Italian lasagna soup

Comforting
And Hearty!We all love lasagna, but sometimes it can just take too much time to prepare. Now its flavors are in an easy to throw together soup.

Lasagna is a classic Italian meal. Sadly, it can take a lot of time to prepare and is generally not thought of as a quick weeknight supper. Well, we have changed that! This soup has all the flavors of lasagna but it's cooked in a slow cooker and can cook all day while you are at work! It's a fabulous mixture of spicy sausage, ground veal, ground pork and ground beef. In the last half hour just throw in some pasta and some fresh baby spinach. Delicious!

Italian lasagna soup recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:1 pound spicy ground Italian sausage1-1/2 pounds ground meatloaf mix (ground veal, ground pork and ground beef)1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted garlic diced tomatoes1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste1 teaspoon dried basil1 teaspoon dried organoSalt and pepper to taste64 ounces chicken stock1 pound pasta6 ounces baby spinach1 (15 ounce) container fresh ricotta cheese2 cups shredded mozzarella cheeseDirections:

In a large frying pan brown spicy Italian sausage and ground meatloaf mix. Drain fat and add to six-quart slow cooker.Into the slow cooker, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste and chicken stock.Cook on high for five hours or low for seven hours. In the last half hour of cooking add uncooked pasta. In the last 10 minutes add the baby spinach.Serve in a big bowl and top with fresh ricotta cheese and a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese.

More lasagna recipes

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Lavender lemonade recipe

A Refreshing Twist On LemonadeNothing is more refreshing than a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. While pink lemonade may induce nostalgic childhood memories, it often relies on food coloring to achieve its rose hue. You can easily create your own pink lemonade at home using a more natural ingredient. Lavender gives this lemonade a beautiful violet color, and it also adds a unique and soothing herbal flavor. Once you try this natural pink lemonade, you'll never look back.

Lavender lemonade

Serves 4

Refreshing and floral, lavender lemonade is the perfect summer beverage. Enjoy pink lemonade the natural way.

Ingredients:2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender1/2 cup sugar2-1/2 cups water3 lemons2 cups waterDirections:

Combine two-and-one-half cups of water, two tablespoons of culinary lavender and one-half cup of sugar in a medium nonreactive pot.Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for five minutes. Cover the pot and let it stand for at least one hour.Using a fine sieve, strain the lavender from the liquid. Place the liquid in a large serving jug and discard the lavender.Juice three lemons into the jug and add an additional two cups of water stirring well to combine.Refrigerate the lemonade until it is cold and serve with crushed ice.

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Food recall Ground beef

Ground beef
recalled in Michigan

At least 16 people in five states have been sickened by salmonella food poisoning linked to ground beef. Last week, about 1,000 pounds of ground beef was recalled from two Michigan-based businesses, Gab Halal Foods and Jouni Meats Inc.

"The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within 12 to 72 hours."

There have been no deaths as a result of the food poisoning, but at least half the people were hospitalized. Most of the food poisoning cases have been in Michigan, but there were also cases in Arizona, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state, local and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicated that the likely sources of the illness was ground beef produced by Jouni Meats Inc., and Gab Halal Foods.

Seven of the people who became ill said they ate a raw beef dish at a Michigan restaurant.

Check your ground beef

The products subject to recall are various sized packages of ground beef from Gab Halal Foods, and Jouni Meats Inc. These products were produced between Dec. 4, 2012, and Dec. 10, 2012, and distributed to a restaurant in Macomb County, Mich., and sold directly to consumers. These products were sold without a label. The CDC recommends returning or throwing away the recalled meat and warns against eating raw or undercooked ground beef.

Be on the lookout

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes the following: "Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or those undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within 12 to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.”

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Tonight's Dinner Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breast

Grilled Chicken With A Surprise InsideEveryone loves grilled chicken breasts, but slice a little pocket in the center and fill it with goodies and you've got a dinner that will surprise and delight friends and family alike.

Nothing beats fresh mozzarella and basil together; they're like two peas in a pod. You see them all the time on pizza, in salads, or sandwiched between two slices of French bread. But what if you roll them up in a piece of prosciutto and put them inside chicken? You get a delectable dish that looks and tastes fancier than it really is.

