LaBella Lasagna

This is the lasagna we ended up eating on Tuesday night. Not the lasagna I had planned on feeding our missionary guests.

But considering on Tuesday Brian and I drove over 60 miles round trip before noon and I saw 5 complicated patients in the breast clinic - this is the lasagna we ate.

And if it hadn't been for Megan who shopped for the groceries and cooked the entire dinner - cheese cake and all - we would have ended up eating McDonalds.

I love my grown up girl!

Supper was great. Cooked to perfection and perfectly on time.

This was the lasagna we were supposed to enjoy - LaBella Lasagna recipe courtesy of my mom.

1 pound ground chuck
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. basil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 No. 303 can tomatoes
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
2 cups cottage cheese - or Ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese
1/2 pkg. lasagna noodles, cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water (9 strips)

Cook meat until brown, drain off excess fat. Add parsley, salt, tomatoes, and tomato paste; simmer for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.

Combine cottage (or Ricotta) cheese and Parmesan cheese; add eggs, salt and pepper.

To assemble lasagna pour a thin layer of tomato sauce in bottom of 13 x 9 baking dish. Cover with a layer of lasagna (3 strips). Spread half the cheese mixture over lasagna; layer half the mozzarella over the cheese mixture. Spread a layer of tomato sauce over all.

Repeat layers; top with remaining lasagna and tomato sauce.

Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes; uncover and bake 20 minutes longer. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

Love Me

Stuffed Shells

Pasta is pretty tricky for diabetics - which stinks because I like pasta. What's not to like?

It is cheap, quick, filling, and tasty.

But it is super high in carbohydrates and notorious for causing blood sugar spikes. I have not experimented with the whole wheat pasta but have read several mixed reviews.

Pasta is merely a vehicle for sauces and cheeses, so it makes sense that other things could be used as this vehicle. Spaghetti squash and zucchini are frequently substituted for pasta. A quick internet search yields several recipes and tips for cooking with spaghetti squash and zucchini.

I plan on trying one of these alternatives in February. It may take me until then to figure out a way to sneak this past Joel.

Although I ended up not making this on Sunday, I decided I would go ahead and post the recipe. It is, like most pasta dishes, simple, quick, and filling - but not necessarily that cheap because of all the cheeses involved.

Stuffed Shells in Marinara

1 1/2 jars of spaghetti sauce
1 pkg. jumbo pasta shells
2 small or 1 large tub of ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
Pepper to taste

Cook shells al dente according to package directions - being sure to add salt to the water. Drain.

In large bowl combine ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 of the mozzarella, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper.

Pour ample amount of sauce into bottom of 13 x 9 pan. Stuff cooked and drained shells with cheese mixture. Arrange stuffed shells on top of sauce.

Pour remaining sauce over shells. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Stuffed Shells Florentine -

Add 1 pkg. of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained to cheese mixture. Yummy!

Stuffed Shells with meat sauce -

Just add 1 lb. browned and seasoned ground beef to spaghetti sauce.

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