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.

So I made some chili last night.

I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t really like chili. But I thought, “Let’s try a new recipe.” So I did.

This was the recipe:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 poblano or bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear, or frozen and thawed)
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
• 2 scallions, sliced

This is what I ended up using:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 skinny carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 poblano or bell pepper, chopped
• 1.35 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 5 tablespoons leftover sauce from the other night
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (TOO MUCH TOO MUCH TOO MUCH!)
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear, or frozen and thawed) 1/2 bag frozen corn
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
• 2 scallions, sliced

I tried to eyeball the veg, and see what I needed. Carrots are yum in chili (but not in salad, grated. I hate stringy carrots, they are sneaky) and the pepper was good. The onion was delicious, and sauce works great as a replacement for paste.

All I can tell you is even though I kind of doubled some things and didn’t double others, one thing is for sure: I used too much chili powder. I thought since I was doubling the meat, some of the veg, and adding a little extra water, it would not be as spicy.

Man, I was wrong. Jeff ate a bowl, but told me he might not be able to do it again. Which means I am stuck with a pot of chili I’m not in love with in the first place + it is too spicy.

I must say, though, it is pretty tasty as far as chili goes. Maybe I do like chili, after all. I just have to have a bottle of water next to me… (picture to come.)