I'm making the lasagna now. I'm trying the no-need-to-cook noodles.

I gotta tell ya... the sauce came out GOOOD!

SC,

As I mentioned earlier, I'm afraid to try the no cook noodles (at least not on Christmas). I don't want to ruin the dinner). Anyway, tell me how they taste and if there is any difference whatsoever to cooked noodles.

I went to Italain market and bought imported lasagna noodles, but they do need to be cooked. Also, when I was in Michigan my uncle gave me Italian sausage he made, which I'll be cooking with my meatballs. I'm also thinking eggplant parm. I'm getting hungry.

As far as sauce goes, I find, for me, it took a few years and practice to get it where I'm satisfied. No what I mean? I think I've learned the right combinatin of basil, oregano, salt, sugar, etc.

TIS

You guys are cooking for Christmas already??

The no-(pre)cook lasagna noodles aren't bad -- I like them because they're not as thick as the normal ones, so more room for the good stuff. ...let alone a time-saver! Try'em for your next "non-critical" lasagna

Man, okay, so how do I work this...? I gotta be here, and on Long Island, AND Cally this Christmas! ...hmmm....!

Fresh from the oven:



Maybe a little too much sauce... one of my friends told me to add more sauce with these pre-cooked noodles.

The apartment smells awesome!!

Looks great SC. Personally I like it saucy. By the time it sets and if you heat up leftovers it's drier.

Geoff, I haven't started cooking. I just am purchasing the things I need. I won't cook it til Christmas.

TIS

TIS - The pre-cooked noodles weren't bad at all! They have the same taste and texture as the regular ones.

Perfect comfort food for whats gonna be a stormy night (tonight) and day tomorrow. Now all I have to do is clean up the mess.

Wow! That looks good.

WOW!! SC, please do me a favor and cut me a piece of that and freeze it for me then bring it to the next BB Weekend PLEASE!!!!!

Now I gotta compete, huh? lol Depending on where we'll be next year... Maybe I'll make my "famous" (or, "infamous") eggplant lasagna... which I only do every few years, mind you... it's that special...! Or my infamous chili - you decide!

Geoff,

I love eggplant and I love lasagna, but together? While you're adding layers, you add a layer of eggplant?? OR is it no noodles, but eggplant layered with the cheese? That sounds good. Then that's eggplant parm isn't it?

TIS

The eggplant is sliced really thin, TIS, so it fits w/ the noodles

That sounds pretty good!

I've had Chicken or Veal parm with eggplant in-between the chicken or veal and the cheese. I believe it's called Chicken Siciliana / Veal Siciliana.

But I've never had it with lasagna.

Have to try that one.

Geoff,

Do you fry/bake the eggplant before you layer and bake the lasagna? If not, does it make the sauce greasy? You don't bread it first do you? You're making me hungry for eggplant now.

TIS

TIS, yeah I lightly bread and fry it -- it's basically "eggplant parm lasagna"

My dad (his parents were off the boat) doesn't particularly like eggplant or anything "fancy" like that ( ) -- he didn't even realize he'd like ziti until a few years ago, like different shaped pastas taste any different from each other Anyway, we all love my mom's lasagna but one night I made mine and didn't tell my dad I made it, let alone there was eggplant in it. Halfway thru dinner my dad told my mom it was the best lasagna she ever made!! Luckily my mom wasn't offended as we got a good chuckle out of it

Ok, so at our next meet will you make some to share with us?

This conversation is getting me totally geared up to make my own lasagna for Christmas. My taste buds are ready.


TIS

That's what my wife wants to make for Christmas Day this year. Lasagna and a HORSERADISH CRUSTED PRIME RIB ROAST .

2 Cans Sclafani Crushed Tomatoes
1.5 Cans Cold Water
1 Can Tomato Paste
1/2 Chopped Onion
Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt

Meatballs: (1lb of meat should yield 11-13 meatballs)
50% chopped mixed veal/beef/pork meat
20% breadcrumbs
10% chopped parsley
10% grated parmasean cheese
10% chopped onions
Salt & Pepper

Heat pan of olive oil with whole garlic cloves till they brown (not burn), add your meatballs, deep dark brown all over, transfer to a plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil...

Once the sauce comes to a boil, carefully add in the meatballs, stir, once it boils again, lower the heat to a SIMMER and continue to stir every 15 mins for about 2.5 hours.

Damn! 3 years later, and no pic.

Making lasagna tomorrow with my friend Meredith, and wanted some pointers to make it fab. FoodTv.com I guess...

Take a look at last year's lasagna:

I'd eat that for breakfast.

Man, that looks good. I'm getting geared up, and will make meatballs and sausage, too. With garlic bread.

I am getting lazier and lazier about making pasta. I use to make it at least once a month. Now not so much. It does sound pretty good though.



TIS

After seeing Geoff's lasagna I have the urge to make some of my own. Gotta be a carb/winter thing.

If I do make it, I usually invite the family over. It doesn't pay for me to make a small batch, I'll make a lot and have everyone over to feast.

Btw, I can NOT make pasta/lasagna and omit the meatballs and or sausage. It just would not be complete without a platter of meat.


TIS

Freeze the leftovers. I make a pan and then cut the leftovers into portion-sized servings and freeze them. Just have to nuke 'em when you have the urge.

(My leftovers never last for more than a week ).

Damn!

Try as I might, I can never lurk around this forum without getting hungry.

Still have a decent amount of homemade tomato sauce in the fridge from last night.

I think my body has recovered the previous evening's infusion of garlic....

One thing for certain, even though garlic is said to have health benefits, I certainly don't "bounce back" from it like I used to in my younger days.

Or it might be that other infusion:

There's frozen chicken breasts in the freezer. Shrimp, too. All of which go quite nicely with the tomato sauce.

Hmmm... Man who has choice has troubles (as they say).

Gonna be a long night.

Signor V.

What, this little thing?



Along with...



So a plate looks like this?




Only took 3 hrs prep and another hour to cook 12 servings of lasagna, sauce, and 21 meatballs. A bit much for 2 people (we each had a serving, and 2 meatballs, and a couple strips of garlic bread that Meredith made -- and that was enough!)

Best friend stopped by later, and I sent him home with 4 servings, and I have plenty for tomorrow and the next day (and the next day!).


Mama Iuliucci's FAMOUS MEAT-A-BALLS (Italian Meatballs)

(I just HAD to add some minced onion and garlic!)

with

My Mama Iuliucci's "Don't Skip a Step" Spaghetti Sauce

...two raw pork spareribs and two cooked (skinless) rotisserie chicken thighs??? THAT makes a sauce a "gravy"!

Of course I doctored it up a bit (shredded asiago with fresh herbs in the riccotta mix, for example; one layer ground beef, another layer ground sausage, etc), but for the most part stayed true to the recipes -- and it came out great! My ex-cook bff said it was the best Italian dish he's had in years!

Look the recipes over and alter how you see fit -- they're really good! (The lasagna I winged, tho; not that hard, just time-consuming)

Mmmmmm, that looks good!

I didn't quite get the layering showing, but, it was really good anyway. I'll be sick of it come Sunday I'm sure, tho.

Freeze some of it. It'll be great in a few weeks and you just have to nuke it.