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Classic 3 cheese lasagna with meat sauce recipe

Lasagna from scratch is a meal to behold, but if you’re like most people, simmering sauce and making individual strips of pasta aren’t on your nightly schedule. Boxed pastas and store-bought marinaras save a ton of time without sacrificing any flavor. Some Sunday when you have a whole day to kill, build it from the ground up, but on a busy day — in a busy life — have no shame in shortcuts. National Lasagna Day is right around the corner (July 29). You might be headed to your favorite Italian restaurant for a great big piece, but why not do as the Italians do, and make this delicious dish at home! Here are a few tips for baking your best lasagne ever: 1. Careful with your noodles. Building a good lasagna requires a bit of architecture. Lasagna needs a good structure, and the noodles give it all it needs —…

Creamy asparagus, mushroom casserole

This creamy asparagus and mushroom casserole is the picture of spring side dishes. It uses up loads of that delicious, just-from-the-garden asparagus, fresh mushrooms, and leftover hard-boiled eggs. (Confession: My eggs had pretty pastel spots from getting dyed just days before, but this dish is a great way to make sure they don’t go to waste!) I’m a big fan of this casserole because it delivers such a big serving of vegetables, but it’s also so flavorful, I would eat it as a meal. The smoked paprika brings a lot of flavor to the white sauce, so take a few taste samples as you simmer the sauce and add more to your liking. Creamy asparagus, mushroom casserole Ingredients 2 bunches asparagus 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, with dirt brushed off 2 1/2 tbsp butter + 1/2 tbsp butter 1/4 cup onion, finely copped 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 1/2 ounces shredded…

Creamy gnocchi bake

This easy Creamy Gnocchi Bake with mozzarella and spinach is perfect for a weeknight meal. It takes about 15 minutes to prep, then 30 minutes to bake in the oven. While you’re waiting, throw together a tossed salad or sauté a vegetable for a super low stress, well-balanced meal. Plus, can we just take a moment to admire all of that cheesy, creamy goodness? Those seasoned cherry tomatoes are just bursting with flavor, and fresh basil makes everything better. It’s a dish your whole crew will go crazy for. Creamy gnocchi bake Ingredients 4 tbsp butter 4 gloves garlic, minced 1 tsp dried oregano 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved salt pepper 1/2 – 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 4 cups spinach 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 1 large handful basil, chopped + more for garnish 2 (about 17-18 ounces each) packages…

Foods you should never freeze

Your freezer allows you to do everything from plan meals ahead to eliminate food waste. While you can usually throw in most dinner dishes or leftovers and be fine, the super cold temperature isn’t ideal for all foods. Certain ingredients can morph into something gross once thawed or even become a health hazard. The freezer has it’s limits. Here are some foods that just shouldn’t be frozen: Milk While it would be nice to have a few quarts of this staple item stowed away, milk stored in the freezer can separate into chunks and turn watery when it thaws. It is still technically safe to consume when this happens, but the consistency won’t be anything like what you would expect for your morning coffee or cereal. If you absolutely must free milk, try putting it in an ice cube tray to lessen the effect. Pull it out, and you won’t…

Moldy foods that are still safe to eat, according to the USDA

Americans waste more than $160 billion in food every year — yikes! Of course, no one buys food with the anticipation of throwing it in the trash, but once something gets moldy, we have little choice. This might be true of most foods — but not all. According to the USDA, some foods can still be consumed even when mold is visibly present. This handy guide can help you decide if you’re still unsure. Here are 3 foods that don’t need to wind up wasted just because of a little mold: Moldy foods you can still eat 1. Hard salami and dry-cured country hams The USDA says that it’s normal for  these products to have a layer of surface mold. Think about the white coating around certain salamis — this is actually a benign mold that helps cure the meat and prevent harmful bacteria from growing. Just remove the surface,…

