Lasagna

[Dirtyhip]

Would you please consider sharing how you do this popular recipe?  I have made it once o twice in my life and the last time was about 10 years ago.  Just curous how you do yours?

This dish is said to be very easy.  There are thousands of recipes out there.  I would like to do half beef and half pork sausage.  What cheese do you usually use?  I have ricotta, and some parm in the fridge.  I assume that motz is obligatory, and I can go out and buy some to complete the dish.

OK, go!

[ChrisL]

I have been hankering lasagna too!

I make mine simply using sweet Italian sausage, jarred spaghetti sauce, ricotta and lasagna noodles. I do top it with mozzarella.  I don’t like dry lasagna so tend to put a lot of sauce on it.   

One of my sisters owns a catering business and she layers spinach over the lasagna noodles.  I like it that way but WOChrisL not so much so I don’t do it. 

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

I use a Bolognese sauce. There are tons of recipes out there on the web and videos on youtubery. Onion, carrots and celery diced fine and sautéed in olive oil.  When soft, add minced garlic. Add San Marzano tomatoes, two large cans. Squeeze tomatoes with your hands to break them up. Add some water, salt and pepper. Crushed red pepper if you like. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. While that’s happening, cook 8 oz ground beef and 8 oz Italian sausage until done. Drain fat and add meat to the pot with half cup of red wine or brandy. A friend in Naples told me she likes brandy better. Simmer for two hours. If sauce is too chunky for your taste, purée. I usually make the sauce a day ahead and reheat before making lasagne 

For cheese, I mix 14 oz ricotta, with 1 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan. Fresh basil, an egg, salt and pepper. 

Assembly: sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, shredded mozzarella, repeat. Top with more shredded Parmesan. Bake 375 for 40 minutes. Enjoy 

[maddmaxx ★]

 

[Dirtyhip]

24 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

 

I loved this.  

Fennel, Hmm, interesting.  

[Wilbur ★]

 

[petitepedal ★]

My recipe is similar to those mentioned..If I don't  have ricotta cottage cheese with a little parmesan and a splash of herbs works ok..I do use spinach in mine..because mom did ... I have done it with ground beef, a beef pork mixture, and/ or Italian sausage...I boil my noodles too old school to try the dry ones 

[groupw]

@ChrisL's is pretty much how WoW does it. We love it, but don't make it often because it takes a while for the 2 of us to finish a pan. Probably won't make any until after the move. 

I want to do a seafood lasagna some time. I've seen some recipes that look great. Most have shrimp and WoW can't eat shrimp. 

[Square Wheels]

I've made OK gluten free lasagna.  I won't bother making a vegan one.  I suspect it would be gross.

[Dirtyhip]

28 minutes ago, Wilburger said:

 

She boiled her homemade noodles.  I had heard you put them in raw, if they are home made.  Interesting.  Thank you.

[Dirtyhip]

18 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

I've made OK gluten free lasagna.  I won't bother making a vegan one.  I suspect it would be gross.

It's pretty hard to mimic cheese.  I've had some cashew with that yeast stuff, and it was not terrible.  I made a pizza with vegan cheese and I didn't like the results.  Maybe I didn't use a good brand.  I have lots of vegan friends, and I cook their style when I make food for them.  Their kids gobbled it up and liked it.  Kids are very forgiving.

[groupw]

1 minute ago, Dirtyhip said:

It's pretty hard to mimic cheese.  I've had some cashew with that yeast stuff, and it was not terrible.  I made a pizza with vegan cheese and I didn't like the results.  Maybe I didn't use a good brand.  I have lots of vegan friends, and I cook their style when I make food for them.  Their kids gobbled it up and liked it.  Kids are very forgiving.

Kids don't know what they don't know..

[Dirtyhip]

25 minutes ago, groupw said:

Kids don't know what they don't know..

Right.  I think these kids were used to vegan cheese too, so that helped. 

[Wilbur ★]

My recipe includes gluten free noodles (uncooked), ricotta, cottage, romana and mozzarella.  I add wilted baby spinach to the cottage cheese layer.  I add a lot of veggies to the sauce, finely chopped zucchini, shredded carrots etc.  I also use half beef and half ground turkey. 

Lots of fresh oregano and a little butter to finish the sauce before laying.  

