Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Cherry-Mallow Cake and Hearty Turkey Chili. Enjoy!
KENTUCKY CORN PUDDING
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Very yummy. My late step-father was from Kentucky. I would have loved to have made this for him one last Christmas.
This recipe begins, “Corn on the cob was sometimes served at Christmas, but more often we had our corn the old southern way, as corn pudding. Great for a Thanksgiving as well.”
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pint fresh corn, with pulp scraped from cob
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine corn, egg yolk, flour, milk, sugar, butter, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Fold in egg whites. Turn into a buttered baking dish and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.
QUICK PASTA PESTO
This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Pasta with cheese and cream sauces can rack up a lot of empty calories, but make simple substitutions, like swapping cream for evaporated skim milk, and you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime.”
POINTS® Value: 8; Servings: 4; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3 Tbsp pesto sauce, sun-dried tomato variety preferred
3 cup mixed vegetables, chopped, fresh or frozen
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 cup cooked pasta
1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Add pesto sauce and vegetables; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cheese; cook until heated through. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
SLOW-COOKER BEEF & BROCCOLI
This comes from Delish, and begins, “The tender beef melts in your mouth.”
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves 4-6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 c. low-sodium beef broth
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. sriracha
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. broccoli florets
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Directions
In a large slow-cooker, add steak. Add beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic, and green onions.
Cover and cook on low until beef is tender and cooked through, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
When the steak is tender, spoon a few tablespoons of the slow-cooker broth into a bowl and whisk with cornstarch. Pour into slow cooker and toss with the beef until combined. Add broccoli and cook, covered, 20 minutes more.
Garnish with sesame things and green onions and serve over rice.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “It's all about the layering when you make lasagna and is so easy when you start with a sauce already made and delicious.”
Serves: 12 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (45 ounces) Prego® Three Cheese Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and eggs in a medium bowl and set it aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the beef until it's well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat. Stir the sauce in the saucepan.
Spoon 1 cup meat mixture in each of two 2-quart shallow baking dishes. Top each with 2 lasagna noodles and about 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining 2 lasagna noodles, remaining meat mixture and the Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or it's until hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To freeze, prepare lasagna but do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze. Bake frozen lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot. Or, refrigerate 24 hours to thaw. Bake thawed lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 50 minutes or until hot. Let stand for 10 minutes.
HEARTY TURKEY CHILI
This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy
1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)
1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add meat to slow cooker.
Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
CHEF'S NOTES:
If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!
Showing posts with label Classic Lasagna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Classic Lasagna. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Cherry-Mallow Cake and Hearty Turkey Chili. Enjoy!
KENTUCKY CORN PUDDING
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Very yummy. My late step-father was from Kentucky. I would have loved to have made this for him one last Christmas.
This recipe begins, “Corn on the cob was sometimes served at Christmas, but more often we had our corn the old southern way, as corn pudding. Great for a Thanksgiving as well.”
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pint fresh corn, with pulp scraped from cob
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine corn, egg yolk, flour, milk, sugar, butter, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Fold in egg whites. Turn into a buttered baking dish and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.
QUICK PASTA PESTO
This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Pasta with cheese and cream sauces can rack up a lot of empty calories, but make simple substitutions, like swapping cream for evaporated skim milk, and you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime.”
POINTS® Value: 8; Servings: 4; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3 Tbsp pesto sauce, sun-dried tomato variety preferred
3 cup mixed vegetables, chopped, fresh or frozen
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 cup cooked pasta
1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Add pesto sauce and vegetables; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cheese; cook until heated through. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
SLOW-COOKER BEEF & BROCCOLI
This comes from Delish, and begins, “The tender beef melts in your mouth.”
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves 4-6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 c. low-sodium beef broth
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. sriracha
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. broccoli florets
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Directions
In a large slow-cooker, add steak. Add beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic, and green onions.
Cover and cook on low until beef is tender and cooked through, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
When the steak is tender, spoon a few tablespoons of the slow-cooker broth into a bowl and whisk with cornstarch. Pour into slow cooker and toss with the beef until combined. Add broccoli and cook, covered, 20 minutes more.
Garnish with sesame things and green onions and serve over rice.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “It's all about the layering when you make lasagna and is so easy when you start with a sauce already made and delicious.”
Serves: 12 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (45 ounces) Prego® Three Cheese Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and eggs in a medium bowl and set it aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the beef until it's well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat. Stir the sauce in the saucepan.
Spoon 1 cup meat mixture in each of two 2-quart shallow baking dishes. Top each with 2 lasagna noodles and about 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining 2 lasagna noodles, remaining meat mixture and the Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or it's until hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To freeze, prepare lasagna but do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze. Bake frozen lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot. Or, refrigerate 24 hours to thaw. Bake thawed lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 50 minutes or until hot. Let stand for 10 minutes.
HEARTY TURKEY CHILI
This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy
1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)
1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add meat to slow cooker.
Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
CHEF'S NOTES:
If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!
