Skinny Lasagna #RedGoldRecipes #Giveaway

Yum

I’m not sure what the weather has been like where you live, but in these parts it has been darn cold. I’m not really complaining (well, maybe just a little…) since I do live in Minnesota and it is January. The thing is, the cold weather makes me crave a nice comforting, warm casserole. Something that can serve a crowd, in case we invite a few people over to watch the game. Something easy, because I don’t want to spend the whole day in the kitchen. Oh yeah…can we make it lower in calories? I need to drop a few pounds….. Sound impossible? Meet Red Gold Tomatoes' recipe for Skinny Lasagna!

I was introduced to Red Gold's lasagna recipes last year, when I made their Fresh Harvest Lasagna. It is so easy to make! Seriously, there is no need to boil the lasagna and you don't need to buy that leathery "no boil" stuff, either...just regular lasagna. This year, Red Gold has teamed up with Laura's Lean Beef to create the perfect "Skinny", yet meaty lasagna....and it's just as easy to make. Laura's Lean Beef is a Kentucky based company that produces lean, natural beef from cattle that are humanely raised without hormones and fed a natural diet of grass and grain. Like Red Gold, they are a family run company!

"Skinny" Lasagna (recipe courtesy of Red Gold Tomatoes)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1 (28 ounce) can Red Gold® Crushed Tomatoes, or 2 (15 ounce) cans Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes

2 (14.5 ounce) cans Red Gold® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano

Ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 pound Laura's 96% Lean Ground Round, or ground turkey, cooked and drained

1 (16 ounce) box traditional whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 (15 ounce) carton low fat cottage cheese

2 cups shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated low sodium Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large mixing bowl combine water, crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, black pepper, Italian seasoning and ground round, stir to combine ingredients in the sauce.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13x2 inch baking pan with 1½ cups of sauce mixture.  Arrange 1/3 of noodles on top of sauce, slightly overlapped.  Top with ½ of cottage cheese, ½ of mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of sauce.  Repeat layers and top with last 1/3 of noodles and the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 to 1½ hours; until noodles are cooked. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

So that's it. Really. And even though I usually change at least a half dozen things in any given recipe, this time I left it as it was (except that I couldn't find whole wheat lasagna). Skinny? At about 330 calories per serving, it certainly is. My husband actually preferred the cottage cheese to the ricotta. He had no idea he was eating "Skinny" lasagna.

This year, to celebrate their line of Simple Gourmet Lasagna recipes, Red Gold and Laura's Lean Beef are teaming up to give away six Gourmet Lasagna Party Kits valued at $325 and 750 custom aprons. Simply "like" both Red Gold and Laura's Lean Beef on Facebook, and fill out the form. The sweepstakes will run from January 13 through February 3, so hurry over and throw your hat in the ring!

Click Here to enter.

To sweeten the pot even more, Red Gold has given me the nod to have a little giveaway of my own. You can win a "Mini" Lasagna Kit consisting of:

2- 14-ounce cans of Red Gold diced tomatoes with Basil Garlic and Oregano

1- 28-ounce can Red Gold crushed tomatoes

A package of lasagna noodles

A Laura's Lean Beef apron

A coupon for Laura's Lean Beef product

6 Simple Gourmet Lasagna recipes

Simply enter with the Rafflecopter widget (your info will only be visible to me)

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Disclosure: I was given product and coupons. All opinions are my own.

Zucchini Tostadas with Chorizo

As I write this, four giant zucchini are mocking me from my refrigerator. It is imperative that something be done about them so that I can clear the way for the apple and pumpkin season. As I am not one to waste food, it is time to get creative.

A simple search for zucchini on Pinterest brings up hundreds of interesting ideas. Stuffed, fried, baked, sweet, savory and just plain weird...you can find it all. One idea that caught my eye was for a zucchini pizza casserole that used a combination of zucchini and cheese for the crust. Baked cheese? This had possibilities.

Of course I had to come up with something a little different and, since the hubby was in the mood for Mexican food, I decided to transform the idea into...wait for it....as if you couldn't guess from the picture....Tostadas!

I swear it's starting to multiply in my fridge.

