olive garden Archives - For the Love of Food https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/tag/olive-garden/ Sharing home cooked, family friendly recipes, reviews, projects, & parties from my family to yours! Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:50:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/cropped-favicon-1-32x32.png olive garden Archives - For the Love of Food https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/tag/olive-garden/ 32 32 Copycat Olive Garden Baked Lasagna Fritta with Annie’s Homegrown Meals https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/copycat-olive-garden-baked-lasagna/ https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/copycat-olive-garden-baked-lasagna/#respond Sat, 29 Mar 2014 22:57:00 +0000 http://test.robinhelp.com/index.php/2014/03/29/copycat-olive-garden-baked-lasagna/      Today I decided to make a version of my favorite appetizer from Olive Garden: Lasagna Fritta. This copycat recipe features Annie’s frozen lasagna that is crusted in panko and baked until crisp then served on a bed of sauteed spinach along with both alfredo and marinara sauce.      I recently joined a...

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 Today I decided to make a version of my favorite appetizer from Olive Garden: Lasagna Fritta.
This copycat recipe features Annie’s frozen lasagna that is crusted in panko and baked until crisp then served
on a bed of sauteed spinach along with both alfredo and marinara sauce. 
 
 
I recently joined a fun online group called Influenster. They send you products and you review them. Simple, free, fun! My first VoxBox, as they call it, was a complimentary Annie’s Homegrown Freezer Meal from Target. I was staying with my parents so I stopped by their Target and checked out the freezer section.
 
My Target’s selection of Annie’s Homegrown freezer meals.
 
They carried 4 different varieties of freezer meals and I decided to go with Lasagna for my pasta lovin’ Dad. 
The box is smaller than some of your typical family size freezer meal but don’t let the size fool you! Once we cooked it and saw how thick and rich it was, we knew it would be plenty (and it was!).
Since y’all know I have to create something fun with this lasagna and
not just bake and serve, I decided to make a version of my
favorite appetizer from Olive Garden: Lasagna Fritta. Olive Garden’s menu describes it as: Parmesan-breaded Lasagna pieces, fried and served over alfredo sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese and marinara sauce. Perfect for this thick, delicious lasagna and better yet most of the work was already done! I just had to bake it, then cut it up, bread it, and bake again until crisp. I changed it up a bit from Olive Garden and decided to bake instead of fry and I added fresh sauteed spinach. Trying to stay on the healthy side since this is a rich, decadent meal on it’s own 🙂
 
Overall, I was happy with the Lasagna from Annie’s Homegrown. I am weary of freezer meals but this one  was flavorful,
rich, and tasted fresh not stale or dry. Bonus: you get your bang for a buck
because a little goes a long way and this lasagna is filling!
The recipe inspiration: Olive Garden’s Lasagna Fritta appetizer.

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Copycat Olive Garden Baked Lasagna Fritta

Makes 3-4 entree servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Frozen Family Size Lasagna I used Annie's Homegrown Lasagna with Meat Sauce 1lb 12 oz
  • 2-3 eggs beaten (I used 2 but if you use a larger lasagna add another egg)
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • cooking spray
  • 3-4 cups fresh spinach
  • olive oil for saute
  • 1 cup marinara sauce heated
  • 1 cup Alfredo sauce heated
  • Parmesan cheese grated for garnish
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • salt/ pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Bake (or microwave) Lasagna according to package instructions. Let cool slightly.
  • Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  • Make a breading station with a bowl of beaten eggs and a bowl of panko breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper.
  • Once lasagna has cooled enough for you to handle, cut into 8-9 squares.
  • Carefully lift out of container with a fork and gently dip in beaten egg, then panko. Make sure it is coated well in the panko.
  • Lay on baking sheet and repeat with remaining slices.
  • Once you have breaded all pieces spray the lasagna with cooking spray and bake for approx 8-10 minutes, or until browned.
  • While the lasagna bakes, heat a skillet over medium.
  • Add a swirl of olive oil and add spinach and garlic. Toss until sauteed and wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
  • To plate: add a couple spoonfuls of Alfredo to the center of a plate, top with a serving of sauteed spinach then add 2-3 slices of breaded lasagna. Top with a healthy drizzle of marinara sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
  • Serve with a side salad and garlic bread to make it a meal!

