Spinach Egg Bites

Cathy has been making different versions of Egg Bites. We like them. This is the recipe we first used. The secret is we bought a silicon muffin pan that allows the Egg Bites to be easily popped out. They can be frozen and microwaved as needed.

Spinach Egg Bites
New York Times
 
Lovers of the sweet, earthy flavor of leafy greens can rejoice in these fluffy egg bites, which are mostly spinach and scallions bound by a little egg. Many great dishes of the world start like this: Spanikopita, the savory Greek spinach and feta pie, comes to mind, as does kuku sabzi, the herby, frittata-like Persian dish. These egg bites are a great make-ahead breakfast or high-protein snack on their own, and they’re also a lovely lunch or light dinner alongside a green salad. They’re adaptable, too: You can swap out the scallions for dill or parsley, and the Parmesan for Cheddar or feta. Make them your own.
 
INGREDIENTS
Yield:12 egg bites
 
Olive oil, for greasing
2     (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4     scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
6     large eggs
2     cups (16 ounces) cottage cheese
¼    cup grated Parmesan
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6     tablespoons all-purpose flour
1     teaspoon baking powder
 
 
PREPARATION
 
1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil and place on a sheet pan.

2. With clean hands, squeeze the spinach over the sink to remove as much water as possible. Drain well and add to a large bowl, along with the scallions, eggs, cottage cheese, Parmesan and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Add the flour and baking powder, and stir just until incorporated.

3. Fill the muffin tin with the spinach mixture — ⅓ cup each — and bake until set, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before running a sharp paring knife around the edges of each cup to help release the bites. (Alternatively, you could use a silicon muffin mold.)

4. These egg bites stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, just microwave them for 10 seconds at a time until warmed through.

  

Viral Lasagna Soup Recipe, the Gustiamo Way

 

Viral Lasagna Soup Recipe, the Gustiamo Way is a fabulous soup. It is perfect on a cold winter day. The soup is very thick. We recommend it. It will be a regular addition to our repertoire.

We started with a Caesar Salad. A great dinner!

Viral Lasagna Soup Recipe, the Gustiamo Way
 
Lasagna soup is everywhere. Creamy. Cozy. Internet-famous. So of course we tried it. What does Gustiamo think? Are you allowed to break lasagna sheets? Yes, if you use the right lasagna.
If you’re breaking lasagna sheets into broth, they need structure. Bronze-extruded, slow-dried Lasagna Faella holds its bite, grips the sauce, and stays al dente even the next day. This soup reheats beautifully. The flavor deepens. The texture stays perfect. Just make sure you stir well after adding the broken lasagna pieces. Really stir. These sheets love each other and will cling if you ignore them.
Most versions add cream. We add depth instead. Sicilian tomato concentrate and a Vacche Rosse cheese rind simmering in the broth create an umami base that makes cream completely unnecessary.
The result? Silky broth. Deep tomato flavor. Tender pork. Lasagna pieces with bite. A soup that reheats like a dream. The flavor deepens overnight and the pasta stays beautifully al dente thanks to that slow drying. 
 
INGREDIENTS
 
Onion, ½, finely chopped
Pork (ground or finely minced), ½ lb
Tomato concentrate, 2 tbsp
Homemade broth, 3 cups
100% Italian tomatoes, 1 can (400 g)
Lasagna Faella, 12 strands, broken into large pieces
Vacche Rosse cheese, 50 g, grated
Vacche Rosse rind, 1 piece
Extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
PREPARATION
 
1. In a heavy pot, sauté the onion in olive oil for 2–3 minutes, until soft.

2. Add the tomato concentrate and a spoonful of broth to loosen it. Let it cook briefly to deepen in flavor.

3. Add the pork and cook until browned and fully cooked through.

4. Add the canned tomatoes, crushing them directly in the pot with a wooden spoon.

5. Pour in the remaining broth, add a pinch of salt and the Vacche Rosse rind.

6. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes to let the flavors combine and intensify. The rind stays in. If you prefer a looser, soupier texture, add a spoonful or two of water or broth as it cooks.

7.  Add the broken lasagna pieces and stir immediately and thoroughly to prevent sticking.

8. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until perfectly al dente.*

9. Stir in grated Vacche Rosse cheese until melted.

10. Serve with more grated cheese and a drizzle of intense extra virgin olive oil.
 
If you plan to make it ahead and reheat later, cook pasta only 10 minutes, as it will continue cooking in the hot soup after you take it off the stove. Reheat gently for 1-2 minutes.

 

 

Japanese Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus

Japanese Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus is an excellent recipe. Surprisingly there are many Japanese recipes that use Pasta. Remember that Pasta originally came from China not Italy. This is a good recipe. I look forward to making it again!

Japanese Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus
 
Seasoned with soy sauce and flavorful dashi broth, this Japanese-style Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus is
incredibly delicious and ready in less than 30 minutes! It’s also gluten-free!
Prep: 10 mins Cook: 20 mins Total: 30 mins
Servings: 2
 
INGREDIENTS
¼  red onion (2.5 oz, 70 g)
2   cloves garlic
6 oz asparagus spears
10 pieces shrimp (9 oz, 260 g; peeled and deveined) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1½–2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1–2     dried red chili pepper (seeds removed; optional)
¼–⅓   cup dashi (Japanese soup stock)
1  Tbsp soy sauce (use GF soy sauce for gluten-free) crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) (optional)
8  oz gluten-free pasta (4 oz/113 g per person; I used my favorite GF pasta brand‘s linguini)
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS
 
1.  Gather all the ingredients. Bring a big pot of water to boil.

2.   Meanwhile, cut ¼ red onion and 2 cloves garlic into thin slices.

3. Cut 6 oz asparagus spears diagonally and separate the spears and stalks, as we will sauté the stalks first because they take longer to cook.

