for Cooks with Some Experience

Best Ever Lasagna

Cheri Hughes

We love this lasagna. It’s better than any we’ve ever had. Blows restaurant lasagna away!

Prep/Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 box lasagna noodles Cooking oil or spray 1 pound Italian sausage 1 pound ground chuck 1 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1/4 teaspoon pepper 15 ounces ricotta cheese 1 tablespoon parsley 12 ounces tomato paste 1 egg, beaten 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (optional) 28 ounces of canned tomatoes, broken up 1 container grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to keep noodles from sticking together. Heat cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and ground chuck, break into pieces, and brown. Drain any excess fat. Add onion and garlic. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seed (optional), pepper, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste, and simmer for 20 minutes. Combine egg, ricotta cheese, parsley, and salt in a separate bowl. In the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan, spoon about 1 1/2 cup meat sauce. Layer 1/3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 meat sauce, 1/3 ricotta mixture, and 1/3 mozzarella. Cover with parmesan. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 25 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 8-10 servings.

Chicken Parm Meatball Skillet

Carol Matheson

Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes 1/2 cup bread crumbs ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley 1 large egg ½ cup shredded mozarella cheese 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes Salt and pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, half the garlic, and egg and season with salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined, then form into meatballs. In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown each side for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet. Add remaining half of garlic and cook until fragrant for 1 minute, then stir in crushed tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, then return meatballs to skillet. Top with mozzarella and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Dad’s Marinara Sauce

John Caldora

My dad has slowly perfected this recipe for marinara sauce over the course of my lifetime, and it was handed down to him from his family. It’s gone through some revisions over the years, but every time he makes it, it brings back a lot of great childhood memories.

Prep/Cook Time: 15 minutes of prep, 1 hour and 45 minutes to cook

Ingredients:

2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano (certified) whole peeled tomatoes 2 cups water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried basil 3 cloves garlic chopped fine 1 1/2 cups onion chopped fine 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

In large sauce pot add olive oil. Then on medium, heat sautéed onions, salt, pepper, and basil for 5 minutes. Add garlic last 2 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning. Add tomatoes to blender and chop. Add chopped tomatoes and water to pot. Bring to slow boil for 10 minutes, and lower to simmer, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes for 1 1/2 hours. Add sugar. Serve with your favorite pasta and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. bon appétit!

Double Crusted Chicken

Great paired with sweet potatoes fries and sweet corn!

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 cups flour 4 teaspoons salt 4 teaspoons black pepper 3 tablespoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground sage 1 teaspoons cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons paprika 8 tablespoons water 4 eggs 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons ground thyme 3-4 cloves minced garlic 1 cup honey 1 tablespoons freshly ground nutmeg Canola oil for frying 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium soy sauce is best)

Jennifer Miller

Directions:

Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally. Sift together the flour, salt, black pepper, ground ginger, nutmeg, thyme, sage, paprika, and cayenne pepper. This flour and spice dredge mix is sufficient for two batches of this chicken recipe so divide the batch and store 1/2 in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. I always like to make enough for next time...and there’s always a next time with this recipe. Make an egg wash by whisking together the eggs and water. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the breast into the egg wash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the meat to get good contact.

Cooking the chicken:

Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. Just below medium heat works well. Use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Double Crusted Chicken

Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked breasts into the honey garlic sauce. Serve with noodles or rice.

Honey garlic sauce:

In a medium saucepan add the 2 tablespoons olive oil and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic, but do not let it brown. Add the honey, soy sauce, and black pepper. Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat, and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.

Oven-baked version: Follow the recipe exactly as for the fried version, but while you are preparing the chicken, heat a baking sheet in a 425° oven. Preheating the pan prevents the chicken from sticking and ensures that the heat from the oven starts going directly into the crust on the chicken to make sure it becomes crispy. Dip all your chicken pieces and coat as instructed. As you finish individual pieces, lay them out on a lightly floured cutting board while you finish getting them all ready. When the pieces are all ready, take the hot pan from the oven and lightly oil the bottom of the baking pan with canola oil or other vegetable oil. Use only enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Working as quickly as possible, transfer the chicken pieces to the oiled pan. Do not crowd the pieces together. They should NOT touch each other or they will steam and not get crispy. Leave at least an inch of space between all pieces.

Cooking the chicken: Lightly spray the tops of the chicken pieces with vegetable oil. I recommend that you have a spray bottle filled with canola oil to use in any oven-fried recipe for chicken, including this one. A simple pump bottle will do. Spraying the tops helps them start to get crispy in the hot oven too. Maintain the heat at 425 degrees and place baking sheet in the oven on the second lowest rack. Bake for 15 minutes without opening the door. Take the pan out of the oven and flip all of the chicken pieces over. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken pieces brown nicely and become crispy. Again don’t open the door; maintaining a hot oven is important for this method. Dip the baked pieces in the sauce as usual and serve immediately. Notes: For a gluten-free option, try substituting rice flour for the white flour.

