Lasagna Recipe: Best Lasagna Recipe in the World

Here is a great recipe for lasagne that may or may not be the best you’ve ever tasted. Either way, it’s sure to be a hit every time you serve it up.

1 package lasagna noodles

1 1/2 jars thick spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 large container ricotta or small curd cottage cheese

2 cups parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 eggs

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 cups fancy parmesan or mild cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 pound Italian sausage, cooked and chopped

1 pound ground beef, cooked and chopped

2 cans mushroom slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix the sausage and the beef together.

In a pan, sauté the peppers and onions in olive oil or butter until soft.

In another bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, pepper and parsley.

In a pot, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Rinse noodles in cold water and drain.

In a large non-stick baking pan, pour in 2 cups of the spaghetti sauce. Add a layer of lasagna noodles on top. Add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the noodles.

Next, add a thin layer of the cottage cheese mixture, followed by layers of meat, onions and peppers, shredded cheese and mushrooms. (note: save enough shredded cheese for the very top).

Cover filling with the final layer of noodles. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on top of noodles, then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top.
Place uncovered pan in the oven and bake until the top is a golden brown color and filling is bubbly.

=> Spinach Lasagne Recipes: Low Fat Spinach Vegetarian Lasagne Recipe

Whether you are a vegetarian or not, this low fat vegetable lasagne recipe is a healthy meal and you won’t even miss the meat.

3/4 pound lasagna noodles

1 pound low fat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups part skim milk mozzarella cheese, grated

1 (4 oz.) jar marinara sauce

1 tablespoon oregano

1 box frozen spinach, thawed, drained and finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 cup onions, chopped

Olive oil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a pan, sauté the onions in the olive oil until soft; drain.

In a bowl, combine the onions, cottage cheese, spinach, oregano and pepper.

Prepare lasagna noodles according to package direction; drain.

Oil a 9 x 13-inch pan and layer about 4 or 5 of the cooked noodles on the bottom.

Layer the spinach/cottage cheese mixture, sauce and mozzarella cheese over the noodles. Add the final layer of noodles on top and cover with remaining marinara sauce.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.

=> Chicken Lasagne Recipes: Best Chicken Lasagne

If you’re looking for easy lasagne recipes with chicken, give this savory dish a try. It’s loaded with Italian seasonings and, of course, lots of cheese. This chicken lasagne will truly become one of your favorites.

2 (uncooked) whole chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (28 oz) can Italian tomatoes with basil

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons fresh Romano cheese, grated

2 cups grated carrots

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1/2 cup fresh Romano cheese, grated

6 to 8 slices Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute the chicken, mushrooms, garlic, onion, oregano, basil and thyme in the olive oil until the chicken turns white in color. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, the 3 tablespoons Romano cheese, carrots, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes.

Oil a 9 x 13 baking dish and layer half of the lasagna noodles on the bottom. Next, add layers of the tomato sauce, chicken mixture, remaining Romano cheese, mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. Cheese should be melted on top.

=> Seafood Lasagne Recipe: Royal Seafood Lasagne

If you’ve been searching for the perfect recipe for seafood lasagne, then look no further. Your quest has ended. This lasagna dish is brimming with shrimp, crab, five kinds of cheeses and lots of creamy flavor.

1 (8 oz.) package lasagna noodles, cooked

2 tablespoons butter

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons basil

2 (10-3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 pound shrimp, cleaned and cooked

1 pound crab meat (can substitute imitation crab)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a pan, sauté the onions in the butter.

Combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, egg and basil together in a bowl. Mix in the onion, and salt and pepper to taste.

Layer cooked noodles on bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan. Layer with cottage cheese mixture, and pour the entire can of mushroom soup over the cottage cheese mixture.

In another bowl, mix together the milk, wine, shrimp and crab meat. Spread 1/2 of the seafood mixture over the soup layer. Repeat the layers of noodles, cottage cheese and seafood. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle on the Cheddar and Mozzarella cheeses. Return to oven and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese on top is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

=> Mexican Lasagne Recipe: Ranchero Mexican Lasagne

Here’s a great tasting mashed potato recipe featuring tangy mustard. You can experiment and try it with honey mustard and any other flavored mustard you enjoy.

1 pound turkey meat

1/2 package taco seasoning

1 tablespoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1 teaspoon hot sauce

3 tablespoons salsa

1 can Mexican chili beans, undrained

1 can stewed tomatoes with chilies

1 teaspoon parsley

4 tortilla shells

Mexican cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, reserve 1/4 cup of the chili beans including the juice; set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the turkey meat. Add in the taco seasoning, cumin, red pepper, hot sauce, salsa, remaining chili beans and stewed tomatoes.

In the bottom of a baking dish, lay one tortilla shell on bottom of dish. Add a portion of the cheese on top, and layer the meat next. Add another tortilla shell and repeat the layering of ingredients.

