lasagna and colds
Usually it's chicken soup that's touted for curative powers. And that's probably well deserved--but I decided last night to give lasagna a try. At worst, I'll still be sick but with a happy tummy.
I hadn't planned on making lasagna but while on an emergency run at Wal-mart on Thursday--I ran out of ibuprofen--I picked up a couple of pints of ricotta cheese. Just spur of the moment.
So tonight I'm thinking with my fevered mind what can make me feel better--and of course one of the first thoughts is melted cheese. Duh.
And what is one of the best sources of melted cheese, I ask. Lasagna, of course!
So I decided to make a batch with whatever I had on hand, and since I generally have a well stocked larder, the only real concession was substituting pork sausage for hamburger. I used sweet Italian sausage since that's my favorite for using in recipes.
I didn't start this endeavor until about 10pm on Valentine's Day so I didn't finish until nearly 11:30pm. Too late to eat any, but that's just as well. Lasagna always tastes better on the second day.
As you can see to the left, I started off with sausage and onions, added some garlic late so it wouldn't burn, then spiced it a little and then plopped it into the sauce. As I was going the sauteing, I was also making the ricotta glue that holds the dish together. Just two eggs, 30 ounces of ricotta and some nutmeg. After that it's just layer and bake.
It's amazing how much the dish expands as you bake it. I put it in the oven maybe 65% full and after 40 minutes at 350f the sauce is just about to bubble over onto the bottom of the over. That would be a nasty mess! Thankfully I have a very large casserole dish.
I hadn't planned on making lasagna but while on an emergency run at Wal-mart on Thursday--I ran out of ibuprofen--I picked up a couple of pints of ricotta cheese. Just spur of the moment.So tonight I'm thinking with my fevered mind what can make me feel better--and of course one of the first thoughts is melted cheese. Duh.
And what is one of the best sources of melted cheese, I ask. Lasagna, of course!
So I decided to make a batch with whatever I had on hand, and since I generally have a well stocked larder, the only real concession was substituting pork sausage for hamburger. I used sweet Italian sausage since that's my favorite for using in recipes.
I didn't start this endeavor until about 10pm on Valentine's Day so I didn't finish until nearly 11:30pm. Too late to eat any, but that's just as well. Lasagna always tastes better on the second day.
As you can see to the left, I started off with sausage and onions, added some garlic late so it wouldn't burn, then spiced it a little and then plopped it into the sauce. As I was going the sauteing, I was also making the ricotta glue that holds the dish together. Just two eggs, 30 ounces of ricotta and some nutmeg. After that it's just layer and bake.
It's amazing how much the dish expands as you bake it. I put it in the oven maybe 65% full and after 40 minutes at 350f the sauce is just about to bubble over onto the bottom of the over. That would be a nasty mess! Thankfully I have a very large casserole dish.
Comments
I hope it brings a cure to you! (Thogh Kosher Chicken Soup is STILL the Best Best BEST you can use for it's curatie powers....lol)
I didn't know that lasagna was one of those foods that tastes better the second day. :-)
Enough Said!
Here from Michele's.
PS Hope you are feeling better soon.
Was the Lasagna better today? I hope so....! (lol)
And that garlic is one of the best things for a cold.
~S :)
It sounds delicious, though.
Hope you feel better soon!
That lasagne looks lovely. I do like veggie lasagne, but when I'm sick I particularly like melted cheese on toast - 'cos I hate to cook when I'm ill.
cq
I love lasagne. I hope it did the trick in helping you to feel better and I hope that cold leaves you soon.
Michele thinks so too!
:)
~S
Get some rest!
Michele sent me. :)
Ciao! ~A~