Baked Southwest Lasagna Food

SOUTHWEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place cookie sheet or foil in oven on rack below middle oven rack; heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook lasagna noodles as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until thickened.
• In small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, chiles and eggs.
• Stir pasta sauce, beans, corn and cumin into beef mixture. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated.
• To assemble lasagna, arrange 3 cooked noodles in bottom of baking dish. Spoon and spread 1/3 of ricotta mixture over noodles; top with 1/3 each of beef mixture and cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, reserving last 1/3 of cheese.
• Place baking dish on middle oven rack; bake 25 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved cheese; bake 15 to 25 minutes longer or until lasagna is bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares.

SOUTHWESTERN LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the enchilada sauce, tomatoes, olives, salt, garlic powder and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese and egg; set aside. Spread one-third of the meat sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with half the Monterey Jack cheese, half the cottage cheese mixture and half the tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with meat sauce. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. , Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the beef in a large bowl and "pull" it apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and loosening the meat without compacting it.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread the beef in an even layer in the same pot and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is browned and completely cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, half the garlic, the bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it's very fragrant and brick red colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the reserved pancetta and beef, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the basil and Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the ragu should release occasional small bubbles. If the ragu reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking. Repeat if necessary. The ragu needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf, basil and Parmesan rind. Break up any remaining clumps of meat with the back of a spoon, making an even textured sauce. Season with salt and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles, stirring occasionally and separating them to prevent sticking, until softened and bendable but are still hard and chalky in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining grated garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• Lightly oil a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Spread 1 cup of the ragu evenly in the bottom of the pan. Lay a single layer of noodles over the ragu (if you're using long noodles, you will need to cut some noodles to fill the gaps). Spread 1 1/2 cups of the ragu over the noodles. Dollop 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the ragu and spread lightly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, followed by another layer of noodles. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ragu, ricotta mixture and mozzarella, creating 4 layers of pasta and ending with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. (The lasagna should come just above the top of the pan but it will sink down slightly as it cooks.) Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly oil a piece of foil and cover the pan. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake the lasagna until bubbling gently around the edges, about 1 hour.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Remove the foil and then continue to bake the lasagna until the top is browned and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED LASAGNA

Steps:

• Brown meat slowly.
• Add next 6 ingredients to meat (garlic through tomato paste).
• Add one tomato paste can of water.
• Simmer uncovered until thick or about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile combine cottage cheese with eggs, salt, pepper, parsley and Parmesan.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Also meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles in boiling water until tender.
• Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Spray a 13X9X2 baking pan with vegetable oil spray.
• Place 1/2 of the noodles in the bottom of the pan.
• Spread 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.
• Next layer 1/2 of the meat mixture over the cottage cheese, then sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella over the meat.
• Layer again with noodes, cottage cheese, meat and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, until bubbling and mozzarella has browned some.

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's starting to brown but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the tomato paste has turned a deeper brick red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.
• Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces and add them and the crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Make the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large pot of salted water to boil.
• Set aside 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and cream; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Cook lasagna noodles in the large pot of salted boiling water until just softened (before they are even aldente), about 4 minutes. Drain and separate any noodles that are trying to stick together, slicking them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking further.
• Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with a layer of noodles, avoiding any heavy overlap.
• Top with about 1 ¼ cups of sauce, and dollop ¼ of the cheese mixture over. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times, ending with the last of the noodles (depending on size of the noodle/shape of the baking dish, you may have a few extra noodles) and the last of the sauce. Top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella and more Parmesan, if you like.
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven).
• Bake until pasta is completely tender and cooked through and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue to bake until lasagna is golden brown on top with frilly, crispy edges and corners, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.

SOUTHWESTERN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cut each tortilla into 2 or 3 pieces; set aside.
• Brown ground beef in a large skillet until crumbly; drain fat.
• Add seasonings, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chiles to the skillet; stir and bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes.
• Combine cottage cheese, egg, and 1 1/3 cups of the shredded cheese in a separate bowl.
• In a lightly greased 9x13" baking pan, spread (in layers) half of the meat mixture, then half of the tortilla pieces, and then half of the cheese mixture; repeat the layers, ending with cheese mixture; sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup shredded cheese and sliced olives over top.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly around edges; remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting into serving portions.
• NOTE: The cottage cheese may be left unpureed or may be replaced with a cup of ricotta cheese.

BAKED SOUTHWEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• In large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute turkey, onion, green pepper and garlic 5 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink.
• Add tomato sauce, salsa and cumin.
• Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• In (9-X 13-inch) baking dish, lightly coated with vegetable cooking spray, spoon 1 cup sauce in bottom of dish.
• Arrange 2 whole tortillas over sauce.
• Place quartered tortillas in corners.
• Top with one half of sauce.
• Sprinkle one half of the green onions, olives and cheese over sauce.
• Top with remaining tortillas, sauce, onions, and olives.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees F.
• 30 minutes.
• Remove foil.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and continue baking 15 minutes or until lasagna is bubbly and cheese is melted.

SOUTHWEST PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in milk. Stir in spinach and oregano; set aside. , In a nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the picante sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture., In a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, layer half of the meat mixture and all of the spinach mixture. Top with remaining meat mixture. , Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with olives and onions. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

SOUTHWEST LASAGNA ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Spread about 1/2 cup on each noodle; carefully roll up. Place seam side down in a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. , Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover; top with salsa. Bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through.

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make lasagne noodles as directed and drain and set aside.
• Make cottage cheese mixture by stirring together the eggs, cottage cheese, parsley and a black pepper.
• Set aside.
• To make the chicken mixture: In a large skillet, put a little margarine or oil to coat bottom.
• then add onions, red and green peppers, and garlic and cook and stir over medium heat until tender.
• Stir in the tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, green chilis, and jalepenos.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
• Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Put on low and and cover and the chicken to it.
• stir and allow the flavors to come together.
• Do this for about another 15- 20 minutes.
• Turn off heat and let sit.
• Lightly spray a 13 x 9 baking or cake pan.
• To assemble the lasagna, place a little of the sauce on the bottom to coat the pan.
• Then place about 4 or 5 lasagne noodles down first.
• Then spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.
• Top with about half of the chicken/sauce mixture, and cover with each of the cheeses separately.
• Repeat with noodles, remaining cottage cheese mixture, and chicken/sauce.
• then more cheese.
• Leave just enough sauce and cheese to cover the third and final layer of noodles.
• So you put the remaining noodles on top with a coating of sauce and remainder of cheese.
• Then you place the thin slices of red, yellow, or green pepper for garnish.
• Bake about 50 minutes or until bubbly.
• Let stand 10- 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
• The oven should be preheated to 350 degrees.
• Enjoy!