KENTUCKY CORN PUDDING
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Very yummy. My late step-father was from Kentucky. I would have loved to have made this for him one last Christmas.
This recipe begins, “Corn on the cob was sometimes served at Christmas, but more often we had our corn the old southern way, as corn pudding. Great for a Thanksgiving as well.”
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pint fresh corn, with pulp scraped from cob
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine corn, egg yolk, flour, milk, sugar, butter, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Fold in egg whites. Turn into a buttered baking dish and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.
QUICK PASTA PESTO
This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Pasta with cheese and cream sauces can rack up a lot of empty calories, but make simple substitutions, like swapping cream for evaporated skim milk, and you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime.”
POINTS® Value: 8; Servings: 4; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3 Tbsp pesto sauce, sun-dried tomato variety preferred
3 cup mixed vegetables, chopped, fresh or frozen
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 cup cooked pasta
1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Add pesto sauce and vegetables; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cheese; cook until heated through. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
SLOW-COOKER BEEF & BROCCOLI
This comes from Delish, and begins, “The tender beef melts in your mouth.”
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves 4-6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 c. low-sodium beef broth
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. sriracha
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. broccoli florets
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Directions
In a large slow-cooker, add steak. Add beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic, and green onions.
Cover and cook on low until beef is tender and cooked through, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
When the steak is tender, spoon a few tablespoons of the slow-cooker broth into a bowl and whisk with cornstarch. Pour into slow cooker and toss with the beef until combined. Add broccoli and cook, covered, 20 minutes more.
Garnish with sesame things and green onions and serve over rice.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “It's all about the layering when you make lasagna and is so easy when you start with a sauce already made and delicious.”
Serves: 12 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (45 ounces) Prego® Three Cheese Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and eggs in a medium bowl and set it aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the beef until it's well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat. Stir the sauce in the saucepan.
Spoon 1 cup meat mixture in each of two 2-quart shallow baking dishes. Top each with 2 lasagna noodles and about 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining 2 lasagna noodles, remaining meat mixture and the Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or it's until hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To freeze, prepare lasagna but do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze. Bake frozen lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot. Or, refrigerate 24 hours to thaw. Bake thawed lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 50 minutes or until hot. Let stand for 10 minutes.
HEARTY TURKEY CHILI
This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy
1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)
1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add meat to slow cooker.
Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
CHEF'S NOTES:
If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Lasagna
If Lasagna is your thing, tonight's post is sure to please. (Even "Weird Al" Yankovic is into Lansagna, for starters, so there ya go.)
So, now for today's six lasagna recipes, including Classic Lasagna and Barbecue Lasagna. Enjoy!
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. Also, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you might want to consider doing so.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
TACO LASAGNA
This is from the Food Network. It starts off, "Equal parts lasagna and taco, this dish is comfort central, with layers of classic taco meat and toppings nestled between tender lasagna noodles and melty cheese. Use your favorite salsa to build the sauce -- milder to keep it kid-friendly or spicier to liven it up."
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/taco-lasagna-3666644.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 pound ground beef sirloin
2 tablespoons chili powder
Kosher salt
Two 16-ounce jars salsa
1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
Two 16-ounce packages part skim mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 large beefsteak tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
Directions
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, breaking apart chunks of meat with the back of a spoon, and stirring often, until meat is crumbled and browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the salsa and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Spread a quarter of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay a third of the noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly and breaking them to fit, if needed. Leave a 1/2-inch space around the edges of the baking dish. Top the noodles with another quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Make another layer with a third of the noodles, a quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Repeat, making a final layer with the remaining third of the pasta and quarter of the sauce, making sure that the top layer of noodles is completely covered in sauce. Top with the remaining third of the mozzarella.
Cover loosely with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the noodles are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes. Dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, Cheddar and chips.
SAAG PANEER LASAGNA
This is from Khushbu Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Khushbu wrote, "While writing her cookbook “Amrikan” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), Khushbu Shah became convinced that a spinach lasagna could be greatly improved by swapping in the flavors of saag paneer for the filling. It’s a dish she jokingly refers to as “lasaagna.” Ms. Shah uses a saag base made with warm spices, spinach, cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves (which are optional but highly encouraged, and add a beautiful earthy note to the sauce), and then adds fistfuls of grated paneer for an extra punch of cheese. Many of the lasagna’s components may be made ahead (see Tips), making assembly a breeze, especially when making this dish for a dinner party or as a vegetarian meal during the holidays."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2-1/4 hours; Total Time: 2-3/4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026104-saag-paneer-lasagna. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
For the Saag
16 ounces baby spinach
2 small Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 green serrano chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), optional
Salt
3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic paste or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tablespoons ginger paste or 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
1-1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
For the Sauce
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
For Assembly
Olive oil, for greasing
2 (8-ounce) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles (24 sheets), for assembly
1 (12- to 14-ounce) block of paneer, coarsely grated
Preparaion
Prepare the saag filling: Bring a large pot of water to boil then add the spinach. As soon as the greens fully wilt (about 2 minutes), strain through a colander and run cold water over the spinach to cool; wipe out and reserve the pot. Let the spinach drain before transferring to a blender. (There’s no need to squeeze any water out!)
