Wednesday Guest Post: Eat Like A Brazilian

Nutrition with Women’s Professional Soccer

In the latest news, Women’s Professional Soccer (*WPS) kicks off the final week of voting for the WPS All-Star Game presented by U. S. Coast Guard Reserve on June 4, so do your voting at now www.womensprosoccer.com! The upcoming kick-off the men’s World Cup—the largest sporting event in the world—is a prime occasion to celebrate the sport of soccer and the countries and cultures that play it. Brazil is a prime example. In addition, there are a number of Brazilian stars in Women’s Professional Soccer. The advent of summer also brings out the barbecue. However, rather than the typical large hunks of meat often consumed in the U.S., we can all take a lesson from Brazilian-style radizio.

Women’s Professional Soccer celebrates its share of Brazilian players, among the top in the league and in the world for both men and women. This soccer culture, which plays what is called in Portuguese Juga Bonita (play beautiful, as in: skillfully) has a few typical dishes that lend themselves well to sports performance. Rodízio is a style of eating in both Brazilian and Portuguese restaurants, where food is brought to the tables, usually barbecued meats on a skewer such as sirloin steak or chicken, and distributed in small amounts until the customer has had enough (so it is not a massive piece of meat calling to you from the plate!). Barbecued pineapple or banana serves as a dessert. Rice and beans, a derivation of Caribbean influence, and a combination that forms a complete protein dish, are also typical Brazilian fare. In addition to bean-based recipes, try Sky Blue FC’s Rosana’s Fejioada, a Brazilian classic, and featured in Food Guide for Soccer.

*Excerpted from Food Guide for Soccer—Tips & Recipes From the Pros, with Women’s Professional Soccer, by Gloria Averbuch and Nancy Clark, RD. Available on www.amazon.com or www.nancyclarkrd.com.

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Recipe: Shrimp de Jonghe

Shrimp de Jonghe


2 lb. shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1/2 cup butter
2 large garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1 tbsp. fresh parseley (minced)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 cup grated Parmesean cheese
1 lb. linguine (cooked according to package directions)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook shrimp in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain shrimp in a colander, then immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Place the shrimp in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Melt butter in a pan over low heat; add in the crushed garlic and saute until the garlic turns fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the lemon juice, wine, bread crumbs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Pour butter mixture over the shrimp and sprinkle with grated Parmesean. Cover and bake for 10-12 minutes. Uncover dish and broil on high for 2-4 minutes until the top is crispy and crunchy. Serve over the linguine.


*Johnna's tip: Pasta dishes seem endless, don't they? You can twist it into just about anything you want adding in all your favorite ingredients. Shrimp de Jonghe is a speciality of the windy city, Chicago and was originated at DeJonghe's Hotel and Restaurant located in Chicago. Any food/recipes/deep dish pizzas that come out of Chicago, we want first dibs!

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Food.Fun.Stuff: Be Back in a Minute Plus Something New

So two things coming from Ashok Bajaj:

1. He's closing up shop @ 701 Restaurant...just for a minute. For 10 days, beginning August 2, 2009, 701 will be closed due to renovations and will get a new chef, Adam Longworth of Gotham Bar & Grill in NY who will replace Bobby Varua (*So where is Bobby headed now??...).

And

2. New Restaurant! (*We get excited when we hear news like this, that means more adventures in the life of a foodie...) Ashok Bajaj has scouted out Nicholas Stefanelli to be his executive chef @ Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca. Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca will offer Italian cuisine (*DC definitely needs more of these...or let's restate that, DC definitely needs more good Italian spots) @ 1100 New York Avenue in early September. What a way to usher in Fall...pasta, pizza and warm tomato sauce...we'll take one of each, please.

Get The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema's full report on this here.

