What do you do to make your lasagna extra special...

[MomofSeven]

My lasagna is boring...noodles, ricotta and sauce. I'm having company this week and would love to spice it up a bit. My family doesn't care for veggies in their pasta so I'm not sure what else to do. Any ideas.

[Tracey in TX]

marinated onions

ground beef, browned, with Italian seasonings

garlic

squash/zucchini (they don't taste like veggies in lasagne, but add great texture)

swiss cheese and parmesan-reggiano with the ricotta

Lots of layers, lots of love :)

[Kelli in TN]

A layer of pepperoni slices on the top make it pretty and add flavor! I usually just arrange the pepperoni out so that one slice ends up topping each lasagna square when it is cut.

[iquilt]

If you like meat, we do 1/2 lb hamburg cooked with 1/2 lb mild sausage to layer in lasagna - adds a nice, rich texture. Or add different cheese - we use ricotta mixed with mozz. and parm.

[Stacey in MA]

I've been making crock pot lasagna! It is so easy b/c you don't have to precook the noodles. You just layer everything in, turn it on, and that's it.

 

FWIW, the last one I made I used cooked ground turkey, and double mozzerella. It was awesome! I ran out of mozzella, but had a ton of cheese sticks that needed to get used up. So I opend those and stripped them up and used them.

 

HTH and GL! - Stacey in MA

[Quiver0f10]

I know you said they don't like veggies, but I add a pack of thawed frozen, well drained chopped spinach to the ricotta. It's not overwhelming, but really makes it yummy!

[Mom2legomaniacs]

I use cottage cheese and extra mozzarella in mine. I do a sauce that is less heavy than most too. A quart of tomatoes in their juice and a small can (8 oz) tomato sauce. For the meat, I use 1 lb gr. sirloin and 1/2 lb mild sausage. Very tasty!

[Plaid Dad]

We flavor the ricotta with lots of herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) and mix in grated parmesan and shredded mozzarella. I like ricotta well enough, but it can be awfully bland without some doctoring.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Shred the squash or zucchini into the sauce and then no one can pick it out. ;-)

[kalanamak]

My lasagna is boring...noodles, ricotta and sauce. I'm having company this week and would love to spice it up a bit. My family doesn't care for veggies in their pasta so I'm not sure what else to do. Any ideas.

 

Make the sauce more exciting by simmering it with some spices, like toasted cumin or garam masala.

 

Make a veggie layer that doesn't seem like one. Broil/ bake an eggplant down to a brown mess, peel, puree, and saute this a bit of the tomato sauce and some pepper and spices and make a thin layer of this in the middle. You can puree some roasted carrots into this as well.

 

Used drained cottage cheese instead of ricotta (well, it is different)

 

If you want more detailed instructions of the above, ask me.

[LauraGB]

You could replace the ricotta w/cottage cheese - this makes it a little creamier, imo. To the cottage cheese, add about 1/2 c shredded or grated parm and some Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper. What kind of sauce do you use? You could try some differerent flavored jarred spaghetti or marinara sauces - perhaps mushroom or tomato basil or some other jarred concoction to add a little zip. For my veggie layer, I mix the frozen, squeezed spinach with a 1/2 jar roasted bell peppers (NOT the ones packed in vinegar!) and a bunch of sliced portobella. In the end, this layer is not chunky or really even noticable (by sight, anyway) so your fam may not even realize its there, but it sure adds flavor!

[Heather in Neverland]

We like our food a little spicy so here is what I do:

 

Traditional lasagna but instead of ground beef use spicy Italian sausage and Classico has a sauce called "Spicy Tomato and Pesto" and it is wonderful! I also add mushroooms but if your family doesn't like them you can leave them out.

 

It sure kicks up the flavor this way and now any time we have a gathering with extended family they request that I make it. Enjoy!

[Trivium Academy]

My favorite lasagna

 

Paul Newman's Cabernet Marinara Sauce- 2 jars for large lasagna

Use cottage cheese, small curd instead of ricotta (my preference)

Season meat (I use ground turkey) with real onions, minced garlic, oregano and basil, sometimes green pepper

Five Italian cheese

 

I'm not sure if the layering is important but this is what I do, from the bottom up:

Layer of meat & sauce

Layer of lasagna noodles

Layer of cottage cheese

Layer of noodles

Layer of meat & sauce with shredded cheese

Layer of noodles

Final layer of meat & sauce covered with shredded cheese.

 

Add garlic bread, we love parmesan twists and add a green leaf salad..instant Italian restaurant in your home. This is what I make for dinner guests for their first dinner at our house. The lasagna is *poof* gone!

[Emmy]

I use italian sausage instead of ground beef.

For the creamy layer I use ricotta blended with basil, oregano, and an egg

For the cheese layer I use shredded mozzarella with some small chunks of feta mixed in.

For sauce I buy jarred sauce - usually a better brand like Classico or the other that I can't think of right now (lol).

 

It's pretty decadent but I always get raves about how good my lasagna is when I take it parties or friends.

[*anj*]

We use a combination of sliced Italian sausage and sliced meatballs.

That is the "authentic Italian" part that I learned from dh's family.

 

The next thing that I like to do is not "authentic Italian" but I think it tastes really good:

Substitute shredded white sharp Cheddar for about 1/3 of the Mozzarella. It really gives it a nice kick.

