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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

hot and bubbly

I am going mushroom hunting again on Friday so we will see if and what I find and then on the weekend it will be the polenta, cream of mushroom soup extravaganza. So until then, since I said lasagna I had to make one. This is mushroom free as it is simply ricotta, pesto, parsley and tomato topped with mozzarella, a very simple dish loaded with flavor and perfect to pack for the kids lunch.



After it came out of the oven I drizzled a little homemade basil oil over the top. Lasagnas give me so much comfort, they remind me of my hungry college days when out of the blue my mom would come to my apartment and surprise me with a big pan of lasagna and she somehow knew that the timing was perfect to ward off my starvation.



This may not look it but this is a 12 ounce hunk.

33 comments:

Kitt said...

Nom nom nom! That looks great. I had a boyfriend in college whose mom used to bring me lasagna, even after he graduated. It was indeed a lifesaver.

buffalodick said...

That looks stupid good! Still gotta figure out what to do with that puff ball, though..

Christo Gonzales said...

kitt: werent you the lucky one...

buffdick: how big is it? like a softball or bigger? slice it and grill it then drizzle good olive oil and sea salt on it and while you nibble on this maybe you will get inspired...

Spin said...

Oh! yum yum! I want some that looks sooooo good!

Marjie said...

My grandmother used to make lasagna. She was a great cook. I'm personally afraid of lasagna; of course, I'm not all that comfortable with Italian food in general....

Of course, one time my grandmother had made lasagna in a great mexican baking dish she had, and my mother took it out of the oven by the handle, and the pan fell to the floor, leaving my mother holding a pan....

The Blonde Duck said...

I'm craving Italian food now!!

Anette said...

My kid would Love that for his lunch!! I must be a bad mother sending him off with his sandwiches!

Christo Gonzales said...

spin: 30 minutes from start to finish..

marjie: not funny, but still funny, reminds me of a juggling turkey incident...

blonde duck: boil up some pasta and open a jar of sauce - why not!

anette: my son graduated from sandwiches and this year wants hot meals....all on his own - I recommended them last year but he said no.

Angel said...

I hate you Dog. h.a.t.e. you. That looks SOOOO good!!!! send me some homemade basil oil!!! Hey, wasn't I the one who was supposed to send YOU pesto???? ;)

deb said...

funny, i made lasagna Sunday & that's been Meggy's lunch this week.

Anonymous said...

What a nice Mom! Now I'm really hungry...

Mandi said...

Sensational!!! I love lasagne, we lived on this as kids!!!

I love making it, and my kids love it too - they have withdrawls if I dont make it.

The best thing is they always say I make the best lasagne ever - so sweet.

I make alot and then cut it into portions and freeze it in individual containers, then when the kids come home from school they just heat it up........

yum yum yum..............

When my eldest was going through her Vegan stage, I used to make hers with red beans instead of meat, she loved it............

As we are in winter now, you have inspired me to make some this weekend........xx

Michelle Ann said...

DAMN! Your lasagna looks perfect...just the right amount of sauce and cheese so it still keeps its form.

Joy said...

Mmmmm, this looks delicious! And aha something I make. My son always wanted lasagna for his birthday and so does my daughter. Neat! I make it other times, too.

Joy said...

Dog, I left a comment for you on my Carole King post. Did you see it and feel afraid to mention anything? LOL

Andie said...

Dog...oh, Dog. Man. Ya killing me here. We just got a new Publix in town and they have rice lasagna noodles. You just put that on my list of foods to make next week. Delish.

CreativeMish said...

Yummy! I've never made lasagna. I'm going to have to be brave one of these days.

tavolini said...

again...I feel trepidation when confronted with ricotta...

But the nice mozzarella, pesto and noodles win me over! Homemade basil oil sounds delicious.

Christo Gonzales said...

beth: I got tired of camping out by the mail box...as I guess you are too waiting on the chile....whoops

deb: great minds think alike...

starrlife: she is a great mom...

Christo Gonzales said...

mandi: I would love to sample the vegan version...

michelle ann: I dont like that much sauce so I go easy with it and serve it on the side.

joy and joy: lasagna is so simple...and I did go back and read that post...subtle digs huh?

Christo Gonzales said...

andie: rice lasagna noodles...wow I need to get me some of those...publix..must be in the south?

michelle: try it you might be surprised how fast and easy it really is...I like to use homemade pasta usually and that adds to the time

tavolini: whats up with the ricotta, once its mixed in and cooked, is it the consistency?

Unknown said...

Oooh, I LOVE Lasagna!!!! And damn that looks good, and DEEP! And ya know, next time I make mine, I may have to add mushrooms. Never thought of it before, but it just sounds so good!

deb said...

oh ok i need to come to completely clean. it was stoffers. i know! i know! it's been a long week. I am making home-made Pastichio (Greek) for next weeks lunches.

Mandi said...

You never know - one day you might be so lucky!!!! Its actually really good!!! Sort of Chili lasagne, if you know what I mean......being the Chili expert that you are! xx

Marjie said...

Y'know, I was just wondering, how exactly does one go mushroom hunting in the big city?

Christo Gonzales said...

bina: you make my lasagna sound so erotic....whew...I feel flushed.

deb: honesty is the best policy...does stouffers do a pastichio?

mandi: so its pretty much pasta with chili layers...sounds ok

marjie: the 'big city' is surrounded by the rest of the USA remember, we are an island 12 miles long by six miles wide - we just leave the city - but there are mushrooms in Central Park and Prospect Park - two very large parks.

Anonymous said...

You made it in a sheet pan?

Christo Gonzales said...

amy: a two inch deep sheet pan...

Christo Gonzales said...

lol I am so funny - a cake pan - normal ol' cake pan

deb said...

No they don't. I'll make sure I post it.

FYI: RR is soliciting home chef videos with a chance to be on her show and do the chef challeng. I think it two weeks long. I'm going to enter 'puff the magic pancake" and one other one. Do you want me to add one of yours to my email & say hey this is my buddy in NYC (YOU NEED HIM!)?

tavolini said...

The look of it. Well, that and the taste. I keep having terrible visions of the VD films they showed in school and the term "cheese-like" I'm sorry!

Christo Gonzales said...

deb: oh so cool, add me in with yours...

tavolini: I hear you on the 'cheesy bits' thing...try ricotta cookies its baked its dry it has nothing resembling ricotta what- so- ever...I used to hate yoghurt as a kid for the same reason.

Mandi said...

Thats pretty much it, but of course there is no meat in the sauce, that is replaced with the red beans...........if you give it a go let me know how you like it....

I would really love to hear how you made that lasagne - not the putting it together bit (I know that) but what you do with the cheese, becuase it doesnt look like it has alot of sauce like a traditional lasgane, but it looks fabulous, so do you just crumble the ricotta over the pasta and add the pesto etc etc......any advice would be greatly appreicated - and what do you think about adding spinich leaves and chili to this too?????

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