lasagna party

[pixielou]

i'm hosting our family christmas this year. it will be early this year - thanksgiving weekend - since that is when my brother will be home from colorado. i was thinking of serving lasagna - probably make 3 or 4 different types of lasagna. then serve with bread and salad. my thought was that the lasagnas could be made ahead of time and frozen - so i can spend time visiting with my brother while he is home. and the day we have "christmas" - i can just pop the lasagnas in the oven.

so please post your lasagna recipes. i've had lots of different types of lasagna - regular, seafood, vegetable, pumpkin, mexican, etc. but wouldn't have a clue how to make any of them!

[trefoil]

Here is a pretty darn easy vegetarian lasagna recipe that I like. :)

Ingredients:
* 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1/2 small onion, minced
* 1 (15. oz) can of red kidney beans, drained and chopped Other types of beans can be subsituted if you aren't a fan of kidney beans, but these are my favorite for this recipe.
* 1/2 tsp. Oregano
* 1/4 tsp. pepper
* 4 lasagna noodles
* 1 cup cottage cheese
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 cup tomato sauce
* 1 cup tomato puree
* 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
* 1/2 tsp. dried basil
* 4-6 oz. package of Mozzarella cheese, grated
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook noodles.
2. Preheat oven for 350 degrees.
3. Saute garlic and onions.
4. Add the chopped beans and cook for 5 minutes (I tend to spend less than five minutes on this step since I worry about the garlic, onions, and beans burning ).
5. Add tomato sauce, tomato puree, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
6. In a 13 x 9 in. baking dish form a layer using half the noodles, cottage cheese, and mozzarella. ( I use a square pan so that I get a thicker lasagna. 13 x 9 is too big for this recipe, in my opinion. A square pan fits the lasagna noodles perfectly. )
7. Repeat to form a second layer.
8. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbling. Since I usea square pan, it takes a bit longer to bake. I take it out when the cheese browns a bit .

[Amaye]

I make my lasagna based on an Emeril Recipe. It's pretty easy to make - I have made it twice and it's so good.

My changes - I don't make the sauce from scratch. I buy bottled sauce - usually 3/4 cheeses sauce. l also use ground turkey instead of ground beef. For the pasta - I use regular lasagna noodles - not the "oven-ready" ones and don't precook them before hand.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings


2 pounds ground beef
5 cups Basic Red Sauce, recipe follows
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta
2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound grated Mozzarella
1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 dried (uncooked) lasagna noodles

- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large saucepan, add the ground beef and brown over medium heat. Season with salt, pepper, and Essence. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl fold together the ricotta cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup grated mozzarella, the Essence, salt, parsley, basil, and black pepper.
- Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 3-quart (13 by 9 by 2-inch) casserole.
- Lay 3 lasagna noodles lengthwise down the dish. The noodles should not touch one another.
-Spoon 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella evenly over the ricotta.
-Repeat with the remaining ingredients, for a total of 4 layers of noodles. -Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over the top layer of tomato sauce, and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan.
-Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil, and bake, covered, for 1 hour.
-Remove the casserole from the oven, and remove the aluminum foil. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

If you can't find Emeril's essence, here is how to make it:

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup

In case you do want to make the sauce from scratch, here is the recipe:

Basic Red Sauce:
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
11/2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 medium yellow onion)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves garlic)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar

-Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and squeeze to break into small pieces. Set aside.
-In a heavy 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes.
-Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, sugar and reserved crushed tomatoes, stir well, and bring to a simmer.
-Lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-Remove from the heat, and use as needed.

Yield: 10 cups (2 1/2 quarts)

[pixielou]

thanks for the recipes.

trefoil i like the idea of using square pans. i actually have a lot of them. plus, maybe i won't be left with as much leftovers!


looch posted this recipe for butternut squash lasagna on the thanksgiving menu thread. i'm copying it here so i can have all these recipe options in one place.

butternut squash lasagna
Makes a 9 by 13 pan

1 recipe bechamel sauce
1 recipe butternut squash puree
2 boxes barilla no cook lasagne noodles
1.5 c. shredded mozarella cheese
1 c. grated parmesan cheese

TO make the bechamel:

1/4 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. flour
2 cups milk, scalded, i prefer whole for this
salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. once it's all melted add the flour and stir until it is all combined. don't cook it too much, or it will develop a nutty flavor and dark color. Whisk in the milk, reduce heat. stir constantly until the mixture covers the back of a spoon. Set aside.

At this point, you could also add basil puree to the bechamel...to do this blanche one bunch basil and process in blender until smooth. add to bechamel sauce once it's cooled. you don't want to cook the basil puree again or it will darken. we had this version last year, and i will probably leave it out this year.

To make the butternut squash puree:
2 boxes frozen butternut squash puree
1 package thin gingersnap cookies
1 T. butter

Thaw puree. In a food processor, grind the cookies to a fine powder. combine with puree and place in a saucepan. cook until bubbly, being careful not to let it burn. Add butter, turn off heat and set aside. You may need a little salt to heighten the taste of the cookies.

