Individual Lasagnas Food

INDIVIDUAL VEGETABLE LASAGNAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a saute pan over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and squash cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat when all vegetables are completely cooked but still have a good crunch. Allow to cool.
• Using a 6-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles out of the lasagna sheets. You will need 18 circles. Coat the bottom of 6 (6-inch) gratin dishes with a teaspoon of tomato sauce in each. Place a circle of pasta on the bottom of each ramekin. Rinse the beans with water and season with salt and pepper. Divide the beans between each ramekin. Next, divide the spinach between the ramekins. Place a second layer of pasta on top and gently press down. Divide the sauteed vegetables among the ramekins and top with a tablespoon of tomato sauce in each. Place the third layer of pasta in each ramekin and coat with a tablespoon of tomato sauce. Sprinkle ramekins with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and top each with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place gratin dishes on top. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbling.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

INDIVIDUAL LASAGNAS

Steps:

• Combine the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl; stir well and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Mix the ricotta together with the salt and the pepper until evenly distributed.
• Preheat a grill pan over high heat. Whisk olive oil and salt together in a bowl. Rub the veggie pieces with the olive oil mixture all over and grill until soft and browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• To assemble the lasagnas:
• Line the bottom of a mini foil baking dish with a couple spoonfuls of sauce. Lay a single layer of raw lasagna noodles over that. Next scatter a mixture of the veggies over top, then an even layer of ricotta. Repeat once more and top it all of with plenty of mozzarella.
• Place lasagna on a baking sheet to catch any dripping cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and well browned on top.

INDIVIDUAL VEGETABLE LASAGNAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a saute pan over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and squash cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat when all vegetables are completely cooked but still have a good crunch. Allow to cool.
• Using a 6-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles out of the lasagna sheets. You will need 18 circles. Coat the bottom of 6 (6-inch) gratin dishes with a teaspoon of tomato sauce in each. Place a circle of pasta on the bottom of each ramekin. Rinse the beans with water and season with salt and pepper. Divide the beans between each ramekin. Next, divide the spinach between the ramekins. Place a second layer of pasta on top and gently press down. Divide the sauteed vegetables among the ramekins and top with a tablespoon of tomato sauce in each. Place the third layer of pasta in each ramekin and coat with a tablespoon of tomato sauce. Sprinkle ramekins with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and top each with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place gratin dishes on top. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbling.
• For the tomato sauce:.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

INDIVIDUAL MUSHROOM LASAGNAS WITH CRISPY BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Combine dried mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and cream in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat, and let steep to allow flavors to meld for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). Pour through a sieve into a bowl; reserve mushrooms, and discard the garlic and thyme. Stir stock into cream mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form (you should have about 2 cups). Transfer to a bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool. (Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees.)
• Melt butter with remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add leeks, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms, and raise heat to medium-high; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in reserved mushrooms. Remove from heat.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 2 tablespoons salt. Working in batches, cook pasta squares, stirring occasionally to separate, until al dente, about 2 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander to drain. Drizzle with oil, and toss gently to coat.
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon cream mixture into each of 6 ovenproof dishes (about 6 inches in diameter, 1 1/2 inches deep). Place 1 pasta square in each dish, and sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Top each with about 1 1/2 tablespoons mushroom mixture, about 1 tablespoon cream mixture, and a pasta square. Repeat, layering two more times. Sprinkle top with about 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano and about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs, and drizzle with oil. Bake until cream mixture is bubbling and top is golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.

INDIVIDUAL VEGETARIAN LASAGNAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the vegetable oil, then the lasagna sheets, and cook until almost al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and gently rinse the lasagna sheets under cold water to stop them from cooking and to help remove any excess starch. Cover lightly with a damp towel to prevent the pasta from drying out. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and summer squash and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and sauté for 2 minutes. Season the vegetable mixture with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Using a 6-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut the cooled lasagna sheets into 18 circles. Coat the bottom of each of six 6-inch gratin dishes with 1 teaspoon of marinara sauce. Place 1 pasta circle over the bottom of each dish. In a medium bowl, toss the beans with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Arrange the beans and then the spinach over the pasta circles in the dishes, dividing equally. Top each with another pasta circle, pressing gently to compact slightly. Spoon the sautéed vegetables over the lasagnas, dividing equally, then top each with 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce. Place a third pasta circle atop each and spread each with 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and dot with the butter. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the dishes on the prepared baking sheet. (The lasagnas can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove the plastic wrap before baking.)
• Bake the lasagnas until brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.

INDIVIDUAL LASAGNAS FOR 2 (OR TO FREEZE) (WW)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray 2 (5-inch square baking dishes or 2 individual serving dishes) with Pam.
• On a microwave dish or bowl mix vegetables (zucchini - mushrooms) together -- cover and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender, stirring once after about 2 minutes or so. Drain veggies and stir in 1/8 tsp salt.
• In each baking dish layer in this order: 2 TB sauce, 1 half noodle, halt of the veggies, 1 half noodle, half of the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup sauce and 1/2 TB Parmesan.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes.