The Lemon Tree

[allousa 1]

1 box of wide lasagna noodles

1 1/2 lb of ground beef

1 yellow onion (dice it up)

2 cans of Hunt's tomato sauce

4-6 Roma tomatoes diced OR 2 can's of Hunt's diced tomato*

1 large can of tomato paste

1 large container of Ricotta cheese (might be 16oz)

4 eggs

4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese OR two bags of shredded mozzarella cheese*

*when I'm in a hurry, I use these substitutes to save time

Preheat oven to 350

Boil noodles while browning the ground beef. Add a splash of olive oil to the water before putting in the noodles. While browning the ground beef, add in diced onion. While above is cooking, dice up tomatoes and add them into a bowl with the sauce and paste. I mix in a pinch of rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme. I don't ever measure, but if I had to guess, maybe it's about 1/2 tablespoon. Salt and pepper sauce to your taste. Mix up the ricotta cheese and the eggs in yet another bowl. Once the meat is browned, add to the sauce mixture.

***DO NOT OVERCOOK THE NOODLES**** Boil no longer than 10-15 minutes. I quickly drain them and run some cold water over them.

I spray the pan with olive oil spray to help not stick. Then I get my bowls all together and get prepared to layer! Put at least 3-4 noodles on the bottom. Then add the first layer which is the sauce/meat mixture. Make sure that you use only HALF of the bowl (save the other half for another layer). Top this with another layer of noodles. Next add in the ricotta cheese/egg mixture. Spread 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese mixture on top of this. Then add another layer of noodles. Next add another layer of noodles. Now add the rest of sauce/meat mixture. Depending on how many noodles you have left, add another layer of noodles. If you do not have enough, go ahead and put in the oven.

Cook the lasagna for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and add the other 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Put back in the oven and cook another 10-15 minutes or however long it takes for the cheese to melt.

***Straight out of the oven, this is really gooey. I will sometimes cook the night before and stick in the fridge, just so it's a little neater when it's warmed and makes prettier squares!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!

********************** This message will self distruct in 2 minutes ****************************

[sarah and hicham 3]

mmmmmmmm that looks good. Have you ever used the "no boil" lasagna noodles? I hate boiling lasagna noodles!

[allousa 1]

The recipe on the brand of lasagne noodles (I think it starts with B) is actually really good. I also always add extra spices and of course cheese!

Several years ago, this is where I first got the recipe, but as I've made it over the years...I've embellished!!!!

mmmmmmmm that looks good. Have you ever used the "no boil" lasagna noodles? I hate boiling lasagna noodles!

I haven't ever used those. Have you? Are they any good?

I wish I had the no clean up pans and bowls to make it all in. This lasagna is DAYUM good, but it makes the kitchen look like a nuclear accident!

[sarah and hicham 3]

The recipe on the brand of lasagne noodles (I think it starts with B) is actually really good. I also always add extra spices and of course cheese!

Several years ago, this is where I first got the recipe, but as I've made it over the years...I've embellished!!!!

mmmmmmmm that looks good. Have you ever used the "no boil" lasagna noodles? I hate boiling lasagna noodles!

I haven't ever used those. Have you? Are they any good?

I wish I had the no clean up pans and bowls to make it all in. This lasagna is DAYUM good, but it makes the kitchen look like a nuclear accident!

The no boil noodles are just as good, and you dont have to boil water or anything. You just line them into the pan like you would with regular noodles.

Lasagne IS messy!

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

1 box of wide lasagna noodles

1 1/2 lb of ground beef

1 yellow onion (dice it up)

2 cans of Hunt's tomato sauce

4-6 Roma tomatoes diced OR 2 can's of Hunt's diced tomato*

1 large can of tomato paste

1 large container of Ricotta cheese (might be 16oz)

4 eggs

4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese OR two bags of shredded mozzarella cheese*

*when I'm in a hurry, I use these substitutes to save time

Preheat oven to 350

Boil noodles while browning the ground beef. Add a splash of olive oil to the water before putting in the noodles. While browning the ground beef, add in diced onion. While above is cooking, dice up tomatoes and add them into a bowl with the sauce and paste. I mix in a pinch of rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme. I don't ever measure, but if I had to guess, maybe it's about 1/2 tablespoon. Salt and pepper sauce to your taste. Mix up the ricotta cheese and the eggs in yet another bowl. Once the meat is browned, add to the sauce mixture.

***DO NOT OVERCOOK THE NOODLES**** Boil no longer than 10-15 minutes. I quickly drain them and run some cold water over them.

I spray the pan with olive oil spray to help not stick. Then I get my bowls all together and get prepared to layer! Put at least 3-4 noodles on the bottom. Then add the first layer which is the sauce/meat mixture. Make sure that you use only HALF of the bowl (save the other half for another layer). Top this with another layer of noodles. Next add in the ricotta cheese/egg mixture. Spread 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese mixture on top of this. Then add another layer of noodles. Next add another layer of noodles. Now add the rest of sauce/meat mixture. Depending on how many noodles you have left, add another layer of noodles. If you do not have enough, go ahead and put in the oven.

