Wednesday, September 7, 2011

a short detour while on vacation...lets cook something

Recipe books. Have you read one lately? Alright, I'll admit it. Besides being addicted to the Lead Singer's sweetness, fabric, and  a host of other things.. I'm in love love love with cook books. Where else can you read something start to finish when your waiting for anything and everything. I'll admit also that I have always had a sweet dream of someday picking up a recipe book and making everything in it. Yes, everything. Not just the stuff I think my family will eat, but even the stuff  I usually pass over. 

I just lacked a book that I felt confident cooking from, that my picky world changers wouldn't wanna move out when I cook something for dinner. 

Enter this little beauty. 


Isn't she pretty? My sister nailed it when I told her it was written in 1973 and she said.."that's it then."  Of course I had to use this one. Who cares if the first main dish was "Salad Bar Hot Dish for 300 Servings" or that later in the book there is a recipe for "Partridge." Get the gun world changer.. mommy needs ya to kill dinner.   Hmmmmmm..... maybe we will just wait on that particular recipe. 


What did I cook first? The official title is "Lasagna"  however, after carefully perusing this particular recipe, you will notice, it's missing a key ingredient that even my family knew was missing.. can you spot it? 



I apologize right now for the horrible image.  Someone lost the battery to my Mr. Nick in Italy.. but that's another story...




All in all, the family gave this two thumbs up. I particularly loved it. It was yummy in all the senses, and ever though it sounds hard... it's totally not. Without further ado... here's the goods.
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Lasagne
  • 1 lb. Ground beef
  • 1/2 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 med. onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 large can tomato sauce
  • 1 large can tomato paste
  • salt/pepper to taste
  • 1/4 lb grated mozzarella cheese 
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 1 package lasagna noodles
  • 1 T cooking oil
  • 1 can pizza sauce or tomato juice
In heavy pan, cook meat, garlic and onion until meat is gray color. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste. Cook very slowly (stirring often) for 1 1/2 hours or longer, the longer the better.  If sauce is too thick, add either pizza sauce or tomato juice. Sauce should not be soupy. About 1 hour before serving time, cook noodles in 3 q. kettle of boiling salted water to which 1 T of oil has been added. Cook until noodles are tender (about 10 minutes) then blanch in cold water. In deep 9x13 buttered pan, pour 1/4 of meat sauce, then a layer of noodles and some of the mozzarella cheese. Then add 1/4 of sauce, noodles, and cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 40-45 minutes. in 350 degrees oven. Remove from oven and let set or 10 minues. Much easier served this way. Cut into squares to serve.
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I'm crackin up at the wording they used back in the 70s in their recipes. If your not a cooker, your going to struggle a bit on words like "blanch" or if your detailed when the recipe calls for a "can" your going to wonder what size. Thats where the comments section comes in.. if your making this and need more info on what I used.. pipe in and I'll let ya know.. cooking is fun, and a learned thing.. and I'd be honored to share from my experience! 

Every recipe in one book.. this is crazy......





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