Make Ahead Seafood Lasagna

SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion in oil and 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in broth and clam juice; bring to a boil. Add scallops, shrimp, crab and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and scallops are firm and opaque, stirring gently. Drain, reserving cooking liquid; set seafood mixture aside., In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter; stir in flour until smooth. Combine milk and reserved cooking liquid; gradually add to the saucepan. Add salt and remaining pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Remove from the heat; stir in cream and 1/4 cup cheese. Stir 3/4 cup white sauce into the seafood mixture., Preheat oven to 350°. Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with three noodles; spread with half of the seafood mixture and 1-1/4 cups sauce. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 2½-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until onions are tender. Add wine, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in Alfredo sauce, shredded cheese blend, and nutmeg until cheese melts. Remove from heat, and stir in shrimp, crab, and flounder. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, and parsley. In bottom of prepared pan, spread ¼ cup ricotta mixture. Place 3 lasagna noodles over ricotta mixture (do not overlap noodles). Spread one-third of remaining ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with one-third of seafood mixture, and sprinkle with one-third of mozzarella. Repeat layers twice. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

SEAFOOD LASAGNA II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sautee garlic and mushrooms until tender. Pour in 2 jars Alfredo sauce. Stir in shrimp, scallops and crabmeat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg and pepper.
• In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer noodles, ricotta mixture, Alfredo mixture and shredded cheese. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ensuring that there is shredded cheese for the top.
• Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Cover, and bake 15 minutes.

SEAFOOD LASAGNA WITH CRAB AND SHRIMP

Steps:

• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain, and rinse in cold water. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a skillet, cook onion in butter over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cream cheese, cottage cheese, egg, basil, and salt and pepper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the soup, milk, wine, crabmeat, and shrimp.
• Lay 3 cooked lasagna noodles on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread 1/3 of the onion mixture over the noodles. Then spread 1/3 of the soup mixture over the onion layer. Repeat the noodle, onion, soup layers twice more. Top with Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

MAKE-AHEAD LASAGNA

Steps:

• Peel and chop the onion to measure 1/2 cup.
• In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook the beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked. Place a strainer or colander in a large bowl; line strainer with a double thickness of paper towels. Pour the beef mixture into the strainer to drain. Return beef mixture to Dutch oven; discard paper towels and any juices in the bowl.
• Into the beef, stir the parsley, basil, sugar, seasoned salt, tomatoes (with liquid), soup, tomato paste and water. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough so mixture bubbles gently. Cook uncovered 20 minutes.
• In an ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread 2 cups of the sauce mixture. Top with 4 uncooked noodles. Spread half of the cottage cheese over noodles; spread with 2 cups sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with 4 noodles, remaining cottage cheese, 2 cups sauce mixture and remaining mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles and sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil; refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Bake covered 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 30 to 40 minutes longer or until hot in center. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

THE BEST MAKE-AHEAD LASAGNA

Steps:

• FOR THE SAUCE: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium heat until shimmering.
• Add the onions and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in the meat, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces until the meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid evaporates and only the fat remains, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato puree and drained diced tomatoes (and a splash of your favorite red wine if you feel so inclined).
• Bring to a simmer and cook until the flavors are blended, about 3 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
• FOR THE RICOTTA FILLING: Stir all the ingredients together until combined; set aside.
• TO ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA: Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (avoiding large chunks of meat).
• Place 3 noodles in a single layer.
• Spread each noodle with 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture.
• Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzerella.
• Spoon 1 cup of sauce evenly over the cheeses.
• Repeat layering twice more.
• Place the remaining 3 noodles on top, cover with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzerella and the Parmesan.
• TO STORE: Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap and then foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. (If frozen, the casserole must be thawed completely in the refrigerator, about 24 hours).
• TO SERVE: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat to 400 degrees. Unwrap the dish and cover tightly with aluminium foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray (or use nonstick foil). Place a rimmed baking sheet under the dish to catch any overspill. Bake until the sauce bubbles lightly around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until hot throughout and the cheese is browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
• TO SERVE RIGHT AWAY: Follow instructions above, reducing covered baking time to 15 minutes.

MAKE-AHEAD CREAMY SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour with whisk; cook and stir 2 minutes. Slowly beat in broth, whipping cream, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the nutmeg with whisk. Increase heat to medium-high; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat.
• In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned and any liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually add spinach, stirring constantly, and cook until wilted. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 1/4 cups of the cream sauce. Reserve remaining sauce.
• In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, egg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
• To assemble: Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 3/4 cup of the sauce into bottom of baking dish. Top with 3 of the lasagna noodles in single layer. Evenly top with 1 cup of the cheese filling and 1 1/3 cups of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers twice, starting with noodles and ending with spinach mixture. For final layer, top with 3 noodles; pour remaining 3/4 cup sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through (165°F in center), bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
• To freeze: Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with foil, making sure foil is as smooth as possible, as wrinkled foil may get stuck in sauce during freezing process. Leave enough overhang to be able to lift assembled lasagna out of dish. Spray foil with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate sauce and spinach mixture 30 to 40 minutes before making cheese filling and assembling lasagna. Stir 2 1/4 cups cream sauce into spinach mixture. Assemble lasagna in dish as directed; cover tightly with another layer of foil. Freeze unbaked lasagna about 8 hours or until completely frozen. Transfer frozen lasagna to labeled 2-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. Remove air; seal and freeze up to three months. To bake: Remove foil, and transfer to 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and thaw in refrigerator until completely thawed, at least 48 hours. Heat oven to 400°F. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes; remove foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through (165°F in center), bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• 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, 1½ teaspoons of the salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 25-30 minutes, until thickened and tomatoes have reached desired taste.
• 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 ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ 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 ¼ cup of Parmesan.
• Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

EASY SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Reduce heat. Add cream cheese; cook and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in the cottage cheese, egg, basil, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the soups, wine or broth, milk, crab and shrimp., Arrange 3 noodles in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Spread with a third of cottage cheese mixture and a third of the seafood mixture. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese., Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the Monterey Jack cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and lasagna is bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

NO-FAIL BAKED SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly; simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan; set aside. Mix spinach, cottage cheese, 2/3 cup mozzarella and nutmeg.
• Spread 2/3 cup Parmesan sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Cover with 3 lasagna noodles and layers of half each of the shrimp, crabmeat and spinach mixture; top with 2/3 cup of the remaining Parmesan sauce. Repeat layers, starting with the noodles. Top with remaining noodles, Parmesan cheese sauce and mozzarella; cover.
• Bake 45 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 25 min. Let stand 10 min. before cutting to serve.

FREEZE-AHEAD LASAGNA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium; add flour and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let flour mixture darken); whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach, peas, and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper.
• In the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of vegetable sauce. Layer noodles, half the remaining vegetable sauce, another noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan; repeat.
• Cover dish with lightly oiled aluminum foil, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes, uncover, and bake until bubbling and browned, about 20 minutes more. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.