Now, about the lasagne noodles, to boil or not to boil. I know i said no boil but i find that they come out a bit too tough for my liking if i do not boil them first. so, it's up to you!

To assemble:

In your 9x13 pan: spread a bit of butter on the bottom and sides, paying special attention to the corners. Ladle a bit of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of the pan. add one layer of noodles, overlapping slightly. Ladle butternut squash puree, then noodles, then bechamel, then mozarella, until all ingredients are used. it doesn't matter what you end up with at the top, it can be the squash or the bechamel. whatever it is, sprinkle the grated parmesan on top and cover with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and let cheese brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with foil again, let it cool down a bit. Cut and serve!

Enjoy!!!!

[bellezzadolce]

trefoil, that veggi lasagna sounds divine!

[pixielou]

posted by meganth in the squash thread

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Cook's Note: The no-boil lasagna noodles can be substituted with fresh spinach lasagna sheets. Look for fresh lasagna sheets in the refrigerated section of specialty markets.


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
3 amaretti cookies, crumbled
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
Pinch nutmeg
3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Rachael Ray's Mexican Lasagna
copied from foodnetwork.com

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 (14-oz) can stewed tomatoes or fire-roasted chopped tomatoes
1 cup medium heat taco sauce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Salt
8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack
2 scallions, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil – twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes or fire-roasted chopped tomatoes and taco sauce. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again.

Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.

[pixielou]

singerwife posted this recipe in the lacto-ovo veggie thread

Easy quick spinach and mushroom lasagna

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar/box of red sauce
1 package sliced mushrooms
Half a bag of frozen spinach
1 block of mozarella cheese
Paremesan, optional

Preheat oven to 375. Spoon a little red sauce into lasagna pan. Layer of noodles, pack of mushrooms, cheese, and half the red sauce. Layer of noodles, spinach, cheese, and almost all the remaining red sauce. Layer of noodles. Remainder of red sauce, cheese...to include parmesan, if you like.

Cover with foil, bake 45 minutes-1 hour in the oven....remove the foil for the last 15 minutes so the cheese can get brown.

I like this recipe because of the no-boil noodles. It's so easy and quick.



sweetred posted this butternut squash lasagna reipe in the lato-ove veggie thread

Roasted Butternut Squash, Rosemary, and Garlic Lasagna
from Cooking Light

8 1/4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
Cooking spray
4 cups fat-free milk, divided
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 450°.
Arrange butternut squash in a single layer in a large roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Coat squash with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until squash is just tender, stirring once. Set aside.

Lower oven temperature to 350°.

Combine 3 1/2 cups milk and rosemary in a 1-quart glass measuring cup, and microwave at high 5 minutes or until mixture begins to boil. Let stand 10 minutes. Strain milk through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard rosemary.

Lightly spoon all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining 1/2 cup milk, stirring flour mixture with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or until tender, stirring constantly. Stir in steeped milk, and increase heat to medium-high. Gradually add slurry to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Combine milk mixture and squash, tossing gently.

Spread about 1 1/2 cups squash mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over squash mixture; top with 2 cups squash mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers once with 3 noodles, 2 cups of squash, and 1/4 cup of cheese. Top with 3 noodles.

Beat whipping cream and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt with mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Spread the whipping cream mixture over noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes.

[laura]

I use the recipe on the back of the Barilla "no boil" noodles box - it's really good. I use homemade marinara and I cut up homemade meatballs for the meat, but the rest is pretty much spot-on. Yum, I love lasagna.

[nektarine]

i need a tried and true vegetarian lasagna recipe for tomorrow night! i love the one pixielou posted (bnut squash & garlic) but i have made it soooo many times, that i am looking for something different.

any thoughts? i am trying to stay away from a mexican twist, or anything with mushrooms (one friend can't eat them).

thanks!

[Bloomwood]

I don't have a specific recipe for you, but I make lasagna using roasted veggies - any you like (just sliced, tossed with evoo and broiled until done) or you could even buy them at Whole Foods, etc.

For the sauce, I cut a bunch of plum tomatoes in half, drizzle with evoo, sprinkle salt and bake in a 500 degree oven until they just start to brown/blister. I also throw a couple of cloves of garlic on the baking sheet with them. Let it all cool a bit and throw the tomatoes and garlic in the food processor with basil or whatever spices you want.

I layer the sauce, veggies and noodles with either smoked moz or smoked gouda to extend the roasted flavor. Throw it in the oven and bake til it's done.

[sarahncraig]

Bloomwood - What the heck is evoo? I don't even know how to pronounce it. hahahaha HELP!

[bookworm]

Bloomwood - What the heck is evoo? I don't even know how to pronounce it. hahahaha HELP!

It's short for extra virgin olive oil :).