Lasagna

Posted on April 16, 2009 by sorellaaglio

I called my mom the other day, to ask her how to make a lasagna for Easter, and she said, “Oh, Jennie, you know I don’t work from recipes!”

So I had to make up my own.

Cheese mixture

2 big containers of ricotta (they come in things that look like those large containers of yogurt you always think is a good idea to buy until you’re scrapping the bottom and have yogurt all over your hands)
1/2 block mozzarella cheese (like a 3 x 3 inch block, if you will)
2 eggs (I used large ones)
Handful of parm cheese

Plus:

1 box lasagna box

Sauce

4 containers of Roma tomatoes from Trader Joe’s (like 4 tomatoes each, so think 12 ish Roma tomatoes)
3-4 cloves garlic
A handful of dried (or fresh) basil (ripped up or crushed up between your palms, to re-release the flavor.)
4 cans tomato paste (the wee sized ones, I think 12 ounces? Smaller than a can of soup.)

1. Make sauce. (Put garlic with some olive oil in a pot, saute, add blended tomatoes, blend 4 cans tomato paste with 4 cans water in a bowl, add to pot, add basil.)

2. Put the cheeses and the eggs together. Save a little parm for the top of the lasagna.

3. Make the sheets. Heat oven to 350.

4. Layer: sheets, cheese, sauce. Until it’s at the top of the pan.

5. Cook for 45 minutes, ish.

6. Let set for at least 30 minutes.

7. Eat.

Snickerdoodles with Reese's Pieces

Posted on April 16, 2009 by sorellaaglio

A few days ago, I asked my friend El about cookies. Via email. The following is our email convo:

“If you were to eat a cookie, which flavor would you like it to be?”

“Matzah flavored,” he replied, since it is Passover.

“What if it WASN’T Passover? Then what kind of cookie?” I asked.

“That’s tough. I like all cookies! probably snickerdoodle with Reese’s pieces,” he replied.

So I made him some Reese’s pieces Snickerdoodles. On account of it being his birthday week, and all.

I used a recipe from FoodNetwork, since I have never made snickerdoodles before, except ONCE in the 7th grade in my first week of Home Ec when I had first moved to MI. It was a traumatic experience, as I had only ever made chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, and had never heard of snickerdoodles. What land has my parents brought me to, one where cows and tractors and snickerdoodles are plentiful?? I asked myself this question daily for a few weeks, and since my Home Ec teacher was dramatic and told me I shouldn’t chew gum and had a problem with me from Day 1 (I’m pretty sure my mom got a call or two), I vowed I would hate snickerdoodles forever. Of course, I haven’t eaten any since then, nearly 10 years ago, and had nearly forgotten my hatred until El asked me to make them. Alas, I still don’t really like them. But hopefully he will.

Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening ( I used regular Crisco )
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ( I used wheat flour. Shh!! Don’t tell El. )
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ( I probably used more. )

I did not use the “chocolate sticks” mentioned on the recipe page, instead I put Reese’s pieces into the dough (after making some for Jen, on account of her peanut allergy.) They were good plain OR with Reese’s. If, you know, you’re into snickerdoodles.

IN OTHER NEWS…

The only person who reads my blog that may know this is M. OK and maybe a bunch of you, but I had no idea!!

cinnamon-tree

DID YOU KNOW THAT CINNAMON IS TREE BARK? I would like to move to the land of Cinnamon-barked trees. It’s almost as good as Candy Land. Only the place in which Cinnamon-barked trees grow is in Sri Lanka.

Apparently we need “tropical sunshine and abundant rain” and I don’t know if I can recreate it. I might try to, in the bathtub, if Jeff says it’s OK. More to come.