Sometimes its worth spending the time...

Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. For people with jobs, kids, and all manner of other responsibilities, tackling everything with the same amount of energy simply isn’t possible. Often times when this happens, cooking is the thing that gets pushed aside. My mom will be the first person to admit that she didn’t used to spend a lot of time cooking meals. But when raising four children and holding a job, dealing with pets, and covering all other responsibilities that came with keeping a house over our heads, time was scarce. As we grew up and moved out of the house, she began to have more time to experiment with different recipes. Now, she’s cooking up something new and delicious every time I go home.

Lately, I’ve been finding that even though I may have the time to put together extravagant meals, I really don’t have the energy. Most nights, I’ll come home and my sister and I will throw together something quick: rice, pasta, chicken. Some days though, I just really feel like creating a fancy meal. The next time I do however, I will be making these amazing lasagna rolls.

My mom made them as a Father’s Day treat for my step-dad, and needless to say, the whole family loved them. They were fairly time intensive, but that being said, most of the cooking process does not require active participation.

When searching for recipes, don’t necessarily be put off by meals with long cooking times. This one, for example, lists its cooking time as 3.5 hours. But really, the amount of time you’ll actually spend cooking it is maybe 30 minutes. Some of the best recipes for busy people have really extensive cooking times because you can prepare part or all of the meal, and let it cook for several hours. Not only does this allow you to accomplish things while the meal is cooking, but it makes your house smell delicious!

So make these lasagna rolls! They make a really nice presentation when guests come over too. They look super fancy. And the flavor is amazing. You can top with any jar of marinara sauce, but my mom likes to make this one. It’s simple and delicious.

So good luck! And buon appetito!

Short Rib Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients

Ribs:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 pounds beef short ribs

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

1 onion, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary

2 cups red wine, such as pinot noir

2 cups beef broth

Filling:

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups Parmesan, grated (6 ounces)

1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)

1 (10-ounce) packet frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of excess liquid

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

12 lasagna noodles (about 10 ounces)

Butter, for greasing baking dish

1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Olive oil, for drizzling

 

Ribs: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Season the ribs with the salt and pepper. Add them to the pan and cook each side about 4 minutes, until browned. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add onions, garlic, and rosemary to the pot and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Increase the heat to high and add the wine. With a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits on the bottom.  Add the beef broth and put the ribs back in the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the ribs and set aside until they are cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Discard cooking liquid and bones. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into 2 inch pieces. You should get about 2 1/4 cups of meat.

Filling: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low. Add cheeses and whisk until sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and add spinach, basil, and garlic. Place the shredded meat in a medium bowl and add the cream mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of pepper. Mix until combined. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay 4 noodles flat on a dry work surface. Spread 1/4 to 1/3 cup (depending on how large you want them) of the filling mixture evenly along each noodle. Roll and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with all the noodles and filling to make 12 lasagna rolls. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake until the lasagna rolls are heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. 


Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis