Yet one more meatless meal for lent

[senior citizen]

Hearty Manicotti
Ingredients:
8 manicotti dried shells
10 oz. frozen spinach chopped, THAWED and squeezed DRY
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. italian seasoning
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Your favorite marinara sauce, whether home made or jarred
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

2. Combine spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon garlic salt. Spoon into cooked manicotti shells; place in 12x8 inch baking dish.

3.Pour marinara over manicotti. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake, uncovered, in preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.


Serve with nice romaine salad and crusty Italian bread...........

[Golfingnut]

What, no meat.?

[senior citizen]

What, no meat.?


BRACIOLE (Beef rolls)

2 lbs of thinly sliced beef cut for Braciole (4 slices or 4 servings)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
3 cloves crushed garlic
One fresh basil leaf per roll = 4 nice fresh basil leaves
Oregano (to taste)
Pecorino Romano cheese
Seasoned Progresso bread crumbs (one tablespoon breadcrumbs per meat roll)
hard boiled eggs (1/2-3/4 per roll) ...........or "optional".
olive oil
1 lg. can crushed tomatoes for marinara (Contadina or San Marzano)

If meat is not cut by butcher for Braciole, tenderize meat with mallet until its about 1/4 of an inch thick.

Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Add to tops of meat: grated cheese, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, oregano ,and basil and breadcrumbs.

Cut up eggs, add to center of meat. You can eliminate the hard boiled egg slices if you wish. All it amounts to is personal taste.

Roll the beef tightly, curl up the ends so that the filling doesn't fall out.

Tie once lengthwise,and a few times around meat with white kitchen twine.

If you don't have the twine, you could use toothpicks.....or some other "string".

Coat lightly with breadcrumbs; heat oil in pan large enough to hold the meat.

Brown all sides of meat on medium high heat.

Stir together and simmer crushed tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and pepper and pour over meat rolls in pan.

Cover and cook over a medium low heat for 25 minutes or simmer longer. They hold very well and just get better.
Serve with spaghetti.

They should be fork tender. Nice change from meatballs and sausage, spare ribs, etc. and/or chicken cacciatore. For those of you who have never had braciole, think of them as miniature very tender pot roast of beef.

[senior citizen]

What, no meat.?


Each family has their own version of Austrian/German Sauerbraten, but these two are worth the wait.......they must be marinated for a long time. So plan ahead. Gingersnap cookies added to the "gravy" at the end, are also a must. Long, slow cooking of the beef roast.

One version is done in the oven. The other is done on top of stove.
Both of my "children in law" are of German heritage, one family from Baaden Baaden and the other from the Bavarian Forest area.

Obviously, all of the grandchildren love sauerbraten.....as do we.


Sauerbraten (Oven version)
This is wonderful served with potato dumplings and red cabbage.

1 boneless rump roast (about 4 pounds)
4 cups water
2 cups red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1 teaspoon mixed pickling spices
24 crushed gingersnaps (1 1/2 cups crumbs)

Trim meat of all but a thin layer of fat. Place in a large glass bowl. Add water, vinegar, sugar, onion, celery, salt, pepper and pickling spices to bowl, stirring to mix. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 or 5 days, turning meat each day.

Remove meat from marinade; reserve marinade; pat meat dry with paper toweling. Heat shortening in Dutch oven. Brown meat on all sides (about 15 minutes).

Remove fat from pan. Pour marinade over meat. Roast uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Cover; continue roasting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours longer, or until meat is tender.

Remove meat to platter. Strain marinade; remove fat and return marinade to pan. Stir in gingersnap crumbs. Heat until thickened; strain again.

Slice meat and serve with gravy.


Sauerbraten (Stovetop version)
This classic German braised dish is made with beef roast marinated in wine vinegar and studded with onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, and juniper berries, then bathed in a sauce thickened by gingersnaps and lightened with sour cream.

Serve with noodles or spaetzle. Noodles are easier but the spaetzle is authentic Austrian/German.

Yield: 6 servings



1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine
2 1/2 cups onion, chopped
3 bay leaves
6 juniper berries, crushed
1 boneless beef pot roast, rolled and tied
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground
1 1/2 cups carrots
1 1/2 cups celery
1/8 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup gingerbread cookies, crushed
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon black pepper, whole



Combine vinegar, wine, 1 cup onion, 2 bay leaves, peppercorns, and juniper berries in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let cool. Dress the roast with the mixture and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for several days for best results, turning periodically.



Remove meat from the marinade, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Strain marinade and reserve, discarding solids.


Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Brown meat on all sides.


Remove meat from pan and pour out all but about 2 tablespoons of fat.


Add remaining onions, carrots, celery, and ginger. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add flour and cook about 4 minutes until it begins to color.



Add reserved marinade, stock, and remaining bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and stir to scrape off browned bits from the bottom of the pan.


Return the roast to the pan, cover, and cook in a 325 degree F oven until fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Use your own judgement.


Remove meat from pan when done and keep warm. Skim the surface fat and reduce the liquid over high heat to about 3 cups.


Stir in crushed ginger cookies until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and currant jam.

[mpfrancese]

Ahhh, just one more meatless Friday left for this Lenten season.

[senior citizen]

Ahhh, just one more meatless Friday left for this Lenten season.


This year has flown by so far.......including March and April.