This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Barilla, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #JoytotheTable http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.
I like having people over. Believe me, I do. But I like being prepared. The house needs to be relatively clean, although that doesn't always happen with Hugo, but I do what I can. I need to prepare a meal and have the table set. I need to look presentable-ish. But sometimes, you're caught off guard.
Monday, around 8:45pm, Michael informed me that we were having guests over on Tuesday. Mind you, the power had been off at our house for four days. And not only that, it was his work friends. If it had been my best friends, no big deal, we can eat hot dogs for all I care. But when it's people I don't know that well, I like to pretend like I'm the hostess with the mostess.
Thankfully I had a plan. I was going to make something delicious, but that was also easy and wouldn't cause me to make a mess.
So I went the easy, but yummy route and picked up a box of Barilla Lasagna Noodles and Barilla Sauce from Tom Thumb and whipped up a my classic lasagna recipe!
Here is the recipe:
What you'll need:
1 Box Barilla® Lasagna
2 eggs
1 Medium onion diced
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 pound ground beef
2 jars Barilla® Marinara sauce (I used the meat flavored)
1 15 oz container fresh ricotta
4 cup diced mozzarella cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan Cheese (reserve 1 tablespoon for top)
To Taste Salt and black pepper
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| Assembling the feast. |
What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F
2. Cook pasta according to package directions
3. In a large skillet saute onions in oil until translucent, about five minutes, then add ground beef, salt,
pepper, garlic salt and brown well until cooked through
4. In bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese and TWO cups of the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan
5. Add 2 jars Marinara sauce to the sausage mixture, bring to a boil
6. Spray a 13 X 9 baking dish with cooking spray
7. Pour 1 cup Marinara sauce on the bottom
8. Layer 3 sheets of lasagna noodles, top with 1 cup of sausage mixture, 1/4 of the cheese mixture
9. Repeat for 3 more layers
10. On the top layer pour the remaining Marinara sauce and cover with foil
11. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes
12. Top Lasagna with mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese
13. Re-cover with foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes
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| Yum, I'm hungry. |
While that was baking I was able to set the table and pop some sugar snap peas in the microwave as a side. I even cleaned up- just a little and was ready for our guests to arrive.
I may not like being caught off guard, but I can always figure out a way to make something happen. Everyone was full and happy, and we even got to watch the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show after eating carbs.
You can check out Barilla on Facebook, and while you're at it, get $1 off the purchase of one box of Barilla® Lasagne and one Barilla® Sauce.
