Spinach Lasagna Rolls with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

Spinach lasagna rolls with a creamy sun dried tomato sauce. Need we say more?

 

 

Ingredients:

9 lasagna noodles

Filling:

8 oz. Ricotta cheese

2-3 Tbs. cream cheese, softened

8 oz. chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)

2 egg whites

1/4 cup softened sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Sauce:

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 Tbs. flour

2 cups milk

2-3 Tbs. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

3-4 Tbs. soften sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Garlic salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil lasagna noodles in a 3 quart pot until "al dente"; drain and lay out on paper towels.  While noodles are cooking, prepare filling by placing all ingredients in a large bowl and stirring until well combined.  As noodles are cooling, prepare the sauce.  In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil and add flour. Cook flour for a few minutes, or until lightly browned.  Add the milk slowly, a little at a time, while whisking out any lumps. Whisk in the cream cheese and Parmesan until sauce is smooth, then add the remaining ingredients. (If sauce seems too thick, feel free to whisk in more milk until desired consistency.)

Lay out noodles on a flat surface and spread about 3 tablespoons of the filling across each noodle.  Roll the noodles up and place in a greased baking dish, open side down.  Pour sauce over lasagna rolls, making sure noodles are covered with sauce.  Sprinkle a light layer of Parmesan cheese over the top and bake uncovered for one hour.

Tiramisu Trifle

Like revenge, tiramisu is a savory dessert best served cold. Unlike traditional tiramisu (prepared with ladyfingers), our version of this Italian favorite is prepared with a large angel food cake and layered into a Trifle dish. Paired with your favorite coffee, or a good cup of espresso, this light and luscious trifle will be a perfect ending to any Italian meal. 

Ingredients:

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup of white granulated sugar

2/3 cup of milk (non-fat or low-fat is fine)

1  1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (can also use vanilla bean--2 pods, scraped) 

1 lb. of mascarpone (if you can't find mascarpone, 8 oz. of whipped cream cheese mixed with 8 oz. of ricotta cheese works well)

1 cup of espresso or strong-brewed coffee (cooled to room temperature)

2 (or 3, …maybe 5...6) tablespoons of dark rum

1 large angel food cake

Unsweetened cocoa powder (approximately 4 tablespoons)

2 pieces of dark chocolate (70% cacao works well)

Weapons of choice:

Large Trifle Dish

Medium sauce pan

Electric mixer

Wire whisk

2 medium bowls

Measuring cup

Fine mesh strainer (small)

Large bread knife

Grater

Measuring spoons

Icing spreader

Directions:

Brew 1 cup of espresso, and set aside to cool.  

On medium heat, in medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until mixed well. Add milk and whisk over medium heat until mixture starts to gently boil. Don't stop stirring heated mixture; you don't want an omelet. 😆 Continue to stir the boiling mixture for another minute. Remove from heat. Pour mixture into a medium bowl and place in refrigerator for about an hour.

In the other medium bowl, combine heavy whipping cream and vanilla. Using the electric mixer, whip mixture until stiff. 

Add the 1 lb. of mascarpone to the cooled egg yolk mixture and whisk until smooth.

Add rum to cooled coffee and stir. 

Layering your cake:

First layer:

Using a large bread knife, slice the angel food cake in half, lengthwise. Place one half of the angel food cake (sliced side up) into the trifle dish. Lightly press the cake into the dish. Drizzle half of your coffee/rum mixture over the cake. The sliced side will absorb the liquid nicely.

Second layer:

Add half of the mascarpone/egg yolk mixture to the cake layer and use icing spreader spread over the entire surface. 

Sift evenly 1 tbsp. of cocoa powder over mascarpone/egg yolk layer. 

Add second half of angel food cake layer, sliced side up. 

Repeat layers as above with the espresso/rum,  mascarpone mixture and cocoa powder. 

Using your icing spreader, carefully spread whipped cream over mascarpone and cocoa powder layer. 

 

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set.

Before serving, sift cocoa powder through fine mesh strainer evenly over whipped cream layer. 

Grate chocolate over top (optional)