Zucchini Tostadas with Chorizo

Printable Recipe

Tostadas:
4 cups shredded zucchini

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning

Toppings:

3-4 chorizo sausages, casings removed

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 avocado, diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

½ cup sour cream

½ cup sliced black olives

1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Let the zucchini stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid from the zucchini as possible and place in a large bowl.  Add the eggs, cheeses, and Mexican seasoning. Stir together until well-blended.

Make sure to squeeze out all of the excess moisture...there's a lot of water in there!

Divide the zucchini mixture into 6 portions onto the parchment paper (a scant ½ cup each). Use a spatula to spread each portion into a 5-inch circle. Bake the zucchini for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and gently turn each portion over. Continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until firm and golden

.

While the zucchini is baking, break the sausage up into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To assemble, place the zucchini tostadas on individual serving plates. Layer each tostada with an equal portion of lettuce, sausage, avocado, diced tomato, sour cream, olives, and cheese. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Aren't these fun? Of course, you can add or subtract any toppings you want...my daughter had the tostada with just salsa.

The "tostadas" were not crisp, but they weren't rubbery either. I was surprised at how good they tasted...must be all of the cheese. My husband and my daughter both gobbled them up and put in a request for more, so I guess this recipe is a keeper!

What do you make with your zucchini?

Creamy Tomato Bisque

Did you know that January is soup month? It makes sense. Here in Minnesota we've had the coldest weather in four years. A nice hot bowl of soup makes the best meal when your tootsies are cold, no? Now it's February and it's still cold..brrrr...I think it's time for another bowl.

One of my favorite soups is tomato, but it wasn't always that way. My mother made tomato soup quite often when I was growing up. It was the real deal, too...no cans involved. Plus, she made sure there were little meatballs floating on top. I preferred a hamburger. Silly, silly me...how I wish I could have a bowl of that perfect soup now. 

While I can't have a bowl of my mother's soup, I can and do make my own...even in mid-Winter when the temps are below zero and the tomatoes in the grocery store hard and sour. The secret is in the canned tomato....

Recently, I received a package of Tuttorosso Tomatoes to try. This was a real treat for me, since we can't get Tuttorosso Tomatoes in Minnesota. Luckily, we do have Red Gold Tomatoes and they make the Tuttorosso brand, so I knew they would be good....and they were! They also made an excellent addition to my recipe for Creamy Tomato Bisque. A little later, I will tell you how you might be able to get your own pack of Tuttorosso Tomatoes to try. First, Let me share my recipe....

Creamy Tomato Bisque

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes, chopped with juice*
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups light cream
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste

*I subbed the Tuttorosso Peeled Plum Shaped Tomatoes and the Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes with Basil


Melt butter in large pot over medium/high heat. Add onions, carrots and green pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened. Add the flour and continue to sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, basil, tarragon, cayenne pepper, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Remove the bay leaves and, working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until almost smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot, add the cream, paprika, curry powder and white pepper; heat the soup until it is hot, but not boiling. Salt to taste.

I topped this bowl with crispy bacon.....

.....but you could put some Grilled Cheese Sliders on top.

This weekend will mark a whole year since I was able to visit Red Gold Tomatoes, so it's fitting that I re-share this recipe with you now. I continue to be impressed with the quality of this product....really--put these tomatoes next to one of the other well-known brands and you will actually see the difference!

Tuttorosso has a recipe contest going on right now (through February 8th). Enter an original Italian recipe that uses Tuttorosso tomatoes to win some cool prizes. The first 4000 to enter will receive a free apron! For more information, read the rules on their Facebook page.

Would you like to give these awesome tomatoes a try? Simply leave a comment telling me all about your favorite tomato recipe. You can "like" The Dutch Baker's Daughter on Facebook and "like" Tuttorosso Tomatoes on Facebook for additional entries. Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget...it's easy...really!!

We will make this giveaway short and sweet....let's start on Friday, February 1, 2013 and end at 12:00 AM on Monday, February 4. I will use Rafflecopter to randomly choose the winner on Monday.

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Disclaimer: Red Gold Tomatoes provided me with a sample and the giveaway. All opinions remain my own. You must be 18 years of age and reside in the USA to enter.

