Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Rolls

In my journey to get healthy and eat healthy, I decided to revamp some of my recipes and this will be the first!  I love lasagna but for two people, a whole lasagna is just too much!  So I decided to go with little serving sized rolls that are easy to portion out instead of guessing how much you cut off!  These are still not "super healthy" but calorie wise they're ideal for those Italian food hankerings!

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Rolls

*Makes 3 servings

Allergen Tips:
Rice flour noodles are a great g-free option for any pasta dish!

6 Lasagna Noodles
3/4 C. Ricotta (I use low fat)
1/4 C. Mozzarella
1/8 C. Parmesan
1/2 lb. Ground Turkey
1/2 jar Favorite Marinara (I use Classico Italian Sausage)
1/4 C. Red Bell Peppers (chopped)
1/4 C. Onion (chopped)
2 tsp. Olive Oil
1/3 C. Raw Spinach
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Italian Seasonings

1. Get the pot of water for the noodles going.  Make sure you add salt to help boil the water quicker (you'd be surprised how many people don't know this!)
2. Start cooking the bell peppers and onions in the oil.
3. Once the water is boiling, add the spinach to the water.  Boil it for 4-5 mins and then pull it out of the water and let it hang out in a strainer.  **DO NOT DUMP THE WATER OUT**  Separate it to the best of your abilities to help the water drain.  Add in the lasagna noodles to the same water.
4. Throw the turkey in the pan with the peppers and onions.  Season the meat and brown.  Once the meat is done, you can set aside until everything else is ready.\
5. Mix the ricotta with the parmesan and most of the mozzarella.  Save just a touch for the tops of the rolls.
6. Once the noodles are done, drain and lay out on the counter or on a cutting board.  Dab them with a paper towel so they aren't slimy where you'll be spreading out the cheese.
7. At this point, you need to squeeze out the spinach.  Use a bunch of paper towels or a potato ricer.  Chop it up and mix it in with the ricotta cheese mixture and start spreading on the noodles.  Start small and go from there.  You want to make sure there's an even amount of cheese on each!
8. Turn the oven on to 325 degrees.  Once the cheese is on the noodles, sprinkle the turkey on top.

9. Start rolling the noodles and place in a non-stick sprayed 6x9 baking dish.  (you can spread just a touch of marinara on the bottom to help prevent sticking as well)
10. Add the marinara to the remaining ground turkey and pour on top of the rolls.  Top them with the last of the mozzarella and bake for 25 mins!

Lasagna Cups

I love Italian food and who doesn't love lasagna!  To be honest I can't remember the last time I had a real chunk out of a lasagna.  I occasionally make my Lasagna Rolls but today I wanted to make cups that we could pick up with our hands because finger food is fuuuuuun!!!  They turned out amazing and the nutrition facts are pretty sweet as well!

Lasagna Cups

*makes 12 cups, serves 4

24 Wonton Wrappers
1/2lb Ground Turkey
1/4 C. Onion (chopped)
1 C. Favorite Marinara (I use Classico Italian Sausage)
1/3 C. Ricotta (low fat)
1/8 C. Parmesan
1/4 C. Mozzerella
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Italian Seasonings (to taste)

1. Brown meat and onions.  Season to taste with all of the above seasonings.
2. Add the marinara and simmer for a minute or two.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  spray muffin pan(s) with non-stick spray.  Line each with a wonton wrapper.
4. Mix the ricotta with most of the parm and mozzerella (saving just a touch of both for the top of the cups).
5. Spoon the meat mixture (I use a large spoon, about a heaping tablespoon?) into the wrapper.  Top this with about a teaspoon of cheese mixture.

6. Add a wonton wrapper on top of the cheese.  Pushing down to compact the ingredients.  Add another teaspoon of cheese to the bottom, then top it with another heaping tbsp of meat.
7. Top each cup with just a touch of the leftover mozzerella and parmesan.  Bake for 20 mins.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana!