Picture source: http://sbhrs.org/organization/Events/events.html

Recipe: Chile-Con Queso

Chile-Con Queso

2 lb. box Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
6 cloves of fresh garlic (finely chopped)
2 jars (16 oz.) hot salsa
1 green pepper (chopped)
5 small cans of Chile peppers (chopped)

In a double-boiler, heat the cheese. Add in the garlic and salsa. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes. Add in the green pepper and Chile peppers; stir. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: The 4th is over, but the summer has just begun. This means you will still be entertaining at some point and it's good to have a couple of quick side dish recipes lying around that you can prepare on the spur of the moment. Serve with tortilla chips and some fresh chopped tomatoes...We even like the idea of serving with some baby tomatoes or inside tomatoes that have been seeded and emptied.

Picture source: https://www.bobevans.com/recipe/Sausage_Con_Queso_Dip.aspx

Recipe: Mexi-Meatloaf

Mexi-Meatloaf

Slow Cooker
2 lb. ground turkey
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup salsa
2 eggs (beaten)
4 tbsp. taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Tonight's dinner. This is a twist on meatloaf with a Mexican flare, have fun with it. Top with sour cream and sprinkle with a little cilantro. Add some guacamole too!

Picture source: https://www.specialtyfood.com/do/news/PrintNewsArticle?id=81

Recipe: Creole Shrimp

Creole Shrimp

1 1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 drops Peppadew Splash On Sauce
1 lb. shrimp (deveined & shelled)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
*Slow Cooker (optional)

Combine all ingredients except shrimp. Add ingredients to Slow Cooker and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Add in the shrimp the last hour of cooking. And if you don't have a Slow Cooker saute celery, onion and bell peppers in 1 tbsp. butter until tender. (Better if left a bit crunchy.) Add remaining ingredients except shrimp. Simmer at least 30 minutes to an hour. Add shrimp simmer 30 minutes more.

*Johnna's tip: Creole is a style of cooking that originated out of Louisiana. It combines the flavors of French, Mediterranean, Spanish, African and American influences. The best of everything basically is all balled up into one dish in creole cooking. Try this dish over rice or with a side of French bread.

Picture source: http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--3672/shrimp-creole.asp

Recipe: Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza


1 Boboli Pizza Crust
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
1 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 tbsp. freshly chopped basil
1 tsp. freshly chopped garlic
1/2 onions (sliced)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over Boboli® crust. Top with pepperoni, basil, garlic and onions in a single layer, then add cheese. Bake directly on the oven rack, for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted, bubbling, and beginning to brown (*Please note that ovens vary, so 12-15 minutes may be too long or too short depending on your oven...In other words, keep an on eye on your pizza until you can tell its done). Let cool for 2-5 minutes, then slice. Serve!


*Johnna's tip: Last night, we had the pleasure of feasting on some of the best homemade pizza. Truly a pleasure. This comes as no surprise considering the name of the company who created it is called the "HomeMade Pizza Company". After a longs day work, we came home, popped it in the oven and in 15 minutes we were engaged in the most mouthwatering temptation since our last visit to Ray's Hell Burger. The pizza was a combination of thickly sliced Vidalia onions, pepperoni, basil and feta cheese. These combined flavors titillated our taste buds with the perfect amount of sauce, pungent basil flavor and crispy crust. Now, we must be honest, we were skeptical at first that a pizza not made in our house could actually taste homemade...we stand corrected. The recipe of the day is a visit to our past (*circa yesterday)...

Picture source: Copyright of Johnna Knows Good Food

Food.Fun.Stuff: JKGF Giveaway!

Now that you know how to grill a pizza (*See below), how about trying your luck at this: Johnna Knows Good Food wants your Most Creative, favorite, grilled pizza combinations. The top five winners with the most unique and original combo will receive a $10 gift card that can be used at any HomeMade Pizza Co. location!

Please send all recipes/combo's to johnnaknowsgoodfood@gmail.com and Good Luck!

