Thursday, October 16, 2008

Slider Caesar Salad and Veggie Manicotti

Sliders are just too popular around here. My kids love them and they make a great, little lunch-I often sneak the leftovers into the lunchbox, if there are any leftovers.
We had a Rachael Ray night, combining two of her 30-minute meals. The salad was delicious- I swapped out the ground beef for lean ground turkey and used fat free mayo in the dressing. The kids were loving their little sliders on a stick. The veggie manicotti was a quick dish to throw together and these 2 dishes went really great together. As she would say, Yum-O!


Slider Caesar Salad From Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine
2 kaiser rolls, cut into cubes
4 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup fat free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
20 oz. lean ground turkey, 93% lean

One 12-ounce package romaine hearts, torn into small pieces

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the bread with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toast for 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons parmesan, mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
3. Crumble the ground turkey into a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper and combine. Divide into 12 equal portions and roll into balls. Thread 3 meatballs onto each of 4 wooden skewers, leaving a 1/2-inch space between each; pat each meatball into a 2-inch patty.
4. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush the patties with olive oil and grill, turning once, about 6 minutes total for medium.
5. Meanwhile, add the lettuce and croutons to the dressing and toss. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Top with the skewers.

Veggie Manicotti from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine
Eight 6-inch-long lasagna noodles (I used whole wheat)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 pint cottage cheese, drained in a strainer
One 16-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and 1/3 cup finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves, plus 8 leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 tomato, chopped
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles, stirring often, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
3. Using a food processor, puree the drained cheese until smooth; add to the zucchini along with the chopped roasted peppers and chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper. Rinse the food processor bowl.
4. Lay the noodles flat on a work surface. Place an equal amount of the zucchini mixture at the end of each noodle, then roll up. Divide the rolls among 4 dinner plates.
5. Using the food processor, puree the remaining roasted peppers with the tomato until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the rolls. Top with the sliced basil.

8 comments:

Maria said...

I want to make your veggie manicotti! It looks super easy and tasty! I am always in the mood for Italian!

Cathy said...

Yum-o is right-o!! (sorry, I can't help myself sometimes.) That looks like a wonderful meal! I can't get enough Italian, and haven't made manicotti in a while. Yours look fantastic. The salad looks like it could even be a meal in itself, with some bread (maybe those wheat hamburger buns!)

Cathy said...

And THANK YOU for getting back to me on my yeast question -- I am glad to hear that you use Fleishmann's, too. Great idea storing it in the freezer; I am going to go move mine right now! I will report back to let you know how the buns go!

Mary Ann said...

Maria-
The manicotti was super simple and tasted better the next day warmed up as leftovers. Hope you try it!

Cathy-
I think the salad was intended to be a meal, but I combined them for a little variety. Good luck on the buns! I can't wait to hear how it goes.

Alexa said...

This looks like another great family friendly meal. I haven't made manicotti in ages. The sliders on a stick are pure inspiration.

The Blonde Duck said...

I'll come eat at your house any day! Those sliders look wonderful!

Aggie said...

What a great meal! I love the sliders on a stick...and on top of a salad even better!!

Prudy said...

I've got to try this manicotti. I've been dying for some traditional lasagna flavors but I've been a little dinner lazy lately.