It is a really great dish and no rules apply.  Add what you like to it.  There are very few Italian dishes that use both onion and garlic and Lasagna is one of those.  I stick with garlic, just not too much. 

[Dirtyhip]

5 minutes ago, Wilburger said:

My recipe includes gluten free noodles (uncooked), ricotta, cottage, romana and mozzarella.  I add wilted baby spinach to the cottage cheese layer.  I add a lot of veggies to the sauce, finely chopped zucchini, shredded carrots etc.  I also use half beef and half ground turkey. 

Lots of fresh oregano and a little butter to finish the sauce before laying.  

It is a really great dish and no rules apply.  Add what you like to it.  There are very few Italian dishes that use both onion and garlic and Lasagna is one of those.  I stick with garlic, just not too much. 

I have some fresh oregano in the garden and rosemary.  Maybe a touch of rosemary?  I love eating Italian food, but I am not well versed making a lot of it myself.   I love making all kinds of fushion things and I do cook veg well, but possibly I am just a hack at all of it.  I make a mean beef stroganoff though.  When I was early 20's, it is all I really knew how to make from scratch well.  In my 50's I am getting much better with many foods.  It is fun to learn new things, even when some end in disaster.  

[Kirby]

I call the pizza place at the bottom of the hill and order it.  Usually I go pick it up although once or twice I had it delivered.  It comes with some tasty garlic bread.

[donkpow]

My family uses cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I use Stouffer's Lasagna.

Just like Mom used to make.

[Wilbur ★]

1 hour ago, Kirby said:

I call the pizza place at the bottom of the hill and order it.  Usually I go pick it up although once or twice I had it delivered.  It comes with some tasty garlic bread.

My best childhood through college friend and I used to go to a family run Italian restaurant for lasagna every Friday night after we both got off work.  It was delicious and baked in individual carbon steel dishes. 

A few years ago when I was in Vancouver for a few days we met up and were talking about that when he got the idea to go see if it was still open.  To our surprise, it was and still run by the same family.  After chatting with the waitress for a few minutes, she went upstairs and told her mom, who was the cook back in 1975.  She remembered us well and was kind enough to say we had not changed.   When they brought the lasagna out, she had baked it in the old steel pans just for us.  It was special.  A restaurant time capsule. 

Still the best lasagna I have ever had. 

[Airehead]

This is my base. I had to think about it and then write it down.  

Ingredients

1 pound sweet Italian sausage or hot if you want  

¾ or a pound lean ground beef but not 95 lean

Small minced onion 

2 minced cloves garlic 

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes — home canned or San Marzano  not American canned tomatoes

2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste — Cento if you can find it

2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce —San Marzano as above

½ cup water 

2 tablespoons or maybe less white sugar 

1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves  or a bunch of fresh 

½ teaspoon fennel seeds — leave out if you used Italian sausage

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning — dried in a jar is really best

1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste or leave out Long John

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or white

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

12 lasagna noodles - dried, fresh, homemade  I buy the fresh ones at Wegman’s

16 ounces ricotta cheese - part skim is ok

1 egg 

¾ pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel  seeds if needed, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Slow simmer  flavors need to come together.  You could add a little red wine if you want but not sweet  

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 minutes. Your package may say a different time follow the box to al dente. If you are using fresh pasta cook three minutes.

Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. Set aside away from dogs  

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  You can chop in some spinach here too if you want  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F which I think is 190 for others

To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Try not to overlap the noodles.  

Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture.

Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices.

Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil that you have brushed with olive oil. Try not to let foil touch the cheese .

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes before slicing or you will have a sloppy mess  This is when I make the garlic bread and or salad  when those are done the lasagna is read to slice  

 

 

 

[groupw]

2 hours ago, donkpow said:

My family uses cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I use Stouffer's Lasagna.

Just like Mom used to make.

Oldest daughter got invited to her friend’s for homemade lasagna. Her friend was very excited. Daughter was too until she found out it was Stauffer’s! She ate it, but invited her friend too our house the next time we made lasagna. 
Her eyes popped out of her good it was.  She said we need to give her mom the recipe. Her mom is a single mom who owned a hog farm. She didn’t have a lot of time to be in the kitchen. WoW said instead, maybe the friend should learn to make it for her mom. She tried, but she has the same culinary skills as her mom. Even so, we still developed a close bond over the years. 
 