Picture source: http://www.woodshows.com/index.php?categoryid=20

Food.Fun.Stuff: Grilling Pizza This Summer

When you think of pizza, do you think of grilling it?? Ohh the endless ways to good food, specifically here, pizza. We were able to call on the good folks of HomeMade Pizza Company to give us the low down on how to grill a pizza. The HomeMade Pizza Company is known for their fresh toppings and bake it yourself pizza's that has essentially set a new standard in the pizza world. Check out what they offered up to JKGF on grilling pizza:

At HomeMade, they are devoted to parchment paper for the crispest finish, so they have included it here to show you how to get the best crunch. You can pick up a Minden pizza stone at any HomeMade location starting now.

Gas Grill

Place a grill-top pizza stone in the center of the grill and preheat over high heat for 10-15 minutes.

Since the pizza will bake on the parchment paper, parchment must not extend over the edge of the stone. If it does, trim the parchment to size before grilling.

Slide the pizza and parchment paper off of the cardboard round and onto the stone. Turn to medium heat (ideal cooking temp is about 400 degrees) and immediately cover the grill. Grill until the cheese has melted and the crust is lightly browned, anywhere from 6 to 12 minutes (grilling times will vary widely so keep an eye on your pie!). Using the cardboard round or a pizza peel, carefully transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let cool for 3 minutes. Cut into slices, serve and enjoy!

Charcoal Grill

Place a grill-top pizza stone in the center of the grill and preheat over hot coals for 10-15 minutes.

Since the pizza will bake on the parchment paper, parchment must not extend over the edge of the stone. If it does, trim the parchment to size before grilling.

Carefully remove heated grill stone and arrange coals in an indirect heating manner. Replace grill stone and slide the pizza and parchment paper off of the cardboard round and onto the stone. Cover the grill, but check periodically. Bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is lightly browned, anywhere from 6 to 12 minutes (grilling times will vary widely, so keep an eye on your pie!). Using the cardboard round or a pizza peel, carefully transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let cool for 3 minutes. Cut into slices, serve and enjoy!

This summer, HomeMade introduced the "2009 Summertime Special at HomeMade" which was created with grilling in mind and includes the tastiest toppings: Sweet & Spicy Chicken, Poblano Peppers, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Grape Tomatoes and Fresh Pineapple. Rumor has it, the pizza tastes like it's been grilled even when it's been baked in the oven. Matt Weinstein, the co-owner of HomeMade Pizza Co. encourages tasters to try these other grilled combinations:

· Vidalia onions, goat cheese, fresh basil and pepperoni (amazing on whole wheat crust)
· Caramelized onions, poblano peppers, blue cheese, bacon and cilantro
· Chicken sausage, Poblanos, roasted red peppers and feta
· Tomato, basil, Vidalias, aged Parmesan and roasted garlic
· Spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, crispy pancetta, red onions and green peppers, dusted with red pepper flakes -- Also known as “The Don,” a meat-lover’s special

*From now until the end of the summer, pizza-on-the-grill instructions can be found @ www.homemadepizza.com and Minden pizza grill stones are available at all HomeMade Pizza locations.

Picture source: http://www.homemadepizza.com/menu.php

Johnna's Pick of the Week: The Liberty Tavern (VA)

So we've been talking a lot about Virginia lately. Here we go again. Smile, this Pick of the Week sure made us want more of the state for Lovers;-) So we've had the wine and tasted the burgers, but this time we went for the pizza. While chalking it up with some other area food bloggers, they alerted us to the pizza that one blogger said, and we quote, "the best pizza in the area". Could this be true?? Could the pizza at Pizzeria Paradiso and 2 Amys be outdone by a spot that has only about 6 pizza's on its menu?? Yes, we found, there is some tight competition on the other side of the bridge and its at none other than this years RAMMY winner (*Best Neighborhood Gathering Place), The Liberty Tavern.