Cook the lasagna for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and add the other 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Put back in the oven and cook another 10-15 minutes or however long it takes for the cheese to melt.

***Straight out of the oven, this is really gooey. I will sometimes cook the night before and stick in the fridge, just so it's a little neater when it's warmed and makes prettier squares!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!

********************** This message will self distruct in 2 minutes ****************************

Looks great, Allousa -- no wonder everyone was raving over it. Thanks for sharing !

-MK

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

The no boil noodles are just as good, and you dont have to boil water or anything. You just line them into the pan like you would with regular noodles.

Lasagne IS messy!

I've used them -- they work very well. But you have to make sure the sauce touches the noodles all over (both sides) or they will be kind of hard and crunchy in the dry spots.

[doodlebug 3]

One of the layers in my lasagna is a HUGE vat of ricotta cheese with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top. The 4th and top layer of my lasagna is MORE cheese!!!!

Since I'm cooking the lasagna, you want to bring the salad????

I've also got some garlic bread that's going with it.

I will post a pic of the lasagna tonight!!!!

Hmmmm....you guys might just get a pic of an empty plate!!!!!!

Ok but the most important ingredient is what I'm curious about.............what do you use for the sauce?

I actually dice up the Roma tomatoes, but I use two can's of Hunt's sauce and 1 can of Hunt's paste. I don't use ANY OTHER brand. I also season with oregano, thyme, sage and some salt and pepper. I dice up one yellow onion that I cook with the meat while I'm browning it in the skillet.

This is my own very top secret lasagna recipe that I have come up with myself. IF.....someone will find a "spy" smilicon...I'll post the receipe. And it can't be this one......

Are you Italian? My italian ex mother in law only used Pastene. No other brand of tomatoes would do and it was always the ground crushed kind. We'd get a call every few weeks from her telling us that so and so store has the Pastene tomatos on sale and they'd all go in the same car and clear out the store. lol.

She would take a pork butt and fry it up in a big pot, then take about 5 or 6 huge garlic cloves and mince them, put them in the pot after taking the browned pork butt out and cook them with 1 can Pastene tomato paste, some olive oil, salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Then once that paste was going good she'd add about 4 of the huge Pastene cans of ground crushed tomatoes, plop the pork butt in there and simmer it all day long.

This would be done on a Saturday morning at around 4am and when the kids would wake up she'd plop an egg in the sauce and then take it out and give it to them on top of some crusty italian bread for breakfast. Her house ALWAYS smelled like "gravy" and you couldn't call it sauce you had to call it gravy.

That sauce was awesome and I used to make it once/month and freeze extras so I could use it in all kinds of recipes but now that I don't eat pork I can never get it to taste the same buttery taste that it had.

Edited October 19, 2007 by doodlebug

[mybackpages 0]

1 box of wide lasagna noodles

1 1/2 lb of ground beef

1 yellow onion (dice it up)

2 cans of Hunt's tomato sauce

4-6 Roma tomatoes diced OR 2 can's of Hunt's diced tomato*

1 large can of tomato paste

1 large container of Ricotta cheese (might be 16oz)

4 eggs

4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese OR two bags of shredded mozzarella cheese*

*when I'm in a hurry, I use these substitutes to save time

Preheat oven to 350

Boil noodles while browning the ground beef. Add a splash of olive oil to the water before putting in the noodles. While browning the ground beef, add in diced onion. While above is cooking, dice up tomatoes and add them into a bowl with the sauce and paste. I mix in a pinch of rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme. I don't ever measure, but if I had to guess, maybe it's about 1/2 tablespoon. Salt and pepper sauce to your taste. Mix up the ricotta cheese and the eggs in yet another bowl. Once the meat is browned, add to the sauce mixture.

***DO NOT OVERCOOK THE NOODLES**** Boil no longer than 10-15 minutes. I quickly drain them and run some cold water over them.

I spray the pan with olive oil spray to help not stick. Then I get my bowls all together and get prepared to layer! Put at least 3-4 noodles on the bottom. Then add the first layer which is the sauce/meat mixture. Make sure that you use only HALF of the bowl (save the other half for another layer). Top this with another layer of noodles. Next add in the ricotta cheese/egg mixture. Spread 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese mixture on top of this. Then add another layer of noodles. Next add another layer of noodles. Now add the rest of sauce/meat mixture. Depending on how many noodles you have left, add another layer of noodles. If you do not have enough, go ahead and put in the oven.

Cook the lasagna for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and add the other 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Put back in the oven and cook another 10-15 minutes or however long it takes for the cheese to melt.

