The Start of a New Project!

This new project reflects on the many things I have going all at once. Besides doing the daily ordinary things, most people do, we also enjoy trips and taking too many pictures when we travel. Besides that, I contribute to Google with reviews that have been seen millions of times, and that is when I realized people like my pictures as well.

On Facebook, we catalog all the crafts I make, from sewing costumes and clothes to crocheting and knitting. So, Yes, I have many hobbies, some of which are crafts, but I am also an avid gamer and do all sorts of photography, which I also showcase on ClickASnap my newest pictures of travels and food!

But, of all those, the one I spend the most time with is cooking and baking! And even then, the most asked question is, can you share the recipe? I started a blog and documented our daily dinners. Here they are! 

The story behind this particular recipe is that I have a few friends who are vegetarians, but I am not one of them. But I often cook for them; this recipe can be done either way, so appropriately, it's called:

The Two-Way Lasagna

It's family size with 12 servings.

Vegetarian Lasagna:

 Veggie-Meat:

• Mushrooms chopped fine
• Cauliflower (crumbled for rice)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Garlic (3 cloves)
• Onion chopped
• Olive oil

Non-Vegetarian Lasagna:

 Meat:

Use oil from sausage or bacon grease or olive oil.

• Ground beef
• Breakfast sausage
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Garlic (3 cloves)
• Onion chopped

Sauce:

• Fresh tomatoes about 10 to 15, depending on size
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Basil (fresh-8 leaves chopped or whole)
• Two cans of whole steamed tomatoes
• One or half of one hot pepper (either serrano, jalapeno, or Thai pepper) (optional)
• ½ tsp. chili flakes (not optional)
• Garlic (6 cloves-chopped or whole)
• One onion in slices
• 1 TBSP. Oregano

 Pasta:

• 1 box of Lasagna noodles (cooked as directed)

 White sauce: (mix all together)

• Two medium containers of Cottage cheese 
• Parmesan cheese (1 cup)
• Oregano (1 TBSP)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Two eggs (beaten) 

 Extra:

• Zucchini sliced in rounds thin
• Mushrooms sliced whole
• Mozzarella (6 cups)

  

Start with the sauce, which takes the longest to cook (2 hours). Add all the sauce ingredients plus 2-4 cups of water into a deep pan, boil, lower to medium-low, and let reduce till thickened to the desired consistency. I smash the tomatoes with the wooden spatula or even pass them thru a blender once the sauce thickens for a more smooth sauce. I do leave chunks for this particular sauce.  

Once the sauce is ready, place meat or veggie meat into a pan, add desired oil, and cook till just done. Don’t brown. Add salt, pepper, garlic, and onion cook till the onion is translucid. Add the extra zucchinis and mushrooms that were sliced, don’t cook; add enough sauce to cover the pan; I usually have a jar left over for other goodies to make later! Or make some breadsticks and use the marinara sauce to eat with the lasagna. Let cool.

Turn oven to 375 F. to heat up.

 

Building the Lasagna:

A layer of pasta, meat sauce, cheese sauce,  and 1 1/2 cups of cheese per layer. Repeat till all the lasagna noodles are done; top with all the remaining cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes covered and then for 10 minutes uncovered. Cover with aluminum foil if browning too fast. 

Let cool to firm up. 

This recipe can be cut in half, but ensure you have enough noodles to do at least three layers and the container is half the size, like 8 by 8, instead of a 9 x 13 dish. You might still have to cook all the noodles and cut them to size, so I bake the whole thing and freeze portions so I can eat them later.

I hope everyone enjoys the recipe. Please leave me any comments on how it came out for you or any questions I didn't address. I'll be posting weekly, so I will see you in the next one. 

Bye, 

Ellie