All wrapped up and ready to eat—Individual Lasagna Packages

     

Inspired by a luncheon dish that Giada prepared on Food Network (Mini Lasagnas with Sweet Corn), I created my own version using a meat filling that is reminiscent of one of my Aunt Waunita’s go-to dishes for entertaining—Meat Delight (I will get around to posting that in the future.)

     Not only were these mini lasagnas tasty, they were perfect for two (supper tonight and lunch tomorrow). And,  it didnt’t take long before they are all wrapped up and ready to eat!

Individual Lasagna Packages    4 servings

8 lasagna noodles

1 lb. lean ground beef (80/20 blend)

1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped

1 to 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4  ounces cream cheese (reduce fat works)

½ to ¾ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Olive oil for drizzling and for oiling custard cups

1.  Prepare the lasagna: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender and very pliable. Drain and set aside.

2.  Prepare the filling:

a.  Add ground beef to a hot skillet (medium high temperature), stirring to break up large chunks.

b.  Add onions and continue to cook until the meat is lightly browned and the onions are tender.

c.  Add tomatoes and seasoning and continue to cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has been absorbed.

d.  Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese. Stir occasionally and allow to melt and blend with other ingredients. Cool slightly.

3.     Assembling lasagna packages:

a.  Drizzle a little olive oil in 4 custard cups and brush to cover interior.

b.  Using 2 cooked lasagna noodles in a criss-cross shape, line each custard cup, pushing the noodles gently into the bottom of the ramekins, allowing any excess pasta to overhang on the sides.

c.  Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling into the bottom of each noddle-lined custard cup and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese.

d.  Fold 2 overhanging pieces of pasta over the filling, (trim the ends of the pasta with scissors, if necessary).

e.  Add another ¼ cup of filling to each ramekin and top with another tablespoon or Cheddar cheese.

f.   Fold over the 2 remaining overhanging pieces of pasta (trim excess pasta with scissors, if necessary).

g.  Spoon any remaining filling on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the tops with additional Cheddar cheese.

4.  Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet, drizzle each with olive oil. Cover with foil (to prevent the noodles from drying out).

5.  Bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until tops are lightly browned and the filling is bubbling,.

6.  Cool for about 5 minutes.

7.  Use the tines of a fork to ease lasagnas out of custard cups and onto a plate to serve.

We served ti with  Brussels Sprout-leaf Salad .

Recipe without photos . . .

Individual Lasagna Packages    4 servings

8 lasagna noodles

1 lb. lean ground beef (80/20 blend)

1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped

1 to 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4  ounces cream cheese (reduce fat works)

½ to ¾ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Olive oil for drizzling and for oiling custard cups

1.  Prepare the lasagna: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender and very pliable. Drain and set aside.

2.  Prepare the filling:

a.  Add ground beef to a hot skillet (medium high temperature), stirring to break up large chunks.

b.  Add onions and continue to cook until the meat is lightly browned and the onions are tender.

c.  Add tomatoes and seasoning and continue to cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has been absorbed.

d.  Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese. Stir occasionally and allow to melt and blend with other ingredients. Cool slightly.

3.  Assembling lasagna packages:

a.  Drizzle a little olive oil in 4 custard cups and brush to cover interior.

b.  Using 2 cooked lasagna noodles in a criss-cross shape, line each custard cup, pushing the noodles gently into the bottom of the ramekins, allowing any excess pasta to overhang on the sides.

c.  Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling into the bottom of each noddle-lined custard cup and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese.

d.  Fold 2 overhanging pieces of pasta over the filling, (trim the ends of the pasta with scissors, if necessary).

e.  Add another ¼ cup of filling to each ramekin and top with another tablespoon or Cheddar cheese.

f.   Fold over the 2 remaining overhanging pieces of pasta (trim excess pasta with scissors, if necessary).

g.  Spoon any remaining filling on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the tops with additional Cheddar cheese and drizzle with olive oil.

4.  Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet, drizzle each with olive oil. Cover with foil (to prevent the noodles from drying out)

5.  Bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until tops are lightly browned and the filling is bubbling.

6.  Cool for about 5 minutes.

7.  Use the tines of a fork to ease lasagnas out of custard cups and onto a plate to serve.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

     Linda Bankes shared this recipe idea with me after her daughter, Teddy, used it for a 4-H demonstration  (Teddy has teenagers so that’s been so time ago.) I loved the concept and we’ve used it for kids cooking classes. Actually, I think I prefer roll-ups to the traditional lasagna and there are so many variations. I’m thinking that spinach would be a nice addition to the cream cheese with a creamy béchamel sauce ladled over the spinach lasagna rolls.

Lasagna Roll-Ups       16 Roll-Ups

16 lasagna noodles (16 oz. box)

Meat Sauces: (Use ground pork or even ground turkey in place of ground beef.)

            Hamburger

            1 lb. lean ground beef (80 to 85% lean)

            1/2 teaspoon onion salt and garlic salt

            1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

            1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

            Pizza-Burger

            1 lb. lean ground beef (80 to 85% lean)

            1/2 teaspoon onion salt and garlic salt

            1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

            1 (8 oz.) can pizza sauce (or simply add about a

                 tablespoon of Italian seasoning to a can of tomato

                 sauce)

            Taco-Burger

            1 lb. lean ground beef (80 to 85% lean)

            1/2 teaspoon onion salt & garlic salt

            1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

            1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

            1/2 of a 1.25 oz. package dried taco sauce mix or\
            make your own Taco Seasoning Mix 

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

           

1.     In a large pot, heat water to boiling (medium-high to high heat) and add lasagna noodles. When water returns to boiling, cook noodles 10 to 15 minutes or until tender but still slightly firm — al dente*. To prevent sticking, add the pasta slowly and stir occasionally during the cooking period.

2.     Drain noodles and cool in single layer on wax paper or foil to keep from sticking together.

3.     Cook ground beef in skillet on medium to medium-high heat; drain well. 

4.     Add seasonings of choice and stir; turn to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes

5.     Preheat oven to 350°.

6.     Lightly coat an 8” x 12” x 1 1/2” baking pan or dish with cooking spray.            

7.     Using a metal spatula or kitchen knife, spread a lasagna noodles with softened cream cheese and sprinkle with cheeses. 

8.     Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared pan. 

9.     Top with meat sauce.  The casserole can be refrigerated at this point and baked later — allow chilled casserole to sit at room temperature about 30 minutes before baking.

10.  Cover with foil and bake in 350° preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

* Pasta is best cooked al dente (ahl DEHN-tay), which means it is firm to the bite! Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the pasta. Since the pasta in this dish will be baked, it can be cooked for a shorter time.

About Pasta

Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes (some say 300 or more!) but all are variations of 3 basic dry pasta products:  macaroni, spaghetti & egg noodles.

Pasta, meaning paste, is made mainly from water and ground grain.  Most commercial pasta is made from durum wheat (a hard wheat which helps pasta keep it’s shape when cooking) and is enriched with B-vitamins and iron.

Pasta is most often associated with the Italians but various types are found throughout the world. Won-tons, for example, are an Oriental pasta. 

Thomas Jefferson introduced pasta to America during his term as President of the United States.