Hearty Minestrone

Hearty Minestrone
makes 8 generous servings
1 can chick peas drained and rinsed
1 can red beans drained and rinsed
1 can italian style stewed tomatoes
3 carrots diced
2 ribs celery diced
1 small onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 zucchini diced
about 1 c cherry tomatoes
1/2 green pepper diced
1 t dried oregano
1 T kosher salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
8 c water OR chicken stock OR equivalent (aka Better than Bullion)
1 c V8 vegetable juice
2 T olive oil
4 oz cooked ditalini pasta

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat.  Once hot add the onions, carrots & celery.  Sautee vegetables for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent.  Add garlic, stir well and sautee 1-2 minutes longer.  Once garlic is very fragrant  just before it starts to brown, add the tomatoes, juice & all.  Stir well to get the garlic up off the bottom of the pan.  Add everything else and bring up to a boil.  Once it boils reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 1 hour.  Taste for season before serving, adjust salt & pepper if needed.  When ready to serve place a small portion of cooked ditalini or other small shape pasta in the bowl and ladle the soup over top.  Garnish with grated parmesean cheese if desired.



Nutrition Facts calculated at Spark People recipe calculator 8 Servings Amount Per Serving Calories 188.3 Total Fat 4.5 g Saturated Fat 0.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g Monounsaturated Fat 2.6 g Cholesterol 0.0 mg Sodium 1,029.1 mg Potassium 491.5 mg Total Carbohydrate 31.9 g Dietary Fiber 5.8 g Sugars 4.3 g Protein 6.8 g

Pasta with Garlic scapes, peas and Asiago cream sauce

Ever heard of a garlic scape? Wondering what the heck it is? Well, garlic and its relatives in the allium family, (leeks, chives, onions) grow underground, where the bulb begins its journey, soft and onion-like. As the bulb gets harder (and more like the garlic we know), a shoot pokes its way through the ground, its long and thin and very pliable and spins itself into a curled tendril. This stage of growth is the garlic scape. If the shoot is left attached to the bulb it will fade in color, becoming papery and whitish like we know garlic to be and it will stop the growth of the bulb below the surface. Farmers who want to keep the garlic growing snip off these scapes and sell them, a double whammy for the garlic farmer, sell the scapes and the bigger bulbs, win/win!

Yesterday the Husband suggested we take a trip to Whole Foods to see 'what looked good'. He's a smart man, that Husband! The Witch of course never turns down a trip to Whole Foods and was pretty darn jazzed about the whole idea.

Kitchen Witch: "Holy cow, garlic scapes! I thought I'd never see those here in Colorado!"
Husband: "What the hell are those?"
Kitchen Witch: "Garlic scapes, the shoot of the garlic plant. Its supposed to be lightly garlic flavored and delicious"
Husband: "So, you're getting them, right?"
Kitchen Witch: "Yes. However what I'll do with them is up for debate as I've never laid hands to them before, muchless cooked with them! Research is in order!!"

And it was then that I remembered that Yenta Mary, the Food Floozie, had just posted a delightful sounding recipe for Garlic Scapes, peas and pasta. It sounded amazing at the time and now that I had my own curled tendrils of garlic goodness in hand it was time to make it! Before I get on with the recipe let me take a moment to say that if you haven't checked out Yenta Mary's site yet, please do! She's a fabulous writer, awesome cook and filled with all sorts of interesting facts - as well as pronunciations of hard to say Yiddish words which will make us gentiles feel like we're kosher. Its a fun and informative site!

Back to the scapes! When I got home I realized I was out of peas. But I did have snow pea pods, so that's what I used. I also didn't have heavy cream and used half and half. The half & half did kinda curdle when it hit the white wine reduction, it wasn't pretty, but once the cheese was added it all came together in a cohesive sauce. However when making this again, and I will be making this again, I'll use heavy cream. Normally when making a cream sauce I'd use a fettuccine pasta but I was out, so fusilli filled in nicely. The spirals of the pasta helped trap some of the yummy garlic sauce in each bite.



