First Try at Lasagna: Got My Guido On...

cobraboy

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Something I always wanted to do is give lasagna a shot but with a twist: A Southern Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage base.

It's easy for y'all Ete-Talyuns, not so easy for us SWASH's*.

I has *most* but not all of the ingredients, but what the heck...time to improvise.

So I chopped some onion-
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And green pepper-
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And some cherry tomatoes from the back yard that needed to be eaten-
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Some chopped & crushed garlic-
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Sliced up some good ol' Emilios Italian sausage, 3/4 lb.-
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Of COURSE, the holy manna, Jimmy Dean Sage sausage-
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Into the pot they go, cooking and browning and melding along with a can of mushberries-
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Add two cans of crushed/diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce and a small can of tomato paste, along with Italian spices, parsley, pepper, salt and a bit of raw sugar, stirred and simmered for 30 minutes-
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Mmmmmmm....

Made some bachmel sauce-
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Mixed a lb. of ricotta cheese with an egg, and grated about a lb. of Monterray Jack because I didn't have Mozzerela.

Time for the layering.

Sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish-
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Some drizzled bachmel-
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Lasagna noodles-
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Ricotta cheese mixture with shredded Jack on top-
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Repeat layers-
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Top with lasagna noodles and Jack and Parmesean cheese-
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Cover with foil-
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Bake @ 350 for 25 minutes, uncover and bake for 25 minutes.

Done-
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For my first try ever, it came out spectacular! Well, my mouth and tummy thought so, as did Alida's. It taseted far better than it looked, but looked pretty damn good.

Makes three huge meals for the two of us, with a little left over each time. We froze two huge slabs and had one tonight. It was even better the second time around.

I've still gat a pound of Jimmy Dean's left. Next time I'll use Mozerrela instead of Jack, and look for some whole wheat lasagna noodles.

Any suggestions about what else I might consider changing?





*Southern White Anglo-Saxon Heathens :cheeky:
 
Oct 13, 2003
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Yep, a visit to your local GP to check on your cholestorol after eating this..

Next time try this cut down on at half the cheese and sausage, leave out the bechamel and tomato sauce and put in:

- eggplant
- courgette
- more peppers
- more tomatoes
- some spinach

You'll be amazed that it still tastes about as good, but is a lot more wholesome..
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Yup, there is a vegetarian recipe but somehow, I think you and Jimmy Dean wouldn't like it.

Still, load up on more veggies.
Also, the precooked lasagna noodles are a lifesaver and are available in RD - I'm pretty sure.

Heathen like to eat more than cook - so eliminating the pasta cook is a +.

Recipes:
These people are just down the road from me... check it out

The Whole Pig
 

hammerdown

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Apr 29, 2005
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Cobra, after trying your rib recipe, I will have try this one as well....thanks for sharing.......
 

DR_Guy

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Feb 17, 2010
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Just two questions:
1. Where ya get Jimmy Dean
2. What is bachmel sauce.

Looked real good. yummy
 

yacht chef

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Sep 13, 2009
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To make it look a little batter and hold togather tight when you cut it try a diffrent kind of nuddle I know thy have then here thy are about 8 inch by 3 inch no rigges and you put them in dry do not boll first. Thy may say no cook or pree cook on the box. Good job on the beshamle sauce did you use Rue and cloves ? I also found boxed French bashemal in Brovo this this well cut down on time.
 

flyinroom

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Aug 26, 2012
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Well done cobraboy.....
It is so true that all these pasta dishes taste so much better the second or third day...yum.
I couldn't help but notice that your bechamel sauce was a little thin..
A good way to cut back on some of the cheese is to find a recipe (for the bechamel) that incorporates an egg yolk and to which you can add some grated parmesan at the end.
The top layer should always be the bechamel, it will brown nicely and it eliminates the need for all that additional cheese.
 

pelaut

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Aug 5, 2007
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Substitute egg plant for the pasta. Shave the long Chinese egg plants with a mandolin to get like lasagna pasta strips.
Lay down in weave pattern with alternate layers of your great sauce.
Also substitute queso de hoja for the mozarella which after all is only leaf cheese too.
Saves money and local queso de hoja can be had without processed food additives.

And since sage is indispensable, your use of Jimmy Dean Sage sausage is fantastic. Thanks.
 

Luperon

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Jun 28, 2004
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Great lasagna but the sauce is called "gravy." :)
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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A few things, in retrospect, I'd do differently:


  • I used 1/2 cup of water in the meat sauce. That made it more thin than I would have preferred. OR, I may use red wine instead, and cook the sauce uncovered longer to thicken.


  • I agree about the thinness of the bachmel sauce. I should have sprinkled a little flour in at the end to the correct thickness.


  • The wine and thicker bachmel may reduce some of the acidity from the tomato sauce.


  • I'm certainly no expert on lasagna noodles, but I thought the random brand I bought were kinda thick...and got thicker after being cooked. I'd like to find some a little thinner, possibly whole wheat...if they exist. I may look for the no-cook noodles yacht_chefy mentioned. I'd rather have made hard layers instead of the soggy ones with the cooked noodles. Not a fan of the ripples and how they worked doing the layers...they didn't "lay" well.


  • I like the idea of bachmel on top. I thought the periphery was dry and made the noodles hard and crunchy.


  • I could see adding some spinach in the layers. Not a huge fan of eggplant or veggies-instead-of-meat. This kind of dish, like chicken wings or ribs, is not something one eats every day, just occasionally on special occasions. Those kinds of comfort foods kinda balance the baked/broiled pollo and ensalada verde that is more a dietary staple for us.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Looked "Fantastico" to me just as it is, or "WAS"!
I always "try" to let my lasagna set for a few hours after it comes out of the oven.
As it cools to just "warm", the pasta will absorb the juice and make it easy to cut, without "running"!
Of course it is ALWAYS better the next day, if there IS a Next Day!
I think that only "Italianos", especially from the north east coast, and those of us who love them, call it "Gravy"????????
Call it what you wish, the Dominicans seem to love it too!
Yum Yum "CB"!
Next time you visit, bring "Olivo Cafe", and "CB" food!
This makes me want to have a "DR1, "Covered Dish/Pot Luck Dinner/ Get-To-Gather" even MORE!
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flyinroom

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Aug 26, 2012
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Bob Saunders post #7 has a great recipe for the bechamel adding some parmesan at the end. The only thing I'd add is at the beginning I also add some finely diced onion to the butter and let slowly soften, then add the flour to form the roux.
Do not be adding flour at the end......NO spells no. Does nothing for the flavor.
As far as the acidity in the tomatoes goes.....Try adding a little sugar.