[Airehead]

3 hours ago, Wilburger said:

My best childhood through college friend and I used to go to a family run Italian restaurant for lasagna every Friday night after we both got off work.  It was delicious and baked in individual carbon steel dishes. 

A few years ago when I was in Vancouver for a few days we met up and were talking about that when he got the idea to go see if it was still open.  To our surprise, it was and still run by the same family.  After chatting with the waitress for a few minutes, she went upstairs and told her mom, who was the cook back in 1975.  She remembered us well and was kind enough to say we had not changed.   When they brought the lasagna out, she had baked it in the old steel pans just for us.  It was special.  A restaurant time capsule. 

Still the best lasagna I have ever had. 

I love this story. 

[shootingstar]

Clearly Aire's recipe feeds 8 people generously or 10 for grazing with salad, garlic bread  and later, fruit. Red wine please!  

[Ralphie ★]

Wilburt’s recipe sounds good to me. I like spinach, mushrooms, and cottage cheese in it. Veggie lasagna is very good. 

[MickinMD ★]

22 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

Would you please consider sharing how you do this popular recipe?  I have made it once o twice in my life and the last time was about 10 years ago.  Just curous how you do yours?

This dish is said to be very easy.  There are thousands of recipes out there.  I would like to do half beef and half pork sausage.  What cheese do you usually use?  I have ricotta, and some parm in the fridge.  I assume that motz is obligatory, and I can go out and buy some to complete the dish.

OK, go!

Before I list my recipe, here is a recipe that won "Grand Prize" in a Taste of Home magazine contest, though I'd sub a 24 oz. jar of Spaghetti Sauce (Preggo or store brand Chunky Garden, etc.) and an 8 oz. jar of tomato sauce for the tomato sauce and paste in the recipe.  Also, it calls for baking for 50 minutes covered with foil and 20 minutes uncovered.  45 minutes is plenty.

My recipe, excellent and a slight modification of the one passed down through the family, calls for about a pound of meat, a pound of pasta and 32 oz sauce and can be cut in half - just make sure you use a pan that lets you stack the pasta an inch or more for smaller sizes.

You basically assemble the pasta, sauce (like a marinara-type spaghetti sauce), and various cheeses in a pan and bake it.

The pan: I prefer a 9" x 13" lasagna pan at least 2" high - a disposable aluminum one from a supermarket also works for the amounts I'm listing here.  If you are making a smaller amount, a smaller pan like a large bread pan can work.

The ingredients and directions I used for mine:

Ingredients

PASTA

I don't particularly like pre-cooked soft noodles, but only because they are relatively expensive.

16 oz uncooked lasagna noodles

or low-carb noodles like a 13.25 oz. box of Dreamfield's Lasagna (3/4 of regular pasta net carbs, tastes like regular pasta, found online at Netrition for $2.59) or a 14 oz. can of Palmini brand Hearts of Palm Lasagna ($3+ at Walmart, 60 Cal. and only 6 oz. net carbs in the whole can: 12 oz. carbs, 6 oz. fiber) which I have but haven't tried yet: recommended to me as a slightly different taste than regular pasta that sauce covers.

SAUCE (if using a homemade recipe, make sure the liquids add up to 32 oz.)

2 tbsp cooking oil

Meat: Since you want beef and sausage: 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 pound of cooked Italian Sausage (hot or sweet according to your taste) cut into bite-size pieces - more is ok - the prize winning recipe I listed uses 1 lb ground beef and 3/4 lb of bulk pork sausage with 9 noodles and 4 oz. more sauce and the - but that's really strong in meat. I use 1 lb ground beef.

1 bell pepper

1 large sweet onion

Optional: 1 6.5 oz. can mushrooms

1 tbsp garlic powder or 6 cloves garlic or minced equiv.

1 tbsp dry Italian seasoning (or 1/2 tbsp dry oregano and 1/2 tbsp dry thyme)

1 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce (any kind - I like "chunky garden" sauce from Prego, Weis store brand, etc.)

1 8 oz can tomato sauce, divided: 4 oz for sauce, 4 oz. to cover top layer of pasta

Optional: 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (or 2 tomatoes chopped into small pieces)

CHEESES

16-24 oz ricotta cheese (traditional) or cottage cheese (my preference) - some use both (8-12 oz each)

16 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

2-4 oz grated Parmesan cheese

WATER: enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan.

