Chunky Marinara

When I had Laela my friends Krissy and Kirsten brought me an amazing Spicy Shrimp Linguine for dinner. It has become a favorite. I am not sure if it is Krissy's own recipe or where she got it but I have since used the base of the sauce to create two other yummy meals. So here are three recipes that all use variations of the same chunky marinara. I think it would be a great idea to double or triple the sauce and freeze it to have on hand. I am going to make all three soon and add pictures. So if you are the kind of person who only likes to make a meal if you can see a picture of it first, hold on, they will be coming. I need to get used to taking pictures of my dinners. I was going to wait but I figured I should at least get the recipes on here. If you have any questions please let me know! Enjoy.

Krissy's Spicy Shrimp Linguine

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 t. sugar (or more, I have added a tablespoon before)
  
• 1 t. salt
  
• 1/4 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3t. minced garlic
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
  
• 28 oz (two cans) Italian style stewed tomatoes
• 1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 box whole wheat linguine (or fettuccine)
  

Saute onions and oil until onions are transparent. Add parsley, garlic, red pepper, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 min. Add shrimp, stir in sauce until pink. Serve immediately over whole wheat linguine noodles. Serve with a tossed salad.

Vegetable Fettuccine
Ingredients

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 yellow, orange, red or green bell pepper or combination chopped
• 1 zucchini
• 1 small yellow squash
• 1 C sliced mushrooms
  
• any other similar vegetable you have on hand (eggplant, asparagus etc.)
  
• 1 t. sugar (or more, I have added a tablespoon before)
  
• 1 t. salt
  
• 1/4 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3t. minced garlic
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
  
• 28 oz (two cans) Italian style stewed tomatoes
• 1 box whole wheat fettuccine
  

Saute onions and oil until onions shortly after add bell pepper. After a minute or so add rest of the vegetables. Saute until onion is transparent and other vegetables are putting off liquid but still firm. Add parsley, garlic, red pepper, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 min. Serve immediately over whole wheat fettuccine noodles. Serve with a tossed salad.


Lasagna Rolls (adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients:

Marinara Sauce

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 t. sugar (or more, I have added a tablespoon before)
  
• 1 t. salt
  
• 1/4 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3t. minced garlic
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional in this recipe, I don't put it in so my kids will eat it)
  
• 28 oz (two cans) Italian style stewed tomatoes

Bechamel Sauce

• 2 T unsalted butter
• 4 t. all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups of whole milk (or a little cream added to any other milk)
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper
• pinch of ground nutmeg

Lasagna

• 1 (15 oz.) container part skim ricotta cheese
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach. thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 C plus 2 T grated Parmesan (not green can stuff)
• 1 large egg, beaten just to blend
  
• 3/4 t salt (plus more to salt water for noodles)
• 1/2 t. ground black pepper
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 12 uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 C shredded mozzarella

Directions
Add a tablespoon or 2 to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles just until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange in a single layer on a backing sheet or parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent from sticking and drying out.

Meanwhile make marinara sauce. Saute onions and oil until onions are transparent. Add parsley, garlic, red pepper (optional), tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 min. And preheat oven to 450 degrees.

While that is simmering make bechemel sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the sauce. Turn off heat or keep very low.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Butter or pam 13X9 glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on workable surface and spread about 3 T of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at one end roll noodle up. Lay roll seam down, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup+ marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and 2 T Parmesan. Cover with foil. Bakc until heated through and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 min. Uncover and back until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve along side extra marinara sauce and a salad.

*For a lower calarie/fat option. Omit bechamel sauce and pour a shallow layer of extra marinara sauce on bottom of baking dish before you put rolled noodles down. Continue with recipe.