Add the tomatoes, serrano chiles, cilantro, kasoori methi (if using) and 3/4 cup water to the blender with the drained spinach and blitz 30 seconds to 1 minute until puréed. Season to taste with salt; set the saag aside. (The filling may be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.)
In the same pot used for the spinach, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and somewhat golden. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to stir for 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent any scorching.
Add the chile powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and season with salt. Give it a good stir before adding the saag. Gently simmer and continue to stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as necessary if the mixture begins to sputter and splatter, until the saag is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. When the roux is golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the milk, adjust heat to medium and continuously stir until the béchamel thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Whisk until smooth, season with salt and set aside. (The sauce may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. It might need to be loosened a little by adding some milk or water to the sauce before layering in the lasagna, as the sauce gets quite thick as it sits.)
Assemble the lasagna: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep with 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in and spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer noodle sheets on top of the sauce, breaking the noodles as needed to fit. (You may need 4 to 6 noodles per layer, depending on the size of the dish and the noodles you’re working with; you’ll need about 24 total.) Spread 1/3 of the saag over the noodles, then layer on 1/3 of the paneer shreds, followed by 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat this process 2 more times, starting with another layer of noodles (You will use all the saag and paneer.). To top the lasagna, add a final layer of noodles, spread the remaining sauce on the noodles and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Cover the lasagna with foil, lightly greasing one side so the foil doesn’t stick, and bake for 40 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked through and is light golden on top. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. (Any leftover lasagna may be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.)
TACO ZUCCHINI LASAGNA
This comes from Linday Funston on Delish, and begins, “So flavorful, you won't even notice the noodles are gone.”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 - 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. ricotta
1/2 c. sour cream, plus more for drizzling
1 large egg
1/3 c. salsa
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 c. shredded Cheddar
2 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 8 minutes more. Drain fat.
In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, and egg. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large baking or casserole dish, spread a thin layer of salsa. Top with a layer of zucchini noodles, sour cream mixture, ground beef, cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Repeat until all ingredients are used up, ending with zucchini noodles.
Bake until noodles are tender and cheese is bubbly, 25 minutes.
Drizzle with sour cream, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
So, now for today's six lasagna recipes, including Classic Lasagna and Barbecue Lasagna. Enjoy!
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. Also, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you might want to consider doing so.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
TACO LASAGNA
This is from the Food Network. It starts off, "Equal parts lasagna and taco, this dish is comfort central, with layers of classic taco meat and toppings nestled between tender lasagna noodles and melty cheese. Use your favorite salsa to build the sauce -- milder to keep it kid-friendly or spicier to liven it up."
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/taco-lasagna-3666644.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 pound ground beef sirloin
2 tablespoons chili powder
Kosher salt
Two 16-ounce jars salsa
1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
Two 16-ounce packages part skim mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 large beefsteak tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
Directions
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, breaking apart chunks of meat with the back of a spoon, and stirring often, until meat is crumbled and browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the salsa and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Spread a quarter of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay a third of the noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly and breaking them to fit, if needed. Leave a 1/2-inch space around the edges of the baking dish. Top the noodles with another quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Make another layer with a third of the noodles, a quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Repeat, making a final layer with the remaining third of the pasta and quarter of the sauce, making sure that the top layer of noodles is completely covered in sauce. Top with the remaining third of the mozzarella.
Cover loosely with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the noodles are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes. Dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, Cheddar and chips.
SAAG PANEER LASAGNA
This is from Khushbu Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Khushbu wrote, "While writing her cookbook “Amrikan” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), Khushbu Shah became convinced that a spinach lasagna could be greatly improved by swapping in the flavors of saag paneer for the filling. It’s a dish she jokingly refers to as “lasaagna.” Ms. Shah uses a saag base made with warm spices, spinach, cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves (which are optional but highly encouraged, and add a beautiful earthy note to the sauce), and then adds fistfuls of grated paneer for an extra punch of cheese. Many of the lasagna’s components may be made ahead (see Tips), making assembly a breeze, especially when making this dish for a dinner party or as a vegetarian meal during the holidays."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2-1/4 hours; Total Time: 2-3/4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026104-saag-paneer-lasagna. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
For the Saag
16 ounces baby spinach
2 small Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 green serrano chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), optional
Salt
3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic paste or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tablespoons ginger paste or 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
1-1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
For the Sauce
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
For Assembly
Olive oil, for greasing
2 (8-ounce) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles (24 sheets), for assembly
1 (12- to 14-ounce) block of paneer, coarsely grated
Preparaion
Prepare the saag filling: Bring a large pot of water to boil then add the spinach. As soon as the greens fully wilt (about 2 minutes), strain through a colander and run cold water over the spinach to cool; wipe out and reserve the pot. Let the spinach drain before transferring to a blender. (There’s no need to squeeze any water out!)