Instructions

1. Cook the lasagna noodles according box/can instructions.  Drain into a colander in the sink and keep a light stream of water running over them to keep them from sticking together.

2. Make the sauce:

A. cut up the bell pepper into bite-size pieces and put it in a large frying pan (I use a 12", 5 qt, saute pan with 3" high sides) with 2 tbsp cooking oil (add more if needed as you process through frying) and begin frying on medium-low heat.  Cut up the onion into 1/2" to 1" slices and add it to the pepper. If using mushrooms, chop into small pieces and add now.

B. When the onion begins to become translucent, add the meat (raw ground meat or cooked sausage cut into bite size pieces) to the onion/pepper mixture and mix well.  When the meat begins to brown, add the minced garlic or garlic powder, stir well, and let it cook 1-2 min. more.

C. Add the spaghetti sauce, 1/2 (all but 4 oz) of the tomato sauce, tomatoes, and dry Italian seasoning. stir to mix everything and heat until it begins to bubble and let it simmer on very low heat to let it marinate for 5-10 minutes.

3. Assemble the ingredients in the lasagna pan.

A. Pour a small amount of water to barely cover the bottom of the pan: this prevents the lasagna noodles from burning during baking.

B. Place a layer of lasagna noodles parallel to the pan's long side in the bottom of the pan. They do NOT need to overlap. In a standard 9" x 13" lasagna pan, you would place 3 standard-size cooked lasagna noodles alongside each other running longways, leaving enough room at one end of the pan to put another noodle running in the 9" direction, cutting a little off the end to fit.  Save the small cut-off piece. There are at least 12 noodles in a 13.25 oz. to 16 oz. box of dry lasagna noodles. You will end up with three layers of noodles, each one topped with sauce, and cheeses plus any leftover noodles on top and the remaining tomato on them to keep them from drying.  Adjust the layout to whatever size baking pan you use.

C. Count number of noodles you used for the first layer and the total number of noodles you have.  This will tell you how many layers you will complete and how much of the sauce to put on each layer.  I make 3 layers in a 9" x 13" pan and cover the last one with any remaining lasagna noodles.

D. Spoon a layer of sauce on the noodles, about 1/3 if you use the pan I described above.

E. With a teaspoon - the kind you eat with - load it with a heaping amount of the Ricotta or Cottage Cheese and place it in a lump in the middle of the pan on top of the sauce.  Do NOT spread it out evenly.  Continue with more lumps spread across the top of the noodles and sauce until you use up the fraction of moist cheese that goes with that layer.

F. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella allotted for that layer evenly across the top of the noodles and sauce.  Shake or sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly across the top of the noodles and sauce and other cheeses.  Note that the top pizzerias sprinkle Parmesan on top of mozzarella and sauce on pizzas to kick-it-up-a-notch.

G.  Place the next layer of noodles on top of the first layer. If you have an end noodle to cover the edge of the pan, place the 2nd layers end noodle at the opposite end from the 1st layers.  Repeat with the sauce and cheeses.  Repeat until you've applied the last layer of noodles, sauce and cheese.

H.  Place any remaining noodles on top and spread out the last 4 oz. of tomato sauce on top.

4. Bake the lasagna

A. Preheat the oven to 375°F ("bake" setting).  Cover the lasagna pan loosely with aluminum foil and place on a center rack in the oven.

B. If you want the top nice and soft when done, leave the aluminum foil for the entire 45 minutes of baking.  If you want it browned (I don't like it because some of the noodle edges get hard), then remove the aluminum foil after 30 minutes and let it bake for 15 minutes more.

C. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before you cut it into pieces that are most easily lifted out with an egg spatula.

5. Eat the lasagna

A. Add salt and pepper as you like and enjoy.

 

 

[MickinMD ★]

Writing down that recipe made me hungry!  I have to pick up a prescription today, so I'll swing by a nearby supermarket and pick up the lowfat 24 oz. Breakstone Cottage Cheese I like - I have the other ingredients on hand.

I also am planning to make another 6 meals worth of Chicken Soup - I freeze 2 or 3 - so maybe I'll make both and freeze some of the lasagna, too.

