Tuna (& Crab) Ring

Do you ever have those special moments in the kitchen when what you plan to do and what you actually do are two very different things? Last night was one of those nights...

The good news is, it worked quite well. The bad news is, before I make home made Crab Rangoons I need to buy a replacement can of crab meat.

Oops!

The plan was to use 2 cans of tuna for this recipe. If you are not a fan of tuna, chicken breast can be substituted as well...or the 50/50 split of 1 can tuna and 1 can crab meat like I cooked. Whatever your personal preference for protein, this is a dish I enjoy and my steak and potato guys enjoy without protest.

Ingredients:

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 cans (6 oz) water packed tuna, drained (**or chicken, or 1 tuna & 1 crab**)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can (3 1/2 oz) sliced black olives
1 1/2 TBS lemon zest
1 (4 oz) package of crumbled Feta cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan, Roman, Asiago cheese blend
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS Italian seasoning blend

*egg white + 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning*

1 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2- Unroll crescent rolls and separate triangles. Arrange triangles in a round pattern, with the wide end in the center, and the point extending out, overlapping enough to create a base for the filling.
3- Combine the tuna (crab), diced red pepper, artichoke, olives, lemon zest, both cheeses, garlic, and 1 TBS Italian seasoning.
4- Place combined filler in a circle on the overlapping section of the crescent rolls.

5- Pull the pointed ends of the triangles gently up and over the filler and tuck in the center.

6- Brush outside of crescents with egg white + 1 tsp Italian seasoning mix.

7- Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Adapted to meet our kitchen needs from the Mediterranean Tuna Wreath recipe, published on page 13 of the Pampered Chef's 2001 Fall/Winter Season's Best Recipe Collection.

Italian Stew Beef

Back in the day, before my husband retired, I had a daycare in my home. I found that using the crock-pot to cook dinner was perhaps the best thing I could do to preserve my sanity, save my family money, and de-stress our home after a long day of work and school.

That line of thinking has definitely carried over into our retired life!

This morning when it was time to start our day, I was very happy to see on our menu plan that this dish was for dinner. Easy. Easy. Easy.

My husband likes it because it is BEEF. My kids like it because it is tender. I like it because of the flavor added by the Italian dressing. Win. Win. Win.


Ingredients:

1/2 bottle of Italian dressing, (the oil & vinegar type...not the creamy)
1 package of stew beef

Put in crock-pot on low in the morning to have ready at dinnertime after the kids get home from school or start on high at lunchtime.

Excellent with hot buttered noodles or rice or mashed potatoes. *We will be have roasted brussel sprouts and rice at our house*

Chicken-Spinach-Mushroom-Alfredo-Extra Cheese Lasagna

Every once in a while, I hit the Mommy jackpot with a dinner meal. Tonight was one of those nights. I can happily report that my 12 year old who can never, ever, ever, never manage to finish a meal did in fact finish his dinner and asked for seconds. Score!!

The upside is we will get to enjoy this meal again for lunch tomorrow (and probably the two days following), but the downside is...there was enough to feed a small army.

This is comfort food to the 10th power.

Seriously.

And it has spinach.

Seriously.

Ingredients:

2 - 13 oz cans cooked chicken breast, drained

2 jars prepared Alfredo sauce

1 large container, small curd cottage cheese

1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 small can of mushroom stems and pieces, drained

1 lb of shredded Mozzarella cheese

shredded Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheese blend

1/2 package of oven ready, no boil lasagna noodles

Italian seasoning blend - to taste

garlic blend seasoning - to taste

1 - Prepare baking stone or pan with cooking spray

2- Combine 1/2 cup of Alfredo sauce with 1/2 the container of cottage cheese and 1st can of chicken. Spread over bottom of baking dish.

3- Cover chicken-cheese mix with drained spinach and drained mushrooms. (Our mushrooms were only on half - otherwise my 16 year old would never speak to me again)

4- Top vegetables with 1/3 of the shredded Mozzarella cheese and a portion of the Parmesan cheese blend. Sprinkle lightly with Italian seasoning blend and garlic seasoning blend.

5- Next, add the first layer of bake-ready lasagna noodles.

6- Combine remaining cottage cheese, 2nd can of chicken, and 1 jar of Alfredo sauce. Spread over lasagna noodles.

7- Cover with more shredded cheese, (leaving enough to cover noodles a final time.)

8- Add additional seasoning if desired, final layer of noodles, then top with last of the shredded Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese blend. Top with seasoning before baking, if desired. (I definitely added more seasoning.)

9- Cover with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

We served this delicious lasagna with fresh bread and a Bacon-Caesar salad.

And lucky for me, more Chicken-Spinach-Mushroom-Alfredo-Extra Cheese Lasagna for lunch tomorrow!!

That's okay, I do not mind at all!!