Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. (Yay!) Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the day, including Extra-Easy Spinach Lasagna and Cast-Iron Apple and Blackberry Crumble. Enjoy!

VEGAN CHINESE KUNG PAO TOFU

This is from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Never had kung pao tofu before? Looking for something new to try for a vegetarian dinner tonight? Try this vegetarian Chinese dish!

“Although this traditional Chinese food dish is usually made with chicken, you can use tofu to create a very similar vegetarian and vegan version of traditional kung pao chicken using all the same Chinese ingredients and seasonings, including sesame oil, red pepper flakes, onion, lime and hot sauce. This vegetarian kung pao tofu recipe also calls for lots of healthy Chinese veggies including snow peas, bok choy, cabbage, and mushrooms.

“Serve this Szechuan-style Chinese kung pao tofu recipe over rice.

“Need this recipe to be gluten-free as well as vegan? Double-check that your is gluten-free, and use tamari in place of the soy sauce.”

Prep Time: 45 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: about 3 servings.

View this online here.

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable broth

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari to keep it gluten-free)

1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes

1 tbsp sesame oil + 2 tbsp

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 small bok choy, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup snow peas

1/2 small purple cabbage, sliced thin

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp hot sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Prepare your tofu. Like most vegetarian tofu recipes, this tofu recipe will taste best if you press the tofu first. This allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavorings and seasonings which you add to it.

Once your tofu is ready, combine the 3 tbsp vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil and the tofu in a small bowl. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, mixing occasionally to coat the tofu well.

Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Grease a baking sheet or cover with foil and bake tofu for 15 minutes, turning once.

In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, saute the onion, bell pepper, red pepper flakes, mushrooms and ginger in 2 tbsp sesame oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bok choy and vegetable broth and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes. Add cabbage and snow peas.

Reduce heat to low and add tofu and remaining ingredients, cooking just until combined and heated through. Serve over rice.

SNOWBALL MERINGUE COOKIES

These are from Weight Watchers. They're worth 2 PointsPlus per serving (1 cookie per serving).

cooking spray

1 tsp all purpose flour

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray; coat with a light dusting of flour and shake off excess.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form; gently fold in mini chocolate chips and vanilla extract.

Drop mixture by heaping tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart, making 24 cookies.

Bake until lightly golden and no longer sticky on the surface, about 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cookies sit in over for 1 hour. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

EXTRA-EASY SPINACH LASAGNA

This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “No need to cook the lasagna noodles...just layer them right in the pan with the cheeses, spinach and tomato-mushroom sauce.”

Serves: 8 servings (1 cup each); Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

View this online here.

Ingredients

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce

6 uncooked lasagna noodle

1/4 cup water

Directions

Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.

Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining sauce. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover.

Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Tip: To thaw the spinach, microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, breaking apart with a fork halfway through heating.

CAST-IRON APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE

This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “My dad used to make this for me growing up! Apples from upstate New York are some of the best in the country. They always added the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness to this crispy crumble.

“Technique tip: Use your favorite apples for a signature taste and to make it your own.

“Swap option: Pears work great and so do peaches! You can also use a 10- by 15-inch baking dish if not using the grill.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cast-iron-apple-blackberry-crumble-recipe-t154818.

Ingredients

Crumble Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 packs (1 cup) apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated

Apple Filling

2 pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 pint blackberries

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°F.

For the crumble topping:

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cold grated butter until it forms a coarse crumble.

For the apple filling:

In another large mixing bowl combine the apples with melted butter, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, light brown sugar, salt and spices and toss to fully coat the apples. Next fold in the blackberries and pour the apple mixture into a 12-inch cast iron pan.

To assemble:

Fully coat the top of the apple mixture with the crumble topping and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.

Allow the crumble to cool slightly, and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Or chill overnight and serve cold.

BROCCOLI RABE LASAGNA

This comes from David Tanis, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “Broccoli rabe (sometimes spelled raab, or known as rapini greens) is one of the most delicious members of the mustard green family. The leaves, tender stems and broccoli-like buds have a distinctive pleasant bitterness when cooked. For this vegetarian lasagna, some of the cooked greens are puréed to make a garlicky pesto and the rest is coarsely chopped and added to the layers.” Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Béchamel Sauce:

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half, heated, plus a little more if necessary

Salt and pepper

Pinch of cayenne

Grated nutmeg, to taste

For the Lasagna:

1 pound dry lasagna noodles

Salt and pepper

2 bunches broccoli rabe, about 2 pounds

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

4 tablespoons butter

4 ounces grated Parmesan, about 2 cups, or a combination of Parmesan and pecorino

Preparation

Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute over medium heat without browning. Gradually whisk in half-and-half, 1/2 cup at a time, to obtain a smooth, lightly thickened sauce. Turn heat to low. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, some ground black pepper, the cayenne and nutmeg. Cook, whisking, for 4 to 5 minutes, then place saucepan in a hot-water bath to keep sauce warm. Thin if necessary with a little more half-and-half.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Lift noodles from water with a spider and rinse well in a bowl of cold water. Drain and lay noodles flat on a kitchen towel.

Using the same cooking water, blanch the greens for 1 minute, until just wilted. Rinse greens with cool water, squeeze dry and chop them roughly. Put 1 cup of chopped greens, the minced garlic and ?1/2 cup olive oil in a food processor or blender and purée to make a pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a small bowl.

Mix the ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Organize to have all ingredients within easy reach for assembling lasagna. Use 2 tablespoons butter to grease an 8-by-10-inch baking dish.

Assemble the lasagna: Put a layer of cooked noodles on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon a quarter of the béchamel over noodles, then dot with a third of the ricotta. Complete layer with chopped greens, a drizzle of pesto and some grated cheese. Continue layering, finishing with a layer of pasta. Spread the last of the béchamel on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. (There should be 4 layers of pasta and 3 layers of filling.)

Dot with remaining butter and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more, until nicely browned and bubbling. Let lasagna rest 10 minutes before serving.

COCONUT RED CURRY WITH TOFU

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, “This simple weeknight red curry relies on jarred or canned red curry paste for flavor, which you can find at larger supermarkets and specialty markets. Transfer leftover canned curry paste to a jar, top it with a little oil and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Or freeze for longer storage. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms and snow peas, though you might have to increase the cooking time slightly if using something dense like carrot or cubed winter squash.”

Yield: Serves 4; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in “Curry and Coconut Milk Fire Up a Weeknight Basic”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016196-coconut-red-curry-with-tofu.

Ingredients

14 ounces extra-firm tofu

1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil

1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced

2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Thai chile or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

3 tablespoons prepared red curry paste

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1 cup snow peas

Basil and/or cilantro leaves, for garnish

Brown or white rice, for serving

Preparation

Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.

Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.