Cleaning out the fridge: goat cheese lasagna

In this installment of making dinner from scraps, I whip up a simple yet flavorful lasagna with goat cheese, gruyere and butternut squash pasta sauce. I took inspiration for the goat cheese sauce from Fine Cooking, the layering from Keep it Luce, and I used about half a bottle of Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce (which is delicious and dairy-free; I highly recommend it on gnocchi).

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Instructions:

To make the goat cheese sauce, I whisked 1/4 cup of flour in a sauce pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil (butter would have been better, but of course I didn’t have any). Next, I whisked in 3 cups of unsweetened almond milk and let it thicken for about 10 minutes or so. From there, I stirred in 5 oz. of goat cheese, 1/2 cup shredded gruyere, 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and a couple clicks from the pepper mill.

Meanwhile, I toasted raw walnuts at 375 degrees in the oven, and then crushed them under foil with a rolling pin.

Then came the construction of the lasagna, using no-bake lasagna noodles. I used a 9×13 pan, but my lasagna came out very thin, so better to go with a smaller pan or double the recipe.

First, I layered 1/3 of the goat cheese sauce, followed by noodles, and 1/2 the butternut squash pasta sauce. Next, I added another layer of goat cheese sauce, noodles, and the pasta sauce. Then, I added a layer of toasted walnuts. (Note: I was also conservative with only one layer of toasted walnuts, but next time I would double it.)

After one final layer of noodles, goat cheese sauce, and pasta sauce, I sprinkled a healthy dose of grated gruyere on top. I baked it in the oven, covered with foil, at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until bubbly. I finished off a few extra minutes without foil at the end to melt the gruyere.

Delicious, easy and David-approved!

Meal ‘n Steal: $5 Arugula, Peach and Goat Cheese Salad

A $5 salad might not seem like a steal, but unlike it’s wimpier counterparts, this bowl full of wild rocket arugula, Cypress Grove goat cheese, sliced almonds and fresh peaches will actually fill you up. (There’s nothing worse than saving a buck and being hungry afterwards.)

Wild Rocket Arugula, White Peach, Cypress Grove Goat Cheese, Toasted Almonds @ Bair Island Tap & Eatery

If you’re not able to make it to Bair Island Tap & Eatery in San Carlos, you could easily make your own hearty version at home. In general, I’ve discovered goat cheese really coats dishes (and your stomach) well. And you can’t go wrong with nuts, dark leafy greens and tree fruit in any combination.

Crock Pot Pork Stroganoff

So I don’t spend that much time on Pinterest – honestly – because they don’t have an iPad app yet. But… I stumbled on this gem, Pulled Pork Stroganoff, and decided to put both my slow cooker and a pork tenderloin to use.

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Here are a couple of adjustments I made:

  • Instead of garlic powder, I used two minced cloves
  • I swapped beef broth for chicken broth
  • I used goat cheese and yogurt in place of cream cheese and sour cream (low lactose and less fat to boot!)
  • For the pasta, I used spaghetti instead of tagliatelle; but if I had a choice, I would have used pappardelle

The results were much more universal than expected. After having stroganoff the first night, David proceed to make a burrito with leftovers, and on the final night I made sandwiches with sauteed bell peppers and cheddar. They were like delicious, gooey Philly cheese steaks. Yum!

Life-changing Chevre and Other Goat Cheese Discoveries

Last night I sampled some fancy – but very easy – food, inspired by the NASFT’s Winter Fancy Food Show. I’ll share my favorites from Food Fete here, starting with a life-changing chevre called “Rivers Edge,” from Three Ring Farm in Oregon.

For once, those of us who play it safe with goat cheese don’t have to feel slighted. This chevre is smoky, rich and smooth. I can’t wait to pair it with an Old Vine Zin!

I also enjoyed sampling harder, crystallized goat cheeses and chatting with a gentleman from Tumalo Farms, a gourmet goat cheese producer in Bend, Oregon. PS – Do yourself a favor, and check out the adorable, cuddly goats on their homepage.

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Goat Cheese Nachos

In a desperate attempt to eat up leftover black beans, I made nachos with goat cheese, salsa and lettuce. Not bad and super healthy! Love goat cheese? More recipe ideas here.

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