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Category Archives: Family Circle Magazine
How To Cook Lasagna Cupcakes?
Cupcakes are coming in all shapes and sizes these days but seriously…Lasagna Cupcakes? Is that even possible? It is! These Lasagna Cupcakes are easily made using all of the same ingredients in your classic lasagna with layers of meat, three types of cheeses, and pasta.
Usually lasagna looks like a big gooey mess, but when it’s in cupcake form it looks elegant and refined. Wonton wrappers are used as the pasta element in this lasagna, eliminating the nightmare and logistics of trying to make pasta noodles cupcake sized.
Wonton wrappers are fresh little sheets of pasta that are perfectly sized for these lasagna cupcakes and because of their thinness, they cook up super fast. Just take a stack of wonton wrappers and place a drinking glass on top. Using a knife, cut around to the glass to make circle shapes.
Next, assemble layers of pasta, cheese, meat, and sauce in the muffin tins to make your lasagna cupcakes.
I don’t know about your family, but in my family when we eat lasagna, we all fight over the corners of the pan because of the crispy and chewy texture. With these cupcakes, every single one has all the yummy qualities of those corner pieces.
Just sink your teeth into the melted cheese and pasta in these lasagna cupcakes!
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 35 min
Serving Size: 6 Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup marinara sauce
3/4 pound ground beef
12 wonton wrappers
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
3 ounces Parmesan cheese
4 ounces Ricotta cheese
(optional) basil for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Brown beef and season with salt and pepper. Drain.
3. Cut wonton wrappers into circle shapes using a biscuit cutter or using the top of a drinking glass. You can cut several at a time.
4. Reserve 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 6 tablespoon mozzarella for the top of you cupcakes. Start layering your lasagna cupcakes. Begin with a wonton wrapper and press it into the bottom of each muffin tin. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese, Ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Top with a little meat and marinara sauce. Use around 1-2 teaspoons of all the ingredients depending on your personal preference.
5. Repeat layers ending with marinara sauce. Top with reserved Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. To remove use a knife to loosen the edges then pop each lasagna out.
7. Garnish with basil and serve.
This recipt is from Family Circle Magazine.
7 Easy Ways To Keep Healthy Breakfasts
With Heart Health Month coming up in just a few days, I started thinking about breakfast again. Studies prove again and again that a healthy breakfast is the first step for general well-being. It’s an important way to start the day because a good breakfast regulates your blood sugar for the rest of the day, meaning you won’t be craving as many snacks throughout if you start off your morning the right way.
I don’t always have a ton of time in the morning, though. So I rely on a few favorites to get me through the day. These are all easy, delicious and nutritious breakfasts that I can depend on.
1. Slow Cooker Banana Walnut Oatmeal: Overnight oatmeal is definitely the best breakfast to wake up to. This one with bananas, walnuts and cinnamon smells really good and is ready for me the minute I roll out of bed.
2. Fruit Salad with Pomegranate Syrup: This fruit salad with oranges, kiwis, apples, bananas, pears and pineapples is sweet and can be prepared the night before. The pomegranate syrup adds something extra.
3. Zucchini-Carrot Muffins: Healthy, veggie-full muffins are great. You can make a dozen on the weekend, freeze some and have them throughout your week. The sunflower seeds add a little bit of protein and healthy fats.
4. Yogurt Parfait: Another breakfast that you can make ahead of time. I really love this one because it combines some of my favorite foods: Greek yogurt, Kashi GoLean crunch cereal and raspberries. Simple and delicious.
5. Slow Cooker Breakfast Baked Apples: Another slow cooker breakfast that can be made overnight, this one is sweet thanks to the chocolate chips and cinnamon baked apples but also healthy thanks to the oats and nuts.
6. Southwestern Egg Scramble: Your basic breakfast burrito-like dish, I make mine with a whole-wheat tortilla, egg whites, mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli and reduced fat cheddar cheese but you can use any favorites here.
7. Peanut Butter Toast: Nothing is simpler than putting a couple pieces of whole-wheat toast in your toaster, spreading it with a little bit of peanut butter and adding a cup of fresh grapes. I also like bananas and apples.
I love waking up in the morning to one of my easy overnight slow cooker breakfasts or simply taking a parfait or muffin out of the fridge. Even when I forget to make something the night before, it’s good to have go-to options like the toast or egg scramble. Not only is the healthy breakfast good for me, but it keeps me motivated throughout the day to keep doing better. And that’s really important for mine (and your) diet success.
What is your favorite easy and healthy breakfast for weight loss success? Do you want to be featured as a Diet Success? Tell us in the comments below!
Family Circle Magazine: 5 Ways to Avoid Overspending This Holiday Season
It’s tempting to justify splurging on gifts during the holidays, but a few tips will keep you from paying for your actions well into next year.
It’s the most wonderful time of year for retailers. As soon as we clear our Thanksgiving plates the race begins to gather gifts for all our family and friends. During the year, I do a pretty good job of being practical with my purchases. But something about the holidays makes even the most frugal shopper push his or her limits. Add kids to the equation–and the teacher gifts, holiday parties and the “Can I ask Santa for that??” demands–and you can easily end up with a pile of debt by New Year’s Day.
Family Circle magazine‘s Nov. 29, 2011, issue had a good article on how to stay within your budget this season. First step, create a budget. Here were a few of my favorite tips from the article:
1.Don’t procrastinate. I love online shopping. It means I don’t have to drag three kids to a store. But if you plan to make many online purchases, you can’t wait until the last minute. You hate to find the perfect gift for your in-laws and then realize you have pay $25 in express shipping to get it here on time.
2.Use cash. You’ll spend more if you use credit cards than if you carry cash. When it’s gone, you’re done!
3.You don’t have to spend the same on each kid. That’s a shocking thought for most parents. Even though my brother and I are in our 30s, my mom still takes painstaking steps to make sure the gifts for us (and our spouses) are equitable. I went through the same exercise for my toddlers last year, even down to counting the items in their stockings–something they’d never do themselves. The article suggests that parents worry about it a lot more than kids. And as long as everyone gets things that work for them, who cares?
4.Buy in bulk. This was a great tip that I’d never thought of. The small gifts are the ones that really add up during the holidays. You need a little something for your child’s teacher, your hair stylist, the neighbors. Rather than buying lots of individual gifts, the article suggests looking for items in groups. Fill a set of ceramic bowls with baked goods or buy a set of candles and split it among teachers.
5.Get crafty. My sister-in-law is so good about making gifts for everyone. I know it takes her hours longer than it would to buy something at the mall, but that’s what makes it so special. Mary Hunt, author of “Debt-Proof the Holidays,” told Family Circle editors, “In surveys we ask people if they prefer purchased gifts or something homemade, and homemade always comes out ahead.”
What are your tips for saving cash and sticking to a budget during the holidays?
