Lasagna Rolls and Jalapeno Poppers

So, we’re going to this deck party tonight and I was thinking… hmmmm what kind of appetizer could I bring and what’s something different that I haven’t made before. So I found this idea of bite sized lasagna roll-ups and then I figured why not some of my jalapeno poppers too because they’re usually a big hit :) 

Lasagna Spinach Roll-ups

Ingredients:

• 1 box lasagna noodles
• ½ frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 8oz ricotta cheese (I used the low fat)
• 4oz sliced mushrooms (minced)
• 1 small white onion (chopped finely)
• ½ cup finely shredding mozzarella cheese
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• Dried or fresh parsley
• 1 jar pasta sauce (I used Barilla Roasted Garlic)

Directions:

• Bring pot of water to boil.
• Sauté mushrooms until cooked and slightly crispy, season with salt and pepper, then add to bowl.
• Sauté onion until cooked and slightly browned, add garlic and cook until fragrant, season with salt and pepper then add to bowl.
• While cooking mushrooms and onions, drain and squeeze spinach then add to bowl, add pasta into bowling water, cook for 8 minutes.
• Add ricotta cheese into bowl and mix thoroughly. 
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Drain and lay lasagna noodles flat when done cooking.
• Cut lasagna noodles in half.
• Take 1 Tbsp. of the spinach mixture and place on the half noodle. Be sure to leave the one end without the mixture so when you roll up the noodle it sticks. 
• Repeat for all noodles. This will make about 36 roll ups. 
• After all noodles are rolled, slice each one in half. 
• Place on a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place ribbon end out.
• Dollop a little pasta sauce on each and then top with a little mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes.
• Use toothpick skewers for each, sprinkle with parsley and serve with remaining pasta sauce for dipping.

Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:

• 15 Medium to large jalapenos
• 1 8oz block of cream cheese, brought to room temperature
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• ½ cup bacon bits (I used those real bacon bacon bits)
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ½ cup chopped red onion

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix the cheeses, bacon, cilantro and red onion together until incorporated.
• Slice each jalapeno in half, making sure to leave the stem intact.
• Core each jalapeno (tip… you might want to wear gloves so your hands don’t burn from dealing with the jalapenos) make sure you get all the seeds out and the membrane. Basically try to get rid of all of the white. This is what makes the pepper hot, take that out and it loses the extreme heat.
• Take cheese mixture and fill each jalapeno half. Not too much, but just overflowing.
• Place on a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and peppers are roasted.

Fingers crossed these are a hit for the party tonight… and that I made enough!