lindy, Author at Garden Seeds and Honey Bees

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Lasagna

I frequently have to make lasagna casseroles and pizzas that are different on each side to accommodate individual family tastes; this is one of those dishes.

Are you looking for a dish to take to someone in need or just needs a pick-me-up? This is my go-to recipe for taking to friends or family that need a meal along with breadsticks and green salad.

Note: You can use all grated mozzarella cheese in this recipe if desired, instead of the Mozzarella slices and Parmesan cheese.

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Ingredients:

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Recipe makes two casserole pans of Lasagna

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Layering meat ingredients:

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*3 pounds Lean Ground Beef, browned (cooked until no longer pink)

*3 Tablespoons dried Onions

*1 Tablespoon dried Garlic

*1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

*1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder

*1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

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Cook the above ingredients together, until ground beef is cooked through, break up hamburger constantly with turner while cooking.

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Add the sauce ingredients to hamburger mixture:

*2 cans Tomato Paste

*1 Jar Traditional Ragu Sauce or Plain Tomato Sauce, 26 ounces

*2 cans petite Diced Tomatoes, no salt added

*1 tablespoon Sugar

* 1-2 teaspoons Deverle’s Seasoning or favorite seasoned salt

*Salt and Pepper to taste

**Additional optional ingredients: 2 small cans drained mushroom pieces, pepperoni slices layered over meat sauce, black olives drained and sliced as many as desired.

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Mix together in bowl the above sauce saving 1 cup of sauce, set aside add the remaining sauce to meat mixture. Also save/set aside 1 1/2 cups of the meat mixture sauce add for the last layer of the lasagna.

Layering ingredients:

*2 24 ounce Cottage Cheese, we like low-fat

*6 Fresh chopped Basil Leaves, optional added to cottage cheese

*2 packages 8 ounce (24 slices) Mozzarella Cheese

*2/3 cup finely Grated Parmesan Cheese

*1 pound box Lasagna Noodles (I used 9 noodles per pan), cooked according to directions

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Assemble Lasagna:

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In 2 rectangular casserole dishes or foil disposable pans.

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Spray cooking dishes/pans with Pam cooking spray.

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1. Start layering dishes/pans each with the saved sauce add 1/2 cup of the sauce to bottom of each dish/pan.
2. 3 cooked noodles to each pan
3. 1/4 of the meat sauce mixture to each pan
4. 1/4 cottage cheese mixture to each pan
5. Layer of sliced mozzarella cheese to each pan
6. Another Layer of 3 noodles
7. Another layer meat mixture
8. Another layer cottage cheese mixture
9. Another layer sliced mozzarella cheese
10. Last layer of 3 noodles to each pan
11. The saved 1 1/2 cup meat Sauce
12. Finally top each dish/pan with the Parmesan or you could grate more mozzarella cheese.

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Cover the lasagna pans with foil and bake in a pre-heated 350*F. oven for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly. Remove foil for 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to set for 15- 20 minutes. Enjoy!!! Refrigerate any left overs.

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Note: I think this lasagna is even better re-heated the next day.

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Enjoy!

Lindy

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Sticky Pork Loin Country Style Ribs

*4-5 pounds Pork Loin Country Style Ribs

*1-2 13 ounce bottles Lemon Lime Soda, add 2 the bottles if you want extra sauce

*1 cup Ketchup

*1 13 ounce bottle Apricot Preserves

*1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes for extra heat, optional

*1/4 cup low sodium Soy Sauce

*1/4 cup Yellow Mustard

*4 large Garlic Cloves, peeled, pressed or minced

*1 tablespoon freshly grated Ginger Root

*2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, finely chopped, use only 2 unless you like it really spicy

*Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

**Favorite hot sauce, add after cooking ribs to the leftover sticky sauce for individual servings, optional

In a stock pot filled with water (2/3 full) on medium heat, add the pork loin country style ribs and bring to a boil and boil for 1-1 1/2 hours to remove excess fat. (Add extra water if needed to cover all ribs.)

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In a mixing bowl add: Ketchup, preserves, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, yellow mustard, garlic, ginger, chipotle peppers and salt and pepper to taste and mix together. Then place mixture into refrigerator until ready to add to the top of the boiled ribs in the crock-pot.

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Remove the ribs from the stock pot using tongs and place the ribs in a crock-pot (with liner for easy clean-up). Then add the lemon lime soda.

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Pour over the sticky sauce mixture onto the ribs in the crock-pot.

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Cook the ribs on low heat for 4-6 hours or until they are very tender almost ready to fall apart. Then using the tongs again place the crock-pot cooked ribs onto a foil covered half baking sheet spacing at least 1 inch apart.

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Note: Make a cornstarch slurry if needed to thicken rib drippings (3 tablespoons cornstarch to 3 tablespoons water mix in a small bowl). Remove the drippings from the crock pot into a skillet and add slurry as need to a slightly thicken sauce on medium low heat. I didn’t really need to do the slurry, mine was thick enough to baste/brush the ribs.

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Baste/brush the ribs with the some of the remaining sticky sauce and bake them in a pre-heated 375*F. oven for 15 minutes and then baste them again and bake for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process again if desired, twice was plenty for me.

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**With the remaining sauce, spoon the sauce into small dipping dishes for each person to dip their ribs. This is where you want to let each person add the hot sauce to their taste. Enjoy!!!

Recipe adapted from Food Network Ree Drummund

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