Loaded Tater Tot Kabobs load Game Day with fun, flavor

Unless you’re a fan of two lucky teams this year, chances are you’re not that excited about the Big Game next Sunday. All the more reason to step up your food game! Everyone knows that Super Bowl parties are really just about the eats anyway. This year, take these loaded tater tots out of the oven right at game time. They’re crispy, hot, and full of flavor. Plus, kids practically go nuts for food on sticks. (Actually, I think we all secretly love snacks on sticks.) Serve them with any number of dipping sauces. I’m from Pittsburgh, so ketchup is a must, but you could also serve ranch dip, sour cream and chives, salsa, mayo, or even mayo ketchup — if you’re into that sort of thing. Of course, any type of skewer or kabob will do. But I fell in love with these adorable little wooden football picks and had to…

10 foods to avoid pre-workout

There’s nothing worse than hitting the gym on an empty stomach. That is, except maybe when you’ve jumped into downward dog or hit mile three on the treadmill and realized your pre-workout snack was a horrible choice. But you don’t have to workout on an empty stomach — you just have to snack smart. Eating the wrong foods pre-workout can cause a variety of unpleasant side effects from gas to bloating to diarrhea. So the next time you want to munch on something before getting your sweat on, remember to keep things simple. Grab a small amount of protein and some easy-to-digest carbs to help power your workout. A banana and peanut butter or a whole fruit smoothie do the trick nicely. But whatever you do, be sure to save these 10 foods until after your workout. 1. Alcohol You’re already sweating and losing water from your workout, booze will…

Odd foods that are dropped on New Year’s Eve instead of a ball

Every city has its own way of celebrating the turn of a new year. There’s no shortage of alcohol, parties and dazzling, dropping disco balls dangling from towers. But for some towns, this all seems just a bit too boring. Here are 13 towns that celebrate New Year’s Eve by dropping something a little more flavorful than a sparkly ball. https://www.instagram.com/p/BOme7KmDegD/?taken-by=rosaduartetv 1. A Peep (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)  Peeps usually make their only appearance during Easter, but in Bethlehem, the town where the famous candy was invented, New Years Eve brings the annual “PeepFest.” Every year on the 31st of December, a gigantic 400-pound Peep is dropped at precisely 5:15 p.m., followed by a colorful fireworks display. The massive Peep is made out of fiberglass and therefore, unfortunately, it is inedible. However, the big yellow icon is still a joy to see and something locals look forward to at the end of every year. https://www.instagram.com/p/xFFif8vEEj/?tagged=moonpieovermobile 2. A Moonpie (Mobile, Alabama)…

Loaded ranch snowman cheeseball

You’ll win at Christmas Eve when you set this ranch snowman cheeseball on the table. Seriously, cocktail shrimp, who? Everyone will be talking about the cute — and delicious — snowman dip! Plus it’s loaded with turkey bacon, green onions, and tons of flavor, so you know everyone is going to love it! Ranch Snowman Cheeseball Ingredients 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened 1 packet of dry ranch seasoning mix (1 ounce) 2 cups shredded white cheese (I like white sharp cheddar, but mozzarella works too), divided in 2 4 strips turkey bacon, cooked until crispy and then crumbled 3 green onions, chopped 1/4 tsp finely ground fresh black pepper 1 small carrot 10 whole black peppercorns Cooking spray or oil (for greasing hands) Serve with: crackers, carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets, bell pepper strips or anything else you like to dip in delicious ranch cheese! Directions In a…

The best way to store nearly any type of cheese, according to an expert

If you ever cleaned out the depths of your fridge and found a rock-hard chunk of cheese, you probably wondered what you could have done to prolong its life. Sure, the first step is not forgetting it’s in there. But what else should be done to make sure your expensive fromage stays fresh? Most of us are guilty of leaving cheese in the package it came in or rewrapping it tightly with plastic wrap. It turns out, cheese lovers, we’ve been doing it all wrong. “Wrapping your cheese in plastic for its lifetime in your refrigerator is a mistake,” said Anthony DiPietro of Delallo Foods, and go-to source for all things cheese. “If you’re someone who likes cheese and exploring the world of cheeses, or even if you just buy cheese once in a while, you’re doing yourself a disservice.” “A hard and fast rule is to store any cheese…