Una Ricetta: Vegetarian Bechamel Lasagna

Vegetarian Bechamel Lasagna

una ricetta

So far, all of the Lasagnas I have had in Italy have been made with a Bechamel sauce.  At least in this region, lasagna's aren't thick and hearty like they are in the states.  They are more sparse in the in-between layers, more noodley (like 5-6 layers of noodles), creamy and yummy!

I concocted this Vegetarian Bechamel Lasagna last week and was happy with how it turned out.  The Bechamel adds such a nice extra creaminess without a lot of extra fat (you won't need as much cheese).  I still want to work on the acidity of the tomato sauce (I'm not a huge tomato sauce fan anyway) but I think I'm the only one that noticed that.  The leeks and shallot make a really nice addition and the mushrooms make it taste really meaty.  I will come back to the blog with any improvements.  

10 -12 sheets of fresh Lasagna noodles

 (no Boil ones would probably work fine)

Olive Oil

1 onion

1 shallot

4-6 cloves garlic

2 carrots, chopped

2 zucchini, chopped

3 portobello mushrooms

1 lg leek, white and light green parts only

Generously swirl the olive oil in a warming stock pot.  Saute the vegetables until sweating and tender, about 5 minutes.  Add:

1/2 c red wine, and stir until evaporated, then add:

1/2 c water

a generous splash of Worcestershire sauce

1 28 oz can of tomato sauce (if in Italy, 1 700g jar of passata pomodoro)

1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you add them to the pot

2 T brown sugar

Let simmer, covered, for 30-60 minutes.

While simmering make the bechamel sauce:

4 cups of milk (whole is of course better but you can hardly tell if you use 1%)

6 T unsalted butter

5 1/2 T flour

1 t salt

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  When it is foamy, whisk in the flour until it is smooth.  Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.  Add several T of milk and whisk vigorously.  Continue adding milk in small increments, whisking until it is incorporated.  Add the salt and cook over medium low heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, 3-6 minutes.  It will continue to thicken as it cools. 

Have 3 cups of your favorite Italian cheese grated.   I mixed Montasio and parmesan but Mozzarella and parmesan would be nice too.  

In a 9X13 or lasagna pan add a generous scoop of the tomato sauce.  Then layer the noodles.  Smooth the top of the noodles with bechamel, then layer more sauce, finished with cheese.  Repeat until all ingredients are gone!   

It's Working!

travel+travel+travel+travel+travel

travel+travel+travel+travel+travel

People comment to Joey and I all the time how good this life is that we're living right now, mostly for the kids.  We've experienced this first hand as we watch them soak up history lessons at the Vatican with cousins or ski in the alps with close friends.  It's really exciting sometimes to think about all they're experiencing at such a young age. But I often wonder if THEY know how cool it is or if are REALLY absorbing what we're serving them.

It wasn't all that big of a deal but I felt a little payback a few times over the last couple of weeks, a little restitution, and maybe even a little gratitude from the kids themselves.

For starters, when Juliet and I stopped by the kids school during recess the other day (we do this almost every day because I pick up Juliet from her school across the street at 1pm, just as Georgie and Isaac are coming out for recess )I spied Georgie and a small group of girls in a tiny huddle, engrossed in a very serious conversation, one that Georgie seemed to be in charge of.  When they saw me coming a few of them very somberly announced us to Georgie.  They were very dramatic about their seriousness;)  When Georgie arrived to meet me at the gate she was quite sullen.  "Today is the anniversary of World War II."  I was confused?  What anniversary?  But there was no time for the questions, she cut to the chase.  "You know, the one with the concentration camps.  We're learning about that today and Jenifer ( a girl in her class) started laughing.  I got really mad at her and told her that she shouldn't laugh because it is VERY sad.  I am telling all the girls about Dachau..you know, how we went in the real room where they...you know, the burning."  She went on to telling me more about all that she told them.  As we talked all the other girls stood at the gate with drawn looks on their faces.  It was kind of funny, actually, all the drama they were getting off of it. But as I drove home and thought about what had just happened I realized that this traveling was paying off.  She remembers places like Dachau and they mean something to her. It's working!

This week we've been working on Thank you notes.  IN Isaacs note to Gaga and Papa he wrote goodbye in 5 different languages, completely of his own accord.  On a smaller scale, that was pretty cool.  ANd when I took him out to lunch for his half birthday the chef, a sort of friend of ours, came out with a "mystery" puree as an appetizer.  He wanted us to guess what it was.  I was completely perplexed...I had no idea but I was thoroughly enjoying it.  It had a mysterious savoriness but a familiar bite that I couldn't quite put my fingers on.  After several seconds of mulling it around on his tongue, Isaac announced, "It's fennel."  Darned if it wasn't!  I was so proud!  

Anyway, with all this money we're throwing down, all the things we're NOT doing so that we CAN live here and travel, sometimes I wonder if we're just telling ourselves its good for them because Joey and I like it so much.  In the end, I feel pretty confident, this is the peak of our lives (mine and Joeys:)  But hopefully not theres!  Not to end cheesily or anything, but in all seriousness, I hope this is just the beginning of their international lives!  

xoxo

Ash

Christmas in Park City

Christmas at "Home"

We were fortunate enough to spend Christmas at "home" this year!  

HOME

Our favorite place on earth.

Our journey started with a departure from Venice on a Wednesday morning.  We had happy faces and sad hearts at leaving Joey.   Here the kids are sending him some encouragement for the battle with loneliness that lay ahead.

From Venice we landed in Frankfurt and began our long journey to Denver.  Here's what we looked like after 15 hours of flying:

Georgie and Juliet slept a total of 1 hour throughout the whole journey and Isaac didn't sleep at all.  Needless to say there was some crying going on as I drug them through customs, to pick up our luggage (to take IT through customs),  and through security again to re board yet another plane.  I was reminded of the times, as a child, when I fell asleep in the car on the way home and my parents had to wake me up to trudge my way up to my room so that I could go back to sleep.  I remember so vividly how absolutely painful that walk was...how much my body was telling me to lay itself down already!  I know that was what Juliet was feeling!  Poor girl balled her eyes out, each step taken like she was carrying anchor, as we crossed the Denver airport and back again!  But she earned us some very useful pity that took us to the front of more than a few lines!  Isaac and Georgie, all things considered, were super troopers.  

There was comfort in knowing that we had this to look forward to!    

We spent a few beautiful days with just Gaga, then Papa and then Bryant, the cabin quiet and peaceful and the snow falling down continually.  We baked sugar cookies and layer bars and cooked chili and soup for all the family that was coming over the next couple of weeks.  And, of course, we played in the snow.

Here are Juliet and Arie Lou.  Juliet never lasted very long out there;)  But Georgie, Isaac, Arie and Liam could have stayed all day.

We spent a couple of days at Cary and Kreggs house, cousins I have always wanted Georgie to be able to spend time with...a house full of cute, sweet girls (and their accompanying American Girl Dolls!)

She loved them!  And was sad to have to say goodbye:

Jake, Ashlee and the boys came and hung out a couple of times for dinner 

and to spend some time playing in the snow. 

But of course, good things come to an end and we had to say goodbye again:

Isaac and Tanner are on the couch over there, in tears and silence at the thought of saying goodbye again.  It was especially hard on them and poor sweet Luke!!!:(  We had such a rejuvenating time hanging out with Mimi and Poppop, Jenny and Brandon, Walt, Paula and Marissa and even Ruth!  We were so lucky to get to see so much family while we were there. 

By this time, it's Christmas Eve!  Mimi and I did our darndest despite a few odds, to get us back to the cabin in time for the holiday dinner!

Christmas Eve Gift!

Juliets favorite Person!  Papa!!

Aly slaving away at her dairy glazed, gluten filled rolls;)  So worth every melting bite!

It was so cool to have McCall, Uncle Dave and Aunt Mary there with us for almost a week!  They were such good sports to crash on floors, the couch and between sleeping grandmothers!

