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Yesterday, I made the most awesome lasagna if I do say so myself. So I want to store it here on the weblog for my future self and for anybody else. Here goes.

Ingredient List:
1 lb of grass-fed beef
1 large jar of spaghetti sauce (your choice)
1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
8 oz of mushrooms, diced
10-20 olives (kalamata or green or your favorite)
A splash (~1 ounce) balsamic vinaigrette
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Mixed Italian seasoning
Garlic, minced (I used three heaping tablespoons from a jar)
Cottage Cheese (20 ounces or so)
Mozzarella Cheese (shredded, rennet-free if you can find it)
Cheddar Cheese (shredded, rennet-free if you can find it)

You will need a 9' x 13" pan, a 2 quart or gallon mixing bowl, and a fry pan.

1. In the frying pan, cook up the ground beef, with enough salt and pepper to make it palatable. (If you want it to be vegetarian, just skip this step and double the mushrooms.)
2. Put the ground beef in the mixing bowl.
3. Gingerly place the mushrooms in the frying pan (no need to clean it out), add a couple ounces of olive oil. And to taste, add: a dash of balsamic vinaigrette, mixed italian seasonings, red pepper flakes, a little salt and pepper. Sautée it up.
4. Toss the mushrooms in the mixing bowl with the ground beef. Add most of the spaghetti sauce and the tomato paste, the olives (finely diced) and the garlic. Mix them into a homogeneous thick sauce.
5. Begin layering:
1. A thin layer of the mushroom/meat/tomato sauce.
2. A layer of (uncooked) noodles.
3. A layer of cottage cheese.
4. A layer of noodles.
5. The rest of the mushroom/meat/tomato sauce.
6. As much red pepper flakes as you can sprinkle until it starts to make you nervous.
   
7. A layer of noodles.
8. A thin layer of cottage cheese.
9. A thick layer of mozzarella cheese.
10. A little plain spaghetti sauce scattered about.
11. Some cheddar right on top.
12. Cook in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, plus maybe a little more.
    

chant/prayer/mantra: Kiss the cook.


pax hominibus,
agape to all,
joel

Labels: recipes