Category: Recipes

Inspired by my favourite Greek dish Moussaka, I decided to have Greek meet Italian.  My Eggplant Beef Noodle Casserole is a fusion of two wonderful dishes.  In the Fall, I find Casseroles comforting and easy.  As the casserole cooks, I enjoy a good book with a cup of tea in the late afternoon.  Soon it will be wine time.

It is believed that the first written casserole recipes was for Macaroni and Cheese in 1250. Casseroles take on many formats and some say that lasagna, pot pies, french cassoulet and Greek moussaka are all forms of casseroles. Whatever shape they take, most find it a great way to feed a crowd. Good for your family table or company, these dishes are staples in most homes.

For a family favourite lasagna on my blog see https://recipesatmytable.com/bolognese-bechamel-stacked-lasagna/

Ingredients For Eggplant Beef Noodle Casserole

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped celery 
• 2 cloves garlic minced 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 2 cups marinara sauce 
•   1/2 a cup of red wine
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
•  12 sheets of oven ready lasagna ( I use Molisana egg)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese( divided in two)
• chopped fresh parsley

Slice the eggplants and brush with the olive oil.  Place in a 400F oven for 15 minutes.  

In a sauce pan add a little olive oil and your ground beef.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Once the ground beef browns a bit add in the onions and celery.

After 10 minutes add in 1/2 a cup of red wine.  

Sauté and then pour in the marinara sauce. When cooked set aside one cup of this sauce. 

In a 13X9 baking pan star by placing a little of the red sauce.  Follow with 6 lasagna noodles and then some sauce.

Next place a layer of eggplants and 1/2 a cup of shredded mozzarella. Follow these two steps a second time. Sprinkle each layer with some Parmesan cheese.

Cover with some parchment paper and then tinfoil.  Place in a 350F oven for 45 minutes . 

Uncover and pour the remaining marinara sauce over and follow with the full cup of mozzarella.  Place back into the oven uncovered for 15 minutes. 

Remove from oven.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes before cutting.  

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Eggplant Beef Noodle Casserole

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• * 1 cup chopped onion
• * 1/2 cup of finely chopped celery
• * 2 cloves garlic minced
• * 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• * 2 cups marinara sauce
• * 1/2 a cup of red wine
• * 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• * 1-1/4 teaspoons salt divided
• * 1 pound ground beef
• * 2 medium eggplants peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• * 12 sheets of oven ready lasagna I use Molisana egg
• * 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• * 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided in two
• * chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Slice the eggplants and brush with the olive oil. Place in a 400F oven for 15 minutes.
2. In a sauce pan add a little olive oil and your ground beef. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
3. Once the ground beef browns a bit add in the onions and celery. After 10 minutes add in 1/2 a cup of red wine.
4. Sauté and then pour in the marinara sauce. When cooked set aside one cup of this sauce.
5. In a 13X9 baking pan star by placing a little of the red sauce. Follow with 6 lasagna noodles and then some sauce.
6. Next place a layer of eggplants and 1/2 a cup of shredded mozzarella. Follow these two steps a second time.
7. Cover with some parchment paper and then tinfoil. Place in a 350F oven for 45 minutes .
8. Uncover and pour the remaining marinara sauce over and follow with the full cup of mozzarella. Place back into the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.
9. Remove from oven. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes before cutting.

Recipe Notes

I use Molisana Lasagna Oven Ready noodles for this.  It is one of the best products on the market.  The dried pasta sheets are like homemade.  

I love using vegetables as a substitute for meat.  These Spinach Balls are moist and delicious.  They can be used in various dishes and make great snack.  I love using them with my pasta in a marinara sauce.  They also make great sandwiches.  I use them like meatballs.  I take a nice sub bun and layer my spinach balls in and drizzle some marinara and top with mozzarella and Parmesan.  For a snack, I take some of these in the afternoon and dunk them in some greek yogurt.  Any way you look at it, this recipe is very versatile.  

When testing different recipes for this, I found some too dry and some too wet.  I played with the ingredients and here is my version.  You can omit or add the nuts.  I like the crunch.  You can experiment with whatever you like. You can run your vegetables through a food processor for a finer texture. The choice is yours.

Ingredients For Spinach Balls

• 5 cups raw spinach (blanched and chopped)
• 1 package stuffing mix
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 minced garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 a cup of seasoned bread crumbs for rolling
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Blanche the spinach and wring out all excess water.  Cool the spinach.

In a a large bowl combine the spinach with the stuffing mix.  Drizzle the olive oil for the mix and combine to moisten.  Add in the Parmesan cheese, pecans, red bell pepper, garlic and the onion.  Mix everything well.

In a small bowl beat the egg with the water and add a little salt and pepper.   Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients. And Mix. 

Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve with your favourite yogurt sauce.  My simple yogurt sauce is 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, 1 tbsp mayonnaise and whatever else you like. Sometimes I add a dash of cayenne or some Chipotle.

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Spinach Yogurt Balls

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched spinach chopped
• 1 package stuffing mix
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1 minced garlic
• 1/4 Cup water
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 a cup of seasoned bread crumbs for rolling
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Blanche the spinach and wring out all excess water. Cool the spinach.

