Girls Cooking Date

Last night, my parents and Aunt S offered to baby-sit Ryan so that I could hang out with two of my best girl friends and Barry could go out with the guys (their husbands). We all enjoyed doing our own thing for a change. Us girls decided to spend our time talking and cooking, while the guys went to a sports bar and batting cages. (hmm typical gender stereotypes?)

It was great to catch up with K and E, since they have both been super busy lately and I hadn't seen them for a while. I love how we can just pick up right where we left off, no matter how much time has passed between visits. We can seriously talk about any and everything, and are just as close as we were in high school (which feels like a lifetime ago, especially after all that has happened lately). The evening went by way too fast, but we ended up with a delicious dinner and plenty of leftovers. I think that the aprons were a nice touch to our little cooking date.

And now for our menu/recipes...

Cucumber with Herbed Cream Cheese

Ingredients:

fresh herbs: basil, sage, oregano, chives

cream cheese
cucumber

Directions:

Dice herbs. Slice cucumber. Mix all herbs with cream cheese and spread on cucumbers. (We also tried this with carrots and it was yummy).

(Recipe originally from Alisaburke)

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients:

9 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I like Polly-o)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and fresh pepper
32 oz tomato sauce
9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

(Recipe originally from Skinnytaste)

Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tomato
1 tsp thyme
2 zucchinis
1 onion
cheese
pepper
bacon (optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 (200C).

Slice zucchini in half length-ways. Spoon out the insides (leave about half an inch in) until you end up with boat like shells. Chop the zucchini pulp, a small onion, and half a tomato. Sautee the onions in one tbsp oil or butter. Add 1/4 tsp curry powder and cook everything for an additional 30 seconds. When they are done, transfer them to a big bowl.

Add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sour cream, a pinch of pepper, the zucchini pulp, the tomato and crumble the bacon in.

Lightly butter a baking dish and put the zucchini boats in. Fill the shells with the mix. Sprinkle some aged cheese on top. Put them in the oven for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.

(Recipe originally from Kayotic Kitchen)