Friday, February 14, 2014

Jamaican Lasagna


Here is one of those classic recipes that if you don't prepare for yourself and partake of it, you will forever be asking yourself why you didn't...

Jamaican Lasagna....Sounds completely off the charts doesn't it?  Everybody knows that Lasagna is a pasta dish...An Italian pasta dish....But food really knows no nationality...And every culture can put their spin on a certain dish...This is what brings us together as human beings...

This recipe is from Chris's Kitchen....I got it from a Facebook page I liked called "Foodie TV"  (Free advertisement and plug)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb jerk sausage, minced
3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
12 Lasagna noodles
16 oz Anchor white Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 egg
8 oz mozzarella (preferably Sargento brand)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
6 oz Carrots , diced into small cubes
3/4 tsp scotch bonnet pepper, minced
Coconut oil

DIRECTIONS: 

 1) Heat coconut oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepot, saute garlic and onion until the onions become translucent, then cook jerk sausage and ground beef in the saucepot until well browned.

2) Stir in crushed tomatoes,1 can tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced carrots and water. Season with sugar, basil, scotch bonnet pepper,fennel seeds, 1 tbsp salt, pepper, and 2 tbsps parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine cheddar cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

5) To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the cheddar cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese .

6) Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

7) Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

8) Tap the pan to force out the air bubbles, if any.Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 30 minutes.

9) Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 3-inch squares , serve, top with chives and enjoy!!!

Have with a red wine!
Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!
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1 comment:

Amaryllis said...

I like!

February 17, 2014 at 9:15 AM

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Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household