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole

Sherri Wilder Gray,Kentucky

This is one of my son Joshua’s favorite dishes. My son has always, even as a small child, loved spicy food. His favorite condiment is hot sauce. So I had come across several recipes that he loved, and I changed the recipes a bit and combined them. It has become a family favorite.

Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts 1/4 cup olive oil 8 ounce, softened cream cheese 6 slices bacon 1/3 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce (or to taste) Salt (to taste) 1 tablespoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons onion powder 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers deseeded and diced 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cut chicken into cubes. Coat the chicken with olive oil then season with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder (reserving 1 teaspoon of each to add to cream cheese mixture). In a sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, add chicken cubes, and fry until slightly brown and properly cooked. Fry bacon, cut into small pieces, and set aside. Heat cream cheese in the microwave (30-60 seconds). Add hot sauce, one jalapeño, garlic, onion powder, and salt to taste. Mix well with a whisk. If you want to tame the heat from the jalapeño, leave it out of the mixture, and just add it on top of the casserole. Pour mixture over chicken, making sure all pieces are coated. Coat a baking dish with olive oil, add chicken mixture to dish, and top with cheddar cheese, bacon, and jalapeño pieces. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes or until slightly browned and bubbly. To save time, use a rotisserie chicken and real bacon pieces (check the salad dressing section of your grocery store).

Helpful hint: If the sauce is too thick you can add tablespoon of chicken broth at a time to thin it down to the consistency you want.

Southwest Spaghetti Angela Duell Lexington, Kentucky

We are all True Blue Wildcats! My father-in-law retired from the UK Dental School after teaching for 33 years. My husband and brotherin-law are both UK graduates. I have worked at UK for 20 years. Our son just completed his first semester at UK.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes to prep and 10 to 15 minutes to bake

Ingredients:

Salt for pasta water 8 ounces spaghetti 1/2 cup milk 1 egg 1 pound ground pork 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium green pepper, chopped 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 16 ounces tomato sauce 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Banana pepper rings (chopped, if you prefer)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil for spaghetti. Add salt and spaghetti and cook for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Whisk together the milk and egg, and mix with the hot spaghetti. Spread mixture in a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. While preparing the spaghetti, cook the pork, onion, green pepper, and garlic together in a large skillet over medium heat until the pork is fully cooked. Drain off any excess fat. Stir the chili powder, cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper into the pork mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. Spread the pork over the spaghetti in the baking dish. Sprinkle both cheeses over the pork. Place banana pepper rings (or chopped banana pepper rings) on top of the cheeses. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand about 5 minutes before cutting. Makes about 6 servings.

White Chicken Chili

Emma Groetecke

My mom is a very keen soup maker, and this has always been one of our favorites. It’s mouth-wateringly delicious and not too difficult to make. This soup reminds me of home!

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1 1/2 cups chopped celery 1 clove minced garlic 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 pound chicken breasts (cubed) 4 cups chicken broth 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (blended) 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)

Garnish:

1/4 cup Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves Lime wedges

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic, cumin, & cayenne to cook, stirring until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the blended chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken cubes and cook until the meat is no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Add the strained cannellini beans, chicken broth, and oregano. Cook partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Add salt and cayenne to taste, and continue cooking partially covered for about 10 minutes.

To serve, ladle into individual bowls and top with Greek yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice to taste.

KENTUCKY

FAVORITES Well-known Kentucky Meals and Snacks

Cornbread Salad

Bari Nunamaker

As UK fans, we have always enjoyed the football tailgate parties on crisp fall Saturdays. This delicious cornbread salad is a favorite to share!

Prep/Cook Time: Approximately 1 hour prep time

Ingredients:

1 (8.5 ounce) package corn muffin mix 1 cup mayonnaise 1 (8 ounce) sour cream 1 cup diced green onions 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry ranch salad dressing mix 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 2 (15.25 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained 3 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes

Directions:

Prepare corn muffin mix according to package. Cool, crumble and set aside. In a small bowl add mayonnaise, sour cream, and salad dressing mix. Stir to combine. In 3/4 quart glass salad bowl, layer cornbread along the bottom of the bowl. Spread 3/4 previously mixed dressing on top of cornbread crumbles. Now layer in the following order: corn, beans, tomatoes. Top off with remaining dressing. Sprinkle diced green onions on top. Enjoy at your next UK tailgate party!