Add the tomatoes, serrano chiles, cilantro, kasoori methi (if using) and 3/4 cup water to the blender with the drained spinach and blitz 30 seconds to 1 minute until puréed. Season to taste with salt; set the saag aside. (The filling may be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.)
In the same pot used for the spinach, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and somewhat golden. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to stir for 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent any scorching.
Add the chile powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and season with salt. Give it a good stir before adding the saag. Gently simmer and continue to stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as necessary if the mixture begins to sputter and splatter, until the saag is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. When the roux is golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the milk, adjust heat to medium and continuously stir until the béchamel thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Whisk until smooth, season with salt and set aside. (The sauce may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. It might need to be loosened a little by adding some milk or water to the sauce before layering in the lasagna, as the sauce gets quite thick as it sits.)
Assemble the lasagna: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep with 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in and spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer noodle sheets on top of the sauce, breaking the noodles as needed to fit. (You may need 4 to 6 noodles per layer, depending on the size of the dish and the noodles you’re working with; you’ll need about 24 total.) Spread 1/3 of the saag over the noodles, then layer on 1/3 of the paneer shreds, followed by 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat this process 2 more times, starting with another layer of noodles (You will use all the saag and paneer.). To top the lasagna, add a final layer of noodles, spread the remaining sauce on the noodles and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Cover the lasagna with foil, lightly greasing one side so the foil doesn’t stick, and bake for 40 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked through and is light golden on top. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. (Any leftover lasagna may be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.)
TACO ZUCCHINI LASAGNA
This comes from Linday Funston on Delish, and begins, “So flavorful, you won't even notice the noodles are gone.”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 - 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. ricotta
1/2 c. sour cream, plus more for drizzling
1 large egg
1/3 c. salsa
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 c. shredded Cheddar
2 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 8 minutes more. Drain fat.
In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, and egg. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large baking or casserole dish, spread a thin layer of salsa. Top with a layer of zucchini noodles, sour cream mixture, ground beef, cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Repeat until all ingredients are used up, ending with zucchini noodles.
Bake until noodles are tender and cheese is bubbly, 25 minutes.
Drizzle with sour cream, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Cherry-Mallow Cake and Hearty Turkey Chili. Enjoy!
KENTUCKY CORN PUDDING
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Very yummy. My late step-father was from Kentucky. I would have loved to have made this for him one last Christmas.
This recipe begins, “Corn on the cob was sometimes served at Christmas, but more often we had our corn the old southern way, as corn pudding. Great for a Thanksgiving as well.”
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pint fresh corn, with pulp scraped from cob
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine corn, egg yolk, flour, milk, sugar, butter, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Fold in egg whites. Turn into a buttered baking dish and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.
QUICK PASTA PESTO
This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Pasta with cheese and cream sauces can rack up a lot of empty calories, but make simple substitutions, like swapping cream for evaporated skim milk, and you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime.”
POINTS® Value: 8; Servings: 4; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3 Tbsp pesto sauce, sun-dried tomato variety preferred
3 cup mixed vegetables, chopped, fresh or frozen
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 cup cooked pasta
1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Add pesto sauce and vegetables; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cheese; cook until heated through. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
SLOW-COOKER BEEF & BROCCOLI
This comes from Delish, and begins, “The tender beef melts in your mouth.”
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves 4-6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 c. low-sodium beef broth
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. sriracha
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. broccoli florets
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Directions
In a large slow-cooker, add steak. Add beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic, and green onions.
Cover and cook on low until beef is tender and cooked through, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
When the steak is tender, spoon a few tablespoons of the slow-cooker broth into a bowl and whisk with cornstarch. Pour into slow cooker and toss with the beef until combined. Add broccoli and cook, covered, 20 minutes more.
Garnish with sesame things and green onions and serve over rice.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “It's all about the layering when you make lasagna and is so easy when you start with a sauce already made and delicious.”
Serves: 12 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (45 ounces) Prego® Three Cheese Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and eggs in a medium bowl and set it aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the beef until it's well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat. Stir the sauce in the saucepan.
Spoon 1 cup meat mixture in each of two 2-quart shallow baking dishes. Top each with 2 lasagna noodles and about 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining 2 lasagna noodles, remaining meat mixture and the Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or it's until hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To freeze, prepare lasagna but do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze. Bake frozen lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot. Or, refrigerate 24 hours to thaw. Bake thawed lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 50 minutes or until hot. Let stand for 10 minutes.
HEARTY TURKEY CHILI
This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy
1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)
1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add meat to slow cooker.
Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
CHEF'S NOTES:
If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!
KENTUCKY CORN PUDDING
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Very yummy. My late step-father was from Kentucky. I would have loved to have made this for him one last Christmas.
This recipe begins, “Corn on the cob was sometimes served at Christmas, but more often we had our corn the old southern way, as corn pudding. Great for a Thanksgiving as well.”
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pint fresh corn, with pulp scraped from cob
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine corn, egg yolk, flour, milk, sugar, butter, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Fold in egg whites. Turn into a buttered baking dish and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.
QUICK PASTA PESTO
This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Pasta with cheese and cream sauces can rack up a lot of empty calories, but make simple substitutions, like swapping cream for evaporated skim milk, and you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime.”
POINTS® Value: 8; Servings: 4; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3 Tbsp pesto sauce, sun-dried tomato variety preferred
3 cup mixed vegetables, chopped, fresh or frozen
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 cup cooked pasta
1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Add pesto sauce and vegetables; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cheese; cook until heated through. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
SLOW-COOKER BEEF & BROCCOLI
This comes from Delish, and begins, “The tender beef melts in your mouth.”
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves 4-6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 c. low-sodium beef broth
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. sriracha
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. broccoli florets
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Directions
In a large slow-cooker, add steak. Add beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic, and green onions.
Cover and cook on low until beef is tender and cooked through, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
When the steak is tender, spoon a few tablespoons of the slow-cooker broth into a bowl and whisk with cornstarch. Pour into slow cooker and toss with the beef until combined. Add broccoli and cook, covered, 20 minutes more.
Garnish with sesame things and green onions and serve over rice.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “It's all about the layering when you make lasagna and is so easy when you start with a sauce already made and delicious.”
Serves: 12 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (45 ounces) Prego® Three Cheese Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and eggs in a medium bowl and set it aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the beef until it's well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat. Stir the sauce in the saucepan.
Spoon 1 cup meat mixture in each of two 2-quart shallow baking dishes. Top each with 2 lasagna noodles and about 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining 2 lasagna noodles, remaining meat mixture and the Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or it's until hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To freeze, prepare lasagna but do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze. Bake frozen lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot. Or, refrigerate 24 hours to thaw. Bake thawed lasagna uncovered at 350°F. for 50 minutes or until hot. Let stand for 10 minutes.
HEARTY TURKEY CHILI
This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy
1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)
1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add meat to slow cooker.
Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
CHEF'S NOTES:
If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Lasagna
If you love Lasagna as much as I do, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Classic Lasagna, the Turkey Lasagna, and the Quick and Easy Lasagna. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
Ingredients
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 packages veggie crumbles (see note)
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Note: When I first started making this, I used to use boxed crumbles from the produce section of the local grocery store. However, for a while, the store didn't seem to be able to stock this particular brand. I now use Gardein Ground Be'f, Boca Vegan Crumbles, or MorningStar Meatless Crumbles. However, if you tend to use any of the other wonderful meatless crumbles products, feel free to use what you love.
Directions
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles
Make cheese layer:
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
Ingredients
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Ingredients
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
SKILLET LASAGNA
This is from Brittany at AllRecipes. It begins, "This no-bake skillet lasagna is made right on your stovetop and is a fast and easy alternative to store-bought hamburger mixes!"
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 3 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/273775/skillet-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil (Optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano (Optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups dried mafalda noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Add spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until sauce is hot, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook mafalda noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
Add cooked and drained noodles to the sauce and stir until completely coated. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
Place skillet under the hot broil and cook until cheese is golden and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes.
Cook's Note:
You can use ground turkey in place of beef, if you like.
TURKEY LASAGNA
This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.
Ingredients
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 packages veggie crumbles (see note)
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Note: When I first started making this, I used to use boxed crumbles from the produce section of the local grocery store. However, for a while, the store didn't seem to be able to stock this particular brand. I now use Gardein Ground Be'f, Boca Vegan Crumbles, or MorningStar Meatless Crumbles. However, if you tend to use any of the other wonderful meatless crumbles products, feel free to use what you love.
Directions
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles
Make cheese layer:
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
Ingredients
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Ingredients
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
SKILLET LASAGNA
This is from Brittany at AllRecipes. It begins, "This no-bake skillet lasagna is made right on your stovetop and is a fast and easy alternative to store-bought hamburger mixes!"
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 3 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/273775/skillet-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil (Optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano (Optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups dried mafalda noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Add spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until sauce is hot, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook mafalda noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
Add cooked and drained noodles to the sauce and stir until completely coated. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
Place skillet under the hot broil and cook until cheese is golden and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes.
Cook's Note:
You can use ground turkey in place of beef, if you like.
TURKEY LASAGNA
This is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 50 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Lasagna
One of my absolute favorite foods is lasagna. To that end, here are six yummy lasagna recipes to help you through the day, including Supreme Pizza Lasagna and Mexican Lasagna. Enjoy!
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This yummy recipe is from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
MEXICAN LASAGNA
This is from tbsp. (Tablespoon.com), and begins, “A delicious twist on lasagna!”
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 10
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6-8 large tortillas
1 lb ground beef
1 packet Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix
1/3 medium onion, diced
1 can (19 oz) Old El Paso™ mild red enchilada sauce
1 can (16 oz) Old El Paso™ refried beans, any type
1 1/2 cup cheddar or mexican blend cheese
3 small or medium tomatoes, diced
Cilantro, as desired
Black olives, as desired
Sour cream, for topping
Shredded lettuce, for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large non-stick skillet on stove, cook onions and beef until cooked through. Remove skillet from heat, drain off grease and stir in taco seasoning. Set aside.
Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with a thin coat of enchilada sauce. Layer tortilla halves in the bottom of the pan with the cut (straight) sides facing outward toward edges of pan. Cut pieces of another tortilla as needed to fill in any gaps and create a solid tortilla layer in the bottom of the pan.
Continue layering ingredients in the following order, making sure to save enough of each ingredient to form a second layer: refried beans, enchilada sauce, beef and onion mixture, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro and black olives (if desired).
Using equal amounts of ingredients as the first layer, form your second layer in the following order: tortillas, beans, enchilada sauce, meat and onions, cheese, tomatoes, cilantro and olives.
Top with a final layer of tortillas, and cover with a thin coating of enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake lasagna for 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas start to crisp. Serve with sour cream, lettuce and additional toppings as desired.
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
TORTILLA LASAGNA
This is from the January/February 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It begins, "This easy, crowd-pleasing dish is also a kid favorite. Toasting the tortillas before building the lasagna keeps them from getting soggy as the dish bakes. Feel free to mix things up with different beans, cheeses, or vegetables between the layers." Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 cups strained tomatoes, such as Pomì, divided
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium chayote, peeled and diced, or 2 medium zucchini, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas on 2 baking sheets in oven 5 minutes, or until light brown, turning once.
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in chili powder, ancho chile powder, and garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add 11/2 cups strained tomatoes, beans, chayote, corn, and 1/2 cup water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until chayote is tender.
Coat 2-inch-deep x 8-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup strained tomatoes in bottom of pan. Set 1 toasted tortilla in pan; top with 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering 4 more times. Top with last tortilla, and spread remaining 1/4 cup strained tomatoes over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 8 wedges.
nutritional information Per Wedge: Calories: 226; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Sodium: 506 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g
SUPREME PIZZA LASAGNA
This is from Ree Drummond of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.
Active Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/supreme-pizza-lasagna-2316523.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
12 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
One 15-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced black olives
30 ounces whole-milk ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
8 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente
24 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
Directions
Drizzle the olive oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, ground beef and pepperoni and stir, breaking the meat up as it begins to cook. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until brown, and then remove the meat to a plate.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute until the mushrooms have softened and the others have some color. Add the meat back in along with the tomatoes, tomato paste, pesto, half the parsley, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Stir, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the black olives and stir.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the cheese mixture: Combine the ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, the rest of the parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir the mixture until totally combined.
To assemble the lasagna: Overlap 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Spoon half the cheese mixture over the noodles and smooth it out into a flat layer. Lay half of the mozzarella slices on top followed by half of the meat sauce. Repeat these layers once more and top with some extra Parmesan. Bake until heated through and bubbly on the top, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cook’s Note
The lasagna can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, unbaked. It can also be frozen, unbaked. Just thaw before you're ready to bake it.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This yummy recipe is from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
MEXICAN LASAGNA
This is from tbsp. (Tablespoon.com), and begins, “A delicious twist on lasagna!”
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 10
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6-8 large tortillas
1 lb ground beef
1 packet Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix
1/3 medium onion, diced
1 can (19 oz) Old El Paso™ mild red enchilada sauce
1 can (16 oz) Old El Paso™ refried beans, any type
1 1/2 cup cheddar or mexican blend cheese
3 small or medium tomatoes, diced
Cilantro, as desired
Black olives, as desired
Sour cream, for topping
Shredded lettuce, for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large non-stick skillet on stove, cook onions and beef until cooked through. Remove skillet from heat, drain off grease and stir in taco seasoning. Set aside.
Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with a thin coat of enchilada sauce. Layer tortilla halves in the bottom of the pan with the cut (straight) sides facing outward toward edges of pan. Cut pieces of another tortilla as needed to fill in any gaps and create a solid tortilla layer in the bottom of the pan.
Continue layering ingredients in the following order, making sure to save enough of each ingredient to form a second layer: refried beans, enchilada sauce, beef and onion mixture, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro and black olives (if desired).
Using equal amounts of ingredients as the first layer, form your second layer in the following order: tortillas, beans, enchilada sauce, meat and onions, cheese, tomatoes, cilantro and olives.
Top with a final layer of tortillas, and cover with a thin coating of enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake lasagna for 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas start to crisp. Serve with sour cream, lettuce and additional toppings as desired.
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
TORTILLA LASAGNA
This is from the January/February 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It begins, "This easy, crowd-pleasing dish is also a kid favorite. Toasting the tortillas before building the lasagna keeps them from getting soggy as the dish bakes. Feel free to mix things up with different beans, cheeses, or vegetables between the layers." Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 cups strained tomatoes, such as Pomì, divided
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium chayote, peeled and diced, or 2 medium zucchini, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas on 2 baking sheets in oven 5 minutes, or until light brown, turning once.
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in chili powder, ancho chile powder, and garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add 11/2 cups strained tomatoes, beans, chayote, corn, and 1/2 cup water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until chayote is tender.
