Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
02
Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates. Add pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; stir in herbs and sugar and reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 30 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days)
03
Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, parsley, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.
04
Assemble lasagna. Spread 1/4 cup meat sauce over bottom of two 8 inch square pans. (You can also just bake one 13 by 9-inch.) Place 2 noodles on top of sauce, evenly space 8 tablespoons ricotta mixture over noodles, and spread gently with an offset spatula; sprinkle ricotta evenly with 1/2 cup mozzarella; spoon 1/2-3/4 cup sauce over cheese. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 2 remaining noodles on top and spread with remaining sauce. Cover with remaining mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
05
To Bake One: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover dish with foil that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until sauce begins to bubble around edges, about 10-15 minutes. Remove foil and continue bake until hot throughout and cheese is browned in spots, about 20 minutes longer.
06
To Freeze One: Wrap 1 square pan with plastic wrap and then cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To Serve: Remove from freezer and place in refrigerator 24 hours before serving. The next day, remove from refrigerator, unwrap pan and cover with foil that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 25-30 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.
This vibrant, flavor-packed dish is perfect for easy entertaining or effortless weeknight dinners. Juicy, marinated chicken roasts atop a bed of colorful vegetables—artichokes, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and lemon slices—infused with briny capers and fresh…
This quick and easy meatball recipe from Cook’s Country utilizes a few shortcuts that make it an easy recipe for weeknight cooking. Their technique of simmering the meatballs in the tomato sauce in the ambient heat of the oven cooks them evenly without requ…
This is a quick and easy way to cook chicken cutlets. As with most coatings, it helps to have everything lined up in order, to make the assembly quick and easy. You can easily do a salad version by adding some arugula to the cherry tomatoes.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2
Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates. Add pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; stir in herbs and sugar and reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 30 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days)
3
Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, parsley, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.
4
Assemble lasagna. Spread 1/4 cup meat sauce over bottom of two 8 inch square pans. (You can also just bake one 13 by 9-inch.) Place 2 noodles on top of sauce, evenly space 8 tablespoons ricotta mixture over noodles, and spread gently with an offset spatula; sprinkle ricotta evenly with 1/2 cup mozzarella; spoon 1/2-3/4 cup sauce over cheese. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 2 remaining noodles on top and spread with remaining sauce. Cover with remaining mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
5
To Bake One: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover dish with foil that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until sauce begins to bubble around edges, about 10-15 minutes. Remove foil and continue bake until hot throughout and cheese is browned in spots, about 20 minutes longer.
6
To Freeze One: Wrap 1 square pan with plastic wrap and then cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To Serve: Remove from freezer and place in refrigerator 24 hours before serving. The next day, remove from refrigerator, unwrap pan and cover with foil that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 25-30 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.
Cook Like James
Easy Lasagna - Bake One, Freeze One
Prep
Cook
Yield
This is a great lasagna, and I find it very handy to make 2 small pans of it, one to bake right away, the other to freeze for another time.
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
6 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp sugar, honey, or agave
Ricotta Layers
15 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim), 1 3/4 cups)
2 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pasta and Cheese Layers
1 pound no-boil Barilla lasagna noodles from one 8- or 9-ounce package
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2
Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates. Add pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; stir in herbs and sugar and reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 30 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days)
3
Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, parsley, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.
4
Assemble lasagna. Spread 1/4 cup meat sauce over bottom of two 8 inch square pans. (You can also just bake one 13 by 9-inch.) Place 2 noodles on top of sauce, evenly space 8 tablespoons ricotta mixture over noodles, and spread gently with an offset spatula; sprinkle ricotta evenly with 1/2 cup mozzarella; spoon 1/2-3/4 cup sauce over cheese. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 2 remaining noodles on top and spread with remaining sauce. Cover with remaining mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
5
To Bake One: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover dish with foil that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until sauce begins to bubble around edges, about 10-15 minutes. Remove foil and continue bake until hot throughout and cheese is browned in spots, about 20 minutes longer.
6
To Freeze One: Wrap 1 square pan with plastic wrap and then cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To Serve: Remove from freezer and place in refrigerator 24 hours before serving. The next day, remove from refrigerator, unwrap pan and cover with foil that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 25-30 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.
