Lasagna

Lasagna

32oz Sunday Sauce
2 boxes of oven ready Lasagna Noodles
4 cups mozzarella cheese
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
1 lb browned Italian sausage out of the casing
1 lb browned ground meat

Starting with a 9x13 baking dish, use about a 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom. This will stop the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Layer Lasagna noodles (try to get an even layer even if it means snapping noodles in half, over lapping is okay), layer in order meat, mozzarella cheese, sauce, then dot with ricotta cheese add another layer of noodles then repeat the process. Ending with a layer of sauce and mozzarella cheese.

*This makes enough to make 2 three layer lasagna casseroles. Figuring its the same amount of time to make two as it is to make one.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours.

If you want to freeze one first layer saran wrap on the bottom of the pan. Using enough to over lap the sides. Lay one long ways and two the short ways. So when you have layered your ingredients you are able to completely cover the lasagna in the plastic wrap. Put in your freezer until frozen solid. Once frozen remove from pan, leaving the saran wrap on, and wrap in tin foil for added protection. So now when you are ready to reheat and serve your lasagna all you have to do is remove the foil and plastic wrap return to the baking dish without all the trouble.

Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Shells

• 1 box large shells
• 3 cups Ricotta Cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 tables spoons fresh parsley
• 1 cups Parmesan cheese
• 32 oz Spaghetti sauce * I use my own
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese

Cook the shells as directed on the box, once drained run them under cold water to help not only stop the cooking process but to also toughen them up. In a bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs and parsley, transfer mixture from the bowl into a large gallon sized zip top bag. Snip off a small portion of the corner of the bag. You now have a pastry bag this will help you pipe the filling into the shells easier, leaving behind less of a mess. Spread about 3/4 cup of your sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan, this will stop your shells from sticking to the bottom of the pan and make transferring them to plates much easier. Cover shells with sauce and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through. Take foil off 10 minutes before taking it out if you want the cheese on top to brown.

Routine, Two Dinners in One Night

I usually set out my dinner plans for a day or two that way there is no mad dash rush to get something defrosted or find there are some ingredients that I do not have. So a typical day goes like this.

Everyone has staples in the freezer or fridge that get pushed around soo much you forget what you have and it either ends up spoiling or tossed out. I try to catch things on sale and am blessed to have a deep freezer to store them in.

So far this week I have 2 days planned in advance, I already have Sunday Sauce made and plan on making Stuffed Shells and Lasagna tonight. One to eat and one to freeze. Considered both use the same ingredients and only the macaroni type differing so why not make both at the same time giving me two different dinners one for now and one for future consumption.

To Start

I am creating this blog based on a nudge from a few friends on facebook..... don't know where it will go or if I will have the time to keep it up but I will try. I love to cook, I love to read recipes and then make them my own, I think about food all the time and I love to taste new things.

The only problem with all of that is that I am taking care of a feisty 2 1/2 year old and a soon to be 6 month old. So out the window for extensive preparations, standing over the stove sauteing or sweating vegetables. I simply dont have the time. I have figured out how to give my family different meals for each day of the week. Realizing one day that we eat the sames 5 dinners just switched around through out the month. Who wants that!

So what I do now is figure out how much time I have available to cook and find things that I love to eat , then figure out what I have to do to make it within that time frame. Somethings are started the night before and somethings have been frozen weeks before. All things made by me.

Who says you can't have stuffed shells for dinner on a Tuesday, why can't I make a Pernil on a Thursday, sometimes you can find extra time but most times you can't. It's all about planning and figure things out. I can help in making some of these issues easier for you.

I cook about 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, and make all of my own baby food. I only spend about 2 hours in the kitchen on any given day as I do lots of preparations days before when I find a spare few minutes.