Carl Cooks: Mile High Lasagna Pie

It's been said that we eat with our eyes first which easily explains why I immediately snapped up this special edition of Italian recipes published by Better Homes and Gardens magazine off the newsstand. I am a self-confessed lasagna lover like the famous cartoon character, Garfield. Being a staple of pot luck dinners I feel the dish often gets a bad rap as being just another casserole. Lasagna is also fairly inexpensive to make and seldom seen on the menus of trendy restaurants. However, that doesn't mean it cannot taste great and ranks up there with the best of comfort foods in my book.

So when I saw this lasagna in the round I knew it was my calling to create my own version. After all, isn't the natural shape of a pie round? So here's how it all comes together.

WHAT YOU NEED:

14 Lasagna Noodles (I used fresh ones this time)
Olive Oil
Marinara Sauce (1 jar of your favorite. Mine is RAO's)
3 Zucchini
Fresh Baby Spinach (about 1 pound)
Fresh Cremini Mushrooms (about 1 pound)
Fresh Garlic Cloves
Fresh Basil (good handful)
Fresh Italian Parsley
Ricotta Cheese (1 15 oz. container)
Egg (1 whipped)
Parmesan Cheese (1 cup grated)
Italian Cheeses 2-3 cups shredded

WHERE TO START:

Wash Spinach Leaves (or used pre-washed package)
Slice Zucchini
Slice Mushrooms
Mince Garlic Cloves
Chop Basil
Grate Cheeses
Beat Egg
Thoroughly combine egg, Ricotta and Parmesan cheese in mixing bowl

Lasagna is a lot like pizza. If you follow the basic rules, you can stuff it with any of your favorite flavors. I chose sauteed spinach, zucchini and mushrooms for my filling. It is a good idea to put some heat to all your vegetable ingredients before layering instead of using raw ones. I also knew that would be my chance to work in lots of garlic. In a previous post on grilled cheese sandwiches I elaborated on how to get a nice quick saute on baby spinach leaves in garlic oil.




Remove the slightly wilted spinach leaves and place them into a waiting bowl. Then use the same pan for your zucchini which will be nicely seasoned with garlic and olive oil.


Mushrooms vary greatly in size. Whatever type and size you choose make sure you brush them clean and slice/cut into a shape for a good saute.


Mushrooms take on just about any flavor you use to saute them. My favorite things to toss into the mix are butter, white wine, and just a sprinkle of fresh parsley. This part of the party makes your lasagna earthy.


Ricotta is very mild so combining it with the egg, Parmesan cheese and salt/pepper will kick up the flavor in addition to the texture it adds.


HOW TO FINISH:
Layer Layer Layer in a springform pan
Bake at 375 for about one hour
Cool to set
Remove pan
Slice and Serve

Set up an assembly station. The rest of this process is strictly layering.


Begin and end the layering with your marinara sauce. Go slowly and make sure each layer includes some of the cheeses, veggies, sauce, noodles and basil. As you layer use a plate to press down on the layers insuring more stability and less air pockets.






After one hour at 375 let it cool down and set on a cooling rack.


Carefully remove the springfrom pan side and there you have it!


Zooming in for detail on the side this dish just oozes with melted cheese goodness and garlic sauteed veggies. I can't wait to take a bite!


A word about cheese. You can use any combination of the popular Italian varieties like Mozzarella, Provolone, Asiago, Fontina and Romano. I have always been partial to Mozzarella but recently I discovered the joy of Smoked Mozzarella and I might never be able to go back. It is now easy to find at places like Trader Joe's and it adds a whole new flavor dimension to one of the great melting cheeses.

And a word about food styling. To be honest I could not get my Mile High Lasagna Pie to look as good as the magazine cover right out of the oven. It was delicious but obviously made so by the hot and melted cheesy layers. So when sliced it just did not hold its shape like the photo. After sitting my fridge all night it made for a much sturdier model. The take away here is to worry first about how it TASTES for your guests. In this recipe try presenting it on a nice glass cake plate for dazzle. If it slips a bit when slicing, it won't matter at all when it finally hits their mouths.

Simple lasagna but presented in the round like any good pie should be. You will get compliments stacked a mile high. Oh Mamma Mia!

A Tasty Tour of Santa Cruz: Five Favorite Flavors

I have lived in Santa Cruz long enough to sample plenty of the local restaurant fare. As the song goes "these are a few of my favorite things" and trying to tell others about them is like trying to describe air. So the logical solution was just to plan a food excursion to enjoy them first hand. And I could think of no better person to imbibe with than my good foodie friend, Stacie Tamaki from The Flirty Guide. On our January food adventure Stacie and I headed north to sample the street food of San Francisco including carts, stands and trucks.

