Lasagne and Brownies?

This week has been craaaazzzy! On either Monday or Tuesday (I can't even remember) I got a call from my bestie, Yvette. She asked me to come over to watch Scrubs and said our friend Samantha would be there. I love Samantha! I rarely get to see her anymore because she goes to school in Tampa. We ended up watching House. It was my first time ever seeing it and I have to say it's an awesome show! Now I understand why people would look at me like I had sprouted a second head when I said I had never seen it lol.

Anyway, whenever we have a little get together like this, I like baking something if I have time. Yvy loves brownies. I can still remember a much younger Yvy picking off the sprinkles on store bought brownies at lunch. I guess it has something to do with feeling nostalgic and connecting different parts of your life. I don't really know lol. The point is, I decided I'd make some really decadent brownies ;] Who can really go wrong with chocolate?






Better Brownies
6 oz dark chocolate (70%)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp instant coffee powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup TerrAmazon cacao nibs

Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter up a 9x9 inch baking pan. Melt 3oz of the dark chocolate and the butter in a double boiler. Stir it up and let it cool. In another bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, and the salt. Beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate, and the flour mix. Chop up the other 3oz of dark chocolate and mix it into the batter, along with the cacao nibs and the white chocolate. Spread it into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool. (They will seem squishy/undercooked in the middle, just let them cool) Cut them up and enjoy!


I chopped my white chocolate too small so, you can't see it in the picture, but the girls said they were delicious! :]


Onnnn Thursday, I went to Whole Foods and bought some beauutiful hydrangeas and mom bought roses. Mom has always sucked at arranging flowers, so I always do it lol. I got a little carried away, but I think the arrangements turned out nicely. Just thought I'd share.








Mom was having surgery on Friday, so I decided to make her favorite Margherita Lasagne. I was taking an Italian class earlier this year and the professor told us about margherita pizza. It doesn't have any sauce! It uses fresh tomatoes instead. I thought this was genius since I LOVE tomatoes.






Margherita Lasagne
2 yellow onions,chopped
1 shallot,chopped
3 cloves garlic,minced
1 bundle asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 zucchini,sliced
2 yellow squash,sliced
8 plum tomatoes,sliced
2 cups grated mozzarella
1 box whole wheat no boil lasagna pasta
1 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
fresh italian flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp coconut oil
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Let the pasta soak in the chicken broth. Heat one tbsp of the coconut oil. Add onions, shallots, garlic, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Let the onions caramelize then add in the asparagus and a tablespoon of basil. Cook until tender. Remove from heat and combine with 1/2 cup of cheese. Set aside. Heat remaining coconut oil and toss in the zucchini, squash, 2 tablespoons of basil, also sprinkled with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly tender and set aside. Form the bottom layer of your lasagna by overlapping slices of the pasta until the bottom of the baking pan is covered. Layer asparagus/onion mixture over the first layer. Form a layer of sliced tomato over asparagus/onion layer.





Create another layer of pasta. Layer the zucchini and squash over that and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Create another layer of pasta. Create a layer of tomato. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top along with another tablespoon of basil.




Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.


* I actually use manchego for this recipe because my boyfriend doesnt eat cow products or red meat and he loooves this lasagne lol. The mozarella is equally delicious though.


Finally, tonight's recipe! I was in the mood for something sweet and savory but fresh at the same time. I raided my fridge and found ginger, oranges,sesame oil, and chicken. I always keep honey in the house too...and thus dinner was born! I never expected it to be this good though. I know it's rude to say the food you make yourself is great, but I even surprised myself!





Orange-Ginger-Honey Chicken!
1 lb of chicken breast cut into four 4 oz portions
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp orange zest
salt and pepper

Rinse and pat dry chicken then season with salt and pepper. Combine oil, ginger, honey, zest, and more pepper in a bowl. Spread over the chicken and marinade for 15-20 minutes. On medium high heat, brown the chicken on both sides. bring the temperature down to medium low and cook for about ten more minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken.)