Recipe Share, JFF

My mom just emailed this recipe to me this morning. She RAVED about it when a friend made it Sunday for their Domino party.

Lasagna Blanca
12 Lasagna noodles
1 lb spicy bulk pork sausage
4 scallions (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup cottage cheese
8 oz cream cheese
1-1/2 cups shredded monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour
1 cup milk
9 x 13 pan 350*
Cook, rinse & drain lasagna
cook sausage, scallions & mushrooms. drain fat
combine cottage cheese, cream cheese & 1/2 C monterey jack cheese,
garlic powder & pepper.
For sauce, melt butter, stir in flour & milk. Cook until thick & bubbly.
Stir in 1/2 cup of monterey jack cheese.
Layer
Bake covered for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese & bake 10 min more

I got this from one of the other mom's and changed it up a bit. This is a weight watchers recipe - to cut the calories back - use reduced or low/no fat sour cream and cheese...

Cheesy Taco Pasta

Ingredients:
8 oz wheat pasta (pin wheels, medium shells, farfalle - just NOT spaghetti style)
1 lb 95% lean ground beef
1 oz packet reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 ½ c chunky salsa
½ c water
¼ c sour cream
¾ c shredded cheddar cheese
¾ c shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used extra sharp)
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 diced onion

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. While pasta is cooking, place ground beef in a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef as it cooks. When the beef is cooked, drain any grease from pan. Add the taco seasoning, salsa and water and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until pasta is done cooking.
3. Once pasta is done, drain pasta and add it to the beef mixture. Add the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cheese will melt when thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

I made a pan seared salmon with a beurre blanc sauce the other day. It was too die for!

Pan sear several salmons filets, then finish them off in the oven.

While filets are in the oven put 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, 3/4 t salt, half a shallot (diced), 1 T white wine, 1/4 c white wine vinegar. (I used champagne in place of the white wine and balsamic vinegar in place of the white wine vinegar.)

Reduce the liquid until there is about 1 T left. Remove from the heat. Take four sticks of butter (chopped into small cubes and very cold). Add the butter a few pieces at a time and whisk them in quickly. Incorporate all the butter.

Remove the salmon from the oven, plate and spoon sauce over the filets.

I served it with a quinoa, barley mixture. I'd show the pictures of my plate (because that's what I've been working on lately...my plating) but there is no way to attach a pic here. :(

BUT! It was so delicious!!