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Remember how I said that I often times try to
hide from DapperDan when he asks me what it is that I'm making for dinner? Well, last night was one of those moments again.
It is with great pleasure that I present to you one of my finest works,
The Pumpkin Lasagna Saga:
The time was 6:15PM and the weather chilly. The tall, dark, and handsome man that I have come to know as my husband came home from his run. I was in the kitchen. I had made it aware to him before he left that I was going to be making fresh pasta and that fresh pasta would be going into a lasagna.
Dinner was nearing completion. The sun had already set. Bellies were growling, blood sugars were dropping, and the stakes were quickly becoming high.
This tall, dark, and handsome man that is my husband, and many have come to know as DapperDan, walked into the kitchen with his curiosity intact. It was at this moment that the lasagna was finally assembled. I was so close to flying under the radar, yet so close to getting caught. I tried with all of my might to get the lasagna into the oven and remove all evidence of pumpkin before he neared.
Then the tall, dark, and handsome man came very close to the stove. I tried with all of my might to hide all evidence of pumpkin, but, alas, it was too late.
In a matter-of-fact tone of voice, with the hope of appearing to be nonchalant, the tall, dark, and handsome man pondered aloud as he said,
"So, you are putting pumpkin into the tomato sauce?" I knew precisely where this was going and I wasn't havin' it! I hastily said,
"Umm... No. No, the pumpkin makes up the sauce entirely". I began to wince on the inside, but wanted to appear calm and collected to the interrogator.
The man replied in a matter which made it quite obvious that he was overly trying to hide his concern,
"Ohh.. so there is no tomato in it at all?" was all that he said.
I was done for. It was at this point that I became fairly certain that behind that cool and handsome exterior, this man was fantasizing about ordering out from the pizza shop around the corner.
I said,
"oh for the love, just give it a shot!!! How often is it that I surprise you?" "
True" was his only reply, as he walked away in a debonair manner, as if no confrontation or exchange took place.
It was at this moment that I splashed my face with cold water, ridding myself of the cold sweat, and resigned myself to anxiously watch the timer on my oven until dinner was complete.
The time had come. Dinner was finished. My palms became sweaty over my anxiety-
or could it have been that I felt the heat of the dish through my oven mitt? Nevertheless, the stakes had never been higher.
I placed the lasagna onto our plates and rushed to the table.
I took my first bite and was incredibly excited over the taste. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as the tall, dark, and handsome man took his first bite, as a look of surprise crossed his face....
He liked it and went back for seconds.
It was at this time that I celebrated another impossible victory.
Pumpkin Lasagna with Ground Turkey and SpinachAdapted from: Rachel Ray
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
10 oz. fresh spinach
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 TBS butter
3 TBS all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cups pumpkin puree
Few dashes fresh nutmeg
1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
**Homemade Lasagna Noodles** Recipe below.
Directions:1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a very large saute pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the turkey, cooking until browned. Add the onion, garlic, and spinach and cook for another few minutes. Top with salt and pepper.
3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisking until fully absorbed, about 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk until well combined.
4. Bring the milk to a bubble, add the pumpkin and nutmeg, stirring until well combined. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
5. In a 13x9 casserole dish, place about 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with lasagna noodles, on top of the lasagna noodles, add about 1 cup of the meat mixture, then top the meat mixture with another cup of sauce, then top the sauce with a handful of cheese. Add another layer of noodles and repeat.
6. Place one more layer of noodles, place remaining sauce on top of the top noodle layer and top with remaining cheese.
7. Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
8. Allow the dish to rest about 10 minutes before serving.
Homemade Lasagna NoodlesCourtesy: eHowYields: 8 large noodlesIngredients2 cups semolina flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cups lukewarm water
Directions:1. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, until well combined.
2. Add the water and combine using a wooden spoon. (In the end, you may need your hands to get the dough to begin to stick together.
3. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes.
4. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
5. Divide dough into 8 pieces and either roll it out into the shape of lasagna noodles, or use your pasta roller attachment (I ran the dough through number 1 twice, then number 2 and number 3 once).
6. Boil some water in a large pot. Place each noodle in for approximately 5 minutes before putting in lasagna.