Who doesn't love a little soup and salad for lunch every once in a while?!  Well, my absolute favorite at Olive Garden is the Zuppa.  I get it every time!  MMMMMMMM dipping hot fresh breadsticks in that soup is heavenly.  Well, I decided to try the recipe my mom put together and see if it's anything like the real soup.  Boy was I amazed!  It tastes JUST like it!  I made it a little healthier using turkey instead of spicy Italian sausage.  But I honestly couldn't really tell the difference.  :D

Zuppa Toscana

*Makes 6-7 2 cup servings

Allergen Tips:
Make sure you check the bullion and bacon for gluten ingredients to keep this a g-free recipe!

1-1.25 lbs of Ground Turkey (or Spicy Italian Sausage)
(season with Italian seasonings, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and garlic if you're doing the turkey)
1/2 lb. Smoked Bacon (chopped)
10 C. Water
4 Chicken Bullion Cubes
1 Med Onion (chopped)
2 Large (or 3 med) Russet Potatoes (sliced)
2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
2 C. Kale (chopped)
1 C. Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Add water and bullion cubes to a pot and cover.  Put on med-low to dissolve.
2. In a pan, brown the turkey, adding the seasonings as it cooks.  Drain and put aside in a bowl.

3. Cook the bacon in the pan, drain, and add to the turkey.

4. Add the sliced potatoes, garlic, and onion to the pot.  Bring to a low boil and simmer on med with the lid off until the potatoes are tender.

5. Add the meats, bring to a low boil and simmer for another 10 mins.
6. Add the kale and cream, season the soup with salt and pepper.  Doesn't need to boil, just warmed through, and it's ready to serve!

And here's a jar of the soup with my label to sell :)

(this soup must be kept fresh, it's not canned)

Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza

While I have several pizza dough recipes on here, I realized that I hadn't really made a proper post for my awesome BBQ chicken pizza!  What a shame!  So here goes...

Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza

 *Makes 1 12" Pizza

1 batch Dough
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (chopped and cooked)
3/4-1 C. Cheese (Mozzerella, cheddar, or my favorite pepperjack)
1/8 C. Onion
1/8 C. Bell Peppers (red are the best)
1/2 batch BBQ Marinade for sauce (trust me! it's heavenly)

1. Make your dough. (add 1/2 tsp. each garlic and chili powder to the flour for more spice)
2. Grill or pan sear your chicken and chop it up.  Also whip up the sauce.
3. Once the dough is done, preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
4. Then you can take out the dough, use a little flour (I like to use cornmeal with pizza dough) and stretch it to the size of your pan.  I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper for an easy clean up!
*A great tip I came across as well: If you don't have a pizza stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and use parchment paper.  Turns out crispy and awesome*
5. Sauce it, top it, and throw it in the oven for 12-15 mins depending on the oven.

6. Enjoy!

Italian Sausage and Peppers

In my recent development of eating healthy and trying to work out, I've taken the plunge with different types of ground turkey.  I am not a huge fan of sausage because of the fat content so when I found Hot Italian Turkey Sausage I said, hey why not?  This is a very simple and healthy meal that's filling and satisfying to the taste buds!  By using a can of tomatoes with just a serving of actual marinara sauce, you're cutting the calories by almost 2/3!

Italian Sausage and Peppers

 *Makes 3 servings

Allergen Tips:


Rice flour noodles are a great g-free option for any pasta dish!


2 Italian Turkey Sausages (you can use real sausage if you'd prefer, it's just not as healthy)
1/2 Onion (sliced)
1 Bell Pepper (sliced, and go for red, orange or yellow for better nutrients)
1 15 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes (undrained)
1/2 C. Favorite Marinara Sauce (this makes it a bit thicker without adding all the calories!)
3-4 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
3 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 C. Whole Wheat Pasta (I used Penne)
Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasonings

1. Boil water for the pasta.  Add pasta and some salt when it's ready.  Drain when it's al dente and keep covered until the topping is done.
2. Cook sausage on medium heat for about 8 mins, making sure to turn frequently.  Lower to med-low and cover the sausage.  Cook for about 10 more mins or til the juices run clear.  (I like to poke my casing once so that the juice can run free and it's easier to watch)  When they're done, take them off and cut them into slices.
3. Add a bit of oil to the pan.  Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.  Then throw in the peppers and onions.  Cook for around 8 mins.
4.  Add the sausage and the can of undrained tomatoes.  Season with salt, pepper, and italian seasonings.  You can also up the heat a bit with red pepper flakes.
5. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 5-8 mins.
6. Serve on top of pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Football Calzones

Every year the boyfriend's parents throw a huuuuuuuuge Superbowl party.  So I decided to contribute some food this year instead of just showing up for the festivities! :)  I have been searching high and low for 2 months for just the right thing to bring.  I spend endless hours on pinterest, I did google searches, I looked at TON of blogs, and I just couldn't pick one!  (I picked 3 or 4 or 5.... you get the point)  So finally I stumble on some random post for food ideas on a party website and I'm browsing through the 15 or so ideas when I see..... football shaped calzones...!!!!! WHAT?!?! Mind blown.  Because who doesn't like bite size anything regarding pizza???  So I ventured forth to make a test run.  (The site didn't have any recipes, just the ideas themselves.  Even better!  I love to play with recipes!)

Now when it comes to pizza in my house, we love just about anything if it involves meat, cheese, and some yummy dough.  I've spent a ton of time researching doughs for various breads (because who doesn't like homemade bread??) and I now have two pizza dough recipes that I go for.  One is specifically made for a fast throw together pizza.  The dough doesn't need to rise.  The other, (my favorite of all time) is one that can be made with a mixer, a breadmaker, your hands, or whatever else you might want to try!  This is the dough used here in this recipe.

 I made cheesy bread with my leftover dough :)

Next I had to decide fillings!  You can't just have plain ol' pepperoni... That's just boring.  So after much thought and deliberation, I landed on pepperoni and buffalo chicken (since it IS the superbowl).  Time to get cookin!

Football Calzones

*Makes 18-24 depending on how thin you roll and what cutter you use

1 batch Soft, Chewy Pizza Dough

Pepperoni Filling:
1 Jar of your favorite marinara sauce (I as always use Classico and the Italian Sausage one is great to add to the pepperoni) **You'll use 1/4 C. for the filling and some more for dipping**
12-14 pepperoni sliced (cubed small!)
1/4 C. Mozzerella

Buffalo Chicken Filling:
1/3 C. Shredded Chicken (seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder)
3 Tbsp. Onion (minced)
1/4 C. Cheddar or bleu cheese
2-3 Tbsp. Favorite hot sauce (I get mine from a local pizza place but most people love Frank's Red Hot)

Egg Wash (1 Egg and 1 tsp. Water)

1.  Start out by making the dough.
2. Boil your chicken breast for 45 mins to shred for the filling.
3. Once the dough is done, put out on a floured surface and kneed for 3-4 mins.  Then put in a bowl and cover it for about 15-20 more mins.
4. Mix together the fillings.
5. Pull out the dough again and split into three balls.  Roll them out one at a time on a floured surface and make them as close to 1/8th of an inch as you can.  Use your chosen cookie cutter and start cutting.  Making sure you cut an even number for top and bottom.
6. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and put the bottoms on it.  Start adding the filling.  Try to stuff as full as possible by stacking it tall, not wide so you can still seal the edges.  Continue until you fill 2 sheets or until you run out of dough.
7. Once your 2 sheets are filled, take the tops and start pressing them around the edges.  You can use a fork to push the edges together for a nicer look.  *I tried to cut laces in the footballs but I didn't roll the dough thin enough so they just puffed up back together*
8. Set your oven to 400 degrees.  Just let the calzones sit uncovered during that time.
9. Mix up your egg wash.  When the oven is heated, generously slather the calzones with the egg wash and put them in the oven for 20 mins or until they're golden brown.
10. Serve with ranch, marinara, bleu cheese, more buffalo sauce, or whatever else your heart desires!