***Straight out of the oven, this is really gooey. I will sometimes cook the night before and stick in the fridge, just so it's a little neater when it's warmed and makes prettier squares!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!

********************** This message will self distruct in 2 minutes ****************************

Does this mean Doodle and i are gonna have to make our own lasagna now?

I've used the no boil noodles and i makes no difference in lasgna. BUT i do prefer the regular. I am very picky abotu my noodles and my sauce. I only use barilla.

Edited October 19, 2007 by mybackpages

[doodlebug 3]

1 box of wide lasagna noodles

1 1/2 lb of ground beef

1 yellow onion (dice it up)

2 cans of Hunt's tomato sauce

4-6 Roma tomatoes diced OR 2 can's of Hunt's diced tomato*

1 large can of tomato paste

1 large container of Ricotta cheese (might be 16oz)

4 eggs

4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese OR two bags of shredded mozzarella cheese*

*when I'm in a hurry, I use these substitutes to save time

Preheat oven to 350

Boil noodles while browning the ground beef. Add a splash of olive oil to the water before putting in the noodles. While browning the ground beef, add in diced onion. While above is cooking, dice up tomatoes and add them into a bowl with the sauce and paste. I mix in a pinch of rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme. I don't ever measure, but if I had to guess, maybe it's about 1/2 tablespoon. Salt and pepper sauce to your taste. Mix up the ricotta cheese and the eggs in yet another bowl. Once the meat is browned, add to the sauce mixture.

***DO NOT OVERCOOK THE NOODLES**** Boil no longer than 10-15 minutes. I quickly drain them and run some cold water over them.

I spray the pan with olive oil spray to help not stick. Then I get my bowls all together and get prepared to layer! Put at least 3-4 noodles on the bottom. Then add the first layer which is the sauce/meat mixture. Make sure that you use only HALF of the bowl (save the other half for another layer). Top this with another layer of noodles. Next add in the ricotta cheese/egg mixture. Spread 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese mixture on top of this. Then add another layer of noodles. Next add another layer of noodles. Now add the rest of sauce/meat mixture. Depending on how many noodles you have left, add another layer of noodles. If you do not have enough, go ahead and put in the oven.

Cook the lasagna for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and add the other 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Put back in the oven and cook another 10-15 minutes or however long it takes for the cheese to melt.

***Straight out of the oven, this is really gooey. I will sometimes cook the night before and stick in the fridge, just so it's a little neater when it's warmed and makes prettier squares!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!

********************** This message will self distruct in 2 minutes ****************************

Does this mean Doodle and i are gonna have to make our own lasagna now?

I've used the no boil noodles and i makes no difference in lasgna. BUT i do prefer the regular. I am very picky abotu my noodles and my sauce. I only use barilla.

I now use Barilla sauce but I couldn't when I was married to my ex. Their family used to call people who used bottled sauce butanas or however you say that.

[mybackpages 0]

I now use Barilla sauce but I couldn't when I was married to my ex. Their family used to call people who used bottled sauce butanas or however you say that.

Well I use to be one of those people too but Barilla is so close to the real thing. I discovered it when I took my son to Italy and we had to cook Christmas dinner for ourselves. To this day he loves their sauce with olives best. I use the Barilla sauce in my lasagna too.

[doodlebug 3]

I now use Barilla sauce but I couldn't when I was married to my ex. Their family used to call people who used bottled sauce butanas or however you say that.

Well I use to be one of those people too but Barilla is so close to the real thing. I discovered it when I took my son to Italy and we had to cook Christmas dinner for ourselves. To this day he loves their sauce with olives best. I use the Barilla sauce in my lasagna too.

I use the one with basil in it. I forget the name. I just used it in american chop suey last night.

My older sister is friends with this couple who are italian. Every sunday all the family comes over like most italians but my sister went there about a month ago when it was still warm and the two grandmothers were all in black with the black stockings and the black orthopedic shoes and while everyone was sitting around the pool having fun they went and picked the tomatos and the basil and oregano from the garden and then went back in the kitchen and made the gravy nice and fresh for everyone. Then they even did all the dishes after!! They come over every Sunday and do this. They're both about 90+ years old. They make their own wine in the cellar too! lol

[Jenn! 918]

A whole frickin' thread about lasagne? Where the hell have I been?

[doodlebug 3]

A whole frickin' thread about lasagne? Where the hell have I been?

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

don't let the cat outta da bag

btw is it "leave the gun, take the cannoli" or "take the gun, leave the cannoli"?

[sarah and hicham 3]

A whole frickin' thread about lasagne? Where the hell have I been?

Yeah, where the hell have you been!

[Jenn! 918]

A whole frickin' thread about lasagne? Where the hell have I been?

Yeah, where the hell have you been!

I'd never read the Lemon Tree and I didn't want any spoilers so I stayed out. Then I noticed that there were waaay too many posts in here to be about a book. Or else there was a good fight.