Three Cheese White Pizza with Spinach

Here is another pizza recipe.  This was made a couple of weeks ago. Pizza is made almost every week in our house.....but I don't want to over-do it with the pizza postings!  This is another vegetarian based pizza.  One that I knew the kids wouldn't like since they don't eat spinach. This was made during a week of other recipes that used ricotta.  I hate buying the big container of ricotta for one recipe and then throwing the rest out. I've tried to become more resourceful with ingredients and my cooking throughout the week.  Overall, this wasn't bad.....I don't think any pizza can be!  It wasn't one of our favorites but my husband and I did enjoy it.

Three Cheese White Pizza with Spinach
recipe from Cooking Light, June 2012

Ingredients:
1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup)
2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:
1. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat pizza stone in oven to 450°
3. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and sliced garlic in a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat 1 1/2 minutes or until the garlic begins to sizzle. Add 6 cups spinach; sauté 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Set aside.

4. Combine cheeses, milk, and minced garlic in a bowl.

5. Roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, and pierce entire surface liberally with a fork. Place dough on pizza stone. Spread cheese mixture over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Bake at 500° for 10 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is lightly browned. Top with spinach; bake an additional 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from oven; brush outer crust with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Cut into 6 large slices.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

Meatless Monday: Ricotta Banana Pancakes

We were due for another breakfast for dinner.  Lately, my go-to has been pancakes.  They're really easy to make and the kids love them.  I had ricotta for another recipe and a frozen, really ripe banana that was perfect for this recipe.  When my daughter found out that I was making "ricotta" pancakes she was quick to tell me that she doesn't like ricotta.  I told her to wait until she tried them before she told me that she didn't like them.  After eating them her response was, "Oh, I do like these!"  I think the ricotta is used to add moistness because you really don't taste it.  This recipe was in an issue of All You Magazine that I subscribe to.  It was listed as a dessert, but if you don't add caramel sauce it definitely works as a breakfast (or in this case dinner!) dish. 

Ricotta Banana Pancakes
recipe from All You, March, 2012

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small ripe banana

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 200ºF. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, egg, milk, butter, vanilla and banana. Gently stir flour mixture into ricotta mixture until just blended.

2. Grease a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with cooking spray or melted butter. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter into skillet. Cook pancakes, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Keep pancakes warm on a plate in oven while cooking remaining pancakes.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

Chicken & Cheese Manicotti

Another recipe using ricotta.  You would think that by now we would have gotten sick of the stuff.  Honestly though, I think each of the recipes was different enough that we didn't.  We often have stuffed shells or manicotti as a first course at my cousin's house for dinner every Christmas Eve.  I've never made either though until now.  I had picked up some manicotti shells and was looking for a recipe that didn't use a red sauce.  I found this recipe and went for it. Unfortunately, I never have left over chicken, so when making a recipe like this, I need to first cook a couple of chicken breasts to have the cooked chicken needed.  This is another NOT a quick and easy weeknight dinner.  Lots of prep work and then a half hour cooking time.  It was definitely tasty though and I'm glad I was able to try cooking something new.  The kids had a little bit (or more like my daughter had a little bit my son just looked at it!) but weren't big fans. 

Chicken & Cheese Manicotti
recipe slightly adapted from Cooking during Stolen Moments

Ingredients:
1 box manicotti, cooked, drained, and rinsed with cold water
1/2 lb. chicken fully cooked and cubed
15 oz. container ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon Penzys Pasta Sprinkle
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine chicken, ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese and seasonings.

2. Stir to combine and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan.  Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Whisk in chicken stock and milk.  Bring to a slow boil until thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

4. Pour half of sauce into 13x9 casserole dish.  Fill manicotti with chicken and ricotta filling. 

5. Layer filled manicotti into the casserole dish.  Pour remaining sauce on top and then add remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up. 

Ricotta Eggplant Rolls

I mentioned in my last post that I had recently bought a large container of ricotta that was on sale.  I really didn't want to end up wasting it and throwing half of it away, which is usually what happens. So, I made sure to find a bunch of recipes to use it all.  First was the cookies, then were these eggplant rolls.  I love eggplant!  Especially when it's fried and made totally unhealthy!  My kids don't really like it, but every once in awhile I still make it.  I ended up making the whole batch of sauce, but halved the eggplant part of this recipe (I posted the original, which serves 8).  Of course it was delicious, but it was truly a labor of love, as I told my husband.  Breading and frying eggplant and then rolling it with the ricotta mixture and then baking does not make for a quick weeknight dinner!  I made ravioli for the kids, knowing that they'd try a bite at most.  Of course this was delicious but unfortunately not something I'd make a lot.

Ricotta Eggplant Rolls
allrecipes.com - by Fran Weidman

Yield:  8 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 (10 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups plain dried bread crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1.Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant and lightly browned. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, sugar, and pepper. Simmer covered over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

2.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a large shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the eggs and cream with a fork.

3.Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs. Fry each slice until golden brown in the hot oil, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

4.Spread a thin layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto one side of each slice of eggplant. Roll up, and place in the baking dish seam side down. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls. Cover the baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil.

5.Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Garnish with additional chopped parsley before serving if desired.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up. 

Recipe Repeat: Ricotta Cookies III

Like I mentioned in yesterday's post, I was responsible for bringing the dessert to Easter dinner.  While I made the trifle I always like to have a back-up dessert, just in case.  These cookies are a repeat that I made once before last year....I think!  I chose these because I had bought a big tub of ricotta that was on sale and was looking to make sure that I used it up (ricotta recipes coming soon!).  I'm glad that I made these again.  I didn't remember them tasting so good last time.  But these were delicious!  The ricotta helps make them super moist. I ended up making only a half recipe because I had the other dessert and there wasn't that many of us.  Oh how I wish I had made the whole amount!  These are addictingly good and I can't wait to make them again! 

Ricotta Cookies III
recipe slightly adapted from allrecipes.com - Lisa

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Yield: approximately 4 dozen

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon shortening
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup colored candy sprinkles

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

2.In a large bowl, cream together the 1 cup of butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the ricotta cheese and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, stir into the ricotta mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

4.To make the frosting warm the milk, 1/2 teaspoon of butter and shortening, in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until solids are melted. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Dip each cookie into the icing then dip in colored sugar or sprinkles.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!