Mile High Lasagna From Rachael Ray Food

MILE-HIGH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F
• Place a large skillet over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons
• Cook the onion and the garlic, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes
• Turn the heat under the skillet up to medium-high and add the beef to the pan
• Cook it through, stirring frequently and breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon or potato masher
• Add the beef stock, tomatoes and basil to the pot and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Mash the tomatoes up with the potato masher or wooden spoon, bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes
• While the red sauce is simmering, place a medium-size pot over medium heat and melt the butter
• Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook the mixture for about 1 minute
• Whisk the milk slowly into the butter-flour mixture and cook until thickened
• Season the white sauce with salt, freshly ground pepper and the nutmeg
• Cover two loaf pans with a layer of foil for easy removal from the pan
• Ladle about 1 cup of the red sauce into the bottom of the first lined loaf pan
• Put down a layer of lasagna noodles, then top them with about a cup of white sauce and a handful of Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1/4 cup)
• Continue building the lasagna, alternating layers of noodle, red sauce, noodle, white sauce and cheese, until all the noodles are covered
• End the lasagna on a layer of red sauce and top it off with the grated provolone and some Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Repeat this process with the other loaf pan and the remaining sauce
• Cover the pans with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes
• Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown
• Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes to let the lasagna set
• Pull the lasagna out of the pans by the edges of the foil, pull the foil down from around the lasagna and cut with a serrated knife
• Garnish each slice with fresh parsley

SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat the EVOO in a saucepot and add the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crush them up a bit. Add the passata, a fat handful of torn basil leaves, the onion and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the onion and set the sauce aside.
• Separate the spinach while adding it to a mixing bowl. Add half of the mozzarella, the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the eggs yolks and mix to combine. Season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Layer a little sauce into a lasagna pan and top with three flat lasagna sheets or four curly. Top with a little more sauce, and then half of the spinach and cheese mixture. Repeat with another layer, and end on top with lasagna sheets. Top with some sauce and the remaining mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• The lasagna can be stored before or after baking for a make-ahead meal, or baked to serve immediately. When baking the first time, bake at 375 degrees F, uncovered, from room temperature until cooked through and brown and bubbling on top, 60 to 70 minutes. If reheating, bake at 375 degrees F, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let the lasagna rest 20 minutes before cutting. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

MILE HIGH LASAGNA FROM RACHAEL RAY

Steps:

• Preheat oven 375 degrees.
• Heat oil in large skilled med. low, cook onion and garlic about 10 min, till tender.
• Turn heat up to med. high, brown beef, add beef stock, basil and tomatoes breaking up with potato masher or wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to bubble, reduce heat and simmer 5 minute.
• Make a white or beshemel sauce in a saucepan: melt butter, stir in flour, whisk in milk. Cook over med. high till thick, stirring. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Layer Lasagna in loaf pans for the mile high effect. Meat sauce, Lasagna, white sauce and a handful of cheese, repeat till its a mile high!
• Cover with aluminum foil, place pans on baking sheet, Bake 30 minutes Uncover Bake15 more minutes.
• Notes: Sometimes I half this for my small family and only make 1 loaf pan. I have used dry seasoning, but I'm sure fresh are better. I also just use ground beef and my own canned tomatoes. Sometimes I add cottage cheese just sprinkled on. I really think the white sauce makes it good though!

MILE-HIGH MEATLESS LASAGNA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain lasagna noodles; rinse with cold water and drain well. Lay noodles in a single layer on a sheet of foil.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, zucchini, red pepper and half of the garlic. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Transfer to a bowl. Heat remaining oil in the same skillet. Add mushrooms and remaining garlic. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Gradually add spinach. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Using a slotted spoon, transfer spinach mixture to medium bowl; stir in basil.
• In a bowl, combine egg, ricotta, parmesan, salt and black pepper.
• To assemble pie, spread 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9-inch sprinform pan. Arrange three to four of the lasagna noodles over the sauce, trimming and overlapping as necessary to cover sauce with one layer. Top with half of the spinach mixture. Top with half of the ricotta mixture. Top with another layer of noodles. Spread with half of the remaining pasta sauce. Top with all of the zucchini-carrot mixture. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Top with another layer of the lasagna noodles. Layer with remaining spinach mixture and ricotta mixture. Top with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce (you may have extra noodles). Gently press down pie with back of spatula.
• Place springform pan on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour or until heated through, topping with remaining mozzarella cheese for the last 15 minutes of baking. Cover and let stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Carefully remove side of springform pan.

HAM AND PEAS CASSEROLE- RACHAEL RAY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Lightly butter a 9-inch casserole dish.
• In a bowl, toss the ham, cornbread, peas and thyme; transfer to the baking dish.
• In the same bowl, beat together the milk, eggs and yolk and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pour into the baking dish.
• Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Bake until the custard is just set in the center, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad.