Lasagna? I can do that!

Being home is like visiting a never-ending buffet - there is always tons of food to choose from and I can almost never say no. Over the past week I have attended two BBQs (one of which I helped host), found some delicious leftovers in relatives' refrigerators, and even guiltily enjoyed a fast food value meal...

So in the interest of trying something new and avoiding BBQ leftovers, I decided to attempt my first lasagna last night. Here's how I did it:

In a sauce pan I combined:

• a medium-sized onion, diced
  
• two green onions, diced
  
• half a red pepper, diced
  
• about 5 over-ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  
• a small can of tomato paste

I used a potato masher to break the tomatoes apart and seasoned the sauce with garlic powder, dried basil, seasoned salt, black pepper, about a tsp of hot sauce and accent. I also added fresh Thai Basil and Parsley. I then sauteed 6 spicy Italian sausages without their casing in a separate pan and added it to the sauce.

The Sauce

Next, I created the creamy cheese layer by combining ricotta cheese, shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese, and one egg in a bowl. In a greased 13x9 inch foil pan I layered "oven-ready" lasagna, the cheese mixture and the tomato sauce until all the pasta was used.

Ready for the oven!

I baked the lasagna at 350 for 30 minutes and put it on broil for an additional 3 minutes. The broil was a bit dangerous, but I got it out just in time.

Out of the Oven -- a little dark but not burnt

Overall this meal was cheap, delicious, and easy to make - it could be even easier if you choose to use jarred sauce. **I ALWAYS doctor a jarred sauce by adding some herbs and maybe a dash of hot sauce for some kick. Served with a small salad and maybe some french bread this is a great meal for any occasion. You could also cut it portions and freeze each one separately to eat later or take for lunch. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Bon Appetit!