Sunday Supper Nov 21 Traditions in Cheesy Goodness

We had Lynn over  for a traditional Sunday Supper.  We settled on something far from the Thanksgiving tradition...Lasagna.  This is a recipe that is a hybrid combo of my Mom's Lasagna and the Lasagna Erick grew up on.  My mom always made really good Lasagna.  I remember when she taught me how to make her recipe when I was in the 9th grade.  That is when she taught me the secrets to her sauce...one secret was to put the onions in the blender...she said "it mixes in so well, no one (AKA "your brothers") will even know there are onions in it.  If your brother sees an onion in this, he won't eat it....if we do it this way, he'll never know" she said with a smile.  Wise words from a mother of 7.  If you read Maria's Red Sauce Recipe, you will see that this tradition continues. 


Roasted Carrots

Menu

• Spinach and Pomegranate Salad with Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette
• Lasagna (made with Maria's Red Sauce)
• Roasted Carrots
• Fresh Pineapple
• Roasted Garlic and Homemade bread sticks
• Cranberry Apple Cake with Butter Sauce


Lasagna

• 4-6 cups of Maria's Red Sauce (you can also use a jar of Prego or Barilla Marinara Sauce....Erick kinda prefers the jarred sauces sometimes...GASP :)  but I don't mind because it makes this recipe even easier)
• 10 (11 if you have kids that want a bonus noodle) lasagna noodles cooked (I cook 2 minutes less than the package says otherwise they get too mushy during the baking process)
• 3/4 pound cooked ground beef (crumbled)
• 3/4-1 pound freshly grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 pound (or 2 medium balls about the size of a baseballs) freshly grated FRESH mozzarella (the kind that comes in liquid)
• 1/2 pound freshly grated cheddar cheese

Layer Lasagna in 9x13 pan in the following order-- sauce (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan so that the noodles don't stick to the bottom of the pan), noodles, sauce, meat, cheddar, mozzarella, fresh Mozzarella, and once again with noodles, sauce, meat and top with cheese.  It is worth noting that pre-grated cheese doesn't melt very good that is why I highly recommend you shred your own Sista's!

Bake 375-400 degree oven 45 -60 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. 
 

Lasagna Golden Cheesy Goodness

Spinach and Pomegranate Salad

• Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette
• Fresh Spinach
• Pomegranate Seeds
• Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese crumbled
• Marcona Almonds roughly chopped

This salad Rocks.  The combo of the Goat cheese, Marcona almonds and Pomegranate is a holy trinity. Lynn said she really liked how the Pomegranates added refreshing texture that burst in your mouth.  I think they are the grown up equivalent to Pop Rocks.  Try them on your next spinach salad, and you will know what I mean.  If you are not familiar with  Humboldt Fog it is worth ($$) trying, it is a favorite of mine.