Coat 2-inch-deep x 8-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup strained tomatoes in bottom of pan. Set 1 toasted tortilla in pan; top with 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering 4 more times. Top with last tortilla, and spread remaining 1/4 cup strained tomatoes over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 8 wedges.
nutritional information Per Wedge: Calories: 226; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Sodium: 506 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g
SUPREME PIZZA LASAGNA
This is from Ree Drummond of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.
Active Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/supreme-pizza-lasagna-2316523.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
12 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
One 15-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced black olives
30 ounces whole-milk ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
8 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente
24 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
Directions
Drizzle the olive oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, ground beef and pepperoni and stir, breaking the meat up as it begins to cook. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until brown, and then remove the meat to a plate.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute until the mushrooms have softened and the others have some color. Add the meat back in along with the tomatoes, tomato paste, pesto, half the parsley, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Stir, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the black olives and stir.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the cheese mixture: Combine the ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, the rest of the parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir the mixture until totally combined.
To assemble the lasagna: Overlap 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Spoon half the cheese mixture over the noodles and smooth it out into a flat layer. Lay half of the mozzarella slices on top followed by half of the meat sauce. Repeat these layers once more and top with some extra Parmesan. Bake until heated through and bubbly on the top, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cook’s Note
The lasagna can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, unbaked. It can also be frozen, unbaked. Just thaw before you're ready to bake it.
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Lasagna
Yesterday's post was about one of my favorite foods, stroganoff. Today's post deals with another favorite of mine, Lasagna. There's just something about both that just gets my attention almost every time. For today's post, check out the Classic Lasagna, the Barbecue Lasagna (yes, you read that right), or any of the other yummy lasagna recipes in today's post. Enjoy!
WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA
This is from John Chandler at Allrecipes. For this recipe, John wrote, "It takes a little work, but it is worth it."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Additional Timne: 15 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
THE BEST LASAGNA EVER
This is from Ree Drummond, otherwise known as The Pioneer Woman. Ree wrote, "I’m sure everyone has their own favorite go-to lasagna recipe, but I’d just like to offer that this really is The Best Lasagna Ever. Growing up, my mom and her friends used to make it for potlucks and gatherings, and part of its appeal is that the ingredients used are totally basic; you don’t have to hunt down fresh basil or buffalo mozzarella or Parmigiano-Reggiano or handmade sausage from an Italian mama in old Napoli. Anyone can make this, anywhere, anytime. And it’s the easiest thing in the world.
"Aside from the simplicity and availability of ingredients, however, this lasagna is just dadgum good.
"I’ve made this lasagna for various categories of humans since my mom first scribbled it down for me: men, women, democrats, republicans, scholars, and foreign dignitaries. I even donated two pans to a charity auction once. The overwhelming consensus has always been that it’s 'The Best Lasagna Ever,' which is precisely what I’ve been trying to tell you turkeys. So let’s get started!"
Okay, easy to find ingredients, yummy, what more could you want?
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Makes 12 servings
If you want to find this online on Ree's website (and you'd be crazy not to check it out), go to https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11728/best-lasagna-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 lb. hot breakfast sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounce) whole tomatoes
2 cans (6 ounce) tomato paste
2 tbsp. dried parsley
2 tbsp. dried basil
2 1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. lowfat cottage cheese
2 whole beaten eggs
1/2 c. grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 package (10 ounce) lasagna noodles
1 lb. sliced mozzarella cheese
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and 1 teaspoon salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.
In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the olive oil to the boiling water, then cook the lasagna noodles until “al dente” (not overly cooked). Drain.
To assemble: Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top. Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.
Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.
CROCK POT LASAGNA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Discover the fix-it-and-forget-it way to make lasagna! It's so easy.”
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) tomato pasta sauce
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. (9 oz. = about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar (1 lb.) Alfredo pasta sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in the crock pot/slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA
This is from John Chandler at Allrecipes. For this recipe, John wrote, "It takes a little work, but it is worth it."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Additional Timne: 15 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
THE BEST LASAGNA EVER
This is from Ree Drummond, otherwise known as The Pioneer Woman. Ree wrote, "I’m sure everyone has their own favorite go-to lasagna recipe, but I’d just like to offer that this really is The Best Lasagna Ever. Growing up, my mom and her friends used to make it for potlucks and gatherings, and part of its appeal is that the ingredients used are totally basic; you don’t have to hunt down fresh basil or buffalo mozzarella or Parmigiano-Reggiano or handmade sausage from an Italian mama in old Napoli. Anyone can make this, anywhere, anytime. And it’s the easiest thing in the world.
"Aside from the simplicity and availability of ingredients, however, this lasagna is just dadgum good.
"I’ve made this lasagna for various categories of humans since my mom first scribbled it down for me: men, women, democrats, republicans, scholars, and foreign dignitaries. I even donated two pans to a charity auction once. The overwhelming consensus has always been that it’s 'The Best Lasagna Ever,' which is precisely what I’ve been trying to tell you turkeys. So let’s get started!"
