Spinach Lasagna Rollatini

I want to announce a new partnership with The Gan Project. The Gan Project's mission from their site:

As a social and environmental justice organization, The Gan Project nourishes, protects, celebrates Jewish life through the cultivation of soil and community. We are building a regenerative food system that enlivens our tradition, embodies our values, and immerses our community in a rich educational and cultural experience.

They have a small farm at the JCC just behind the building I live in. I volunteer there and in return they provide me with some wonderful produce, literally grown in my backyard.

I made the recipe below with some great spinach they provided me. I served it at my annual Shavuos wine dinner. Shavuos is a the season when the first fruits, the bikkurim, were brought to beit hamikdash, the holy temple in Jerusalem. This time of year you can appreciate the many wonderful early vegetables such as greens and asparagus are coming in season.

4 1/2 Cheese Spinach Lasagna Rollatini

Ingredients:

12 Lasagna Noodles cooked one minute less than the package directions

1 Bunch of Fresh Spinach

2 Tbsp Butter

1 Large Can of Crushed Tomatoes

1 Large of Container Ricotta Cheese

Italian Seasoning to Taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Ball of Fresh Mozzarella sliced

1 lb Shredded Mozzarella

1 lb Shredded Cheddar

Parmesan

Chop and saute the spinach in the butter. Once the spinach cooks down, mix it with the ricotta, 2/3 of the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning salt and pepper. Spread the ricotta mixture on the noodle. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella and cheddar and grate on the Parmesan. Roll up the noodle. Spread some of the crushed tomatoes in the bottom of the pan. Place the noodle in pan. Repeat with the other 11 noodles. Spread some more sauce on top of the noodles and top each one with a slice of the fresh sliced mozzarella. Bake at 350 until the mozzarella starts to brown. Let it set and serve.

Expanded Review of Kotel Kosher

See my expanded review of Kotel Kosher over at YeahThatsKosher.com
http://yeahthatskosher.com/2012/05/kotel-kosher-downtown-chicago-review/

At-home bakers hail state's new Cottage Food Act | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times

At-home bakers hail state's new Cottage Food Act | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times


Illinois/Chicago take notice.  Think about things like this when you are considering things like the new food truck rules.

Kotel Kosher: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Kotel Kosher: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

First the good:
It is great to have another option for lunch downtown in Chicago.  It is nice that they have salads, and not just sandwiches.  I also like the fact that they have Bissili and not just chips.  The location is perfect for me at least, just far enough from my office for me to feel like I am getting away for a few minutes, but not to far. 

Then the bad:
The variety of sandwiches is extremely poor.  You only have the choice of tuna, egg salad, turkey, or club (which includes turkey) all served on rye.  The sandwiches are served plain, not a piece of lettuce or tomato in sight and there was no ketchup available.  Also, there did not seem to be very much meat on the sandwiches.  Finally, I was there on Wednesday at 12:20 and they were already out of salads.  They have Starr Kosher Catering making the food for them, really how hard is it to make fresh sandwiches???

Finally the Ugly:
Get rid of the classic Jewish groceries.  No one shops at the train station for egg noodles!!!!

The verdict:
This place has potential if they get their act together.  They need to start making their own food, with more options and larger portions otherwise for roughly the same price people will go to the Loop Synagogue for food from Sandwich Club.

Burger of the Week: Spinach, Oninions and Mushrooms

Burger of the Week

1/2 lb All Beef Patty
Homemade Garlic Aoli
Wilted Spinach
Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions
Ketchup
Toasted Sesame Seed Kaiser Bun

On the side:
Oven Sweet Potato Fries
Grilled Asparagus

The homemade aoli is just Alton Brown's mayo with garlic added: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mayonnaise-recipe/index.html

A (Slightly) Healthier 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese

So I have been on a bit of a health kick.  I did a slightly healthier version of my original grilled cheese which can be found here: http://peikescookbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/grilled-3-cheese-sandwich.html
I made a few changes:
1. I switched up to the white bread for a the whole wheat honey walnut bread I made earlier this week. See here: http://peikescookbook.blogspot.com/2012/04/finally-i-had-my-first-semi-success.html
2. I used cooking spray instead of butter.
3. I used Gouda instead of pepper jack.
4. I added some spinach.
5. I toasted both pieces of bread on both sides

I'm not going to die in space. I am going to die the way god intended, in my early 50's with a heart full of pastrami-Howard Walowitz

Red Snapper with Zucchini and Brown Rice

Red Snapper with Zucchini and Brown Rice

 
1 Large Red Snapper Filet With Skin Still On
1 Medium Zucchini
Zest and Juice of ½ a Lemon
2 Tbsps. Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1 Cup Brown Rice
 
Cook the brown rice to package instruction, about ½ an hour.  

Cut the Zucchini into quarter inch slices.  Add some olive oil to a skillet over high heat and once the oil starts to shimmer but not smoke, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Keep moving the zucchini in the pan.  Season the fish on both sides liberally with salt, pepper and the lemon zest.  Once the zucchini start to brown add the fish to the pan skin side down.  Once the fish is cooked about three quarters of the way through pour the lemon juice over the fish, turn the fish gently with a large spatula and finish cooking.  The skin should be brown and crispy and the flesh should be opaque.

Serve immediately.

Tilapia with Sautéed Crimini Mushrooms

1 Large Tilapia Filet With Skin Still On
4 Medium Crimini Mushrooms
4 Large Cloves of Garlic finely chopped
2 Tbsps. Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsps. Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Red Pepper Flake

Tilapia is a mild flavored white fleshed fish. It also tends to be very cost effective (AKA cheap).  If you can’t find tilapia for some reason, any basic white fish will do.  Crimini mushrooms are sometimes known as baby ‘bellas.  They tend to have a slightly meatier flavor than standard white button mushrooms.  If you can’t get the criminis, the button mushrooms can be substituted.

Cut the mushrooms into quarter inch slices.  Add some olive oil to a skillet over high heat and once the oil starts to shimmer but not smoke, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Keep the mushrooms in the pan moving.  Once the mushrooms start to brown add the garlic and vinegar.  Season the fish on both sides liberally with salt and pepper.  Once the garlic starts to brown add the fish to the pan skin side down.  Once the tilapia is cooked about three quarters of the way through, turn the fish gently with a large spatula and finish cooking.  The skin should be brown and crispy and the flesh should be opaque.

Garnish with parsley and red pepper flake and serve immediately.

Finally, I had my first semi-success with whole wheat bread. This is a whole wheat honey and walnut loaf. A little dense, but the crumb was nice and consistent. I think the density issue was caused because I let it over rise twice, punched it down, and then did not let it rise enough right before baking. I also think it was exacerbated by the fact that it was 100% whole wheat. I am on a bit or a health kick so I am trying to avoid the white bread as much as possible.