Ok Witch, you've told us about how these scapes grow, how you got them and how you didn't have the correct ingredients but made due. Get on with the good part already: How did it taste?? Well my dear readers the taste was amazing! Garlic scapes are defiantly garlic flavored but its more mellow, not as sharp or hot as the garlic bulbs. The flavor of this dish was very reminiscent of chicken with 40 cloves, rich, mellow, carmalized and almost smoky. All that in 10 minutes. If you're lucky enough to run across garlic scapes GET THEM! Try this dish. I promise the garlic lover in your family will thank you!

Pasta with Garlic Scapes, Peas and Asiago cream sauce
Makes 2 servings
8 oz long pasta of your choice (fettuchini)
4 garlic scapes
about 20 snow pea pods OR 1/2 c fresh peas
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1/4 c white wine
1/4 c cream
1 sprig fresh oregano
1/2 c fresh grated Asiago cheese (parmesen would be fine, too)
kosher salt
pepper

Slice garlic scapes into 1/2 inch pieces, trimming off any tough or woody ends. Slice snow pea pods into 1/4 inch slices. Rough chop the herbs.

Bring a pot of water to boil for pasta. Cook pasta according to instructions on box in well salted water. While pasta cooks prepare sauce.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add butter and oil, once butter has melted add the garlic scapes. Toss to coat in fat and cook about 1 minute, until the scapes smell fragrent and are barely brown. Add the pea pods and cook 1 minute longer, garlic scapes will start to brown.

Add the wine and oregano and deglaze pan. Reduce wine by half. Add the cream, salt & pepper and Asiago cheese. Stir to melt and incorporate cheese into sauce. Add cooked and drained pasta, toss with sauce and serve.



Nutrition Factsprovided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
Amount Per Serving
Calories 703.7
Total Fat 43.0 g
Saturated Fat 23.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.6 g
Cholesterol 87.9 mg
Sodium 1,043.0 mg
Potassium 124.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 47.8 g
Dietary Fiber 2.6 g
Sugars 2.1 g
Protein 29.5 g

Lasagna

Who doesn't love lasagna? Well if you asked me that question 5 years ago I would have said ME!! ME!! The Witch can't stand lasagna!!!! Turns out I was wrong, I do like lasagna, I just like GOOD lasagna, not the stuff my parents used to make & call lasagna.

My parents, bless their hearts, are just not the most food savvy people created. To them, using cottage cheese, Carl Budding ham and pizza sauce was how you made lasagna. Now I know a lot of you out there enjoy cottage cheese in your lasagna, and I'm not knocking that. But please, do try the ricotta instead. Its about the same price as cottage cheese, the texture is leaps & bounds better and it makes lasagna lots better. The Carl Budding ham, well that can be eliminated entirely and no one will miss it. I think the ham was some kind of a strange nod to prosciutto, however that still makes me wonder because my Dad, who put the ham in, hasn't ever heard of prosciutto in his life! If you use jarred sauce please do yourself a favor and get good jarred sauce.

This particular lasagna was made with ground beef but you can use whatever ground meat you like: sausage, beef, turkey or chicken, all work. If meat's not your thing replace it with thin sliced vegetables like broccoli, zucchini or eggplant.

Like all lasagna this makes a TON. It reheats well which makes it idea for lunches. It also freezes well however I'd freeze it before baking it. If you choose to freeze lasagna here's a few tips:
~get disposable pans otherwise your 'real' pans are tied up in the freezer
~write what the dish is along with cooking times & temps on the top layer of foil
~thaw lasagna in the fridge overnight before baking, or if that's not an option then bake for about 2 hours or until its bubbly in the middle.

Lasagna
Source: Barilla pasta
makes 12 servings
1 box Barilla lasagne pasta sheets (not the ones with ruffled edges, the flat sheets)
2 eggs
1 15oz container of ricotta cheese
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (4 cups, divided)
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
1 lb ground meat (sausage, beef, turkey or chicken, your choice)
5.5 cups marinara sauce (2 jars worth)

Preheat oven to 350F if using glass, 375F if using a metal baking pan.
Spray a 13x9 baking pan with non stick spray and spray a piece of foil to cover the dish as well.

Combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan and 2 cups mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.

Brown meat and drain off fat.

Assemble lasagne:
1. Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan.

2. Layer 4 uncooked sheets of pasta, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, half the browned meat, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup sauce

3. Layer 4 sheets pasta, 1/3 ricotta mixture and 1.5 c sauce

4. Layer 4 sheets pasta, 1/3 ricotta mixture, remaining meat and 1 cup sauce.

5. Layer 4 sheets pasta, the remaining sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.

Cover with sprayed foil and bake 50-60 minutes until bubbly. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes longer to melt cheese. If desired turn broiler on and brown the top layer of cheese.

Allow to rest 15 minutes before serving.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
Amount Per Serving
Calories 460.3
Total Fat 22.6 g
Saturated Fat 10.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.6 g
Cholesterol 100.0 mg
Sodium 792.9 mg
Potassium 189.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 36.0 g
Dietary Fiber 3.2 g
Sugars 5.4 g
Protein 29.2 g

Sesame Shrimp Lo Mein

Recently the Witch got brave, and with a little help from her friends, went to the Asian Pacific Grocery store. Why this place intimidated me for so long is a mystery, I'm just so glad that I've discovered it! As a lover of Asian flavors I was in foodie heaven with all those different types of soys, sauces, chili pastes and noodles. Oh, the noodles!! SO many choices: rice noodles, ramen in every variety you can imagine and a few you've never thought of, lo mein noodles, etc. The ones that really caught my eyes were the nested egg noodles. Something about them spoke to me, and I'm really glad I listened to their call!

The lo mein noodles are thin, yet have nice texture to them, light yet hearty enough to stand up to the intense heat of a wok. Their flavor is exactly what a lo mein dish needs. Once you've tried real Asian noodles in lo mein you won't be going back to plain old pasta as a substitution.

The flavors on this are inspired by sesame chicken, our most ordered dish from Chinese restaurants. The Witch chose to use a bit of tahini in the sauce to really bring the sesame flavor home, however I'll be the first to admit that the sauce needs a bit of tweeking. It was good, quite good, don't get me wrong, but its not perfect. I don't quite know what's missing, maybe a touch more acid? Less tahini? The flavor & texture of the sauce was very similar to peanut sauce, thick and rich, spicy and sweet, but SOMETHING was missing. If you all have any suggestions please let me know! Despite the sauce not being up to my high standards of perfection this dish was devoured and not a single left over noodle was to be found. Which just means that I need to make it again, and work on that sauce!

Sesame Shrimp Lo Mein
makes 4 servings
1 lb shrimp, defrosted, deveined and peeled, removing tails
red bell pepper, julienne
1 bunch scallions, sliced on the bias
1 large carrot, julienne
1 stalk celery, sliced thin on the bias
4 bunches of Asian egg noodles
3 T soy sauce
2 T white wine
3 cloves garlic
1 T tahini
2 T water
2-3T sugar
2 t Sriracha
sprinkle of sesame seeds for garnish
2 T oil for stir fry

Chop all vegetables and set aside first.
Peel and devein shrimp and pat dry.
Mix up the sauce ingredients in a bowl and reserve.

Cook noodles according to instructions on bag & reserve.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the oil and stir fry the veggies until they start to brown & have softened slightly. Push the veg aside in the pan and add the shrimp. Cook about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through then add the sauce, stirring to coat everything evenly. After sauce is added throw the noodles in and stir fry about 1-2 minutes longer. Shrimp will finish cooking in this time. Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
Amount Per Serving
Calories 374.6
Total Fat 12.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.4 g
Cholesterol 185.8 mg
Sodium 963.5 mg
Potassium 784.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 38.3 g
Dietary Fiber 5.2 g
Sugars 16.3 g
Protein 28.1 g

Meatballs & red sauce

I love reading other peoples food blogs, I gain so much inspiration from seeing what everyone else out there is making. Meatballs were inspired by Jenn over at Jenn's Food Journey. Jenn makes delicious things, is a grilling guru and an all around great person. Check out her blog, you'll be glad you did.

I don't know why I don't make meatballs more often. These were a major hit, the little Witch ate 3 - which is saying a LOT! I had them leftover for lunch and they were fantastic, and this is coming from the queen of leftover hatred! They come together relatively quickly and make a weeknight dinner feel special. Meatballs will be making more appearances around here, that's for sure!

I sautee my onions and garlic before adding them to the meat mixture. Since these balls are on the smaller side they don't cook as long, and raw onions and garlic wouldn't have enough cooking time to lose their pungency. I also like the added flavors I get from browning them first, then deglazing with a splash of wine. The wine adds a nice acidity and allows all those yummy browned bits to end up in your meatball, where they belong.

The size of the meatballs is a personal preference. I've made large ones & small ones. The small ones seem to be our favorite, you get more yummy browned outside goodness with the small ones. And they fit nicely on a sub roll, too.

Meatballs & red sauce
makes 4 servings, 5 balls each
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 onion diced
4-5 cloves garlic minced
1/4 c bread crumbs
2-3 T milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
4 sprigs fresh oregano, 2 sprigs minced, 2 left whole
2 T white wine
kosher salt & pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T olive oil

Dice the onions and mince garlic first. Heat a large non reactive skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and once hot, add the onions. Cook onions about 3-4 minutes then add the garlic, stirring well. Once the onions and garlic lose their raw smell and start to brown, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Scrape the bits of fond up off the bottom of the pan. Remove the onions & garlic from the pan and allow to cool slightly.



~*~Kitchen Witch Tip: A non reactive pan is either stainless steel or non stick. Reactive would be cast iron or aluminum. Because these metals are untreated by teflon or enamel (like Le Crueset) it will have a chemical reaction to the acid in the tomatoes, wine or anything acidic. It causes the dish to have a metallic, off flavor. If you're unsure about your pan please ask the Kitchen Witch on facebook or in the comments, she's happy to help!*~*

Combine the bread crumbs with the milk and allow to absorb for 5 minutes, while onions are cooling.

In a mixing bowl combine the ground beef, broken up with fingers for ease of mixing, with the egg, 3/4 of the cooled onions and garlic, soaked breadcrumbs, Parmesan, minced oregano, about 1/2 t kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper.



Mix together well trying not to compress the meat too much. I find that using my fingers in a whisking motion helps keep things light and not compressed. Once the ingredients are thoroughly mixed form into balls. I used a cookie scoop to make smaller 1 oz size meatballs, perfect for sandwiches or pasta topping.



Cook meatballs in the same pan that the onions and garlic was cooked in. Heat pan and place meatballs in a circle. Allow to cook on medium heat until bottoms are browned. Turn meatballs 2-3 times for even browning.



~*~Kitchen Witch Tip: It is difficult to keep the round shape when pan frying meatballs, therefore if you desire you can bake them in the oven. In a 400 oven bake meatballs until golden browned and internal temperature is 175.~*~

In a blender combine the can of diced tomatoes, leaves of remaining oregano sprigs and remaining onions and garlic. Blend until smooth.



When meatballs are about 80% cooked remove from the pan. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan, deglazing and scraping any bits up from the bottom. Put the meatballs back into the pan, cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.



Serve on sliced bread for a sandwich or over cooked pasta.
NOTE: This does not make a lot of red sauce, its really more suited for sandwiches than pasta. If serving with pasta the Witch recommends doubling the sauce recipe.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
4 Servings, 5 meatballs each
Amount Per Serving
Calories 428.5
Total Fat 30.5 g
Saturated Fat 11.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 13.9 g
Cholesterol 143.7 mg
Sodium 906.2 mg
Potassium 456.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 9.4 g
Dietary Fiber 1.0 g
Sugars 2.0 g
Protein 26.1 g

Supreme Pizza pasta salad

On the menu tonight is Supreme Pizza Pasta Salad. Really, Kitchen Witch, another pasta salad? Yes! Indeed yes another pasta salad. Pasta salad is so versatile. Its perfect for summer time eating what better way to use summers fresh produce in its finest forms?

This pasta salad has a tomato dressing, pepperoni, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, onions and cheese, both mozzarella pearls and asiago cheeses. Its literally a supreme pizza in a bowl. Feel free to customize the toppings to what your family enjoys.

I found fresh mozzarella pearls (very small balls, 1/4 inch!) in the deli case of my grocery store. If you can find them they are worth the cost; sweet, creamy, delicious nuggets of cheesy goodness that are perfect size for pasta salads. If you find them I highly recommend trying them.

Supreme Pizza Pasta Salad
serves 4
3/4 lb pasta, spirals
3 roma tomatoes
1 green pepper diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
3 green onions sliced thin
1 clove garlic
1 sprig oregano minced
2 T red wine vinegar
3 T olive oil
Salt & pepper
20 pepperoni slices
6 baby portabello mushrooms
1/2 c mozzarella pearls
1/4 c fresh grated asiago or Parmesan cheese

2 T olive oil for sautee

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, about 7-8 minutes.

While pasta is cooking put the tomatoes and garlic in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

In a large bowl mix the oregano, vinegar, 1/2 t kosher salt & fresh ground pepper. Whisk in 3 T olive oil to make a thick dressing. Add the pureed tomatoes and garlic. Whisk to incorporate well. Reserve 3/4 c of this dressing for the pasta.

Dice bell peppers and slice green onion. In a preheated skillet add 2-3t olive oil and the peppers & onions. Cook about 5 min over medium high heat or until they are softened slightly and start to take on a bit of color. Add to the bowl with the tomato dressing. Stir.

Quarter mushrooms and sauté them in 2T olive oil until golden browned on all sides. Remove and let cool.

Once pasta is cooked drain well. Pour cooked pasta onto a sheet pan and pour the reserved tomato dressing on top, tossing to evenly coat pasta. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cool cooked mushrooms with pasta also.



Cook pepperoni in the same skillet about 2 minutes on each side or until it crisps and has rendered out a lot of the fat. Drain pepperoni, crumble once cooled.

Once pasta and mushrooms are cooled prepare salad. Add the mozzarella pearls to the pepper/tomato mixture, topping with the pasta and mushrooms. Add grated asiago cheese and toss well to coat evenly with dressing and veggies. Enjoy at room temperature for fullest flavor.



Nutrition Facts provided by Spark People Recipe Calculator
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 622.7
Total Fat 34.1 g
Saturated Fat 9.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 18.3 g
Cholesterol 45.7 mg
Sodium 1,223.1 mg
Potassium 375.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 60.7 g
Dietary Fiber 4.5 g
Sugars 3.1 g
Protein 21.5 g

Mediterranean style pasta salad

I realize this isn't a lot different from the pasta salad I posted last month but, come on, really what can you do to pasta salad that hasn't already been done? Regardless, I went with a Mediterranean feel with this one; lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), tomatoes, feta cheese, fresh herbs including Greek oregano and mint. The result is a flavorful, colorful, bright salad that perks up any old grilled piece of meat.

As always look at this salad as a canvas to add whatever you and your family likes. Got fresh green beans? Use them in place of the asparagus. Don't like red bell peppers? Leave them out! Hate orzo? Use spirals or shells, whatever makes you happy.

I love that more of my herbs are growing and thriving. It's true, the more you pick them the faster they grow, at least in this Witches' experience it is. My mint is finally big enough to start using, I loved it here, so unexpected yet subtle. If you've not used fresh mint I encourage you to try it, its not at all 'minty' like you would imagine. I always thought adding mint would be like adding a stick of Extra to your dish, gross! Not so. Give it a try! The chive blossom is one of the best perks of late spring & growing chives. Their pretty purple flowers have a sharp onion flavor that doesn't linger, rather gives you its essence and then moves on to allow other flavors in. And who doesn't love to eat flowers?

While easy to prepare the flavor is very complex and its stunning on a plate. The colors let you know that you're in for a delicious treat chock full of vitamins and goodness. Hooray for summertime and veggie laden pasta salads!

Mediterranean style pasta salad
serves 4
1/2 lb orzo or other small pasta
6 spears asparagus
10 grape tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
1 chive blossom (optional, can use fresh minced chives or shallots in lieu)
2 springs oregano
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig mint
1-2 small sprigs parsley
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 T EVOO
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 t kosher salt
dash pepper
1/2 the minced herbs listed above

Make dressing by whisking all ingredient listed, set aside for 15 min while pasta cooks.

Cook pasta according to directions on box. When there's 1 minute left in pasta cooking time add the asparagus to the boiling water and drain it off with pasta. Cook pasta & asparagus with a cold water bath or spray cold water on pasta, moving it around until its all cooled off.



In a medium size bowl combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, feta, herbs and chive blossoms. Add drained and cooled pasta and asparagus. Toss with dressing and serve.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe calculator
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296.7
Total Fat 14.5 g
Saturated Fat 3.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.2 g
Cholesterol 12.6 mg
Sodium 162.9 mg
Potassium 197.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 36.4 g
Dietary Fiber 2.7 g
Sugars 1.2 g
Protein 8.3 g

Chicken Cannelloni

I loved stuffed pasta. I also hate stuffing said pasta. Its really hard to do with out either burning yourself or splitting the pasta wide open. There's got to be an easier way!!!

Have no fear, the Kitchen Witch is here, to ease all of your stuffed (and rolled) pasta needs! All it takes is a little know how and a box of oven ready lasagna sheets. Lasagna? I thought you said we were having cannelloni. I did, you did read right but the secret to the Witches' cannelloni starts with no boil pasta.

No boil pasta sheets, or oven ready lasagna noodles, are designed to absorb the liquid they are cooked in and come out of the oven tender and perfect. I figured that I could pre soften them and voila, I have ready to go pasta sheets!

All it takes then is 'stuffing' them with chicken. That's easy, make a pastry bag out of a zip top bag, squeeze a roll of chicken onto the pasta sheets, roll it up and voila, instant cannelloni.

I top it off with a alfredo type sauce made out of chicken stock and milk, along with garlic and parmesean cheese. This helps save on calories and keep an otherwise heavy dish light.

Chicken Cannelloni
makes 5 servings of 2 rolls each
10 (about 1 box) barilla no boil lasagna pasta sheets
1 lb ground chicken
8 oz mozerella cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 c + 2 T parmesean cheese, divided
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 T flour
5 cloves garlic, divided
2 T butter
1 t Italian herb seaoning blend

Boil a pot of water and then pour it into a 13x9 pan. Put the pasta sheets into the hot water and allow to soak for about 5-7 minutes or until soft enough to roll. Drain pasta sheets.

While pasta soaks mix chicken with 1/2 the mozerella cheese and 2 T parmesean, 2 cloves of garlic (minced) and the herbs. Add some S&P to your taste.



Put the chicken mixture into a large zip top bag, squish it all down to 1 end and cut the end off leaving a 1.5 in opening (approx, I'm not that anal LOL).



Take a pasta sheet, pipe a rope of chicken mixture on the short end of the pasta and roll. Put the roll seam side down in a sprayed casserole pan. Roll remaining sheets with chicken and put in the pan. Sprinkle top with remaining mozerella cheese.



Make a roux out of the butter and flour. Cook about 4 minutes until it starts to brown and smells nutty. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and milk. Add garlic and allow to thicken. Stir in the 1/2 cup parmesean cheese, stirring well to mix.



Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta rolls and cheese. It WILL look like you have way too much sauce, this is OK as the pasta will absorb a lot and you do want a sauce to spoon over top. Bake at 375* for about 45 minutes, uncovered or until its bubbly and browned on the edges.





Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
5 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 511.2
Total Fat 21.4 g
Saturated Fat 9.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Cholesterol 144.6 mg
Sodium 927.0 mg
Potassium 261.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 36.0 g
Dietary Fiber 1.7 g
Sugars 3.2 g
Protein 46.8 g