We went in with low expectations especially with the type of pizza that the food bloggers had suggested to try. The Vermont (*How can apples on pizza taste good?). Now never having been to Vermont, we didn't really know what a pizza named after Vermont should have on it (*All that comes to mind when thinking of Vermont is snow...and more snow.). We were pleasantly surprised to find out how well Prosciutto, caramelized onions, sage, Cabot white cheddar (*We love Cabot cheeses!) and Granny Smith Apples go together on wood fired pizza dough. It gave all the pizza joints we've been to in the area a real run for their money. The Americano was worth an honorable mention, but it's really the Vermont pizza that you have to make a trip across the border for.

We must say Chef Liam (*A graduate of the prestigious New England Culinary Institute) has brought the DMV area the best of Vermont. Additionally, the restaurant does match up to its title as the best "Neighborhood Gathering Place" where the atmosphere is chill and relaxed but a great place to catch a game and meet new people. It's the type of place where "Everybody Knows Your Name" (*For those of you who missed the age of "Cheers", the quote was the theme song of one of America's favorite '80's sitcoms). Go, try the Vermont and route for your favorite NBA team (*That is, unless your mad your team didn't make it to the Playoffs...;-) Cheers!

Picture source: http://www.thelibertytavern.com/home.php

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/8 cup white sugar (*Or you can use up to 1/4 cup sugar, if desired)
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tbsp. fresh basil
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of onion salt

Stir together the tomato sauce, tomatoes, butter and sugar. Add in the oregano, basil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion salt. Cook over Low-Medium heat until bubbling and turn down heat to simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until heated through. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: This is the easiest homemade spaghetti sauce you will find on the market! It is the best alternative when you don't have a jar of spaghetti sauce on hand but you have these ingredients laying around. The other night, JKGF matched this with some thin spaghetti noodles and Italian meatballs (*Recipe found on JKGF circa May 12, 2009) and it was a hit! Add on a side of spring mix salad or some garlic bread, Enjoy!

Picture source: http://www.chopstixabq.com/noodles.html

Italian Meatballs

Italian Meatballs

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 onion (grated)
1 tbsp. minced garlic
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Combine all ingredients together (*JKGF uses the folding technique which is folding all the ingredients into the ground turkey.). Shape the meatballs into the desired size and place in a broiler dish; broil until browned on one side and turn over on the other to do the same. When browned to your liking add to your desired spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: We made ours BIG:-) They were quite tasty too, alongside some homemade spaghetti sauce and thin spaghetti noodles. Using Italian bread crumbs isn't a bad idea either, but we had bread crumbs on hand and decided we had to work with what we had...

*Johnna's tip, tip: "To taste". We use that as a measuring tool a lot of times in our recipes and we wanted to give further clarification to those readers who are amateur cooks. "To taste" just means how much salt or pepper would you like on your typical dish. JKGF, for instance, is not a salt fan, so we rarely add a lot of salt to our dishes and generally start our "To taste" measurement with about 1 tbsp. of salt in all of our dishes. We feel if you want more salt, you'll have an opportunity when the food is served to add what you like. Remember, you always add (*Starting out bland doesn't have to be a bad thing!), but you can't take the salt out once it's in there...

Picture source: http://www.makinglifebetter.com/food-recipes/recipe/4221/1/mama-s-best-ever-spaghetti-meatballs

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Vapiano's (D.C.)

Pasta on the Go. No, Good pasta on the Go. That is the best way to describe what you'll find coming out of Vapiano's. Vapiano's is the place you go if you want pasta, pizza and a bar. It is fast and pretty much self-service. Here's how the process works: As soon as you enter, you are given a card by the Hostess and told you can sit anywhere in the restaurant that's free/open. You proceed to the pasta or pizza line and place your order based on the menu options (*Ranging anywhere from basic pesto to granchi de fiume which translates to pasta with crawfish in a light creamy lobster sauce.). After you order and your food is ready, you swipe your card on the little machine by the cook and sit and eat. Simple as a high school lunchroom cafeteria line.