Not So Impossible Veggie Pie

It's that time of year when I have a boatload of Summer vegetables that I need to make something with NOW. Last year, I actually bought myself a box of baking mix (or biscuit mix, if you will) and made an Impossible Zucchini Pie. It was really tasty, but even though I used a "heart healthy" mix, I wondered if making my own might be just a tad bit healthier. Tonight, I gave it a try.

Of course, I cruised around the Internet to check out homemade baking mix recipes, and there are quite a few out there, all pretty similar. The problem was that I didn't want a boatload of the stuff. I just wanted enough of the mix for one recipe. So, I concocted my own mini version. You will see a tablespoon of powdered non-fat milk in there...if you don't have it, I really don't think it will make all that much difference. I  like to keep it around for bread making, as it gives a little richness to the dough. All of my measurements were approximate. Feel free to substitute some of your favorite veggies...olives? shredded carrots? green peppers? The sky is the limit. You could even add some pepperoni or sausage, along with some Italian seasonings, for a pizza casserole. At any rate, I was happy with the way it turned out.

Not So Impossible Veggie Pie

1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese (I used a 3 pepper blend)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon non-fat dry milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening

3/4 cup skim milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Spray a one quart casserole dish or a 9" glass pie plate with cooking spray; preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle the tomatoes, zucchini, chopped onion, basil, and cheese evenly in the casserole dish or pie plate; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, dry milk, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a fork, until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Stir the milk and the eggs together in a measuring cup, then add to the flour mixture, mixing until well blended (some small lumps will remain). Pour evenly over the vegetables. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Don't worry about a few small lumps in the batter...they will disappear.

I'd say it was a big success! Now, I can't wait to try some of the other combinations I was thinking about. 

What kind of Not So Impossible Pie would you make?

It's Improv time! This month our ingredients are Corn and Butter-- fitting for July, no?  A big thanks to Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker for hosting this fun monthly challenge, where we get creative with two different ingredients each month.

I know what you're all thinking....where's the muffin? Am I right? I've gotten a little carried away with muffins lately, but I thought better of it this time. Not that corn and butter wouldn't make an awesome muffin, but I thought I'd better widen my horizons. To be honest, when I'm not thinking about muffins, I'm thinking about pizza. My favorite pizzas have a crispy crust and plenty of cheese and veggies. Sometimes there's sauce, but most often I just use a garlicky olive oil. Wouldn't pizza be a perfect vehicle for corn and butter? I knew you'd agree! Take a look at what kind of pizza I made....

Buttery Crusted Sweet Corn and Tomato Pizza

A buttery, flaky crust topped with roasted sweet corn and fresh tomatoes--the perfect summer pizza!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded Provolone cheese
• 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 cups roasted, fresh sweet corn kernels
• Freshly ground salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 500 degrees F.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry knife or two forks, until the flour resembles a coarse meal. Stir the yeast into the warm water. Add the water to the flour mixture and stir until it comes together into a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead until you have a smooth dough. Divide it in half, cover loosely, and allow to rest for about 30 minutes.
3. Sprinkle some cornmeal or Semolina flour onto a pizza peel (or use the back of a baking pan). Using your hands or a rolling pin, shape one of the dough halves into a 10" circle. Prick the dough with a fork, slide it onto the heated pizza stone, and bake for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Brush the partially baked dough with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, a teaspoon oregano, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 cup shredded basil. Top with about a cup of shredded cheese, or enough Provolone cheese slices to cover the crust, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Top the cheese with sliced tomatoes and 1 cup of corn kernels. Return the pizza to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper. Repeat with the second half of dough.

Yield: 2 10" Pizzas
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 30 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 13 mins.
Total time: 43 mins.
Tags: pizza, tomatoes, corn, dough, flaky, buttery

This is a lot like making a pie crust, except I always use chilled water for that. This crust turns out nice and crisp...and flaky!

The silpat makes a nice spot for kneading your dough.

Semolina flour is a good change from cornmeal...not quite as gritty.

I happen to like my corn grilled, so I saved several cobs when I grilled on Sunday.

Just use a sharp knife to get the kernels off of the cob.

You can see from the side how flaky the crust is. As a bonus, it stayed crispy, even after a night in the fridge.

This makes for a good lunch and/or appetizer, no?

I wasn't so sure I would like the crust like this, thinking it would be too much  like a pie crust., but it turned out to be one of the better pizza crusts I've made. As a bonus, there really isn't any rise time. Buttery, flaky crust with ripe tomatoes and corn? Oh yes...this I will make again. It's a new family favorite! :)

Check out all of the other delicious Corn and Butter entries.....

Strawberry Salsa

Have you ever thought of using strawberries in your salsa? I've had fruity salsas before, but not one that was more savory than sweet. Last week, my friends at Red Gold Tomatoes sent me a couple of cans of their Petite Cut Tomatoes and asked me to try out this awesome recipe for salsa.....with strawberries and tomatoes!

I'll be honest, my first thought was "why would I use canned tomatoes in a fresh salsa?", but then I remembered from my tour of the Red Gold plant that their tomatoes are canned within 45 minutes of arrival from the fields....that's more fresh than the tomatoes that you find in the store! Plus, the Petite Diced Tomatoes are already cut to the perfect size...I do like convenience. Let's take a look at this recipe, shall we?

Strawberry Salsa

Printable Recipe

1 pint fresh strawberries, diced

1 (14.5 oz) can Red Gold® Petite Diced Tomatoes, drained

1 small red onion, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine strawberries, , RED GOLD® PETITE DICED TOMATOES, onion and peppers. Stir in the lime juice, garlic and oil.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

I didn't have a small onion...I just measured out about a half cup.

Remember, if you don't like it hot --remove the seeds!

Of course, I put my own spin on things and put in a handful of cilantro and I subbed olive oil for the vegetable oil.

My honest take on this? It's easy and delicious! I really thought there would be a "canned tomato" taste involved, but all of the ingredients blended together perfectly. The strawberries give this just a smidge of sweetness and a whole lot of flavor. Next time, I'll be having this over some pork or chicken.

*Disclaimer: I was provided two cans of tomato product in order to review this recipe. All opinions are my own.

Eggs and Vegetable Hash

Since my husband has become a vegetarian, I have naturally cut back on my own meat consumption. That's not to say that I don't enjoy a nice steak or a burger, but it's easier to cook just one meal at a time. Sometimes it's a challenge, especially since I'm not entirely fond of fake meat products. Yesterday, I took note of the cover of my Vegetarian Times magazine and saw a great pic of a skillet meal of eggs and vegetables. What a tasty idea! So, while I didn't follow their recipe, I did run with the idea and made my own version---Eggs and Vegetable Hash.

Eggs and Vegetable Hash

Printable Recipe

3 medium russet potatoes

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced sweet onions

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon seasoning of choice* (try combining basil, savory, rosemary, thyme, etc.)

4 large eggs

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Peel and dice the potatoes into 1" pieces; rinse in cold water. Place the diced potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes or until slightly softened. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add the potatoes, green pepper and onions and saute for 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the seasonings and cook for an additional 5 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low. Make 4 cavities in the mixture with a spoon. Break one egg into each cavity. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the egg whites are set. Sprinkle with ground pepper.

*I'm kind of lousy when it comes to measuring spices. Usually, I toss in whatever I have. I'm also prone to picking up jars of spices that sound good. What I actually used in this recipe was a hefty sprinkling of Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute and a few grinds of Trader Joe's South African Smoke (guaranteed to add that "wonderful Umami flavor, which can be elusive"). I am aware that there are those that don't like spice blends, so feel free to use your imagination.

I do love those runny eggs....

Who said vegetarian food was boring?

Visiting Tomato Country.....Part II

It's been nearly 3 weeks since my visit to the Red Gold Tomato facilities. I think it's about time that I finish the story, no? When we last spoke about my great adventure, the limousine had just dropped us off at the hotel after a terrific meal at Bonges Tavern....you can read about it here.

The seven Red Gold Bloggers were up bright and early on Saturday---we had a big day ahead of us. The first thing on the agenda, was a trip to Red Gold's Elwood facility where we were meeting for breakfast and a tour of the plant.