The online instructions for lasagna, at many sites, say it's better to freeze before cooking, but I just want to be able to nuke it, thawing and heating, when I want to eat it, so I'll let it cool then wrap one meal portions completely with plastic wrap and freeze, leaving enough extra plastic wrap to slip in a paper of "Lasagna" and the freezing date.  One site says frozen, baked lasagna is still good but suffers "at the margins." It says the browned, top crust loses its crispness and freshness.  Since I don't like a browned crust and keep the foil covering on the entire bake time, that's not a problem for me.  Most sites say something like this:

How to Freeze Cooked Lasagna

You don’t have to do anything special to freeze a cooked lasagna. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Cool completely. Don’t just stick a hot lasagna in the freezer. This will cause ice crystals to form throughout the layers, which will make the dish mushy when thawed and reheated.
2. Cover. It’s fine to leave the lasagna in the casserole dish it was baked in. However, if you’ve already eaten a considerable portion of it, it might make more sense to transfer it to another container that will take up less freezer space. Cover the whole container tightly with plastic wrap and then cover the top again with aluminum foil. This extra measure prevents freezer burn.
3. Freeze. Label with the date and freeze for two to three months.

[Zephyr]

Chef Paris Hilton did a very clear explanation on how to make Lasagna and has over 5 million views so it must be right.

 

 

[Zephyr]

I REALLY want to eat Lasagna at @Aireheads place.  

[Parr8hed]

On 11/6/2021 at 10:38 AM, Dirtyhip said:

Would you please consider sharing how you do this popular recipe?  I have made it once o twice in my life and the last time was about 10 years ago.  Just curous how you do yours?

This dish is said to be very easy.  There are thousands of recipes out there.  I would like to do half beef and half pork sausage.  What cheese do you usually use?  I have ricotta, and some parm in the fridge.  I assume that motz is obligatory, and I can go out and buy some to complete the dish.

OK, go!

I like the ricotta texture much better.  Motz is amazing on top.  The more the better.  When you think you have enough, stop and add more.  We do half beef and half Italian sausage.  

[Dirtyhip]

1 hour ago, Zephyr said:

Chef Paris Hilton did a very clear explanation on how to make Lasagna and has over 5 million views so it must be right.

 

 

Good grief.  I am triggered by her waste. and the careless way she cooks.

• Her housekeeper probably doesn't like when Paris cooks.  
• She wasted olive oil. As she mopped it up with the paper towels and tossed it out, I shuddered at that.  
• She poured the beef oil down the sink drain. 
• Bottled sauce.
• You never pour salt from the container like that for the reason that she experienced. 
• Hate the "cooking gloves."  I am grossed out on those.
• She praises pre-grated cheese.
• I want to know what she did with the ripped noodles.
• It looks too full when it went in the oven, and might seep over the sides.  Again, no respect for the housekeeper or that gorgeous oven.
• Three spatulas?  How many hands did she think she had? 
• Fancy salt after she over salted in the first place. 

  

 

 

[MoseySusan]

On 11/6/2021 at 12:36 PM, Kirby said:

I call the pizza place at the bottom of the hill and order it.  Usually I go pick it up although once or twice I had it delivered.  It comes with some tasty garlic bread.

This is me. Well, it used to be me. The last two times I heated up a frozen Stauffers. 

[Dirtyhip]

8 minutes ago, MoseySusan said:

This is me. Well, it used to be me. The last two times I heated up a frozen Stauffers. 

I have heard good things about Costco lasagna.  I have no experience.

[Zephyr]

49 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Good grief.  I am triggered by her waste. and the careless way she cooks.

• Her housekeeper probably doesn't like when Paris cooks.  
• She wasted olive oil. As she mopped it up with the paper towels and tossed it out, I shuddered at that.  
• She poured the beef oil down the sink drain. 
• Bottled sauce.
• You never pour salt from the container like that for the reason that she experienced. 
• Hate the "cooking gloves."  I am grossed out on those.
• She praises pre-grated cheese.
• I want to know what she did with the ripped noodles.
• It looks too full when it went in the oven, and might seep over the sides.  Again, no respect for the housekeeper or that gorgeous oven.
• Three spatulas?  How many hands did she think she had? 
• Fancy salt after she over salted in the first place. 