Notes

Try with my Olive Garden Salad recipe.
Bake (or microwave) your frozen family size lasagna. Let cool slightly.
Make a breading station with a bowl of beaten egg and a bowl of seasoned panko.
Once the lasagna has cooled enough to touch, cut into about 8-9 squares.
Using a fork remove a square from the container and dip in egg then in panko, coating well.
Place breaded lasagna square on a greased baking sheet and repeat with remaining squares.
 
Spray squares with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
In a skillet add a swirl of olive oil and add garlic and spinach. Saute over medium until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Heat a bowl of marinara sauce and a bowl of alfredo sauce.
 
 
To plate: add a couple spoonfuls of Alfredo to the center of a plate,
top with a serving of sauteed spinach then add 2-3 slices of breaded
lasagna. Top with a healthy drizzle of marinara sauce and a sprinkling
of Parmesan cheese.
 
 
 
I served my Lasagna Fritta with a side salad and a slice of garlic bread. Using Annie’s Homegrown Lasagna in this recipe saved me time, dishes to clean, and I knew my family was getting a fresh, hearty organic meal.* Get a $2 off Annie’s Homegrown Freezer Meal coupon here. *

 
I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

 

 

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]]> https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/copycat-olive-garden-baked-lasagna/feed/ 0 Engagement Dinner & Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Soup https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/engagement-dinner-olive-gardens-zuppa/ https://www.4theloveoffoodblog.com/engagement-dinner-olive-gardens-zuppa/#comments Sun, 23 Sep 2012 22:50:00 +0000 http://test.robinhelp.com/index.php/2012/09/23/engagement-dinner-olive-gardens-zuppa/ It’s soup night and I’m making a classic: Zuppa Toscana! We love this hearty soup at Olive Garden when we eat out and it brings back wonderful memories including our engagement dinner! When we can’t make it to OG I make a big ol’ pot at home of Zuppa Toscana, filled with creamy broth and...

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It’s soup night and I’m making a classic: Zuppa Toscana!
We love this hearty soup at Olive Garden when we eat out and it brings back wonderful memories including our engagement dinner!
When we can’t make it to OG I make a big ol’ pot at home of Zuppa Toscana, filled with creamy broth and potatoes, sausage, and kale.
The ultimate winter meal, this soup will warm you up and fill your belly!
In February we had an Engagement Dinner! Time to celebrate our upcoming March wedding with our favorite people.
And the perfect place for a lively celebration dinner….Olive Garden of course! 
My best friend and maid of honor, Connie
 My parents, Gma, good friends Nathan and Vince, Ashton and I, and Connie and Michael.
Now I’ve been eating at Olive Garden since waaaay back in the day when it opened in my hometown of Fort Walton Beach, FL. I’m a big fan of their Italian Margaritas, Tiramisu, Steamed Mussels, and Seafood Portofino. But my all time favorite is their Soup and Salad Combo. You get unlimited salad, breadsticks, and their amazing soup are my jam!
My top choice: Zuppa Toscana soup- potatoes, kale, and sausage! Oh my!
Check out my recipe version of this hearty soup below.
 
Print

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

  • 16 oz breakfast sausage crumbled (I like Spicy Italian flavored)
  • 1 Vidalia onion Diced
  • 2 slices Bacon Diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 3 whole Medium Potatoes skin on and cubed
  • 4 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
  • 1/2 bunch Kale Chopped
  • 1/2 cup Half and Half
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Crumble sausage into a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain on a plate and set the sausage aside.
  • Add onions and bacon to the pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are softened.
  • Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  • Add chicken stock and potatoes to the pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are almost done.
  • Add remaining ingredients as well as the sausage and simmer for 5 more minutes.
  • Serve hot with salad and crusty garlic bread!
 
 
Crumble sausage into a pot and cook over medium-high heat until browned.. Drain on a plate and set aside.
 
Add onions and bacon to the pot. Cook on medium until onions are softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
I use 3 good size potatoes for this soup. Leave the skin on and cut into cubes.
Add chicken stock and potatoes to the pot and simmer for 15
to 20 minutes until potatoes are almost done.
Add half and half and sausage to the pot.
Roughly chop half a bunch of kale, removing the stems. 
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Serve hot with a salad and crusty garlic bread, just like Olive Garden!
Dinner’s served! 
Just like Olive Garden…or better?

 

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