Roasted color vegetables over four-cheese ravioli

1 package grape tomatoes
6 miniature zucchini
1 summer squash
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
1/4 c. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 c. shaved parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. crushed red pepper
250 g. fresh four-cheese ravioli

Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice squash and zucchini into thin round pieces. Peel and crush the garlic. Coat the surface of a large baking pan with olive oil. Spread out the squash, zucchini, and grape tomatoes and drizzle with more olive oil. Add garlic, parsley, red pepper, salt, pepper, and shaved parmesan cheese.

Place pan in heated oven and roast for 20 minutes, stopping halfway through to stir vegetables. Prepare fresh ravioli according to package directions. Serve vegetables over ravioli and add more parmesan and red pepper to taste.

Best enjoyed on the sofa when excavation tools, string-a-pits, and a pouch laminator have overtaken the kitchen table.

Strawberry habanero tofu sauce over whole wheat spaghetti

1/4 stick butter
1/2 white onion
1/2 lb. chicken breast
1/2 lb. white mushrooms
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 Habanero pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. white cooking wine
1/2 lb. firm tofu
3 laurel leaves
1/4 lb. strawberries
1 tsp. honey

This recipe requires a special Gemüsehobel all the way from Germany. Once you have cut everything up into perfectly shaped little pieces, simmer together until chicken is cooked and sauce has a nice consistency. Serve over whole wheat pasta.

The heat of the Habenero is tempered by a cucumber-dill salad in light yogurt sauce. Serve this only if you can use a Gemüsehobel all the way from Germany to slice the cucumbers as thinly as possible.

die Gemüsehobel

Fuji apple sake mango sorbet

2 or 3 fresh mangoes
1/2 c. sugar
1 lemon
1/4 c. Hana Fuji Apple Sake

Purée mango slices with a small amount of water until smooth. Add half the sugar, then continue until the taste is right. Do the same with the juice of the lemon. Add the sake and continue to blend.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn until mixture is the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Place in freezer for about an hour until firm.

Lasagna with hot italian sausage and mushrooms

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 8-ounce packages sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp. Italian seasoning blend
1 lb. hot Italian sausages
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 c. dry red wine
4 c. marinara sauce
1 9 oz. package no-cook lasagna noodles
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
4 c. Italian blend grated cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and seasoning blend; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid evaporates, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Spread 2/3 cup marinara sauce over bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Place noodles (about 4) over sauce, forming 1 layer (noodles may overlap slightly). Spread 1 cup sauce over noodles. Top with 1/3 of ricotta, then 1 cup grated cheese. Spoon 1/3 of sausage mixture over. Repeat 2 more times with noodles, sauce, ricotta, grated cheese, and sausage mixture. Cover with 4 more noodles. Spoon remaining 1 cup sauce over; sprinkle remaining 1 cup grated cheese over.

Cover with foil, tenting in center to prevent cheese from touching foil. Bake lasagna 45 minutes; remove foil. Bake until bubbling at edges and cheese is browned, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes.

Pairs nicely with Girl Scout Thin Mints and Samoas.