Before I get too far this week, I want to address the elephant in the room: Coronavirus.
We are all very aware (and wary) of what is going on and how it is affecting people in communities around us. We are aware that it is continuing to grow in terms of the number of people infected and in locations where infections are occurring. What you should know is, like everyone else, we are taking precautions.
We want our customers to feel safe and secure in the fact that we are paying attention to what we touch and how we clean everything. Because we are a food business, we have always taken these matters very seriously. You will always see us using gloves, tongs, or paper to grasp food items. And rest assured, we wash our hands. Constantly. We have located a container of hand sanitizer beside the cash register for our safety and yours. So, if you see us rubbing our hands together, that’s what we’re doing.
As always, thank you for your continued support of our small business! If you have a suggestion or concern, please let us know.
And, now for the good stuff!
This weekend is a special one. Saturday is Pi Day!!! 3.14 is the numeric value of Pi. Soooo, 3-14-2020 is Pi Day, otherwise known as Pie Day! In honor of Pi(e) Day, we’re introducing two new pies – Peach Cherry and Lemon Sponge. For those of you who have never had Lemon Sponge, pucker up. This pie has all that sweet tartness and bright flavor of fresh lemons with a light merengue-like texture at the very top of the pie.
The other special thing about this weekend is the early celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. We will be featuring Irish Soda Breads (the American cake-like version) this week, so get ‘em while the gettin’ is good.
Finally, since we ran out of scones early last weekend, I’ll have two varieties this week – Tart Cherry and Almond, and Winter Spice and Fig. If you want me to set some aside for you, reply to this e-mail and I’ll have them waiting for you.
And now for this week’s recipe! This is a dish I used to make when my kids were young, and we all loved it. It’s an easy recipe that’s kid-friendly and leans toward comfort food territory. (And, let’s face it, in these times, we can all use a bit of comfort food.) Also, you can freeze this as a casserole and pull it out later, defrost, and bake. Or, freeze it already baked and just warm it up! Now all you need is a crusty loaf of our Italian bread (or Sourdough, or...wait for it!...Focaccia!) and a nice tossed salad!
Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups
10 lasagna noodles
8 oz precooked chicken shredded or chopped small (This is a great use for leftover rotisserie chicken!)
1 T olive oil
4 oz sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (cooked according to package directions and well-squeezed to remove water)
2 T thinly sliced green onion
1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese (Not the stuff in the green container..the real thing. 😊)
1 egg, beaten
1 t Italian seasoning
15 oz Sun Dried Tomato or Roasted Garlic Alfredo
15 oz marinara sauce
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add lasagna and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse in cold water and dry with paper towels.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat add oil and saute mushrooms. Add cooked spinach, garlic, and green onions and continue to cook until garlic and onions are tender, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and stir in chicken, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and egg.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place noodles in a single layer on a sheet of waxed paper. (See photo above.) Evenly spread some of the cheese mixture on each noodle. Roll up each noodle from the short end, jelly-roll style.
In an 8x12 inch baking dish, spoon about 2/3 of the marinara sauce on the bottom and spread evenly. Arrange the rolled noodles, seam side down, in the dish. Top with remaining marinara, mozzarella cheese, and Alfredo sauce. Cover loosely with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted. Serve.
On another note, we want to take a moment to thank all of you who have voted for us these last couple of months. We made it!!! We are officially in the Harrisburg’s Best contest for 2020! Voting for the winners will begin April 15. We will be certain to post links to make it easy for you to vote. Please note, we will be entering the contest as Sandi’s Breads in the Bakery division. (Not in Sweet Treats or Breakfast – East Shore.) If you have questions, please e-mail, call, send a carrier pigeon, or do whatever you need to get in touch. We love talking with you and want to help you help us win!