Full size calzones made with the extra fillings (I forgot the egg wash)

Lasagna Rolls

I've never made a lasagna before because I remember it taking foreeeeeeeeeeeever as a kid.  It doesn't really take much at all apparently! :)  I decided to make individual serving sized ones instead of a whole casserole.

Lasagna Rolls

*3-4 servings

Allergen Tips:
Rice flour noodles are a great g-free option for any pasta dish!

1 Bottle Favorite Marinara Sauce (I only buy Classico)
3/4 lb. Ground Hamburger
1/2 Container of Ricotta
1/4 C. Parmesan
1/3 C. Mozzerella
6 Lasagna Noodles
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Italian Seasonings

1. Brown the ground beef.  Season with all the above seasonings.
2. Cook noodles until they're done with salt in the water. \
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Mix the ricotta, and the other cheeses together.
5. Drain the noodles and lay out on the counter or a cutting board.
6. Spread the cheese along each noodle.
7. Add spoonfuls of the sauce to the noodles.

 8. Roll up.
9. Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a 6x9 pan.  Add the noodles.  Top with the rest of the sauce and then add more cheese to the top.
10. Tent tin foil on top and cook for 35 mins. (don't want the cheese to stick to that foil!!!)

Soft, Chewy Pizza Crust

Now, I have a recipe on here already for pizza crust, and it's one that you can use on the fly without having to let it rise.  This recipe however is by far the better choice if you have the time!  It comes out nice and crispy on the bottom and super soft on the inside!  And what's even better is you can play with it and add extras depending on what kind of pizza you're making!  Give it a shot!

Pizza Crust

(Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza!)

*makes one 12 inch crust

1/2 C. and 2 Tbsp. Warm Water (very important that it's warm)
1 1/8 tsp. Yeast
1/2 tsp. Honey
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 1/2 C. Flour

1. If you are like me and have a bread maker, this is the easiest thing in the world to make.  Start with your liquids in the pan.  Water, oil, and the honey.  Then add the flour, salt, and any fun seasonings you'd like to add. (i.e. chili powder and garlic powder for a mexican style pizza, oregano and parmesan for a chicken alfredo pizza, parsley for a tomato basil pizza, etc)  I generally do a full tsp of any/each.
2. Turn the machine on and use the dough setting and in 90 minutes it's dough!
3. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
4. Then you can take out the dough, use a little flour (I like to use cornmeal with pizza dough) and stretch it to the size of your pan.  I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper for an easy clean up!
*A great tip I came across as well: If you don't have a pizza stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and use parchment paper.  Turns out crispy and awesome*
5. Sauce it, top it, and throw it in the oven for 12-15 mins depending on the oven.
6. Enjoy!

When you're not using a bread maker:
1. Stir honey, yeast and warm water together in a large bowl.  Let this sit for 5-10 mins to activate the yeast.
2. When it starts to bubble, stir in the salt, oil, and half the flour and mix well.
3. Slowly add the other half of the flour mixing it well.  The dough should be tacky, but not sticky to your hands.
4. Kneed the dough for about 10 mins (or use the dough hook on a stand mixer for 6 mins)
5. Pull the dough out and put it in another bowl that is lightly greased. Move it around a bit to cover it so it doesn't dry out.  Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for an hour or two.
6. Move on back up to step 4 in the original directions!

Chicken Piccata

I stumbled across a dish that has so vastly changed from the original Italian recipe as it's been passed around the states.  The original is a breaded chicken that's split open and fried and usually served before pasta or rice.  This recipe has taken on an American feel to it because of our love of pasta!  Here goes!

Chicken Piccata

*Serves 2-3

Allergen Tips:


Rice flour noodles are a great g-free option for any pasta dish!


