organic Parmesan

Homemade Organic Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

This is inspired by the Stouffer’s brand vegetable lasagna.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • 9 organic lasagna noodles, unbroken
  • 5-6 organic rainbow carrots, minced
  • 4-5 organic cremini mushrooms, minced
  • 1 head organic broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 medium organic yellow onion, minced
  • 2 organic beefsteak tomatoes, diced
  • 2-3 Tbsp. organic pasture butter
  • 4 heaping Tbsp. organic unbleached white flour
  • 4 cloves organic garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 cup Homemade Organic Vegetable Stock
  • 1/2 cup grass-fed organic whole milk
  • 1-1/2 cups grass-fed organic heavy cream
  • 2 organic pasture eggs
  • 1/2 cup organic ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup organic Parmesan cheese
, grated
  • 1/2 cup organic Pecorino Romano cheese
, grated
  • 1/2 cup organic Asiago cheese, shredded (if soft; if hard, grate)
  • 1/2 cup organic Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Homemade Organic Herbed Breadcrumbs
  • 2 tsp. Homemade Organic Magic Poultry Seasoning
  • 2 tsp. organic parsley flakes
  • 1 tsp. Real Salt, plus an additional pinch, divided
  • 1/2 tsp. organic freshly-ground peppercorn blend

Here’s How I do it:

  1. Preheat oven 375° Fahrenheit.
  2. Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a 2-gallon stock pot .
  3. Prepare the vegetables, if you haven’t all ready done so.
  4. Add a pinch of Real Salt to flavor the noodles .
  5. Add lasagna noodles and cook for HALF of the time the package instructs, approximately 6.5 minutes.
  6. Add the half-cooked lasagna noodles into a large mixing bowl filled with COLD water, set aside.
  7. Melt 2-3 Tbsp. butter on low heat in a large saucepan.
  8. Add the carrots to the saucepan and saute for 5 minutes.
  9. Add onion to the saucepan and sauté for 3 minutes.
  10. Add the garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes and broccoli.
  11. Saute the vegetables for an additional 5 minutes.
  12. Remove the vegetables and place into a medium-sized bowl, leaving as much butter in the pan as possible.
  13. Add flour to the butter, and stir constantly until it creates a thick paste.
  14. Add vegetable stock, milk, and cream to the cooked roux.
  15. Increase heat to medium high, stirring until thickened.
  16. Immediately reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly until desired thickness; Remove from heat.
  17. Add 2 eggs to the ricotta, mix well.
  18. Season the ricotta with 1 tsp. Real Salt, parsley, poultry seasoning, and pepper, mix well and set aside.
  19. Grate all cheeses and mix all but ricotta together in a bowl; Set aside.
  20. Mix together herbed breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of the shredded/grated cheese mixture; Set aside.
  21. Grease a 9″ × 13″ casserole dish with butter.
  22. Place a very thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of the casserole.
  23. Place a layer of 3 noodles on top of the white sauce.
  24. Spread the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles.
  25. Sprinkle 1/3 of the vegetable mixture on top of the ricotta.
  26. Next, sprinkle 1/3 of the remaining shredded/grated cheese mixture over the vegetables.
  27. Continue layering white sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, veggie mix, and shredded/grated cheese mixture until you have three total layers.
  28. Top the lasagna with the seasoned breadcrumbs.
  29. Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes until top is brown and the sides are bubbly.
  30. Enjoy!

Homemade Organic Chicken Parmigiana

This recipe was adapted by myself from one by Rachel Ray.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • 1 quart Homemade Organic Marinara Sauce
  • 4 boneless, skinless organic pastured chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each), rib meat removed
  • Real Salt
  • Organic freshly ground peppercorn blend
  • 1-1/2 cup Homemade Organic Breadcrumbs; *OR use Homemade Organic Seasoned Breadcrumbs and omit the fresh herbs
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated organic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus some for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon organic fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, *OR 1 tsp. dried organic parsley flakes
  • 1 sprig organic fresh organic rosemary, finely chopped; *OR  1 Tbsp. organic dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh organic thyme, finely chopped; *OR, 1 tsp. organic dried thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon organic granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon organic granulated garlic
  • 2 teaspoons grated organic lemon zest
  • 1/2 – 1 cup organic unbleached white flour, for dredging
  • 1-2 large organic pasture eggs, beaten  (use one at a time)
  • 1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil or home rendered schmaltz for shallow frying
  • A few leaves of fresh organic basil
  • 1 lb. organic linguine noodles

Here’s How I do it:

