Favourite Lasagna

I just made my favourite lasagna recipe today for our annual Curling Pot-luck and Annual Meeting.  It makes a very large casserole and is perfect for this type of occasion.

There were only two spoons full left by the end of the evening.

I nervously gave my first report as the new treasurer for the club - glad that's done for now.






This recipe comes from the 1973 edition of the Ontario Mennonite Relief Sale Cookbook.  As you can see, this is one of the most "splattered", "browned" and used pages in this two-ring book!  I have pencil marked it with notes and recipe adjustments.

Here is my version:
1 1/2 lbs. extra-lean hamburger
1 lrg. onion
1 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. oregano
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. garlic salt (or 1-2 garlic cloves -crushed)
salt and pepper to taste
Add above to the meat as you brown it. Take off grease after the meat is browned.
Add to browned meat:
1 qt. tomatoes - or 20 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. sugar
1 large tin tomato paste - 11 oz. can
Simmer for 45 minutes
While meat is simmering make a cheese sauce and boil the lasagna noodles.
Cheese Sauce:
4 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion - chopped
4 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup old cheddar cheese -grated
Saute onion in butter for a bit.  Add flour and salt. Cook on medium low heat till bubbly and then slowly whisk in the milk.  Cook till nice and thickened.  Stir in the cheese till melted.  Set aside.
Note - sometimes I substitute this cheese sauce with a large container of cottage cheese mixed with 2 slightly beaten eggs.  I like the cheese sauce the best, however.

Noodles:

10 wide noodles or twice what will cover your pan - I always make a few more than this.

Cook noodles in salted water for approx. 14 minutes - stirring so they don't stick together or to the bottom of the pan.  When cooked, drain, add a little oil and rinse with cold water.

Assemble the Lasagna:

Oil the bottom of your pan lightly.

Layer one layer of noodles and ladle 1/2 of the meat sauce on top of the noodles.

Pour all of the cheese sauce onto the meat layer.

Place two layers of noodles over cheese sauce and ladle rest of meat sauce over top.

Put grated mozzarella cheese over top of meat sauce - 1 500g pkg. grated. 

Can be covered with foil wrap and frozen at this stage or baked right away at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 - 2 hours (till nice and bubbly and hot).  Be sure to thaw the frozen casserole before baking or put in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour before increasing the heat.  I always oil the foil so it doesn't stick to the cheese while baking and it's nice to take the foil off for the last 15 minutes or so to slightly brown the cheese.

Many times I cut this recipe in half as it makes such a large batch!

The contributor of this recipe to the Relief Sale Cookbook makes a note at the bottom "This is a good dish for hungry snowmobilers" - love notes like that!

Oh and by the way, I checked my rhubarb again today - Week 5 - and it's hardly grown this past week.  It has been so cold again and last night I ran out to cover it with an old hay bale -  as the snow flew sideways!  Not enough snow to cover the ground but still snow - just saying!

Rhubarb - Week 5

Till next time ........... longing for warm days again.