2. In a a large bowl combine the spinach with the stuffing mix. Drizzle the olive oil for the mix and combine to moisten.

3. Add in the Parmesan cheese, walnuts, red bell pepper, garlic and the onion. Mix everything well.

4. In a small bowl beat the egg with the yogurt and add a little salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients. And Mix.

5. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

6. Serve with your favourite yogurt sauce.

I love soup and Fall is the time to experiment.  Fall is cabbage time and I make cabbage rolls and cabbage casserole, but today is soup day.  My Cabbage Roll Soup incorporates some favourites and has a twist of Italian with my addition of Orzo.  My nonna made a simple pasta soup with just Pastina and tomatoes.  That is where I thought of adding some pasta to my soup.

Nonna loved cabbage.  She made it with beans, meat and a variety of other vegetables, but my favourite was when she stewed it simply with tomatoes, a little olive oil, oregano and garlic.  We called that out Christmas soup.  Another of my favourite soups she made with cabbage is on my blog: https://recipesatmytable.com/nonnas-cabbage-soup/

For the healthy benefits of cabbage read this :https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-cabbage/

Ingredients For Cabbage Roll Soup

• 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
• 2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 medium diced onion 
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
•  4 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery sliced
• 4 cups beef broth 
•  2 cups diced tomatoes diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ cup uncooked orzo
• chopped parsley or dill for garnish

Process

Heat up the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the ground beef, onion and garlic.  Salt and pepper well.  I cooked this until lightly browned. Add in the carrots and celery. Sauté for a few minutes

Pour the beef broth over this and bring to a gently boil.  

Add in the cabbage and let it cook for 10 minutes. In a bowl mix the tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Italian seasoning and pour over cabbage.  Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add in the orzo and cook until orzo is tender.  

Serve with a sprinkling of parsley or dill and enjoy!!

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Cabbage Roll Soup

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• * 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
• * 2 tbsp olive oil optional
• * Salt and pepper to taste
• * 1 medium diced onion
• * 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• * 4 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
• * 2 carrots peeled and diced
• * 2 stalks celery sliced
• * 4 cups beef broth
• * 2 cups diced tomatoes diced tomatoes
• * 2 tablespoons ketchup
• * 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• * 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• * 1 teaspoon paprika
• * ½ cup uncooked orzo
• * chopped parsley or dill for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic. Salt and pepper well. I cooked this until lightly browned.

2. Pour the beef broth over this and bring to a gently boil.  

3. Add in the cabbage and let it cook for 10 minutes. In a bowl mix the tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Italian seasoning and pour over cabbage.  Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. 

4. Add in the orzo and cook until orzo is tender.
5. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley and enjoy!!

Muffins were always my to to raising a family.  Sometimes late at night while doing some marking, I would put a batch in the oven and they were ready for lunches the next day.  These Pineapple Carrot Date Muffins are a way to sneak in some good eats such as oatmeal for the fussy eaters.

Now that I am retired, I usually make muffins in the afternoons especially on fall days.  I love the smell of the spices in the house and it always warms up the kitchen.  As we get older we look for healthier versions of food.  These Pineapple Carrot Date Muffins use the natural sugars in the pineapple, carrot and dates to cut down the refined sugars.  I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.  

Another one of my favourite muffins from the blog: https://recipesatmytable.com/zucchini-oatmeal-muffins/

Ingredients for Pineapple Carrot Date Muffins

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp amaretto liqueur 
• 1/cup each of grated carrots and canned pineapple drained and crushed
• 1/3 cup dates (finely chopped)
• 1/3 cup greek yogurt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup oats
• 1 tsp each of baking powder and baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of nutmeg

Process

First combine the sugar, oil, egg, amaretto and mix well.

Now, stir in the carrots, pineapple, dates and Greek yogurt.

In another bowl combine the flour, lasts, baking powder, baking sofa, cinnamon and nutmeg.Add the dry ingredients to the wet and do not over mix.  

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups.  You can use paper cups or grease tin with a little canola oil.

Bake in a 375F oven for about 18 minutes.  It depends on your oven, sometimes 15 will do.  Check at the 15 minute mark.  

So moist and delicious.

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Pineapple Carrot Date Muffins

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• * 1/3 cup canola oil
• * 1 egg
• * 1 tsp amaretto liqueur
• * 1/cup each of grated carrots and canned pineapple drained and crushed
• * 1/3 cup dates finely chopped
• * 1/3 cup greek yogurt
• * 1 cup all purpose flour
• * 2/3 cup oats
• * 1 tsp each of baking powder and baking soda
• * 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• * 1/4 tsp of nutmeg

Instructions

1. First combine the sugar, oil, egg, amaretto and mix well.
2. Now, stir in the carrots, pineapple, dates and Greek yogurt.
3. In another bowl combine the flour, lasts, baking powder, baking sofa, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and do not over mix.
5. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups. You can use paper cups or grease tin with a little canola oil.
6. Bake in a 375F oven for about 18 minutes. It depends on your oven, sometimes 15 will do. Check at the 15 minute mark.