[love2read]

If you make a good lasagna, I wouldn't touch it. A lot of people struggle to make lasagna and are thrilled just to get a decent serving that doesn't slide around their plate in a pool of watery sauce.

 

What about adding zip to a side dish. Maybe a few different kinds of bread if you normally serve plain Italian. One with garlic and parmesan, another with oregano and butter, etc. Maybe try a feta Greek salad with black olives if you usually make an Italian tossed salad. What about serving marinated roasted peppers, mushrooms and artichoke hearts as a little antipasto that they can set beside their lasagna (be sure to use a small serving spoon). Peppers are easy to roast and only need to be marinated overnight to pick up the flavors.

 

Now that I've made a few suggestions, am I invited over too? Please? I'm really craving lasagna after reading your note.

[Just Me]

I make Ree's lasagna (http://www.poineerwoman.com ) and it is wonderful. I can't give you all the ingredients off the top of my head, but the one that I remember is using 1 lb. of ground beef, and 1 lb. of hot Jimmy Dean sausage. Yummo.

[farmgirlinwv]

We love lasagna w/ lots of different kinds of cheeses, homemade spaghetti sauce, browned ground beef w/ onions and peppers and pepperoni!

[Julie in CA]

What my family enjoys is when I add crushed red peppers to the sauce to make it zesty, and use cheddar along with the regular cheese.

 

Okay, thanks....:glare:.....now I want lasagna. :drool5:

[KatieJ]

Use cooked chicken, either ground or shredded and make a white sauce instead of red. It's delicious.

Cooks.com has some great recipes..search for Chicken cheese lasagna. Often it has spinach in it, but you could leave it out.

[WTMindy]

a little red pepper flakes and some sausage with a little kick to it adds a nice flavor.

[Beth in OH]

I use browned, ground Italian sausage instead of ground beef. It adds a lot of flavor.

[ClassicMom]

We flavor the ricotta with lots of herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) and mix in grated parmesan and shredded mozzarella. I like ricotta well enough, but it can be awfully bland without some doctoring.

 

This is how I make mine too! MMMmmmm.....

Maybe this is going to be Lasagna night!

:drool:

[gardening momma]

I mix ricotta, shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan & other white cheeses together (whatever I have--romano, provolone, munster, feta, swiss).

 

I chop browned ground beef finely and mix it with my sauce (spaghetti sauce, sometimes with a can of crushed tomatoes, plus italian herbs). I use a Pampered Chef food chopper to chop the cooked meat.

 

I layer the noodles, cheese mixture & sauce mixture together as much as the height of the pan allows (chopping the meat finely helps make a thinner layer). I coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of sauce before I put the first layer of noodles down.

 

The top layer of noodles is covered with sauce, then a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.

 

I know you said your family doesn't like vegetables in their lasagna, but I like to add layers of very thinly sliced mushrooms and layers of chopped spinach (from frozen--thawed and squeezed out).

[RebeccaC]

I've been making crock pot lasagna! It is so easy b/c you don't have to precook the noodles. You just layer everything in, turn it on, and that's it.

 

FWIW, the last one I made I used cooked ground turkey, and double mozzerella. It was awesome! I ran out of mozzella, but had a ton of cheese sticks that needed to get used up. So I opend those and stripped them up and used them.

 

HTH and GL! - Stacey in MA

 

How much water do you add if any?

[ereks mom]

:tongue_smilie:

[HomesteadMommy]

I cook ground beef with chopped onions, garlic powder, pepper and salt.

I put a good layer of our fav. tomato sauce on the bottom, noodles, sauce, meat mix, ricotta cheese, then after that I top each layer with shredded mozza cheese.

On the top layer I add a little parsley, oregano and basil.

[CactusPair]

If I ate meat, I'd definitely use small bits of Italian sausage in place of or in addition to the beef.

 

I'd also use mozzerella in thin layers, perhaps mixed with other kinds of cheeses. I think putting herbs (fresh, chopped basil) in the ricotta sounds good.

 

I'd make thin, thin layers instead of the hearty-style, pile-it-on kind.

 

I would add wine and fresh mushrooms, not canned, to the sauce.

I'm not sure if I'd use wine if I put sausage in it though. Maybe one or the other.

 

If I had the extra money, I'd make the sauce homemade with organic ingredients. I'd buy the meat and cheese at a fancy store instead of the Spartan down the street, maybe organic, too.

 

I'd serve it on a pretty plate with a crisp green salad on the side and steamed green beans. Icy iced tea or something special to drink in a pretty glass.

 

A checkered table cloth would be the final touch.

 

Can I come over and be the wine steward?:001_smile:

 

Have fun!

[Amy in NH]

Yup. I second Pioneer Woman's recipe.

[ticklbee]

I second all the posters who suggested sausage or ground beef. I also add a bechamel sauce which is basically just a white sauce of milk, butter, flour, dash of nutmeg, salt/pepper. There are a lot of recipes on line for it.

 

You put a layer of noodles, layer of ricotta (well seasoned), layer of Parmesan cheese, layer of meat, layer of bechamel sauce, and a layer of red sauce (homemade is best). Then another layer of noodles...

[E_Edgerton]

Lots of fresh basil mixed with the ricotta layer. A bit of sugar and pepper flake in the tomato layer. Fresh moz. slices over top until bubbly. My Meme used to say that no one would ever complain "about a little extra sugar and spice" :)