Reallyyyy simple Lasagne!

                               Hi Everyone!

So yesterday was a really long day at work. I find when I have "one of those days" I like something warm, tasty & just a little bit naughty. I am most definitely talking about comfort food! Comfort food has helped thousands of people around the world. Whether it be a break up or just a really bad day at work, comfort food does exactly what it's name describes it makes you feel better. I know when I am feeling moody in particular I either want pasta or chocolate & since it was my turn to cook last night I made Lasagne! 

Lasagne is an Italian dish made from sheets of pasta & various sauces baked in an oven. Traditionally lasagne sheets were prepared in Southern Italy with semolina & with water & in the Northern regions where semolina was not available, with flour and eggs. Since I worked 9 hours yesterday I could not be bothered to make lasagne sheets too much blooming work! I made a very simple lasagne and added my own spin to it. Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients

 500 g of beef mince

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

125g of button mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp of fresh basil, chopped fine

1 tsp of  fresh oregano, chopped fine

850g of tin chopped tomatoes (I used fresh and tin)

1 tsp of sugar

3 tbsp of tomato paste

Salt to taste

Packet of lasagna sheets (you might not use them all, don't stress)

Cheese Sauce

Butter

3 tbsp of plain flour

2 cups of milk

125g of grated cheese

Pinch of nutmeg

 

Bolognese Sauce (Above)

 In a sauce pan,  fry the chopped onion and the garlic in oil until the onion is brown or for 5 minutes.

Add beef mince, mushroom and herbs.

When the meat is browned, add your tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and salt and leave to simmer for 25-30 mins. 

Cheese Sauce (Above)

Melt some butter in a pan & stir in flour, milk, grated cheese and a pinch of nut meg.

Stir the mixture on a lowish heat constantly, I used a whisk as I find it is easier. DO NOT let the cheese sauce come to the boil. You may find that it is a little thin at first but don't worry it will reduce and become thick.

For the next step you will need a baking dish like this one below.

Got it? Good! :)

Pour half the meat sauce into a baking dish, then add alternate layers of dry pasta, meat sauce & cheese sauce, finishing with cheese sauce.

Sprinkle with grated parmesan & bake it in the oven for 35 mins at 200 degrees celsius .

^ Should look like this before you bake it. Mines a little messy.

END RESULT

And there you have it. Super easy lasagna! Enough to feed 4-6 people. I also made a garden salad to go with it. Sure is a crowd pleaser & there is heaps so you might even get left overs. Yummmm!

Also remember if a woman offers to bake for you, it means your special!

Hi There!

Hi I'm Macey & I have an addiction. I love food. I love all kinds of food, from hearty stews to the fancy creme brulee. For some people cooking is a chore, but for me it is the best form of stress relief. If you have a bad day at the office, thats okay! Don't beat yourself up! Beat some eggs instead! You must agree, the best solution to a bad day is a cup of tea, a biscuit and a good book. Why not a homemade anzac?

Julie: You know what I love about cooking?

Eric: What's that?

Julie: I love that after a day when nothing is sure, and when I say "nothing",

I mean nothing, you can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks

to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. It's such a comfort.

(Julie&Julia 2009)

 My best memories of growing up have always included food. Both of my grandmothers loved to bake, I suppose thats why I love baking as well. There is nothing like the smell of a loaf of bread rising or a cookie in the oven. I live in Perth WA & our whole city is based around food, as there isn't really all that much do else socially.

The idea for this blog stemmed from 3 places.

1.) Julie&Julia
2.) http://skampskitchen.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/hello-and-welcome.html 
3.) Saving money by making food at home & not spending money eating out.

You can make pretty much make almost anything a chef can if you put your mind and heart into it. Not only will you save money but you will feel like you have accomplished something for the day, even if it's just a new dish. Life gets so busy sometimes and we don't stop to breathe, let alone cook. I will be making all sorts of food, from easy to hard, from healthy to cake (yes I am aware that there is healthy cakes).

I hope you enjoy my blog, hit me with any suggestions you might have I am always looking for helpful criticism, as I am no master chef.