Grilled Stuffed Chicken BreastS

Ingredients

2 slices proscuitto10 fresh basil leaves1/3 cup shredded mozzarella2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Top proscuitto slices with basil leaves and sprinkle evenly with mozzarella; roll up each proscuitto slice with everything in it and put aside.Insert a thin, sharp knife into the thickest part of the chicken breast and slice halfway through; continue slicing until you have a pocket about 2-inches in length; stuff 1 proscuitto roll into each pocket (if a little bit of the roll is hanging out, that's okay); season each breast with seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder.Heat olive oil in a grill pan over medium heat; grill chicken until cooked all the way through and the cheese is melted, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

In a pickle How to conserve water in the kitchen

When drought strikes

You've probably noticed that it's hot. Real hot. This summer the United States is facing the worst drought in decades and more than 60 percent of the country is affected. Whether your area is looking like the dust bowl or not, we can all take steps to conserve water in our homes, starting with the kitchen.

Depending on where you live, you may already have been forced to take action. Some localities, like Decatur, Illinois, are imposing water-use restrictions on their residents, limiting things like how often they can water their lawns. The governor of Missouri, meanwhile, has declared a state of emergency in response to the drought and heat. Don't wait for it to get to this point — think about where you can cut back on your water usage to help conserve what we've got.

Dishes

If you use a dishwasher, don't bother prerinsing the dishes, only run it when it's fully loaded and use the lightest setting possible. If you wash dishes by hand, don't let the water run continuously while you do it. Instead, allow them to soak in a basin of water, wash them using that water and just quickly rinse.

Leaks

Do you hear a dripping sound even when you've turned off your kitchen faucet? That means you have a leak! It can be a small fix like tightening the faucet or might require the help of a professional. Either way, look into it.

Watch a video on how to save water doing the dishes >>Defrosting

A quick method of defrosting frozen items is to run them under water until thawed. Instead, plan ahead and allow frozen foods to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. It won't be as quick, but it will save a lot of water.

More tips for conserving in the kitchen >>Cooking

Use as little water as possible when cooking. Instead of pasta, which uses quite a bit of water to cook, make mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables. Make rice with chicken broth instead of water. If steaming, just use about an inch of water in the pan. And if you want to poach your food, try using a different liquid, like stock or fruit juice.

Drink

When it's hot, we often reach for a cold glass of water. Instead of running the faucet until the water is cold, keep a pitcher of water in the fridge (or use bottled water) at all times.

More ways to save water

Water conservation: Get the facts
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5 Summer-ready abs exercises

Exercises For
Beach Body AbsIf bathing suit shopping makes you wish for an icy, freezing snowstorm, it may be time to get those abs in summer shape. Keep in mind that all the crunches in the world won't help if your diet consists of fast-food and vending machine meals. But combining regular exercise with a healthy diet will have your abs beach-ready just in time for the fireworks display.

Beach body abs exercises

Do the following abs exercises two to three times per week, changing the order in which you do them with each workout.

Heel to toe crunch

Start position: Lie face-up with legs straight out; place left heel on right toe with left hand under neck and right arm raised towards the ceiling.

Movement: Lift shoulders off the floor until you feel lower abdominal muscles working, focusing on the ceiling. Pause and slowly return to starting position.

Perform: Repeat 15 times and switch sides.

Vertical leg crunch

Start position: Lie on your back and extend legs straight up toward the ceiling, feet crossed at the ankles with a slight bend in the knees. Place your hands loosely behind your head.

Movement: Pull in your abdominals and slowly raise your head, shoulder and upper back about 30 degrees off the floor, using your abs muscles -- not your neck and shoulder muscles. Hold, then slowly lower, keeping legs still.

Perform: 15 to 25 repetitions

Reverse crunch

Start position: Lie on your back on a bench, hands overhead gripping the bench behind your head. If you don't have a bench readily available, lie on the floor and grasp a stable object, such as a couch or table leg, that you can reach. Legs are pointed straight up toward the ceiling.