  1. Cut into the fat, rounded side of each chicken breast to butterfly them open; Cut each breast in half crosswise.
  2. Gently pound them into very thin cutlets and season with salt and pepper on each side.
  3. Combine breadcrumbs with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, herbs, granulated onion and garlic, and lemon zest.
  4. Line up three dishes to dredge the cutlets; one with flour, one with the egg and one with the herbed breadcrumbs.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 200°F and place a metal rack on a baking sheet to keep the cutlets warm while preparing them in batches.
  6. Heat a shallow layer of oil or schmaltz(1/8-1/4-inch) in a very large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
  7. Heat the marinara sauce over medium heat in a small pot.
  8. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt for the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente.
  9. While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta cooks, coat the chicken cutlets in flour and shake off the excess; drop them in the egg and drain the excess and then coat them evenly in the breadcrumb mixture.
  10. Saute the cutlets one or two at a time for 3 minutes on each side.
  11. Keep the finished cutlets warm in oven as you finish the rest.
  12. To serve, place a large cutlet on a plate and top with a ladle of sauce, some Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and garnish with a basil leaf.
  13. Enjoy!

Homemade Organic Supreme Pepperoni Pizza Dip

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  •  4 oz. [half-brick] organic cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup organic sour cream
  • 1/4 cup Homemade Organic Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup organic mozzarella, minced (this is the really soft kind)
  • 1/4 cup organic parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
  • 1 cup The Best Homemade Organic Pizza Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. organic red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp. organic Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. Real Salt, divided in half
  • 2 cloves organic garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup organic yellow onion, minced
  • 1/4 cup organic bell pepper, minced
  • 1/4 cup organic cremini mushrooms, minced
  • 2 oz. organic fermented pepperoni
  • organic lard, for frying pepperoni

Here’s How I do it:

  •  Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • In a small saute pan over medium heat, add some lard and the pepperoni.
  • Saute until the pepperoni is lightly browned on both sides, 2 – 3 minutes.
  • Remove the pepperoni and set it on a plate to cool.
  • Saute the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and bell pepper for 4 – 5 minutes.
  • Add the cream cheese to the toppings and heat until melted.
  • Chop the pepperoni into bite-sized pieces.
  • Put the cheese and vegetable mixture on the bottom of a small casserole dish.
  • Layer the pepperoni bits on top of the vegetable mixture.
  • Spread the pizza sauce on top of the pepperoni.
  • Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes,1/2 tsp. Real Salt, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and a few turns of freshly ground peppercorn blend.
  • Spread the cheese mixture on top of the pepperoni bits.
  • Bake at 350° Fahrenheit until the sides are bubbling and the cheese has melted and turned golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.
  • Serve with buttery toasted baguette slices, Homemade Organic Garlic and Herb Breadsticks, or butter crackers.
  • Enjoy!

 

Homemade Organic Mild Jalapeno Popper Dip

If you’d like a dip with the same kick as an actual jalapeno popper, try Homemade Organic Spicy Jalapeno Popper Dip.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • 8 oz. [1 brick] organic cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup Homemade Organic Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup organic sour cream
  • 1 cup organic colby or cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. Homemade Organic Pickled Jalapenos (slices), finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. Homemade Organic Pickled Jalapeno brine
  • 1/2 cup organic green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. organic grass-fed whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp. Real Salt
  • 4-5 turns of freshly ground organic peppercorn blend
  • 1/2 cup Homemade Organic Herbed Breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbsp. grated organic Parmesan cheese

Here’s How I do it:

  •  Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, colby cheese, whole milk, jalapenos, brine, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
  • Spread into a small casserole dish, making it as even as possible.
  • Spread the breadcrumbs and parmesan over the top of the dip.
  • Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

 

Homemade Organic Bacon and Hash Brown Casserole

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • 1 lb. organic pork belly, sliced thin like bacon OR organic bacon without synthetic additives
  • 1 small organic yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cups frozen Homemade Organic Hash Brown Potatoes
  • 2 1/4 cups organic grass-fed whole milk
  • 8 large organic pasture eggs
  • 1 tsp. Real Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. organic freshly ground peppercorn blend
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly grated organic nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp. organic dry mustard
  • 4 cups cubed organic multigrain bread; crusts removed, diced and dried for croutons
  • 1 cup grated organic cheddar
  • 1 cup freshly grated organic Parmesan

Here’s How I do it:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it is cooked through.
  3. Using additional lard, butter or bacon grease, coat a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish.
  4. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the hash browns and break apart. Saute until crispy, about 10 -15 minutes.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard.
  7. Whisk briskly to blend.
  8. Spread the onions and hash browns evenly at the bottom of the greased dish.
  9. Place the bread cubes evenly on top of hash browns. With a slotted spoon distribute sausage as the third layer. Pour the milk and egg mixture over these layers.
  10. Add Parmesan as the next layer, and then add the cheddar as the final layer.
  11. Bake the casserole, uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
  12. Enjoy!

If you’d like, you can refrigerate the casserole overnight before baking.