Marinade for Chicken
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (preferably fresh)
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic (minced)
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Basil

Sauce
2 Tbsp. Butter
4 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (preferably fresh)
1 Tbsp. Garlic (minced)
1/2 C. Half and Half
2 tsp. Basil
1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese

2 C. Penne Pasta

1. Mix your marinade and pour over the chicken. Marinade for at least 4 hours.
2. Boil the water for your noodles and cook them to your liking.
While the water is boiling, Start cooking your meat, either searing in a pan or grill it.
3. Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat to start the sauce.  Add the garlic and lemon and whisk.  Add the half and half and whisk until it's warm.  Throw in some salt and pepper for taste.  Then add the parmesan cheese and basil.  Whisk until it's melted and sauce-like.  You don't want it stringy.
4. Drain your pasta if you haven't already and toss the pasta in the sauce.
5. Cut up the chicken and throw it on top.  Top with a bit more parmesan and enjoy!

What is Chicken Divan?!

So I'm doing my normal, "browse Pinterest and Allrecipes" because I'm hungry one day and I decide to check my junk email for something else to do.  I must point out that I get a daily email from allrecipes with a featured recipe.  So as I'm deleting emails, I came across one that was "6 ways to use broccoli" and I had to check em out.  The last recipe on the list was chicken divan and I'm like, what?  I've never heard of this dish before and I as usual, tweaked it to my liking, and it was AMAZING!  If you haven't tried it before, give it a shot!

Italian Chicken Divan

*Serves 6

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Large Head of Broccoli
1/3 C. Onion (chopped)
1 Can Cream of Broccoli
1/2 C. Milk (I use skim)
1 C. Mixture of Mozzarella and Parmesan
3 Tbsp. Bread crumbs (mine are from an 8 grain bread)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Light Margarine
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Olive Oil, Italian Seasonings

1. Dice the chicken and onion.  Drizzle olive oil in the pan and add the chicken, onion and seasonings.  Cook until the chicken is done.

 2. While the chicken is cooking, cut up the broccoli and cover with water in a pan.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 mins or until tender and then drain.  Set the oven to 450 degrees.
3. Salt the broccoli and mix together with the chicken and put in a 9X13 pan.
4. Mix the soup with the milk and pour over top of the chicken and broccoli.
5. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
6. Melt the margarine and mix with the bread crumbs and Italian seasonings.  Sprinkle this on top of the cheese.
7. Cook in the oven for 15 mins or until the cheese starts bubbling.

This is a half recipe for 2 people

Chicken Parm Bites

Growing up I was never a fan of Chicken Parmesan whatsoever.  Chicken and marinara just grossed me out.  Today, I've grown out of it! YAY!  These are fun handheld bites to switch things up at the dinner table!

Chicken Parm Bites
*serves 2-3

1 Can 8 pack of Biscuits (I only had crescent handy at the time)
1-2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (depending on size) (shred or dice very small)
3/4 C. Favorite Marinara Sauce
1/3 C. Shredded Parmesan (or the grated parmesan out of the green container)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Italian Seasonings
1 Egg (beaten)

1. Boil chicken for 45 mins.  Cut up or shred.  Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
2. Preheat oven to 400.  Spray a 6X9 pyrex pan with non stick spray.
3. Get everything ready to go, pull out the biscuits.  Flatten them one at a time to about 1/8"

4. Put a small handful of chicken in the middle. (again, mine are funny shaped because they were crescent rolls)

5. Sprinkle the parmesan on the chicken and then add a small spoonful of marinara sauce.

6. Gather the edges and press together.  This is a difficult part because you don't want the bottom to be too thick or it won't cook thoroughly.

7. Place in the pan with the open end down.  Repeat until you have all 8 made. (or however many you're making)
8. Once they are all done, brush the tops with the beaten egg.  Sprinkle italian seasonings and some grated parmesan on top.

9. Bake for 20-25 mins. The dough can be a little less done in some places depending on how evenly you rolled them out.  The tops should be golden brown.

10.  Serve up with a side of marinara sauce to dip in.