Italian

That's been the theme of dinner this week.  Full of carbs to be sure, but delicious! Here are just a few of the recipes I tried this week!

Classic Cheese Lasagna (from Martha Stewart)

1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 pound fresh mozzarella

Marinara

Fresh Lasagna Noodles, cut into 4-by-13-inch strips and cooked, or store-bought dried noodles, cooked

5 ounces coarsely grated Parmesan cheese, (about 1 3/4 cups)

1.Preheat oven to 375. Combine ricotta, egg, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Coarsely grate 1/2 of the mozzarella, and stir into ricotta mixture. Using your fingers, shred remaining mozzarella into 2-inch strips, and reserve.

2.Spread 1/2 cup marinara in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place a layer of noodles over marinara. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over noodles, and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan. Place a layer of noodles over the cheese layer. Spread 1 cup marinara over noodles. Repeat layering (noodles, marinara, noodles, ricotta mixture, Parmesan) 2 more times. Spread remaining marinara over cheese layer, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.

3.Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Triple Chocolate Tiramisu (from Better Homes & Gardens)

2 3-ounce packages ladyfingers, split (I made some...they were easy!)

1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee

1 8-ounce carton mascarpone cheese

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ounce white chocolate baking squares or white baking bars, grated

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)

1. Line the bottom of an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with some of the ladyfingers, cutting to fit as necessary. Drizzle half of the espresso over ladyfingers;set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer just until stiff peaks form. Beat in the chocolate liqueur until just combined. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, spreading evenly. Sprinkle white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate over the mascarpone mixture. Top with another layer of ladyfingers (reserve any remaining ladyfingers for another use). Layer with remaining espresso and mascarpone cheese mixture.

3. Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours. Sift cocoa powder over top of dessert. If desired, garnish with cocoa beans.

Italian Meatloaf (from FoodNetwork)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 red pepper, seeded, small diced (I used red pepper flakes)

1 onion, diced

2 teaspoons (about 3 cloves) chopped garlic

1 pound ground beef

2 eggs

3/4 cup bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves

1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Saute until just soft, remove to a plate and cool.

When the peppers and onions are cool, combine all of the remaining ingredients together except for the marinara. Pack the meat mixture into an oiled loaf pan, if you do not have a loaf pan, form the meat mixture into a loaf shape on an oiled oven tray or baking dish. Top with the marinara making sure to spread evenly over the top.

Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the middle of the meatloaf. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.