These spinach and ricotta ‘dumplings’ are soft and tender and practically melt in your mouth.

The simple ingredients come together to form a soft dough. Roll the dough into balls, then boil until they float.

I experimented with the ratio of ricotta & spinach to flour. The result was that the Malfatti held together nicely even when the flour was reduced. Yielding a dumpling with more spinach flavor which is absolutely delicious.

Malfatti are classically served with sage brown butter and crispy sage leaves, one of my most favorite flavor pairings.

Sage Brown Butter

To make sage brown butter, simply melt butter in a skillet over med-low heat, toss in some fresh sage leaves.  Allow to cook, stirring occasionally until butter turns a nice golden brown.  Remove the sage leaves and most the butter to a small dish. Toss several Malfatti dumplings in the same pan, then spoon additional butter and crispy sage leaves over top when plating.

We loved them so much that I’ve made them multiple times over the past several weeks. Because these dumplings taste very mild, the intense sensual flavor of the sage brown butter is fabulous.

That said, I also served the Malfatti plated with a tomato sauce and basil pesto, then topped them with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese. Another fantastic pairing.

Malfatti can be made ahead and refrigerated then boiled just before serving. This makes them a wonderful weeknight ‘meatless’ meal or as a first course appetizer for a more formal Italian themed evening.

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Malfatti {Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings}

These Malfatti {spinach and ricotta 'dumplings'} are soft and tender and practically melt in your mouth.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

For the Malfatti

• 21 ounces fresh spinach discard any hard stems
• 8 ounces Ricotta cheese drained well
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup semolina flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon frehly grated nutmeg

For the Sage Brown Butter

• 8 Tablespoons butter
• 12-15 fresh sage leaves

Instructions

For the Malfatti

• Place ricotta into fine mesh strainer and allow any liquid to drain off.
• In a large skillet, add spinach with a sprinkle of water and salt over medium heat. Cook covered until wilted, using tongs to turn a couple times during cooking. Drain in a colander until cooled. Place cooked spinach in a clean cotton dish towel and completely wring out all liquid. Finely chop spinach.
• In a bowl, combine drained ricotta and spinach with egg, parmesan cheese, flour, semolina, salt and nutmeg. Mix until evenly incorporated. Roll into 1 1/2" balls.
• Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook Malfatti in batches in boiling water until they float, about 2-3 minutes.

For the Sage Brown Butter

• Melt butter in a skillet. Add sage leaves and cook over medium-low heat until sage is crispy and butter is golden brown. Remove the sage leaves and most of the butter to a small bowl. Add the Malfatti to the pan in batches and gently stir to coat. Plate with a spoonful of sage brown butter, crispy sage leaves and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The post Malfatti {Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

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.

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.

Baked Sweet Potato with Roasted Grapes & Ricotta Honey all begins with a Perfectly Baked Potato.  From there prepare for a flavor bonanza.

On their own, tender baked sweet potatoes take on a lovely caramelized flavor.  Mash them with a little butter seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon and they become very, very comfortable.

Roasted grapes.  Holy WOW!  From the moment I first saw this recipe I couldn’t wait to try my hand at roasting grapes.  I had no idea that what had intrigued me would so captivate my taste buds.  When roasted, the sweet flavor of the grapes becomes nicely concentrated.  Like little bites of the most delicious jam.

I’m already thinking about the next thing I want to top with these sweet gems.

The post Baked Sweet Potato with Roasted Grapes & Honey Ricotta appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Seafood Lasagna {with Jalapeño Alfredo Sauce}.

Indulgent.  I know.  I make no excuses and take full responsibility for my actions.

Here’s how it happened.  We are desperately trying to work down the chaos in our pantry and uncover the mysteries in our freezer.  Our goal, by the time the Farmers Market opens this spring, we’ll have a clean canvas for recipe creation.

On Friday one of my coworkers asked me if I could share a lasagna recipe.  I said give me a pen and I’ll write it down.  Lasagna is one of the first ‘real’ recipes I learned how to make and the method is second nature to me.  Classic Lasagna.  Having said that, my brother might recall the first time I presented Lasagna to my family.  Ha! Years later I learned it made quite an impression (granted I was 20 at the time, living in a shoe-box apartment, possessing very little cooking experience).  It seems my idea to add sausage was just fine.  It was using those little breakfast sausage links that did not quite qualify as authentic Italian :)

I think my lasagna making skills have evolved over the years.  I’ve even branched out and created recipes like Butternut Squash, Spinach & Caramelized Onion Lasagna, Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna, and this Seafood Lasagna {with Jalapeño Alfredo Sauce}. 

For this recipe I made a Traditional Alfredo Sauce with one exception….I added fine diced jalapeño.  I’m not sure I’ll make Alfredo any other way again.

This Seafood Lasagna is rich.  A little goes a long way.   The addition of jalapeño to the sauce brings wonderful flavor with just a hint of heat.  Really delicious.

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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Seafood Lasagna {with Jalapeño Alfredo Sauce}

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the jalapeno Alfredo sauce…

• 2 jalapenos fine diced
• 4 Tbl. butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• salt to taste

For the lasagna…

• 6 dried lasagna noodles prepared according to package instructions
• 8- ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 12 medium shrimp peeled & deveined, cut in half
• 4 ounces crab meat
• 4 ounces scallops diced
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2-3 scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

For the Alfredo sauce…

• Melt butter in a saucepan, sauté fine diced jalapeno for 2-3 minutes. Add in heavy cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese, black pepper and garlic powder. Whisk to combine. Season with salt to taste. Reserve.