Sprinkle what’s left of the shredded cheese over layers and add the reserved chili beans. Sprinkle parsley on top. Gently press the mixture down into the pan.

Lasagna Recipe and Tips

Lasagna is a popular oven-baked pasta dish. The classic lasagna, if such a dish can be said to exist, is based on a meat and tomato ragu and a bechamel sauce. These are layered between sheets of pasta dough (two or three layers for a lasagna) in an oven dish, covered with cheese (usually parmesan or mozzarella) and baked in the oven for about half an hour.

Many lasagna variations exist. Vegetable lasagna, lasagna without bechamel, chicken lasagna, meatless cheese lasagna, lasagna without any sauce (just vegetables and/or meat) or even lasagna without the pasta.

When creating a lasagna, start with the main ingredient (ragu, vegetables, seafood, etc.), add a layer of bechamel, then one layer of pasta sheets and then the main ingredient again. Continue until the oven dish is full. End with a layer of pasta, spread some bechamel on top and sprinkle the cheese over it.

Some recipes call for the bechamel to be mixed through the ragu or tomato sauce, while others tell you to layer it between the pasta and the ragu. This seems to be based on personal preference and taste.

Besides sprinkling cheese on top of the lasagna, it's also a good idea to mix some through the bechamel sauce, to give the lasagna some cheese flavor throughout, instead of just on top. Turn the heat off under the bechamel sauce before adding the cheese, or the sauce will become rubbery.

When it comes to the pasta dough there is a choice between home-made pasta and store bought dried pasta. Since dried pasta is made with just water and flour and home made fresh pasta usually includes eggs, there is a distinct difference in flavour and texture. The main difference, however, comes from ease of use. Making pasta from scratch can be a lengthy process and takes some practice to get it right. Fresh pasta also needs to be precooked before assembling the lasagne. See the pasta page for a fresh pasta recipe.

Dried pasta is usually precooked, so it can be put in to the oven dish straight out of the packet.

In the US, pasta sheets generally have a curvy surface. Outside the US, they are almost always flat.

Here is a recipe for traditional lasagna. visit Good Cook Recipes.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 lbs Minced beef

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed

1 can chopped plum tomatoes

10-15 basil leaves, chopped or torn (or 1 tsp dried basil)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

5 crushed black peppercorns (or to taste)

1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp sugar

One pack of lasagna sheets

1 1/2 pints Bechemel Sauce *

Finely grated parmesan

* Bechemel Sauce:

1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

Salt, white pepper, and nutmeg, as desired

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk together over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool nearly to room temperature.

Add hot milk and whisk to combine.

Add the salt, white pepper, and nutmeg, and heat till just simmering.

If desired, you may bring the sauce to a boil; once the béchamel sauce has come to a boil, lower the heat to low and very slowly simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir it often with a whisk to avoid sticking to the bottom. Do not allow the sauce to brown. The longer the sauce is simmered, the smoother it becomes due to the cooking and swelling of the starch grains

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy base or non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. If the oil browns, turn the heat down.
Add the onion and fry until golden brown.

Increase heat to high and add the meat and garlic. Fry until brown. Minced/ground beef takes some time to cook well. Fry until there is little moisture left in the pan. If necessary, spoon out any excess fat.
Add the tomatoes, cover the pan and lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the bechemel sauce.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 f.

Mix the basil, oregano, salt & pepper in to the ragu.

Place a thin layer of ragu in the base of the ovenproof dish and cover with a single layer of pasta sheets. Spread a layer of bechemel sauce over the pasta. Repeat this until you run out of meat, making sure that you have enough bechemel sauce left to cover the top layer of pasta.

Sprinkle the grated parmesan over the top.

Place the dish in the oven on the top shelf and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling.

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - One Recipe with Many Variations

There are so many Christmas cookie recipes around but often so little time to bake during the busy holiday season.

The solution? A great tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into such a variety of easy to make Christmas treats, friends and family will think you poured over all your favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

Let's start with the basics.

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter (or margarine) at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat with an electric mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With mixer at a low speed, add the flour gradually, beating just until everything is well blended.

Place the mixture on a baking sheet using a tablespoon measure and press down with a spoon to flatten a bit. Or roll our and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake at 350ºF for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

This basic cookie mixture is also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated oven at 350ºF).

Orange Cookies

(Makes about 32)

Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a log that is about 1 1/2" in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4" thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be decorated with candies, rolled in colored sugar, or cut into pretty holiday shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cherry Coconut Chocolate Squares

(Makes about 54 squares)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped

Line a 13"x9" baking pan with foil.

Stir cocoa powder into basic dough mixture. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust looks dry.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, almond extract and baking powder until well blended. Stir in coconut and cherries. Pour over the baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until top just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Lift it out on to a cutting board using the foil ends and cut into 1 1/2" squares. Squares can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Coconut Pineapple Cookies

(Makes about 36)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup pineapple preserves (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer)

Add 1 cup of the flaked coconut to the basic dough mixture and mix well. Shape the dough into 1 1/2" balls and roll in the remaining coconut to coat them. Place the balls 1" apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie with your fingertip.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookie is firm and the coconut is lightly toasted. When cooled, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with the preserves.

