Good stuff! Love the tuna steaks and chicken with avocado and potato salad.
Tonight was leftovers. My brother cooked these up last night, so I apologize for not having the usual prep pics. I think we've done lasagna before, and maybe even the sausage with peppers & onions, but, c'est la vie.
Lasagna
Simple with tomato meat sauce and spinach
Tomato-Meat Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
6 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 pound meatloaf mix (1/3 pound each ground beef chuck, ground veal, and ground pork) or ground beef/chuck if you can't find or don't want the meatloaf mix
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained
Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Pasta Layers:
15 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim), 1 3/4 cups)
2 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 large egg , lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8- or 9-ounce package
16 ounces whole milk mozzarella , shredded (4 cups)
20 ounces curly spinach (2 bags), stemmed and rinsed
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and only fat remains, about 4 minutes. Add pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat before assembling lasagna.)
Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.
Assemble first meat sauce, then noodles, spinach and ricotta, evenly spread one cup of mozzarella cheese, and finally 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce evenly on top of the mozzerella. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 3 remaining noodles on top of sauce, spread remaining sauce over noodles, sprinkle with remaining cup mozzarella, then with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Lightly spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 15 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Let the lasagna cool for about 10 min before you serve it.
Sausage with peppers and onions
3 lbs. sweet or hot Italian sausage
In large skillet place sausage and enough water to cover it. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover and simmer 10 minutes. Drain and cut sausage in to 3 to 4 pieces. Grill 6 inches from heat source 10 to 13 minutes, turning occasionally until no pink color remains. Place on large platter with pepper and onion saute.
For the pepper and onion saute:
2 tbsp. oil
3 lb. onions, cut into fourths
3 lb. bell peppers, red, green or yellow
In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender. Arrange with sausage on platter.