4. Sprinkle Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on 10 pieces shrimp. 

5.  Once the pasta water is boiling, for 4QT (16 cups or 3.8L) add 2 Tbsp salt. Then, add 8 oz gluten-free pasta. As we will cook the pasta a little longer after draining, cook it 1 minute less than the directions on the package.

6. Heat 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the shrimp and cook until the bottom side is nicely browned, about 2–3 minutes. Don’t touch the shrimp until it releases itself from the skillet. Once it has a nice char on one side, you can easily flip.

7. When one side of the shrimp is nicely browned, flip and cook the other side for 2–3 minutes. Once the shrimp are nicely golden brown, transfer to a plate and set aside.

8. Lower the heat to medium low, add 1½–2 Tbsp unsalted butter and swirl around.

9. Add the red onion and garlic slices and sauté for 1 minute. If you like spicy pasta, add 1–2 dried red chili pepper now. Increase the heat to medium and add the stalks of asparagus. Sauté for about 3minutes, until asparagus stalks become tender.

10. Then, add the spears of asparagus and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the asparagus are tender but still nice and crisp.

11. Add the shrimp back into the skillet, add ¼–⅓ cup dashi (Japanese soup stock), and increase the heat to medium high.

12. Add 1 Tbsp soy sauce (gluten free) and adjust based on your preference.

13. Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine with the ingredients. If you‘d like, sprinkle freshly ground black pepper

Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Baked Ziti with Sausage Meatballs and Spinach

Baked Ziti with Sausage Meatballs and Spinach was a disappointment. It was bland. We like Baked Ziti but not the recipe. If you want to make a great Baked Ziti try this recipe Baked Ziti with Vegetable Sauce it is great. You can find the recipe on our blog of October 21, 2014: Click the date to get the recipe. 

Baked Ziti with Sausage Meatballs and Spinach

New York Times

 

Baked ziti is meant to feed a crowd, and this one surely does. “Cheater” meatballs made with uncased Italian sausage are strewn throughout the sauce for heft, and baby spinach lends a pop of color. Because ricotta has a tendency to dry out when baked, crème fraîche is added to ensure a more velvety texture, but sour cream thinned out with a little heavy cream works just as well. The whole dish can be assembled and baked ahead the day before. Bring it to room temperature before warming, then broil right before serving for crisp edges.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:8 to 10 servings

 

1       pound sweet Italian sausage (pork, turkey or chicken), casing removed

2       tablespoons olive oil

1       medium onion, finely chopped

3       garlic cloves, finely chopped

1       tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped

1       teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)

2       (28-ounce) cans whole San Marzano tomatoes with their juices

5       ounces baby spinach

Kosher salt and black pepper

1       pound ziti, penne or other short, tubular pasta

1       (15-ounce) container ricotta

7       ounces crème fraîche (about 1 scant cup)

1       cup grated pecorino

¾      pound fresh mozzarella, cut or torn into ½-inch pieces

 

PREPARATION

 

1.    Using your hands, shape the sausage into about 35 (1-inch) meatballs.

2.    In a deep 12-inch skillet or a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Working in two batches, fry the meatballs until golden all over, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet pan or platter. Cook the onion until softened, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and red-pepper flakes, if using, and cook 

3.    Add the tomatoes and their juices to the skillet, gently crushing them. Stir in the meatballs, bring to a simmer and cook, 20 minutes. Gently fold in the spinach, tossing until it wilts. Season with salt and pepper.

4.    Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until 2 to 3 minutes short of al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain pasta.

5.     In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, crème fraîche and half the pecorino. Season with salt and pepper. Stir half the meatball sauce into the ricotta mixture. Add pasta and toss together to coat. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that’s at least 2½ inches deep. Top with the remaining meatball sauce, the mozzarella and the remaining pecorino. Place uncovered baking dish on a sheet tray and bake until the cheese is melty and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

6.    Turn heat to broil and cook until the cheese and pasta brown in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. (Don’t walk away; the cheese can burn very quickly!) Remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Fried Rice and Cherry Tomato Salad

We had leftover Pork and we decided to make a Thai Pork Fried Rice. We use the recipe for: Fried Rice with Crab from Thai Street Food by David Thompson. We simply substituted the Crab with Pork. It was as good or better than any Fried Rice we get a restaurants. This is a recipe (with Crab or Pork or Shrimp) that you should try. You can find the recipe on our blog of April 4, 2013: Click the date to get the recipe. 

We started with Cherry Tomato and Stone Fruit Salad. We get the Salad at Majordomo whenever we eat there. You can get the recipe on our blog of: June 18, 2025. Click the date to get the recipe.

Mar 2 Creamy Butternut Squash and Coconut Noodle Soup

Ok, everyone, listen up! Creamy Butternut Squash and Coconut Noodle Soup is a MUST MAKE Soup. It is beyond delicious. I loved it and can't wait till we make it again. We enhanced the soup in two ways. We used Delicata Squash instead of the called for ButternCreamy Butternut Squash and Coconut Noodle Souput Squash. The reason we did this is that the Delicata Squash does not need to be peeled. Life is easier! The second thing we did was to add cleaned, shelled Deveined Shrimp to the hot soup at the end for about 5 minutes to cook them. They were a great addition. This is just such a wonderful soup. I really hope you make it!

You can find the recipe for Creamy Butternut Squash and Coconut Noodle Soup on our blog of January 24, 2025: Click the date to get the recipe.