Linda's Lasagna

Here's a recipe I've been promising forever! Sorry it's taken me SO long to get it on here. The recipe makes a lot. You can cut it in half, but I love having it in the freezer.
I do not pre-cook my noodles. If you cover them well with sauce, and let the dish sit for a while before cooking, they cook up nice and tender in the dish.

If the lasagna is cold, the cooking time will need to increase. If you are cooking both at once - or four at once like I used to do regularly in Richmond, then you have to increase the cooking time and move them around in the oven to assure even cooking. I usually cook them covered until they are well heated through. After I uncover them, they are done when they are bubbling on the sides and the cheese on top turns a golden brown.

Happy cooking. =)

Linda's lasagna
yield: 2 9x13 pans 
 
3 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 clove crushed garlic, opt.
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
3 cans tomatoes (420 grams each) - "small" or regular size can - not the large can (in US - 14.5 oz)
1 ½ cans tomato paste (340 grams each - I prefer Kenylon) (in the US, I use 3 small cans of Contadina tomato paste - 6 oz.) 

About a cup of water - I usually rinse out the cans and it ends up to be about a cup. 

6 cups cottage cheese (see directions elsewhere in the blog for making your own. Be warned, East African cottage cheese that is available in the store can be very sour, so I always make my own)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 pounds mozzarella (pazella) cheese

lasagna noodles (if they are available, I've been buying the "no cook" noodles)

1. Cook ground beef and onion, adding garlic when almost done. Drain meat to remove grease. Then add tomatoes, chopped, tom. paste, water and spices. Cook for one hour at least.
2. In a separate bowl mix cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, pepper, and parm. cheese.
3. layer noodles, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and mozz. cheese. Repeat twice. (so you end up with three layers). Add sprinkling of parm. cheese on top.
4. bake at 350. For first 30 min. cover with foil. Then remove the foil and cook until bubbling and slightly brown.

Assembling each lasagna -
Spray bottom of pan.
Put small amount of sauce on bottom of pan to keep noodles from sticking to pan
cover bottom of pan with noodles.  usually 3 1/2 noodles depending on the size of noodles
1 1/2 rounded cups of sauce for first two layers and then put what's left for the third layer.
1 cup cottage cheese mixture per layer
1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese per layer

Try to spread ingredients evenly across the pan.

Chicken Stir Fry

This is a simple stir fry. You can substitute other meats, other nuts, other vegetables. This is the combination I use most often. I did not put an amount for the vegetables. Basically I fill or mostly fill soup bowls with each of the vegetables cutting them into bite size pieces. If I'm having more people over, I just add more ingredients. It's harder to cook in large amounts though.

¼ cup Soy sauce
⅔ cup water
½ teaspoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons corn starch
----------------------
onion
carrots
broccoli
snow peas
raw cashews (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup)

1. mix first five ingredients and set aside.
2. toast cashews in hot stir fry pan (careful - they burn easily). then set aside.
3. put small amount of oil in pan and heat. Add carrots and cook for two minutes. Then add onion to the carrots and cook them for three minutes. Add broccoli to the carrots and onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add snow peas to the other vegetables and cook for 2 min. Empty into bowl and set aside. (cooking times are approx. It depends on how hot the pan is, how many vegetables you're cooking, etc. You'll have to just try it a few times to get used to how long to cook them. You're looking for bright colors with some crisp left. You don't want raw vegetables, but you also don't want soggy overcooked ones).
4. If using fresh chicken breast (cut into small pieces) stir fry until done (pink is gone inside the pieces). OR use chicken from Chicken teriyaki (see elsewhere in the blog for recipe) that you've cut into bite size pieces. Put in pan and heat. Then add liquid (Soy sauce mix) and cook briefly until starts to thicken. Add back in vegetables and stir. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Add cashews, stir, and serve.
For many years I have served this over brown rice, but these days I usually serve it with quinoa.

Chicken Teriyaki

Here's a recipe I've used for years. It is a great main dish to serve with vegetables, etc. Then, freeze what's left (I usually double or triple the recipe) and use it as the meat in the Chicken Stir fry.

Chicken Teriyaki
4 chicken breast
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1. Combine oil, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger and add to chicken. Marinate for 4 hours in fridge.
2. Line pan with foil. Put chicken on it. Baste. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.