Cozy Second Sunday featuring Home-Style Baked Lasagna

Second Sunday is our monthly chance to entice our kids back home for a delicious meal. I learned this tactic from the amazing women in my family. I try to rotate everyone’s favorite recipes—this month’s feature is for my husband, Curtis. He absolutely loves lasagna (and the leftovers).

Our meals are ready to go at 1:00 p.m.—just in case someone wants to attend church beforehand.

Menu

Homestyle-Baked Lasagna

Roasted Multi-Colored Carrots

Italian Salad

Breadsticks

“The Cake”

---

Cook schedule:

Day before: Make your dessert. This menu included a feature from Southern Living Magazine called “The Cake”. The recipe was from Chef Demetrius Brown of Bread and Butterfly in Atlanta. His grandmother served it at all special occasions, and it is featured on the restaurant’s menu.

Day of gathering:

9:00 a.m.          

Make your sauce for the lasagna. The recipe says to simmer for 30 minutes, but the longer you cook it the better.

9:30 a.m.

Make a big Italian salad featuring chopped Romaine, English Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, orange pepper, celery, black olives, red onion, and banana pepper rings. Make your own dressing or use the Olive Garden brand. Wait until closer to serving time to coat in dressing and add Feta cheese.

10:00 a.m.

Prepare Roasted Multi-Colored Carrot recipe. Leave in bowl until it’s time to bake.

10:30 a.m.

Finish the Lasagna recipe by making the cheese mixture and assembling layers.

11:00 a.m.

Set your table and serving dishes out.

11:30 a.m.

Bake Lasagna—giving some rest time before serving.

12:15 p.m.

Carrots in the oven.

12:30 p.m.

Toss salad with dressing and Feta cheese.

12:45 p.m.

Bake bread sticks.

1:00 p.m.

Enjoy!

---

Home-Style Baked Lasagna

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sauce mixture

1 lbs of ground beef

1 lbs of Italian Sausage

¾ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

28 oz Rao’s Marinara Sauce

1 cup Centro Passata (Sieved Italian Tomatoes)

Cheese Mixture

1 16 oz Cottage Cheese

1 8oz Ricotta Cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 eggs (slightly beaten)

2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1 box oven ready Barrilla Lasagna Sheets

Directions

1. Cook ground beef/Italian sausage until meat is brown. Drain.

2. Add onions and garlic in sauce pan. Stir in marinara, passata, and spices. Reduce heat a simmer 30 minutes or more.

3. Mix all cheese ingredients.

4. Assemble lasagna by starting with enough sauce to layer a deep dish 13 x 9 casserole dish. Add one layer of noodle sheets. Top with 1/3 of cheese mixture. Repeat layers until ingredients are all used. If using the deep-dish casserole, you should have 3 layers.

5. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 50 minutes. Uncover and top with additional parmesan cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and allow to rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Roasted Multi-Color Carrots

Roasted Multi-Color Carrots

Preheat oven to 425°F

3 TBS olive oil

3 TBS pure maple syrup

2 TBS Dijon mustard

2 TBS orange juice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 lbs. pack of multicolor carrots

Directions

1. Wisk together first 6 ingredients and reserve 2 TBS.

2. Toss carrots with mixture and spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake for 25 minutes at 425°F, turning carrots ½ through baking time.

4. Transfer carrots to a platter and top with remaining mixture.

Serves 6.

"The Cake"

Chef Demetrius Brown, Bread and Butterfly

Perfect ending to a great meal.