Baked Goat Cheese

• 3-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 goat cheese log (any size)
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and oregano. Saute until transparent. Add the can of crushed crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes and let cool. In blender or food processor, process sauce until smooth. Pour into a shallow baking dish which can go from oven to table. Place goat cheese in the middle of sauce (sauce should come halfway up the cheese). Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until cheese looks slightly melted and sauce is bubbling. Dribble sauce over cheese. Serve with crusty bread, bread sticks or crackers.

*Recipe courtesy of SwillParty.com*

Lasagna Rolls

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the 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 bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

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

Add a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

*Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis*

 Italian Tuna Salad

Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with hot water in a bowl. Set aside until soft, about 20 minutes, then drain, chop, and put in a medium bowl. To mellow the minced onion, soak it in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain it well, pat dry and add to the tomatoes. Add the tuna, breaking it into large chunks, along with the celery, olives, and capers, and toss to combine. Add the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and basil and toss again. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve cold, with bread or greens, if desired.

*Recipe adapted from The Food Network Kitchens*