now.  Rrrrrao. 

If you want to hear your family roar like tigers you’ll want to pick up a jar.  Spaghetti & Meatballs with Rao’s Marinara have become a weekly staple for us.  We are working on our own copycat version of Rao’s but for now I’m keeping an eye on the sale flyers and stocking up.

The Arancini

So now back to what you came for.  Arancini begins with a Basic Risotto Recipe that is then chilled for about an hour.  A beaten egg and fresh basil are stirred in before forming the risotto into 1 1/2-inch balls.  A cube of mozzarella cheese is inserted into the center of each ball which is then sealed around it.

The cheese stuffed rice balls are then breaded.  Each ball is dipped into flour, then beaten egg, then dry Italian bread crumbs; coating well.

Working in small batches, the Arancini are fried in oil until nicely browned on all sides.  The outside will become crispy while the cheese center is nice and gooey.  Serve the Arancini with Basil Pesto & Marinara Sauce, for twice the dipping pleasure.

Arancini {with Basil Pesto & Marinara Sauce} is a fabulous appetizer that can be prepared at home, just allow yourself enough time to prepare the basic risotto recipe first, including time to chill it.  Your family and guests will love and appreciate this classic Italian dish.

All my best,
xo Libby

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Arancini {with Basil Pesto & Marinara Sauce}

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• Basic Risotto Recipe recipe link in post
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbl. fresh basil chopped
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cubed
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup dry Italian bread crumbs
• Peanut oil for deep-frying
• Basil pesto
• Marinara sauce

Instructions

• Prepare Basic Risotto Recipe according to instructions. Chill for 1 hour. Stir in 1 beaten egg and fresh basil. Form into 1 1/2-inch diameter balls. Press mozzarella cube into the center of each ball and seal by rolling into a smooth ball.
• Set up three bowls for the breading. One for flour, one for two beaten eggs, one for the Italian bread crumbs. Dip each risotto ball into flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs; coating each one well.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a large saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 370 degrees. Fry the balls in small batches until they are well browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with basil pesto and warm marinara sauce. Yield = 16 Arancini

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