Yay!!  Frosty came...delivering Christmas Pajamas!

Here's Juliet with her new favorite little person, Lyla.  

It was our first time meeting this sweet little thing who was always dressed in Reindeers and Snowmen or leopards (and who exists on a Paleo diet;(...crossfitting parents!!)  She is always perfectly behaved and ADORABLE!

Can you see her heart shaped birthmark on her tummy?  It is so cute!

We went bowling twice while we were there!  

These photos are from our first visit to the local lanes!

I was reminded of how awesome of a coach my father is.  He gave me some tips at the beginning and when he was secure that his help was welcomed it became a team effort to up my score;)  By the end of the trip I was bowling a 120 something, consistently.  My best games ever;)  I love my dad for more reasons than just excellent coaching skills, but that was certainly fun to learn from him.

This was the awesomest air hockey table I have ever seen (that costs $4 to play!!)  A four way game with four players and four pucks.

I felt so grateful to see soooo much family while we were there.  Lindsey and her family came up a couple of times (here she is at Cafe Rio)

Cameron and his wife Alyssa spent 4 nights with us!

And Juliet is loving Papa...again...on our 3rd Christmas morning, celebrated when Adam, Kirsten and family arrived.

Here gaga is helping Reese open her Ukelele!

This year we discovered the awesome sledding hill just around the mountain from our house.  It's a long run, requiring a long walk but worth every step if you have a good sled.  I'm looking forward to going back there every year from now on.  It requires excercise from the kids and best of all, its free!!

Cameron, Alyssa and I celebrated too much Christmas food one day with a snowshoeing trek and then a crossfit work out afterward...Burpees, dips, push ups, squat here we are!

Random cute pictures:

Bowling again!!:

Juliet and Papa again!

Favorite Cousins!:

And Chebbith (Chels), on New Years Eve!:

Speaking of New Years Eve, we played games, this one is called Head Bands, the adult version and is very fun!  

The titles here on Mom and Dad were the funniest/most ironic ones of the night:

After we lost Dad, Adam, and the kids the rest of us rang in the new Year with dancing and bubbly!

....and kissing from Newlyweds;)  If Joey had been here I would have layed one on him as well, even though we've been married for 10 years;)

New Years Day calls for kissing as well!

After lots of requests from the kids, on New Years Day we finally took them ice skating.

The girls and Corden especially loved it!

Even though this is my last photo this was not the end of our trip, no, there was the 12 person sledding run, all of us holding on to each other and barreling down the mountain at Soldier Hollow, th goodbye photos with the kids, good bying to Uncle Bryant, the time spent with the McCanns, the few days we had left with Mom and Dad, my visit with college friends, and terrible goodbyes with Papa and Gaga.  If I can steal photos from someone who actually took some I will add them here later.  It was a great time, so much owed to my parents.  My Mom was a trooper, hosting 30+ people at times, feeding them casually, tolerating messes and kids and grumpy people and happy people and hoards and hoards of more people.  Thanks Mom!  You're a real trooper!

So begins our long arduous journey home.  56 hours to be exact.  I could make a big sob story out of it but, all in all, we ended up having a pretty good time.  

Our flight out of SLC was late getting out, so we missed our connection fight in Chicago by 20 minutes.  We were able to get a flight to Munich the following night leaving at 9pm which left us with over 24 hours in Chicago...fun!  The airlines provided us with a hotel and food vouchers, which we were quite grateful for.  We had no luggage, no change of clothing and no coats or gloves which proved a little tough since it was FREEZING in Chicago!  So cold!  Our great friend Megan, here in Italy, is from Chicago and via imessage told me to take the kids to the Field Museum.  We caught the L from the airport on Thursday morning and spent the day roaming through dinosaur bones and stuffed animal carcasses from all over the world.  

