Best Cindis Awesome Crespelle Lasagna Recipes

CINDI'S AWESOME CRESPELLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make Crespelle Batter:.
• Start with the crespelle batter by mixing together flour and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk four eggs plus milk.
• Whisk the eggs into the flour mixture, and beat until you smooth and bubbly.
• Melt butter in microwave.
• Whisk butter into the batter.
• Chill in the fridge for one hour while you make the sauce.
• Make Your Sauce:.
• In a very large sauce pot, saute the onions, garlic, and peppers in the 2 tbs of olive oil.
• As they start cooking, add sugar and balsamic. (Red wine can be used if you prefer, but you may need to decrease the sugar a bit unless you like really sweet sauce.).
• Once the liquid evaporates and the veggies are softened, add the meats, and cook until browned. Be careful not to overcook, or they will be dry in your sauce!
• Add your cans of sauce, crushed tomatoes, and paste.
• Add your parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
• Simmer for at least one hour, stirring occasionally. Keep a very close eye out that the bottom doesn't start burning, as the sweeter the sauce, the easier it burns! Don't be afraid to taste as it simmers, and add more sugar, salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper if necessary. Remember to add only a little at a time, and then allow time for the flavors to grow before tasting and adding more!
• NOTE: This is enough sauce for TWO lasagna's, so reserve half and refrigerate or freeze when done.
• Cook Crespelles:.
• While the sauce simmers, finish making your crespelles.
• Heat a 10 inch non-stick skillet on medium high heat.
• Put a small amount of oil in the bottom of the pan and rub it inches.
• Add 1/4 cup of batter and swirl around the bottom of the pan so it covers making a 10 inch pancake.
• Loosen sides with spatula.
• When the top appears bubbled and dry, go ahead and flip. Crespelle should be very lightly browned on bottom.
• Give another minute or two on this side until brown spots appear on bottom.
• Stack in a plate separated by paper towels so they don't stick.
• I generally add a dab more oil between every two or three crespelle's.
• Should make about 12 crespelle's, with maybe one or two left over for the kids to snack on. (They LOVE these things plain!).
• Preheat your oven to 375.
• Make your filling:.
• Beat two eggs into the ricotta.
• Add 1/2 cup of parmesan and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. (Note, if you use lasagna noodles in place of the crespelle, use a bit more cheese for 'body'.).
• To make the lasagna:.
• Spray the bottom of a lasagna pan with Pam.
• Place two crespelle's on the bottom of the pan, and tear parts of another one to fill in the two gaps on the side if necessary.
• Add about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sauce to LIGHTLY cover the crespelle with sauce.
• Add one third of the cheese filling a teaspoon at a time, spreading over the sauce.
• Add another layer of crespelle, and repeat the sauce and cheese layers.
• Do this one more time, and then top with crespelle, a little more sauce, and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup parmesan and 1/2 cup mozarella.
• Bake at 375 for approximately 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
• Let the lasagna stand for 15-20 minutes to 'firm up'.
• Can be frozen as well.

CINDI'S SLOW-COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a 12-inch skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain off fat.
• Add the salt, the Mrs. Dash Table Blend Seasoning, black pepper, the pasta sauce, and the tomato paste to the skillet. Cook until heated through.
• In a medium-size bowl mix together, the cottage cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and the 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese. (Cheese mixture will be thick).
• Grease the inside of a 6-quart rectangular slow-cooker.
• Spoon 1/4 of the meat sauce in the bottom of the slow-cooker.
• Arrange 3 (uncooked) lasagna noodles over the meat sauce (over lapping the noodles just a bit).
• Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture, over the uncooked lasagna noodles.
• Repeat layers twice, with the meat sauce, the noodles, and the cheese mixture.
• Top with the remaining meat sauce.
• Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
• Cover, and cook on low setting (NO. 3) for 4 hours.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

CINDI'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Cook lasagna noodles (with vegetable oil), according to pkg. directions.
• 2. Brown the ground beef and onions (seasoned with the salt and pepper). Drain off any excess fat.
• 3. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato soup, sugar, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic salt, and 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, and cook until heated through.
• 4. Spray the inside of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan, with a non-stick vegetable cooking spray.
• 5. Lay 4 of the cooked lasagna noodles, inside the pan (overlapping each noodle just a bit).
• 6. Add 1/3 of the meat sauce over the noodles.
• 7. Sprinkle on 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
• 8. Cover with 9 slices of the Kraft Cheese.
• 9. Repeat layering with the noodles, meat sauce and both cheeses.
• 10. On top of the last layer, top the meat sauce with grated parmesan cheese. (You may add more grated parmesan cheese on top. Desired amount is up to you.)
• 11. Cover baking pan with Reynolds Wrap non-stick Aluminum Foil.
• 12. Bake 45 - 50 minutes, in a 350 degree oven.
• 13. Let the lasagna sit on top of stove for 10-15 minutes, before removing lid or foil, and slicing the lasagna.

BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage, beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Drain., Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally., In a small bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese and remaining parsley and salt., Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 2 cups meat sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles and a third of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and cheeses (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the beef in a large bowl and "pull" it apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and loosening the meat without compacting it.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread the beef in an even layer in the same pot and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is browned and completely cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, half the garlic, the bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it's very fragrant and brick red colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the reserved pancetta and beef, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the basil and Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the ragu should release occasional small bubbles. If the ragu reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking. Repeat if necessary. The ragu needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf, basil and Parmesan rind. Break up any remaining clumps of meat with the back of a spoon, making an even textured sauce. Season with salt and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles, stirring occasionally and separating them to prevent sticking, until softened and bendable but are still hard and chalky in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining grated garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• Lightly oil a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Spread 1 cup of the ragu evenly in the bottom of the pan. Lay a single layer of noodles over the ragu (if you're using long noodles, you will need to cut some noodles to fill the gaps). Spread 1 1/2 cups of the ragu over the noodles. Dollop 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the ragu and spread lightly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, followed by another layer of noodles. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ragu, ricotta mixture and mozzarella, creating 4 layers of pasta and ending with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. (The lasagna should come just above the top of the pan but it will sink down slightly as it cooks.) Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly oil a piece of foil and cover the pan. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake the lasagna until bubbling gently around the edges, about 1 hour.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Remove the foil and then continue to bake the lasagna until the top is browned and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving.