Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Lasagna

Do you have a favourite lasagna recipe?  Seriously, I think I make it differently every time.  I have a super streamlined version that is just a meat layer and a ricotta layer.  Then there are variations that include:

Veggies: marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, spinach, zucchini, pumpkin, mushrooms, peas (yeah, really), dried chillies
Cheese: mozzarella, Parmesan, goat cheese, cottage cheese
Meats:  chicken breast, ground beef
Sauces:  rose, marinara, puttanesca, bechamel, Alfredo

My favourite experiment was pumpkin with caramelized onions, bechamel sauce and mozzarella.  Mmmm.  It was awesome.

This version was fairly tame.



 I started by sauteeing onion, red pepper and marinated artichoke hearts.  Then I added the ground beef.  This is my little trick for draining the fat.  I line a bowl with paper towels, dump in the beef, then more paper towels on top.  I find this easier than trying to hold the heavy frypan over the sink to drain the fat.  I used to lose as much beef as I kept in the pan that way.


I used a rose sauce which was just a canned pasta sauce with cream in it.  I just eyeball it until I like the colour.  You could add cheese to this as well and it would be great.




Under this sauce is a layer of ricotta (with a beaten egg) that I forgot to photograph.  You'll have to dig out your imagination hats.



Our neighbour brought over a big bag of fresh-picked green beans for us.  Mmmm,....they were the perfect accompaniment.

9 comments:

Yvonne@StyleBurb said...

I knew when I read your title that you'd have some delicious lasagna suggestions! I've never even thought about adding in artichoke hearts, which are a favourite of the whole family, so I've got to do that.

BTW, is this the same neighbour who brought you the apples? Lucky!

Unknown said...

Yummy! Lasagna is one of our favorites. But is has to be the way my husband mom makes it. It is very "classic". Maybe I could tweak it a little. I LOVE blush sauce. Yours looks wonderful. I wish they had scratch and sniff computer screens! That last shot loos like it smells wonderful. I think I'm hungry...... I think we are having Lasagna for dinner!:)

Stephanie said...

Yum! This looks so good! I have actually never made lasagna!!! I think I'm way over do!

Mindy said...

Okay, the pumpkin one sounds delicious.
Is it weird that I don't like meat in my lasagna? I'm a veggie or cheese (or both) girl all the way. The artichoke hearts sound good - I'll have to remember that.

Macey said...

I LOVE lasagna. LOVE LOVE. : )

jess@balancing the dream said...

yummm...lasagna is my favorite meal!!! i will have to try this out!! thanks for sharing!!

Terri @ A Creative Princess said...

My lasagna comes frozen in a silver container! I know, I suck! Since the kids all left, I just don't cook that much anymore unless anybody is here besides Greg and I. Greg keeps telling the kids he's going to starve if they don't leave the grandkids here more! We know that's not true, remember our "old man's belly" discussion?! I love the idea of the artichokes, I need to start cooking again!!

Rosemary@villabarnes said...

OK, you can add this to my list of options when I visit someday.

SV said...

Mmm, Yum Terry! I like the idea of using the cream sauce rather than regular tomato sauce. I like your new button too :)

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