Movement: Engage abdominal muscles and lift hips off the ground as you bring toes towards the ceiling; pause and slowly return to starting position.

Perform: 15 to 25 repetitions

Ball plank

Start position: Get into plank position on a fitness ball, supporting your weight on your chest and forearms on top of the ball, with hands in loose fists, legs straight and toes on the floor.

Movement: Keep abdominal muscles contracted as you raise your upper body until elbows are at right angles, eyes straight ahead. Hold 20 seconds; gradually work your way up to 60 seconds.

Perform: 15 repetitions

Twisted V-Seat

Start position: Sit on the floor in a reclining position, knees bent and heels on the floor (for a greater challenge, lift heels off the ground). Hold a medicine ball in front of you or clasp hands together.

Movement: Engage abdominals as you rotate your entire upper body to one side as you simultaneously rotate your lower body in the opposite direction; pause and reverse.

Perform: 15 to 25 repetitions each side

More tips for flat absFoods that fight belly fat More abs exercises

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Cookbook review Small Changes, Big Results by Ellie Krieger

Make — and keep — your resolutions!Small Changes big results

Everyone has good intentions when they make New Year's resolutions to eat better, exercise more, and lose weight. Sometimes resolutions are hard to keep. But in Ellie Krieger's updated and revised cookbook Small Changes, Big Results, you get more than just great recipes.

If you're looking for healthy recipes and a plan to point you toward a healthy lifestyle, Ellie Krieger's Small Changes, Big Results is the first cookbook you should pick up for the new year ahead.

Revisions for today's lifestyle and technology

In the recently updated and revised Small Changes, Big Results cookbook, you get much more than a compilation of healthy recipes. Krieger's book includes "A Wellness Plan with 65 Recipes for a Healthy, Balanced Life Full of Flavor." What might that be?

Krieger teaches readers how to change their bodies and their lives by making three small changes a week for 12 weeks. Truly, this is not a book that lectures. Rather, Krieger's writing and instruction seem to come from a good friend who is happy to help set you on the right path. The book doesn't include demands for difficult activities or complicated scientific explanations that will have your eyes glazing over. Instead, the "facts and figures" of this book are interesting and easy to understand.

What's so different about the latest edition of this book? According to Krieger, it's "a modern approach to tried-and-true benefits." Most of the revisions in this book center around more recipes, new science, additional grocery store options and, of course, new websites and apps to help keep you on track.

12 weeks and beyond

The book is enjoyable to read and walks readers through an easy-to-understand 12-week time frame of whys and hows, that eventually extends into life beyond those initial 12 weeks. Krieger provides specific action steps in the areas of Eating Well, Getting Fit and Feeling Good, along with the tools to accomplish those steps.

Whether you've tried making healthy changes before and failed, or you're eager to start the new year off on the right foot, Krieger's insights provide detailed explanations that are set up so that readers don't try to take on too much, too quickly, which she explains can often lead to frustration and failure in reaching goals.

There are plenty of delightful recipes included in the book to nourish your body and whet your appetite, from breakfast to dinner (and snacks, too). Try the following recipe for a welcome dinner.

Scallop and asparagus saute with lemon and thyme

Serves 4

Ingredients:2 tablespoons olive oil1/4 cup diced shallots1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces1-1/4 pounds bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepperDirections:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (you'll need a lid, too, to cover it later). Add the shallots and cook until they soften, about 2 minutes.Add the thyme, lemon zest, and asparagus, and cook, stirring, until the asparagus softens slightly, about 1 minute.Stir in the scallops, cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallops are opaque and the asparagus is crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes.Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.Serve with the accumulated juice.

To get your copy of Small Changes, Big Results visit Random House, Inc.

About the author: Ellie Krieger is the well-known host of Healthy Appetite, the popular Food Network and Cooking Channel program. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling cookbooks The Food You Crave (recipient of James Beard and IACP awards) and So Easy, as well as Comfort Food Fix. Krieger holds an M.S. in Nutrition from Columbia and a B.S. from Cornell.More cookbooks to try

Fifty Shades of Chicken
The Meat Free Monday Cookbook
The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook

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