Better Recipes “Cook Of The Week” Molly Werner-Garza
No Comments | Written on August 10, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni
This week we celebrate Molly Werner-Garza as the Better Recipes “Cook of the Week!” Molly is one of our fantastic fans on the Better Recipes Facebook page and we can always count on her to participate in discussions, voice her opinions and share recipes. Let’s learn more about Molly!
She loves to pour through a cookbook like it is a good thriller and has a passion for antiques with vintage costume jewelry being her favorite. Molly has two children, Langdon who is 36 and does competition BBQ Cook-Off’s, and Katy who is 23 and currently on her second tour of Iraq. While her daughter is serving our country, she takes care of her 29 month old son. Molly says, “While I enjoy cooking, with a toddler to chase after, do a lot more crock pot cooking now and things that I can get on the table, quickly, and frugally!”
“I grew up in a large family where we all loved to cook. I have always liked to take recipes to a new level and turn mundane in to something different. This Lasagna is an old family favorite. My former mother-in-law is Italian and shared this recipe with me early in my marriage to her son. It is one that I have repeated many times of the years and has become my signature dish and fix it when we have family get-togethers.”
Molly was nice enough to share her famous Lasagna recipe with us. Check that out – it looks like a party in a pan!
Who should be our next “Cook of the Week?” Become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or leave a comment here with ideas and nominations!
MOLLY’S HOMEMADE LASAGNA
Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
1 clove of fresh garlic, crushed (I buy the stuff in a jar that is already chopped)
2 Tablespoons of chopped parsley
1/2 pound of fresh ground sausage
1 1/2 pound of fresh ground chuck
1 29oz can of Contadina Tomato Puree
1 28oz can of Contadina Crushed Tomatoes
2 6oz cans of Contadina Tomato Paste (not Italian blend)
2 Tablespoons sugar (I used 2 teaspoons of Splenda)
1/2 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
any other Italian Seasoning spices of preference
Assembly
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lasagna noodles (get the best, not cheap nor generic)
1 pound of Ricotta cheese (I now use low fat)
1 pound mozzarella, cheese, grated (fresh is always better)
3 ounces of fresh Parmesan cheese
Make Tomato Sauce: In hot oil in heavy Dutch Oven, saute onion, garlic and parsley until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
Add meats; saute until well browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and remaining spices.
Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, 3-4 hours. At this point, I put everything in to a 6 qt. crock pot and let it cook away all day.
In a large kettle, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, adding salt and a little olive oil. Add lasagna noodles, 2 to 3 pieces at a time. Return to boiling; boil, uncovered and stirring occasionally but not breaking up noodles, 15 minutes. Drain; rinse under hot water.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease a lasagna pan or two small pans. Spoon a little tomato sauce into prepared dish(es). Layer noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce and Parmesan. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with sauce and Parmesean.
Baked covered, 45 to 50 minutes or until cheese is melted and top is browned. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting, to make serving easier. Serves 9.
Categories:
Better Recipes, Celebrations and Parties, Dinner Tonight | Tags: Beef Recipes, Italian Dinner Recipes, Italian Recipes
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