For the lasagna…

• Prepare the noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cool water; reserve.
• In a small bowl whisk together ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Mrs. Dash seasoning; reserve.
• In a large skillet melt butter. Saute shrimp, scallops and crab meat for 3-4 minutes until opaque and cooked through; reserve.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble…

• In a 2 quart casserole dish, spoon in about 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce. Layer with 2 lasagna noodles, trimmed to fit dish. Spoon on about 1/3 of ricotta mixture and smooth over noodles. Sprinkle with about 1/3 of seafood mixture and 1/3 sliced scallions. Sprinkle with a good handful of grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat 2 more times beginning with Alfredo sauce and finishing with grated cheeses.
• Bake for 30 minutes until top is golden brown and bubbly. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

The post Seafood Lasagna {with Jalapeño Alfredo Sauce} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

If you’re looking for a ‘family friendly’ one-pot-wonder our Skillet Cheesy Ravioli Bake might just be the one.  The ingredients are added and cooked in layers, then into the oven for a final bake. 

Here is the step by step assembly.

Step 1 ~ Assemble ingredients and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2 ~ Saute onion in a little olive oil over medium heat until tender.

Step 3 ~ Add ground beef, brown, then drain off any fat.

Step 4 ~ Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.

Step 5 ~ Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.

Step 6 ~ Add in fresh or frozen ravioli and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Step 7 ~ Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and dollops of ricotta cheese.

Step 8 ~ Add more cheese, like shredded or fresh mozzarella (or both).

Step 9 ~ Into a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes until cheese has melted.  Finish under broiler to lightly brown cheese topping.

Step 10 ~ Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.  Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Then prepare to get very, very comfortable.

This dish should easily serve a family of 5-6.  Perhaps I should have mentioned up front that we enjoyed this dish on the eve of embarking on a low-carb eating adventure (as you can see, the two of us REALLY enjoyed it).

Recipe inspiration from Bev Cooks.

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Skillet Cheesy Ravioli Bake

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 large onion diced
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 12- ounces of fresh or frozen ravioli
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8- ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced about 1/4-inch thick
• fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble all ingredients, beat egg with ricotta cheese and reserve.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add ground beef, cook until browned. Drain off any fat.
• Add dried herbs and seasonings. Stir to combine.
• Pour sauce over meat mixture and bring to a simmer.
• Nestle ravioli evenly into sauce and gently simmer for 10 minutes
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dollops of ricotta/egg mixture.
• Spread shredded mozzarella evenly on top. Then arrange mozzarella slices on top.
• Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Finish under broiler for a lightly browned cheese topping.
• Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and Enjoy.

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Roasted Cauliflower Steaks {with Herbed Ricotta & Tomato Sauce}.

I can’t recall the last time I was so excited about a recipe.  I mean I’m really, really excited about this one.  Over the past several months we’ve been perfecting Parmesan Herb Roasted Potatoes.  That’s culinary talk for we’ve been eating them every chance we can.  Last night it hit me.  Why not turn this lovely head of cauliflower into Parmesan Herb Roasted Cauliflower Steaks.

Heck we’ve transformed almost every potato recipe we can think of into it’s cauliflower counterpart.  We love cauliflower.  Last year it was Brussels sprouts, this year it’s cauliflower.  We’ve made cauliflower mash, cauliflower ‘potato’ salad, cauliflower rice, cauliflower cheese grits, roasted cauliflower, cauliflower puree, even cauliflower pizza crust.

However until tonight, we had never made Cauliflower Steaks.  Oh My Wow.  The combination of the Tuscan Herb Olive Oil (that I’m in love with), Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs turned this modest vegetable into the belle of the ball.

As the cauliflower steaks were roasting, they began to sing and dance.  Our kitchen became a whirling twirling aroma happy place.  Hints of rosemary and oregano filled the air as the steaks sizzled in Tuscan oil. 

It seemed quite fitting to take these in an Italian direction and serve them with herbed ricotta cheese and tomato sauce.  Boy was I was right.  Did I tell you how excited I am about this recipe?!  I brought leftovers into the office today (about 4 bites worth) and got the ‘weak in the knees’ look from my taste tester.  I promised I would share this Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Herbed Ricotta & Tomato Sauce recipe ASAP.

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Roasted Cauliflower Steaks {with Herbed Ricotta & Tomato Sauce}

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 280kcal

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 Tbl. olive oil I used Tuscan herb
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
• 1 handful fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat shallow baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Place cauliflower core side down on a cutting board. Slice into 1-inch thick steaks, the ends will fall apart into florets (reserve those for another dish). You should be able to get 4 1-inch thick steaks.
• Combine olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Spread mixture over both sides of cauliflower. Place steaks on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes on one side. Turn over and cook another 10 – 15 minutes until nicely browned.
• Meanwhile, heat tomato sauce in a small pan. Mix ricotta cheese with Mrs. Dash seasoning and reserve.
• Serve roasted cauliflower steaks with Herbed Ricotta and Tomato Sauce.

Notes

Per Serving (2 cauliflower steaks, 1/8 cup ricotta, 1/4 cup tomato sauce) = 6 WW Pts+

The post Roasted Cauliflower Steaks {with Herbed Ricotta & Tomato Sauce} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Pappardelle pasta became a new favorite last winter.  It’s luxurious actually.  This Pappardelle & Peas with Ricotta Pesto recipe, adapted from my Weight Watchers cookbook, has just the right amount of richness while still being calorically friendly. 

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Pappardelle & Peas with Ricotta Pesto

Course Pasta

Author Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Pappardelle pasta
• 2 cups frozen green peas
• 1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 2 Tbl. Parmesan cheese grated
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbl. fresh flat leaf parsley chopped

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions, adding peas during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, stir together ricotta, pesto, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add pasta mixture, reserved pasta water, and parsley. Toss to coat.

Notes

7 WW PointsPlus and 253 calories per 1 cup serving. Add 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sauted zucchini to boost the volume without boosting the Points.

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