You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or bake them plain in holiday shapes and decorate with colored icing.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Here's hoping these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off the cook.

Coconut Cookies

Botanically, a coconut is a simple dry nut known as a fibrous drupe. It is not fruit. The shell of the coconut has three pores that are clearly visible on the outside surface of the shell. Adhering to the inside wall of the shell is "the coconut meat", the white and fleshy edible part of the seed.

The coconut shell is hollow inside, filled with a liquid known as coconut water. Coconut water from the unripe coconut can be drank fresh as a refreshing drink. It's refreshingly sweet. When the coconut is still green, the "meat" inside is thin and often eaten as a snack. The main reason to pick the green nut is to drink its water, as a big ones can contains up to one liter. The meat in a young coconut is softer and more like gelatin than a mature coconut and sometimes it's refers as coconut jelly. The water and meat from young coconuts is used as opposed to the meat of older coconuts which tends to be very hard and typically have less water (if any).

Coconut Cookies Recipe:

* 1 1/4 all purpose flour

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 1 tsp soda

* 1/2 cup granulated sugar

* 1/2 cup brown sugar

* 1/2 cup butter (or margarine)

* 1 egg

* 1 tsp vanilla

* 1 cup uncooked oats

* 1 cup flaked or shredded coconut

Place flour, baking powder, soda and salt into a bowl a mix together. Add sugar, brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in oats and coconut.

Shape to form 1-inch cookies and place them on greased cooking sheets. Bake in preheated oven (180 degrees) for 12 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cool.

Chicken Casserole Recipes

Chicken casserole recipes are a wonderfully filling and versatile choice for your family meals. Chicken combined with pasta or rice, vegetables and seasonings can produce some "stick to your ribs" kind of dishes. These recipes often include dairy products such as cheese, sour cream and cream based soups which greatly add to the "yum" quotient. Here are some choices that you will enjoy.

Chicken with Broccoli Casserole

Have you used curry in your chicken recipes? It is a healthy spice that imparts good flavor.

4 chicken breasts.2 or 3 (10 oz.) boxes frozen broccoli
spears, cooked
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. mayonnaise.1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 c. soft bread crumbs (or cracker
crumbs)
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice
4 oz. pkg. shredded cheese

Cook broccoli and arrange in baking dish. Add chicken pieces. Mix soup, mayonnaise, lemon and curry powder. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese, crumbs and paprika. Bake 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.

Chicken Pot Pie

Here is a nice version of chicken pot pie using flaky biscuits.

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of broccoli
soup
1 c. milk
1/4 tsp. thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 c. cooked cut up vegetables
(broccoli, carrots, potatoes, etc.)
2 c. cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 (10 oz.) can Hungry Jack flaky
biscuits

In 3 quart baking dish, combine soup, milk, thyme and pepper.

1. Stir in vegetables and chicken.
2. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble.

Meanwhile, cut each biscuit into quarters. 3. Remove dish from oven; stir. Arrange biscuit pieces over hot chicken mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

The possibilities for meals using chicken casserole recipes are almost endless.

Gourmet Food

A Gourmet is someone who has expert knowledge and enjoyment of food and drink. It follows therefore, that gourmet food relates to the preparation of high quality food that is at once urbane, luxurious, rare and carefully groomed.

This elaborate description would create visions of delicacies, intricately prepared and laid out for the epicure to indulge in with abounding decadence. Fact is, gourmet food is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the palette. Presentation is meticulously planned and executed so that the senses can be tantalized and eating becomes a completely self-absorbing act.

Now getting down to basics, here are some delectable examples of foods that qualify as gourmet. Say them out aloud and savor the sound of it: smoked salmon, foie gras; pate, truffles, mushrooms, condiments, specialty meats, oil; vinegar, cheese, chocolates.

Caviars: gourmet food stores offer an unmistakable selection of top notch caviar including Beluga, Sevruga and Ostra caviars and a broad assortment of Russian, Iranian and American caviars. Most genuine gourmet food stores meet strict import and quality standards and the goods come with a freshness guarantee.

Condiments: good condiments are quintessential to a good meal. Exotic spices and herbs from the European countryside create a heady combination of aroma and taste. Spanish saffron, mustards, cinnamon and cloves, some dill and rosemary will embellish a myriad of appetizing and zesty dressings, seasonings and gravies.

Oil and vinegar: Italian virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, malt vinegar are great for adding zing to your salads. Also, olive oil is a more healthy choice when it comes to cooking.

These examples certainly don’t do justice to the vast variety of gourmet food in existence. They don’t even come close. However, they do provide a peek into the world of abundance, excesses and unabashed indulgence - a clue to how food can embellished so that it appeals to the heart as much as the stomach.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Gourmet-Food&id=190736