  

 

 

This video is horrible.  I have watched and rewatched and cannot tell if she is a complete moron or a comedic genius and this was supposed to be this bad for the laughs

[Dirtyhip]

2 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

This video is horrible.  I have watched and rewatched and cannot tell if she is a complete moron or a comedic genius and this was supposed to be this bad for the laughs

She is definitely sliving.  She is known for trying to be funny and silly.  I am not sure if this vid was serious or not.  The dog with the cape makes me think it was supposed to be a bit funny.  Not sure.  

My opinion on cooking:  It feels good to me to be methodical and relaxed when I cook.  When I am careless like she acted, the food is not as good.  When I am stressed it is not as good.  I pay attention.  I don't really work super fast like a chef.  I tend to do things a bit slowly.   The act of chopping, measuring, mixing, and all that feels relaxing to me and I enjoy that part so much.  

I plan to try and make the pasta.  Bob's Red Mill has semolina and a recipe that works.  I have used it in the past for ravioli.   

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

2 hours ago, Zephyr said:

Chef Paris Hilton did a very clear explanation on how to make Lasagna and has over 5 million views so it must be right.

 

 

I was horrified with the brief section that I watched. She is all kinds of nasty. Fingerless gloves? Wash your hands? I turned it off when she said, “I’m allergic to bullshit.”

[12string]

we have found that when making spinach lasagna, substitute beet greens for spinach.  Much better flavor!

And if you have any of that dry grated cheese in a plastic jar, just light it on fire.  It will probably burn, it's mostly sawdust.

[Dirtyhip]

29 minutes ago, Old No. 7 said:

I was horrified with the brief section that I watched. She is all kinds of nasty. Fingerless gloves? Wash your hands? I turned it off when she said, “I’m allergic to bullshit.”

There was some pure gold in there.  

[MickinMD ★]

Clearly, Paris has NO CLUE about how to cook!

Her monotone comes across like, "Oh God! I can't wait until this is over."

[Randomguy]

On 11/6/2021 at 11:53 AM, Dirtyhip said:

It's pretty hard to mimic cheese. 

When I make a vegan dish, it will only be a dish with no cheese for the same reasons.  I have tried a couple of times with bad results, so I have to leave that for the experts who know how to work with it.

I strongly suspect less is more with vegan cheese substitutes.

[Airehead]

8 hours ago, Zephyr said:

I REALLY want to eat Lasagna at @Aireheads place.  

You are welcome any time. I usually make three or 4 nine by nine pans at a time. Cook one and put the others in the freezer uncooked. If there is a piece or two left of the cooked, I freeze that cooked for microwaving for a fast meal. If I am cooking a real dinner, I thaw the day before and bake the uncooked one. 

8 hours ago, MickinMD said:

Writing down that recipe made me hungry!  I have to pick up a prescription today, so I'll swing by a nearby supermarket and pick up the lowfat 24 oz. Breakstone Cottage Cheese I like - I have the other ingredients on hand.

I also am planning to make another 6 meals worth of Chicken Soup - I freeze 2 or 3 - so maybe I'll make both and freeze some of the lasagna, too.

The online instructions for lasagna, at many sites, say it's better to freeze before cooking, but I just want to be able to nuke it, thawing and heating, when I want to eat it, so I'll let it cool then wrap one meal portions completely with plastic wrap and freeze, leaving enough extra plastic wrap to slip in a paper of "Lasagna" and the freezing date.  One site says frozen, baked lasagna is still good but suffers "at the margins." It says the browned, top crust loses its crispness and freshness.  Since I don't like a browned crust and keep the foil covering on the entire bake time, that's not a problem for me.  Most sites say something like this:

How to Freeze Cooked Lasagna

You don’t have to do anything special to freeze a cooked lasagna. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Cool completely. Don’t just stick a hot lasagna in the freezer. This will cause ice crystals to form throughout the layers, which will make the dish mushy when thawed and reheated.
2. Cover. It’s fine to leave the lasagna in the casserole dish it was baked in. However, if you’ve already eaten a considerable portion of it, it might make more sense to transfer it to another container that will take up less freezer space. Cover the whole container tightly with plastic wrap and then cover the top again with aluminum foil. This extra measure prevents freezer burn.
3. Freeze. Label with the date and freeze for two to three months.

Agreed. Never put hot stuff in the freezer.