Family Matters

It was another busy week for both Laura and me.  Laura hit the ground running by wrapping up two beautiful new quilts for spring market.  The first one is rather patriotic in red, white and blue using Karen Synder’s Redwork and Bluework fabrics for Timeless Treasures.  Remember I shared my drawing (using markers), and translated to fabrics a few weeks ago in the blog?  Well, it’s time to share the finished paper design and the quilt making in progress (finished Sunday- this picture taken Friday) - it is the fourth of July gone wild!  We don’t have a name for this pattern yet (maybe that should be the title, hmmmm….); it will be introduced at market.  Gorgeous, Laura!

The other finished design is an American Jane collection by Moda and oh, how I love the eye popping border and the perky little rhythm of the center.  Just can’t wait to see it all quilted up and what our friend Marybeth with White Lotus Quilting will do with the border.  We can sometimes be “border minimalists” but for this quilt we went big, dramatic, and BOLD!  Heck we went way out of our “norm” by throwing in a mitered border.  Ha, ha, ha I love it when we nail it and we did for sure!

I had a week of celebrating with family.  It was my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law’s birthdays so I had family staying with us over the weekend and a sit down dinner Saturday night.  Here is a picture of the table, using Dave’s grandmother’s adorable pink china, a pattern called Fairfield, so feminine and just right for an almost spring party celebrating two terrific women! 

We served chicken mushroom lasagna and my brother-in-law was "in the thick of it", making the sauce.  If you want a great make ahead recipe for a dinner party that delivers plenty of ooos and ahhhs here it is:

Chicken and Mushroom Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles

 1 lb. Crispini mushrooms, sliced

8 T butter, divided

2 cloves garlic

½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

6 T flour

2 cups skim milk (any milk is fine but here is where I shave a few calories)

2 cups chicken stock

½ t salt

¼ t white pepper

¼ cup half and half

4 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast, no skin

1/3 lb.Prosciutto

1 -15 oz. ricotta cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, drain, and rinse with cold water and lay out single layer on paper toweling to dry.  In large fry pan, sauté mushrooms in 3 T butter until golden brown, stirring often.  Reduce heat and add garlic and parsley and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring frequently.

To make the sauce use a medium saucepan, melt remaining butter and add flour and whisk continuously without browning for 2 minutes.  Slowly add in the milk and chicken stock, cooking until smooth and thickened, continuing to stir.  Do not scorch.  Just as it begins to boil, remove it from heat.  Add salt and pepper and stir.

Assemble pouring the half and half in the bottom of an ungreased 9.5 x 13 inch baking dish.   Using 1/3^rd of each of the following, layer each in this order:

Noodles

Mushroom Mix

Cooked Chicken cubes

Prosciutto

Ricotta (dotted evenly)

Shredded Mozzarella

Grated Parmesan 1/3 cup each layer

White Sauce

Repeat two more times and sprinkle remaining Parmesan Cheese atop.  Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until heated through.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  This can be made a day ahead but increase cooking time by 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.  Delicious!

What a wonderful time enjoying family and good conversation.  Family matters; whether it’s your immediate family, your extended family, or the people you choose to surround yourself with that you consider family. That’s what I know.  At our dinner, we were marveling about how the kids are growing up, what they are up to and everyone’s plans for spring and summer – definitely more complicated now that both family's kids have either graduated from college, are in college, or are in the last few years of high school.  Such fun we had!  I wish you a delightful week!

Comments

• Hi, Lynnette -- The dining room table looks beautiful - so springy. I love the pink china! Wow, you two work fast. The two quilts look great. I love the red, white and blue one. You go girls! :)
  by Carolyn on 16 March 2010 at 6:16 p.m.

Your Name:
Comments:
Security code: