*** Cheddar Popovers

• Popover ingredients (see base recipe: http://kreutzlandryrecipes.blogspot.com/2015/02/basic-popover.html)
• 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

When pouring batter into cups, fill halfway, place the cheese in, then fill the rest of the way. Otherwise proceed as normal.

Makes 6 popovers, 268 calories each (7 WW PointsPlus).

*** Kreutz-Landry Spectacularly Simple Homemade Apple Pie

• 1 pint jar(s) canned apple pie filling (for a deep dish 6" pie tin)
• 1 batch of pie dough (homemade or Pillsbury)

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Press one of two rounds of pie dough down into the tin. Fill with the filling. Place the second round of pie dough over.

Cut vent slits if not using a fancy lattice pattern for the top.

Place aluminum foil around the edges of the pie to protect the edges from over-browning. You will be removing the tin foil mid-bake.

Put the pie in the oven. Bake for a total of 40-50 minutes, removing the aluminum foil after about 20 minutes.

The damage:

1 jar of homemade apple pie filling is ~610 calories (17 WW PointsPlus)

1 recipe of the homemade pie dough is ~2,740 calories (76 WW PointsPlus)

1 box of Pillsbury refrigerated pie dough is ~1,600 calories (45 WW PointsPlus)

*** Magic Dessert Bars

• 8 graham crackers
• 1 stick butter
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 bag (~2 cups) chocolate chips
• 1/2 (~1 cup) bag peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Melt the butter directly in an 8x10 pan.


Crush the crackers with a rolling pin, then pour over the melted butter and stir around and pat flat on the bottom.


Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cracker crust evenly.


Pour over the bags of chips (adding in additional toppings as desired)


Bake for 30 minutes.


Cool and then eat.


Makes 16 servings, 11 WW PointsPlus each.

*** Classic Homemade Lasagna

NOTE: For vegetarian version, click here

Sauce

• 1 lb ground sirloin (85/15)
• 1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 whole garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, and minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 28oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 12 oz tomato paste (2 cans)
• 1/4 cup water

Ricotta filling

• 3 cups whole milk ricotta
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lb Mozzarella cheese, grated, DIVIDED

Pasta

• 1 batch of KitchenAid pasta dough

Pasta:

Get the pasta dough ready and in the fridge. You'll roll it out just before assembling.

For the Sauce:

In a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat; sauté chopped onion in a tablespoon of olive oil until they start to soften. Add in minced garlic, ground beef and the ground Italian sausage. Stir occasionally until the meat browned.

Measure and add in the teaspoon of kosher salt and a tablespoon of each basil, parsley flakes and oregano. 

Add in the 12 ounces of tomato paste.

Crush each San Marzano tomato by hand into small pieces over the pot (to catch any juices). Add any remaining sauce from the can. Add a quarter cup of water to the can, swirl to remove any excess sauce and pour that in as well. Stir to combine.

Reduce the heat to low, replace the lid on your Dutch oven and let the sauce simmer for 45 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering make the ricotta mixture. 

In a large bowl combine the 3 cups of ricotta, two eggs, parsley, black pepper and a half cup of both Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. Stir and keep in the fridge until ready to assemble the lasagna.

Once the fillings are ready, get a large pot of salted water boiling, and prepare an ice bath. 

Roll the pasta dough out into sheets of thickness setting 7 (setting 8 was almost too thin). Cut them to fit into the lasagna pan you have available. You need enough for 5 layers of noodles. The rest of the dough can be rolled out to whatever thickness/shape you want.

When ready to assemble, as the sheets are needed, one sheet at a time, cook the pasta for TEN SECONDS then immediately place into the ice bath. Pull the sheet out of the ice bath and use it to assemble.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Layers:

1. 1/3 meat sauce + noodles
2. 1/2 ricotta + noodles
3. 1/2 mozzarella + noodles
4. 1/3 meat sauce + noodles
5. 1/2 ricotta mixture + noodles
6. 1/3 meat sauce & 1/2 mozzarella

NOTE: You will end up with leftover pasta, but 1/2 recipe is not quite enough.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, or until cheese is thoroughly melted and golden. After baking let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 12 servings, 12 WW PointsPlus each.

Adapted from:

http://www.simplyscratch.com/2012/11/classic-homemade-lasagna.html

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/lasagna-bolognese

*** Super Easy Chicken and Rice Soup

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped (1 small)
• 1 cup celery (2-3 ribs) 
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic
• 6 cups broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 carrots, chopped (optional)
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional)
• salt (optional)
• pepper (optional)

Melt butter in 4- to 6-quart saucepan over medium heat until sizzling. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic; continue cooking 3-5 minutes or until onions are softened.

Add chicken broth, water and paprika. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 7-9 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil and carrots are tender. Stir in rice, chicken and parsley. Cook 5-7 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/3507/super-easy-chicken-rice-soup