I was struck by the genuine kindness and thoughtfulness of the people of Chicago.  Folks really were so warm and friendly, concerned and helpful.  We made friends with the shuttle bus driver who took us to and from the airport to our hotel.  He was a very young 20 something who migrated to Chicago from Poland with his parents.  He entered High School at the age of 16 not knowing a stitch of English.  Isaac and Georgie told him they knew how that felt!  We commiserated about the beauties of Europe, what he misses about it and what he appreciates about the US.  It turns out, he and I agree on quite a lot!  ( Sigh...no perfect place! but lots of awesome ones!)  I left our one rolling luggage piece in the back of the taxi cab we took from the L to the museum (a real "Ashley" move) and I had the entire front entrance staff of the museum on my team tracking the taxi cab down.  One man let me use his phone and offered to wait after his shift as long as it took until I got a return call confirming my luggage.  The lady with the taxi company was AWESOME and showed real concern and the ladies at the museum ticket counter were clapping and grinning from ear to ear when I came back in with my luggage...in hindsight, it was fun!   

To continue our journey with the delightful people of Chicago I'll tell you one more story.  From the airport to the field museum is a 45 minute ride on the L.  We were tired and dirty and ragged looking from lack of showering or face wash or changes of clothes.  About 1/3 of the way into our journey a very large woman (350# +) boarded the train.  We exchanged smiles as she took a seat close to us.  The kids were behaving themselves, playing nicely together and we exchanged more smiles with her.  20 minutes later she hands $20 to Georgie.  Georgie then gives it to me and motions toward the woman.  "Buy them something," she tells me with an accent I couldn't pick up on.  "They are so good, buy them something."  Mind you this woman looked quite poor herself.  I was complimented, flattered, shocked, and extremely humbled but mostly I felt very inappropriate taking it from her.  But I also knew it would be rude and awkward of me to try and give it back.  So I smiled and thanked her and the kids thanked her and I sat back and marveled and wondered at the fact that we might have just received the widows mite.  I chatted with her for a few minutes a little while later but I didn't get a great feel for her story.  I know she was coming home from work and that she lived way outside of the city, near the airport, not the best area, I am sure.  She was carrying some things she had purchased for her sister that evening after work.  I told her that she was a very generous person.    I didn't get the feeling she was fishing for any compliments.  It was a good experience for the kids and I hope it affected them a little.  We still have the $20.00 and need to talk again about how we want to spend it or donate it.  It is a special $20.00 bill that we won't give out lightly.  

We boarded our plane in Chicago and were all quite excited about it.  Juliet had been asking for the "movie airplane" since our journey began!  Movies to our hearts content! I stressed a little as Georgie was never able to fall asleep but felt grateful that Isaac and Juliet slept a decent amount.  Like Georgie, I didn't sleep at all.  We landed in Munich after 12 hours and crashed again on the seats outside of a random gate.  We had 8 hours to kill!!   Juliet was wide awake so she and I killed time reading books, going to the bathroom, and hanging out quietly.  Isaac was cute when he took his few remaining Euro and escorted Juliet to the toy store and bought her her own little set of Duplo legos.  Because he didn't want to leave Georgie out he bought her a little gift too.  He was so cute and thoughtful about it.  Love that boy!  So we came and went and ate and sat and played for 8 hours.  We treated our little corner of the airport like it was our home, coming and going and sprawling as we wanted!  I feel confident they were ready for us to go when the 8 hours were up.  We had de-gentrifying there schmancy airport for too long!

The Munich airport is NICE:

Just in the area where we were sprawling there was this airplane playground, 3 really nice restaurants, a complimentary tea and coffee bar, a toy store, a whole bunch of designer shops whos' names I can't remember and luckily, a United Colors of Benetton store.  I thank heaven for that Benetton shop that happened to be having a January sale because I had to buy Juliet 3 pairs of pants while we were in that airport.  She poo'ed in her pants 4 times!  Yes, that's right, you heard me, she poo'ed in her pants 4 times during our lovely 8 hour layover in Munich.  You bet they were ready to get rid of us! 

Love that girl:

Love this trip:

Love our family!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!  And much love and thanks to all those involved!

xoxo