Mushroom Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce

I haven't posted for a while but after publishing the coconut cheesecake recipe, I decided that it deserves to stay on the first page of my blog a little bit longer. Yes, it was that good.
But now it's time for another "that good" recipe: the creamiest ever lasagna. If you like Bechamel sauce, pasta, mushrooms, cheese and garlic, you're going to love this. It's oozing with cheesy white sauce and it's packed with juicy mushrooms. 
I don't make lasagna very often but when I make it, I eat nothing but lasagna. This lasagna was finished within 2 days just by me. It would've been finished the same day but I had to save one piece for pictures. Blogging is a hard job.

Mushroom Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce

2 tbsp oil
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
450g mushrooms, sliced
salt

9 lasagna noodles (150g)
120g cheese (1 1/2 cup), grated

Bechamel sauce:
750ml (3 cups) milk
45g butter
24g (3 tbsp) flour
salt

1) Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onions, garlic and cook, until soft and lightly browned. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and become soft. Cook a few more minutes until the liquid evaporates. Season with salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

2) Make the bechamel sauce: In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add flour and stir for a minute until smooth. Start pouring the milk and stir very quickly so you avoid any lumps. You will have to stir it constantly. Cook, over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. It might take 10-20 minutes. For this lasagna, I like my bechamel sauce thicker than usually, but it's up to you. It must be thick enough to coat the spoon. By the end of cooking, add salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

3) Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Grease a 20x20cm (8x8 inch) baking dish. Now start layering. You can layer it as you wish, but I did it this way: Bechamel sauce (enough to coat the bottom of a baking dish), lasagna noodles, half of the mushroom mixture, half of the shredded cheese, Some bechamel sauce, noodles, remaining mushrooms, noodles, bechamel sauce, noodles, remaining bechamel sauce and cheese. 

4) Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and increase the heat to 200C (400F). Bake for another 20 minutes.

5) Let cool a little bit. Don't serve it right after you remove it from the oven. It's better to cool it for a longer time because the bechamel sauce will be too runny if you serve it immediately.

P.S. It's also very good the next day. I even liked it cold! Or you can always reheat it in your microwave. 

Serves 4.

Recipe by collecting memories

Coconut Cheesecake

Enough of pumpkin, it's time for coconut! Okay, I have nothing against pumpkin, but it's time to include other ingredients in my meals. Seriously. I've been eating pumpkin almost everyday. 
I haven't made cheesecake for a long time and when I saw a lonely can of cream of coconut in my counter, I realized that it's time to bake a coconut cheesecake. And I wasn't wrong. It was a perfect time. In fact, it's always a perfect time for a cheesecake. 
And the result? Absolutely perfect. Creamy, smooth, not too sweet, light and without a single crack on top. But the best part... was the frosting. It was TO DIE FOR. Really, it was the most delicious coconut frosting ever. You must try this cheesecake. And you MUST try this coconut frosting. That's all you need.

Coconut Cheesecake

Crust:
150g (~1 1/2 cup) graham cracker crumbs (any other cookies work as well)
60g (2oz) butter, melted

Filling:
1 kg (4 8oz packages) cream cheese
200g (1/2 can) coconut cream (unsweetened)
225g (1 cup) sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
15g (1 tbsp) cornstarch

Frosting:
200g (1/2 can) coconut cream (unsweetened)
60g (2oz) powdered sugar

1) Mix together graham cracker crumbs with butter and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

2) In a bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar. Add coconut cream, eggs, vanilla extract and cornstarch. Mix just until smooth.

3) Pour onto the crust and bake in a 180C / 350F preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 120C / 250F and bake for another 60-90 minutes. 

4) Let cool completely, preferably overnight. 

5) For the frosting, beat together coconut cream and powdered sugar until creamy. Spread over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe by collecting memories

Apple Crisp Pie

I think I've never told you before how much I like warm desserts served with ice cream. And if it has a crunchy topping, a fruity filling and if it is an apple pie, it's a perfection. This one's packed with juicy apples, cinnamon and tastes very similar to an apple crisp. If you like apple crisp - you're going to like this pie too. Just don't forget to drizzle the topping with some maple syrup, agave syrup or caramel sauce. I used agave syrup but, I must confess, I prefer caramel sauce. Guilty!

