Lasagna

Lasagna has become an American household staple. It's great for large gatherings and entertaining; add a salad and garlic bread and you're set. My husband frequently orders lasagna at restaurants. Yet, until I made this lasagna last month, I had never done so before. Well, I'm sure glad I did!

This lasagna is delicious. The red sauce is loaded with flavor, and who doesn't love all that melted parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top? This recipe is different than some may be used to. It does not use ricotta cheese (which is a good thing if you have folks who don't like the ricotta). Instead, it is a combination of a red, meaty sauce and a bechamel sauce. I think that the bechamel sauce really contributes to the depth of flavor. While I will continue to try other lasagna recipes, this one is a winner and I highly recommend it. I split mine between two casseroles and kept one in the freezer; it held up very well and tasted fresh after defrosting and baking. The long directions may seem like a lot of work, but it's worth it!

Lasagna (Print)
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe
Prep: 1 hour / Bake: 45 minutes
Yield: 9x13-inch casserole

Red Sauce
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
4-8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Bechamel Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk (I used %)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground turkey
12 no-boil flat lasagna noodles
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly about 1 minute. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the vegetables are soft.

2. Transfer the vegetables to a blender and blend into a paste, if desired. I did not do this step. Return to pan and add remaining red sauce ingredients. Cover and simmer on medium to low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally. Meanwhile, continue with steps 3 and 4.

3. Brown turkey in a skillet and set aside.

4. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Continue slowly whisking continually for 5-7 minutes, until sauce thickens considerably. Remove from heat.

5. Add the turkey to the red sauce and prepare to make three layers of noodles, sauce, and cheese. You can do this in a 9x13, or two 8x8 casseroles. Place 4 noodles, slightly overlapped, in the bottom of the pan (2 noodles if doing the 8x8). Add 1/3 red sauce, 1/3 bechamel sauce, and 1/3 mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Repeat twice, for a total of 3 layers.

6. Cover the pan with greased foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand, covered, for 15 minutes before serving.

My Review

Shepherd's Pie

This is one of those good ol' casserole recipes that never fails. A meal all-in-one, with an extra casserole in the freezer, ready for a busy weeknight. Besides, you can't go wrong with anything that involves mashed potatoes. Just sayin'.

This recipe calls for prepared mashed potatoes. No worries though, I made mine while the meat was cooking and it was all put together in no time. Of course, instant mashed potatoes are an option, but real ones are oh so much better! As a side note, the original recipe was made in an oval baker that is no longer available from Pampered Chef, and I am unsure of it's size. I made my casserole in two 8 x 8 pans and tucked one away in the freezer. You could also use a 9 x 13. Using two 8 x 8 pans or a 9 x 13 results in a somewhat 'thin' casserole, so if you want something thicker, you may try using just one 9 x 9 inch pan. As you can see, this dish is very versatile and forgiving, so don't be afraid to give it a try!

Shepherd's Pie (Print)
from Pampered Chef
Prep: 30 minutes / Bake: 20-30 minutes (depending on thickness)
Yield: 6-8 servings

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups frozen vegetables (I used frozen peas, frozen corn, and fresh carrots)
12 ounces beef gravy
2-4 cups mashed potatoes (Original recipe says 2...but I need more than that!)
4 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, cook ground meat, onion, and garlic. Drain as needed. Meanwhile, begin to boil the potatoes and prepare as you desire.

2. Add salt, thyme, pepper, vegetables, and gravy. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 mintues, stirring frequently.

3. Spoon into desired baking dish. (Two 8 x 8 pans, one 9 x 13 pan, or one 9 x 9 pan). Top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness, until heated through.

Nutrition Facts (based on 8 servings): 305 calories, 16 g fat, 650 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

My Review

Enchilada Casserole

Jeremiah had been asking for this for a few weeks and I finally remembered to put it on my grocery list and make it for him. It's hearty (slightly unhealthy I'm sure) and you can double the recipe and freeze one for later. There's lots of layers; it doesn't stay together when you take it out of the pan (of course). Pardon the picture as it is a bit messy, but it's tasty too!

As a side note, I'm experimenting with a google document to make a printable version of my recipes for you. I will see how (or if) this works, please let me know how it goes if you try it!

Enchilada Casserole (Printable Recipe)
from Cooking, It's Elementary

Prep: 20 minutes / Bake: 40-45 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

3/4 pound ground beef or turkey

1 small onion, chopped

1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup salsa

5 (7 inch) flour tortillas, cut into 3/4 inch strips

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 can corn, no salt added

1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. In a 10-inch skillet, brown beef or turkey and the onion. Drain. Stir in 1/2 cup water, chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to low, simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.

2. Place 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Add a layer of tortilla strips and another 1/4 cup salsa on top of the tortillas.

3. Add meat mixture. Top with sour cream. Add the corn. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese on casserole, then top with remaining salsa, followed by the remaining tortillas. Add remaining cheese on top. Don't worry about making your layers or tortillas perfect, you won't be able to tell at the end anyway!

4. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

5. If you double the recipe, you can freeze the extra casserole for up to one month. To use frozen casserole: thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed above.

There you have it! Enchilada casserole. Simple and tasty, it's sure to please any picky tastebuds! If you like spicy foods, use a hot salsa and the maximum chili powder. Enjoy! Read more for my review.