Moms Lasagna Fall Version Food

MOM'S LASAGNA, FALL VERSION

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 3 to 4 minutes less than the package directs. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and pour the pasta onto a baking sheet to cool. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking and set aside until ready to assemble.
• For the Bolognese: Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the beef, season with salt, and cook, breaking up any lumps, until it begins to brown. Move the beef to one side of the pan, add the squash and cook until it begins to brown and soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery and garlic with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for a few minutes until it looks rusty. Add in the white wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes and thyme bundle and bring to a simmer. Stir in the reserved 1 cup pasta water and cook over low heat, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme bundle.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it forms a wet sandy consistency. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, then whisk in the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the ricotta, pecorino and egg yolks, then set aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a 7-quart roasting pan or a lasagna pan on the baking sheet.
• To assemble: Spoon a layer of Bolognese into the pan, covering the whole bottom. Add an even layer of noodles and press into the sauce. Add a layer of Bolognese over the noodles, then another layer of pasta. Spoon some of the bechamel over the noodles, covering the entire surface. Add another layer of pasta, pressing down gently. Spoon a layer of Bolognese to cover the surface. Repeat the layering, ending with a layer of Bolognese on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, then cover with foil and bake until completely warmed through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and crusty on top, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and let set 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

MY MOM'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the beef and sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the onions, garlic and dried oregano and cook until they are softened and the meat is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/3 cup Parmesan, fresh basil and oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles over the sauce and top with a third of the ricotta filling. Spoon over a layer of sauce and top with another layer of noodles. Continue with 2 more layers of ricotta, sauce and noodles, ending with a top layer of noodles. Spoon a thin layer of the remaining sauce over the top, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the noodles and cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and cook until the cheese is golden and the lasagna is bubbling, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

MOM'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a three-finger pinch of salt and sweat them until they're translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the neck bones and let them brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ground veal, beef and sausage, and season with another healthy pinch of salt. Cook until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the white wine, tomatoes and their juice, and the bay leaves. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, making sure to get all of the browned bits into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, and simmer for 2 hours over medium heat. Remove the bay leaves and neck bones and let cool. Skim any fat that rises to the surface.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add enough salt so that it tastes seasoned and allow the water to return to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
• In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, parsley, basil, oregano, eggs, and Parmesan with a pinch of salt.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan. Arrange a layer of noodles followed by a layer of sauce and then some of the ricotta mixture. Top with a layer of mozzarella, smoothing it with a spatula to the edges. Repeat the process until the pan is full. Finish with a final layer of noodles, sauce, the mozzarella, and Parmesan.
• Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest, 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

MOM'S SPECIAL LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook beef, sausage and onion until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender; drain. Stir in the next 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1- 3 hours, stirring occasionally. ***This can be done up to one day ahead of time.
• While sauce is cooking, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.
• In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
• In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, spoon a little sauce in the bottom of casserole. Then layer in this order: 1/3 of the noodles, 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, 1/3 of the meat mixture and 1/3 of the mozzarella and 1/3 of the Parmesan. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil.
• ***This can be done ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to eat. Just leave lasagna out on counter for 30-45 minutes before baking.
• Bake at 350° for 45 minutes; uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

LAZY MOM'S FAUX LASAGNA

Steps:

• Prepare water to boil and pre-grease a deep casserole dish.
• Brown beef, onions and garlic in a medium sized sauce pan (if you don't like your onions a tad crisp, saute your onions and garlic until soft, prior to adding the beef).
• Add spaghetti sauce AND spinach to the beef, onion and garlic; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Pre-heat oven to 350, and add noodles to boiling water and cook until al dante.
• Drain noodles and return to pot.
• Pour the sauce mixture into the noodles, RESERVING two or so cups, and mix thoroughly. Set remaining sauce aside.
• Pour half of the pasta mixture into the pre-greased casserole dish, layer with 6 slices of provolone cheese, pour in the remaining pasta, break the remaining provolone into pieces, layer, and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Finally, pour on the reserved sauce.
• Bake, covered, on 350 for 35 minutes.
• Uncover, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

MOM'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown ground beef and chopped onion in olive oil.
• Pour the can of tomatoes with juice into a two cup measuring cup and add enough red wine to fill the cup to the two cup line.
• Add the tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, water, parsley, salt, sugar, garlic powder, pepper, and oregano to the skillet. Stir.
• Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• If you're using regular lasagna noodles, cook and drain them. If you're using the oven ready ones, go to the next step.
• Spread 3/4 cup sauce in a 9x13 pan.
• Add a layer of noodles, then layer with sauce, ricotta, mozzerella, and parmesan.
• Repeat layers until you get to your last set of noodles.
• End with sauce, mozzerella, and parmesan.
• If you're using regular noodles, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.
• If you're using oven ready noodles, cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

MOM'S GOOEY LASAGNA

Steps:

• Saute onion and garlic in oil.
• Add meat and brown.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, ending with the basil.
• Simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes.
• To assemble lasagne, layer a small amount of sauce in a 9x13 pan to prevent sticking.
• Place a layer of noodles over the sauce.
• Cover noodles with sauce, then a small amount of the cheeses.
• Layer noodles, sauce, cheeses until pan is full, ending with reserved mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted but not brown.

MOM'S WHITE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cook noodles according to package directions for al dente. In a large skillet, cook sausage, celery, onion and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain., Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook 3-4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream, cream cheese, herbs, pepper and salt; stir until cream cheese is melted. Drain noodles., In a small bowl, combine egg, cheddar and cottage cheese., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer three noodles, half of the sausage mixture, half of the cheddar cheese mixture and half of the mozzarella slices. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles; sprinkle with Gouda cheese., Bake, covered, 40-50 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with additional basil and oregano.,

BUSY MOM LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir beef and onion in the hot skillet until beef browns and onion softens, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
• Add spaghetti sauce, cream cheese, and sour cream to the skillet. Mix well.
• Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer noodles, beef mixture, and cheeses in the slow cooker. Repeat layers as necessary until cooker is full.
• Cover and cook on High for 2 hours. Switch to Low and cook until noodles are soft and cheeses are melted, about 2 hours more.

MOM'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large kettle or Dutch oven, cook beef, sausage and onion until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender; drain. Stir in the next 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. , Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer a third of the noodles and meat sauce, half of the cottage cheese, a third of the mozzarella and a third of the Parmesan. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. , Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes; uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.