Here was our Santa Cruz food tour itinerary with five specific foods targeted:

1. Cinnamon Roll at the Seabreeze Café
2. Garden Wrap at Charlie Hong Kong
3. Veggie Burger at Betty's Burgers
4. Peanut Butter Cookie at The Buttery
5. Artisan Ice Cream at The Penny Ice Creamery


Our first stop was one I have made many times and actually blogged about it last month. Seabreeze Café, a popular breakfast spot is known for their homemade-style cinnamon rolls and also features a daily muffin special. While I normally order their Huevos Rancheros yesterday, we both tried the hot cinnamon roll and freshly baked Apricot Almond muffin. Once again they never disappoint in the bakery department. Here are photos of their specialty baked pastries as they were served and then as we partook.








As we indulged and snapped away with our cameras it was pretty obvious to our server that we were not just your average pair stopping by to enjoy their famous breakfast menu. She told us that the owner, Tex, had just made a peach cobbler and asked if we'd like to see it. We said "bring it on" but just for looks as we had many miles of munchies ahead for us. This first stop on our food tour of Santa Cruz was no place to over do it. At that point we were fully aware of the need to pace ourselves for the rest of the tasty endeavors ahead. This first photo is just the pastry top of the peach cobbler which resembled a mountain range of crusty biscuit-y goodness.


And then slipping off to a side view of the baking dish the sweet peaches rest below in syrup. This dessert choice will be much to the delight of the those who will be making the Sea Breeze Café their lunch destination this afternoon.


Stop #2 was at the wildly popular Santa Cruz iconic purveyor of Asian Street Food, Charlie Hong Kong. This unassuming little spot rests on one of the busiest corners in town where Soquel Avenue and Seabright Avenue meet.


I am a self-admitted sucker for spring rolls of any kind. But Charlie's garden rolls are in a league of their own. My first shot is one of the whole plate showing the tangy Hoisin Sauce on the side. For $2.95 you get marinated carrots, daikon, avocado, rice vermicelli noodles, fresh cilantro and mint rolled in a rice paper wrap. This roll has subtle flavors but can knock you off the picnic bench seats on their patio.


Zooming in for detail I found myself wanting to just climb inside this bundle of organic goodness.


Stacie could not resist the green curry bowl on the menu but she did not exactly have to twist my arm into ordering it.


This organic Asian street food tastes so good that I kept thinking the closer I get the better chance you will have of tasting it. :-)


Stop #3 was Betty's Burgers where they boast "Juicy Patties & Hot Buns." When it comes to burgers nobody does it better than Betty. Their menu just shines with simplicity. It is classic burgers, shakes and fries food but all done with care and not just speed.


Surprise surprise, we ordered a burger and fries! We opted for their house made veggie patty they call "Tracks in the Grass." Every Betty burger comes standard equipped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, dill pickles and Betty's special lube which is a mayonnaise based secret sauce.


Zooming in on my burger shows the beautiful layers and precision building which has made Betty's an overnight sensation in Santa Cruz and now at their new Capitola location too.


And not taking a backseat to anything on their menu are the fries. They are shoestring in size and so super crispy they must be double fried. These fries as well as their onion rings are so on point that you must eat them to believe.


It was getting time for dessert and that meant our last two stops were for sweets. First we swung into another Santa Cruz landmark, a bakery called The Buttery.


Everything they make at this bakery is excellent but The Buttery makes my Taste of Santa Cruz list for their peanut butter cookies. These cookies have solid peanut butter flavor throughout but the good amount of peanut clusters around the edge takes them over the top.


So last but certainly not least was Stop #5 at one of the newest members of the Santa Cruz food scene, The Penny Ice Creamery. Did Santa Cruz need another ice cream shop? They did when it makes small batches of gourmet ice cream completely from scratch in house with local organic ingredients.


The Penny Ice Creamery is a model for any small business. Your first impression of this shop is snappy. They are not only experts in making artisan ice cream in unique flavors but also wetting your appetite with branding and merchandising. Here's just a taste of the place starting with their story that is prominently displayed at the front door.

Even the iron sculptures, store sign and counter tops are indigenous to Santa Cruz created by local artists from Five Feet From The Moon.

The menu board greets you right on their front porch and obviously changes daily with whatever ingredients are fresh and available.

How cool (or should I say cold) is this little ice cream cart! It is not only on display but fully functional as well. The Penny Ice Creamery uses it every Wednesday at the downtown farmer's market in addition to a variety of events like school functions, private parties and even weddings.


Oh, and yes the scratch made ice cream comes pouring out of the machines right before your eyes in a glass walled room where you can watch it being made by owner, Chef Kendra Baker.


Even the scoop of chocolate sorbet that I got to go for my daughter looks as rich as ice cream. This place just rocks. It has the cozy feel of an old time ice cream parlor but operating with the highest standards of local, sustainable, organic, wild, humane and green.


So if just reading about these great flavors did not fill you up, then come on over to Surf City and try them yourself. All of my favorites on this food tour are the kind of local spots you'll never find at the mall food courts. Santa Cruz is a great town where ma and pa eateries still can thrive and keep us customers coming back for more great tastes.

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More Food Adventures:

January - The Eats of San Francisco:
February - A Tasty Tour of Santa Cruz
March - The Cowgirl Creamery
April - Confessions of a Sushi Virgin
May - Best of the East Bay
June - Palo Alto Eateries
July - Cheap Eats & Secret Menus

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Carl Cooks: Celebrating Grilled Cheese

The culinary world is forever coming up with upgrades, twists and re-mixes of classic foods from your childhood. The perennial favorite grilled cheese sandwich is no exception. Shown here is just one of many cookbooks completely dedicated to the classic marriage of melted cheese and bread. It is time to think outside of the white bread and American cheese box. One of my favorites from Marlena Spieler's collection is Spinach and Dill Havarti on multi-grain bread.

WHAT YOU NEED:
4 Garlic cloves
1/2 Pound Baby Spinach leaves
8 Slices of hearty Multi-Grain Bread
3/4 Pound Dill Havarti Cheese (Sliced)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil


WHERE TO START:
Assemble bread and cheese slices
Brushing oil on both sides of bread that will touch pan
Mince Garlic
Heat Oil and Add Garlic until sweated
Add Spinach and toss


The key to a successful spinach saute is speed and constantly turning the leaves so all of them get a quick wilt. In a hot pan it will take just a few minutes. Start with just sweating the minced garlic but do not let it brown. The following sequence of pictures shows how quickly the tender spinach leaves will wilt.










HOW TO FINISH:
Lay sandwich assemblies on griddle oil side down
Top each side with garlic sauteed spinach
Put both sides together
Cover with pressure to put final melt on cheese


Here I just used a clear lid for pressure and to trap the heat to promote melting.




And BAM! the new spin on an old favorite is finished.


Marlena Spieler puts this recipe in her chapter called "Five Minute Wonders." Other recipes can take more time but I doubt they could be much tastier. The combination of garlic sauteed spinach and dill laced cheese is a significant flavor explosion on a crusty loaf. Marlena claims her collection is "50 Recipes to Make You Melt." It is certainly a good start but also try letting your imagination run wild with any number of ingredients and variations. You will be surprised what can happen when cheese meets bread and things heat up.

Venue Spotlight: The Pavilion at Boulder Ridge

Just two words can describe The Pavilion at Boulder Ridge. Beautiful and Brilliant. Beautifully perched above south San Jose this country club has truly spectacular 360 degree views of the valley. Brilliant was the decision to build their event center completely separate from the clubhouse facility. Too often there is an inherent struggle between private country club members and outside events. The members are torn between the revenues generated from events and the imposition they cause to their club. The solution at Boulder Ridge was to make the event center totally removed from the clubhouse. My first photo is of the clubhouse which is a modern facility with a vintage feel.


As I stepped back for a wider shot you can now see the Pavilion event center sitting on the hill above the clubhouse to the right.


As you head up the driveway to the Pavilion you instantly get the feeling this place was well planned and not just an afterthought. It is complete with a bride's room, full kitchen and ample space for vendors to bring in their goods.


What struck me first was the outside service bar. No banquet table or rolling cart but rather a permanent covered structure with stone finishes that match the rest of the decor. So immediately following an outside wedding ceremony the guests are greeted with this kind of reception. Nice touch.


And speaking of outside wedding ceremonies how about this setting for reciting nuptials?


When I said 360 degree views I was not kidding. Here are just a few other shots I took as I wandered around the Pavilion grounds.






Inside the Pavilion there is plenty of space and flexibility for a variety of types of events. No shortage of floor-to-ceiling windows keeps the all the beauty of outside inside.


And even the trip back down the hill is a final reminder of the picturesque views of Boulder Ridge. Here the skyline of San Jose's Downtown is a backdrop for the clubhouse.


The Pavilion at Boulder Ridge seems to have covered all the bases with separate parking for events and a shuttle service up to the facility. This place is a model for private clubs wanting to keep their members happy and still offer a great facility for outside events.


Lisa Nunes is the Director of Events at you can get all of the details from her at lisan@boulderridgegolfclub.com. Boulder Ridge is definitely worth considering for your next event. It has all of the pluses of a country club setting without any of the minuses.