Apple Crisp Pie

Crust:
1 1/4 cup (155g) flour
1 tbsp (15g) sugar
1/2 stick (56g) butter, cold
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp ice water

Topping:
3/4 cup (95g) flour
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick (56g) butter, cold

Filling:
625g apples
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest

Maple syrup, Agave syrup, caramel sauce, to serve
Vanilla ice cream, to serve

1) To make the crust, combine together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the cold butter and mix with your fingertips until crumbs form. Add ice water (add 2 at first, you might not need the third one) and knead just until the dough forms into a ball. Roll out the dough into a circle and press into the bottom of a 18cm greased baking dish. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling and the crumb topping.

2) To make the crumb topping, combine together all the ingredients and mix using your fingertips until crumbly. Place in a refrigerator.

3) To make the filling, peel and cut the apples into thin slices. Add into a large bowl and squeeze in the lemon juice. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to coat the apples.

4) Add the apples into the pie shell. Press down a little bit. Top with the crumbs.

5) Bake in a 200C (400F) preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180C (350F) and continue baking for another 20 minutes.

6) Serve warm with some vanilla ice cream and maple syrup, agave syrup or caramel sauce. I used agave but caramel sauce sounds even better, doesn't it?

Recipe by collecting memories

Chewy Pumpkin Bars

Before the fall ends, I wanted to share another pumpkin recipe with you. Chewy pumpkin bars! First I wanted to call them "pumpkin blondies", but blondies are more cakey and these bars had more fudgy texture. 
I was actually quite surprised with the results. They came out even more delicious than I expected. Brown butter, honey and cinnamon made it a perfect dessert for fall. If you think you've tried everthing with pumpkin, think again because you definitely have to try these!

Chewy Pumpkin Bars 

56g (1/2 stick) brown butter

100g )1/2 cup) sugar

60g honey

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

1/4tsp cinnamon

1 cup (220g) pumpkin puree

125g (1 cup) flour

1) In a small saucepan, add butter and cook until light brown. Do not stir. Watch it carefully so you don't brown it too much. Add sugar, honey and stir to combine. 

2) Once cooled a little, add in the egg. Add vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon.

3) Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the pumpkin puree and finally mix in the flour.

4) Bake in a 180C (350F) preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe by collecting memories

Onion Feta Quiche with Balsamic Reduction

Onion lovers, I have a perfect recipe for you. A mild flavor quiche filled with creamy Feta cheese and sweet onions, and drizzled with tangy balsamic vinegar reduction. Sounds good, right? It's also very light but filling enough. 
I'm always so surprised that so many people don't like onions. I don't imagine any savory dish without them. Seriously, they're my favorite veggie. And this quiche, believe me, is FULL of onions. It's really good by its own, but balsamic reduction makes it irresistible.

Onion Feta Quiche with Balsamic Reduction

Pastry:
125g (1 cup) flour
28g (1/4 stick) butter, cold
1 egg
1 tbsp ice water

Filling:
2 tbsp oil
4 onions (450g), thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
180ml (3/4 cup) milk
100g feta cheese, divided
1 tsp dried herbs
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Balsamic reduction:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar

1) Make the crust: In a bowl, add flour and cut in the butter. Mix with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Beat in the egg. Now add 1 tablespoon of cold water and knead. The dough must be soft, elastic but not sticky. You may add more/less water. Roll out the dough and press into the bottom of a greased 18cm baking dish. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

2) In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened and lightly caramelized. Remove from heat and let cool. Mix in salt, dried herbs and black pepper.

3) In a bowl, combine together milk and eggs. Set aside.

4) Crumble half of the Feta cheese on top of the dough. Spread onion mixture on top of the cheese and top with remaining crumbled Feta. Pour egg/milk mixture. Do not mix. Bake in a 180C (350F) preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.

5) While it is baking, you can make the balsamic reduction. Add balsamic vinegar and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to boil. Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to the lowest and cook, uncovered, until it's reduced by half.

Serve warm drizzled with balsamic vinegar. I actually loved it the next day. I didn't even reheat it and enjoyed it cold.

Recipe by collecting memories