The process is cool because after eating one bowl you may decide you really want to take some of this home for you to enjoy later, so instead of pulling out your credit card one more time you can just add it to their little card and pay for everything all together. You probably won't have to order twice, however, because you will be more than stuffed after a bowl of the pasta and if you tack on a side salad, you're definitely good to go. The flash cooking technique they use makes the process go very fast so your in line a total of 10 minutes or less and that's mostly spent on waiting on your food. There really is no customer service relationship built here because you really don't need to communicate with anyone but the cook (*to place your order) and the hostess (*to get your card and to pay at the end).

Our favorites when we visit: We just can't seem to shake the granchi de fiume everytime we go here, the snap peas are a delicious, crunchy additive to the creamy pasta. Add on a side salad and you will be quite pleased with your lunch (*We suggest going for a lunch break @ around 1 or so, it is usually not crowded and provides for a cool atmosphere for work lunch dates).

Were we all in all pleased?? Yup, we would go back;-)

*This is not just a local thing...Vapiano's are springing up all over, check it here.

Picture source: http://www.vapianointernational.com/news.html

Food.Fun.Stuff: Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo. Ironically, Cinco de Mayo is not "an obligatory federal holiday" in Mexico, but rather a holiday that can be observed voluntarily. It is celebrated regionally, primarily in the state of Puebla. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's defeat of French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. In America, it seems to have taken on a meaning of its own...a day for non stop Margaritas! For those of you interested in the Margarita part of the festivities there will be plenty of places for you to go starting with:

1. Cafe Citron @ 1343 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. (202) 530-8844. Live salsa music from 6-9 pm, half priced appetizers 4-8 pm, $4 beers/$5 shots/$6 margaritas...sounds like our type of party;-)

2. Chi-Cha Lounge @1624 U st., NW Washington, D.C. (202) 234-8400. 6-9 pm drink specials.

3. Coyote Grill and Cantina @ 10266 Main Street, Fairfax, V.A. (703) 591-0006. Live music starts @ 5 pm, drink specials and $5 Appetizers.

4. Have the kids with you?? Austin Grill (@ 919 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD) will be hosting a Mexican beer garden but there will be face painting, guacamole and mariachi for the kids. Cost?? FREE (*to get in that is...;-) (240) 247-8969

Bring out your sombreros and shake your tail feather with a little salsa, Enjoy!

Picture source: http://www.dazzlejunction.com/holidays/cinco-de-mayo.php?page=11

Cinco de Mayo info compiled from www.wikipedia.org

Quick and Easy Cinco de Mayo Salsa

Quick and Easy Cinco de Mayo Salsa

2 large tomatoes (chopped)
1 can (4 oz.) black olives (drained and chopped)
1 can (4 oz.) green chiles (drained and chopped)
4 green onions (chopped)
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. garlic salt
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Wondering where the spice is?? You know JKGF is not a huge fan of spicy food so we nixed the possible spice participants in this recipe. You, however, feel free to add in a jalapeno or two depending on how spicy you like it. This is a great, quick recipe in case you're throwing together a last minute Cinco de Mayo celebration. Serve with some tortilla chips and soak up all that Tequila you will be indulging in, Ole!

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fresh_Salsa_2009_bg.jpg

Simple Creamy Alfredo

Simple Creamy Alfredo

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup milk
16 oz. pasta (*your choice) (cooked and drained)
1/2 tsp. fresh basil
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Dash of nutmeg

In a pot over low-medium heat, stir together the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, margarine, milk and basil; stir until smooth. Add in the pasta and toss lightly to coat with sauce. Top with dash of nutmeg and serve.

*Johnna's tip: The countless things we love about simple Alfredo...1. You can add just about any seafood to it i.e. shrimp, scallops, etc., 2. There are numerous herbs and spices that taste fabulous in it i.e. parsley, cayenne pepper, etc., 3. It is soooo easy to make...It's basically a two pot meal with the pasta cooking in one pot and the sauce in another. You get the picture, Alfredo is an easy go to meal especially on a Monday, like today, when we really aren't up for much cooking...