Okay, easy to find ingredients, yummy, what more could you want?
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Makes 12 servings
If you want to find this online on Ree's website (and you'd be crazy not to check it out), go to https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11728/best-lasagna-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 lb. hot breakfast sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounce) whole tomatoes
2 cans (6 ounce) tomato paste
2 tbsp. dried parsley
2 tbsp. dried basil
2 1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. lowfat cottage cheese
2 whole beaten eggs
1/2 c. grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 package (10 ounce) lasagna noodles
1 lb. sliced mozzarella cheese
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and 1 teaspoon salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.
In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the olive oil to the boiling water, then cook the lasagna noodles until “al dente” (not overly cooked). Drain.
To assemble: Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top. Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.
Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.
CROCK POT LASAGNA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Discover the fix-it-and-forget-it way to make lasagna! It's so easy.”
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) tomato pasta sauce
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. (9 oz. = about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar (1 lb.) Alfredo pasta sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in the crock pot/slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Lasagna
If you love Lasagna as much as I do, today's post is sure to please. Six different lasagna recipes, all yummy, and waiting to be baked up. Check out the Supreme Pizza Lasagna, the Classic Lasagna, or any of the other lasagna recipes in today's post. Enjoy!
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
CROCK POT LASAGNA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Discover the fix-it-and-forget-it way to make lasagna! It's so easy.”
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) tomato pasta sauce
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. (9 oz. = about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar (1 lb.) Alfredo pasta sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in the crock pot/slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.
EXTRA-EASY SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “No need to cook the lasagna noodles...just layer them right in the pan with the cheeses, spinach and tomato-mushroom sauce.”
Serves: 8 servings (1 cup each); Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodle
1/4 cup water
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining sauce. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover.
Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To thaw the spinach, microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, breaking apart with a fork halfway through heating.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
SUPREME PIZZA LASAGNA
This is from Ree Drummond of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.
Active Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/supreme-pizza-lasagna-2316523.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
12 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
One 15-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced black olives
30 ounces whole-milk ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
8 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente
24 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
Directions
Drizzle the olive oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, ground beef and pepperoni and stir, breaking the meat up as it begins to cook. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until brown, and then remove the meat to a plate.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute until the mushrooms have softened and the others have some color. Add the meat back in along with the tomatoes, tomato paste, pesto, half the parsley, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Stir, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the black olives and stir.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the cheese mixture: Combine the ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, the rest of the parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir the mixture until totally combined.
To assemble the lasagna: Overlap 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Spoon half the cheese mixture over the noodles and smooth it out into a flat layer. Lay half of the mozzarella slices on top followed by half of the meat sauce. Repeat these layers once more and top with some extra Parmesan. Bake until heated through and bubbly on the top, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cook’s Note
The lasagna can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, unbaked. It can also be frozen, unbaked. Just thaw before you're ready to bake it.
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "A classic, beefy lasagna recipe perfectly matches these traditional, zesty Italian ingredients and creamy homemade ricotta sauce. Tall layers of cheese, meat, and pasta will seriously satisfy your casserole cravings. Plus any leftovers for lunch the following day are always welcome. Tip: make this lasagna bake for a crowd by doubling the recipe and making ahead of time. Prep steps one through four, cover, and freeze. Thaw and bake (covered) at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Stand Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-lasagna-0.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.
Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.
Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chef's Notes
The sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.
CROCK POT LASAGNA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Discover the fix-it-and-forget-it way to make lasagna! It's so easy.”
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) tomato pasta sauce
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. (9 oz. = about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar (1 lb.) Alfredo pasta sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in the crock pot/slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.
EXTRA-EASY SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “No need to cook the lasagna noodles...just layer them right in the pan with the cheeses, spinach and tomato-mushroom sauce.”
Serves: 8 servings (1 cup each); Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes
View this online here.
Ingredients
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodle
1/4 cup water
Directions
Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining sauce. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover.
Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Tip: To thaw the spinach, microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, breaking apart with a fork halfway through heating.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
SUPREME PIZZA LASAGNA
This is from Ree Drummond of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.
Active Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/supreme-pizza-lasagna-2316523.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
12 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
One 15-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced black olives
30 ounces whole-milk ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
8 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente
24 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
Directions
Drizzle the olive oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, ground beef and pepperoni and stir, breaking the meat up as it begins to cook. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until brown, and then remove the meat to a plate.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute until the mushrooms have softened and the others have some color. Add the meat back in along with the tomatoes, tomato paste, pesto, half the parsley, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Stir, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the black olives and stir.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the cheese mixture: Combine the ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, the rest of the parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir the mixture until totally combined.
To assemble the lasagna: Overlap 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Spoon half the cheese mixture over the noodles and smooth it out into a flat layer. Lay half of the mozzarella slices on top followed by half of the meat sauce. Repeat these layers once more and top with some extra Parmesan. Bake until heated through and bubbly on the top, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cook’s Note
The lasagna can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, unbaked. It can also be frozen, unbaked. Just thaw before you're ready to bake it.
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