A quick lesson on tomatoes was an eye opener. Steve Smith, Director of Agriculture and Chuck Williamson, Elwood Plant Manager taught us some awesome facts about Red Gold tomatoes. Here are a few things:

• Standards are high--only 53 farmers are considered "Red Gold" growers. Red Gold partners with these growers to determine field selection, soil fertility, staggered planting schedules, and variety selection.
• Red Gold distributes tomato products to all 50 states and to 15 foreign countries.
• Red Gold is the largest privately owned producer of ketchup in the country.
• Red Gold produces enough tomatoes to reach the moon and back!

Tomato tour fashion. Check out the hairnets and the headphones. Chuck Williamson (the only male in the pic) gave us an awesome tour through the ketchup processing plant. I hear that his employees were waiting for him to break out into song and dance, what with that fancy headset and microphone. :)

While the facts are interesting, the actual tour was very telling. We were asked to remove jewelry, scrub our hands, and wear hairnets for our walk through the production area. The high standards were very evident---it was clean! Not that I expected it not to be clean, but everything was sterile. They even wash the walls! Just that morning, I had heard of another food recall (from my own state)--it was such a relief for me to see a company that had such high standards to ensure excellence.

Since it wasn't "tomato season" while we were there, we didn't get to see the actual tomato canning, but we did see some ketchup production. From the washing of the plastic bottles, to the big vats of steaming ketchup, to the filling of the little ketchup packets, we were given the grand tour. I was feeling pretty good about ketchup at that point.

It doesn't take long for a group of bloggers to whip out the cameras....

Later, we were able to compare Red Gold products with some other major brands and we met Project Development Manager, Emily Jones. Have you ever put different brands of tomato product side by side? My guess is no. This is where I was so surprised. Look at the picture above, with the two kinds of tomatoes next to each other. You can actually see how smooshed the other "major" brand is...plus it had the tough ends and tomato skin still hanging on it. The juice was watery and separated...ewww. This, more than anything, had me convinced of the Red Gold quality.

Next, we were treated to lunch at the new Red Gold headquarters. Can you believe they bought an old elementary school and converted it into offices? We were honored to have lunch in the new cafeteria...which was previously a basketball court!

Lunch was prepared by Linda aka "Red Gold Lady". Among other things, she treated us to a fruity, tomato salad and some tomato crescent pinwheels...it was very tasty!

After lunch, the limousine brought us back to the hotel for a little rest before the big night ahead of us...we were going to The Taste of the NFL!

Renee from The Great Foodini, me, and Lisa from Jersey Girl Cooks

Monica and Linda from Red Gold



The Taste of the NFL bills itself as the Party with a Purpose...the purpose being a huge fundraiser to raise money for food banks all over the country. This year, it was held at the Gleaner's Food Bank Warehouse in Indianapolis...a most apropos spot as the building houses food bank contributions. When I saw the huge section of Red Gold tomato cans, I realized that the bloggers weren't the only recipients of the Red Gold generosity....

Because this was a strolling food and wine event, we were given a wine glass and a plate when we entered the building. Each NFL team had a station set up with chefs that they felt best represented their home town. The food was amazing! I think my favorite was the Smoked and Slow Roasted Pork Belly over Michigan White Beans at the Detroit Lions station. Or maybe it was the "Beef On Weck" with Fresh Horseradish, from the Buffalo Bills, or the Lemon Gnocchi with Shrimp, Crab, and Asparagus from the Washington Redskins. I take it all back. It was the Purple Velvet Cupcake from the Franklin Street Bakery in Minneapolis...at the Vikings station. Delish!

While the food was great, the people watching was even better. Over 3,000 people attended this event.

Ted Allen

Cake Boss!

All in all, my Red Gold Blogger trip was fabulous. Not only did I glean some good tomato knowledge, I got to rub elbows with some wonderful people.

Please stop by and visit my new blogger buddies:

Renee from The Great Foodini
Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet
Lisa from Jersey Girl Cooks
Deb from Just Short of Crazy
Sherry from Super Exhausted
Heather from Basilmomma

And let's not forget our wonderful Red Gold Tomato Hosts. You can find recipes and information on Red Gold's Facebook page, as well.

Disclaimer: My trip to Indiana to meet with the Red Gold company and to go to The Taste of the NFL was given to me as a prize by the Red Gold Tomato Company. As always, my opinions are my own.