Picture source: http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid=68C2E5AB-2326-4ED9-929B-0113C83F3DDC

Simple Chalupa's

Simple Chalupa's

6 tortillas
1 (14 oz.) black beans
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Lettuce (grated)
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 (14 oz.) tomato chunks (drained)

Set the oven temperature to Warm (*or Low depending on your oven); heat the tortillas in the Warm oven. On a cookie sheet, lay the tortillas flat and top with the beans, then tomato, lettuce, salsa and cheese. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Chalupa made simple:-) These make great appetizers especially when you have a last minute engagement at the house. Add on other favorite's such as shredded pork, onions and sour cream.

Picture source: http://www.crazychurch.com/BreakingNews.aspx

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

1 package of ground turkey (or Vegetarians you can try Morning Star Meal Starter crumbled meat) 1 packet taco seasoning
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
1 packet Lipton Mexican or Spanish rice
1 package corn tortillas
1 can tomato sauce
1 package Mexican mix cheeses (you can try low fat/part skim cheeses too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet brown morning star meat. Add packet of taco seasoning mix to meat, following instructions on the taco seasoning packet. Follow directions on Lipton rice packet to prepare rice (*Do not, we repeat do not, however, add the tomatoes to the rice...the recipe is going to call for this but you will be adding in tomatoes already with the casserole, so you don't need double tomatoes). Cook refried beans (add water to them so they are not to thick). Combine rice, refried beans, diced tomatoes to the Morning Star meat and cook on low heat. In a separate skillet heat tomato sauce. Dip a tortilla into the tomato sauce and put on the bottom of the casserole dish, then add a layer of the meat mixture and some of the shredded Mexican mix cheese. Continue this process until all ingredients are gone and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 15-20 or until cheese has melted and is browning.

*Johnna's tip: We were in the need for some comforting last night and decided enchilada's would do the trick. This is a bit of a remix to the original Enchilada casserole we posted about over a year ago and decided to update the recipe. At the end of whipping it together we realized we should've added in some diced green and red peppers and maybe even a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a little more spice. The dish turned out fine and we topped with some sour cream and a drizzle of enchilada sauce (*Can be found at your local grocery store)...we feel better just thinking about it...

Picture source: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=682860

Baked Ravioli

Baked Ravioli

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 (29 oz.) tomato sauce
24 pieces of Four-Cheese Ravioli
1 oz. grated Romano cheese
14 oz. Meatballs (thawed and finely chopped)
5 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking pan and spread 5 oz. of tomato sauce in pan. Place a layer of 12 ravioli in the pan, flat side is up, on the sauce. Spread 12 oz. of tomato sauce over the ravioli and cover with half of the Romano cheese, half the meatballs and 2 oz. shredded mozzarella; pat down lightly. Repeat this procedure, saving 1 oz. of mozzarella for the top; pat down again and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour until mozzarella is melted on top and dish heated all the way through. Serve hot.

*Johnna's tip: Try Spinach Ravioli or Ravioli with beef filling. This recipe is meant to fulfill that lasagna craving in you, so you might even intertwine some Ricotta cheese in with the tomato sauce. Oooo and a sprinkle of Red Pepper Flakes will add just the right kick;-)

Picture source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beefy-Baked-Ravioli/Detail.aspx

Ready to Serve Taco Meat

Ready to Serve Taco Meat

1 lb. ground turkey (browned)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano

Add all the spices to a container with a lid and shake well. Add this mixture to a pan with the browned ground turkey and 3/4 cup water; stir to combine and allow this to cook until most of the juice has been soaked up by the meat. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Taco meat has so many uses! Try on top of a salad or in tortilla wraps (*which is what we did...) Add toppings such as fresh tomatoes, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese (*or the Mexican mix cheese that can be found at your local grocery store). For a salad, use a half a head of lettuce and cut into shreds, top with taco meat (above), black (or refried) beans, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip, tip: And for those Vegetarians out there, try this recipe with the MorningStar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles...taste just as good!

Picture source: http://www.martyspizza.net/catering.html