Recipes, Nutrition, Prices
Three words: Tender. Turkey. Meatballs. They’re inexpensive, surprisingly simple to make, and they get an enthusiastic thumbs up from the fam every time. I’ve always loved a good meatball from an Italian restaurant, but to be honest, since adding these to our weeknight menu, the […]
Making this sauce with whole grain spaghetti noodles is one of my “veggie heavy dinner that’s not a salad” staples. I throw veggies, tomatoes, and some spices into a pot and BOOM. Dinner made, and the sauce sticks to the noodles. Also it’s freezer friendly. […]
So basically I have all of the solutions to your home-made pizza crust woes right here. No rising needed Totally freezable Basil + Oregano Heaven Thick and chewy Crispy, sturdy bottom crust This dough recipe makes enough for one large pizza with very thick, chewy […]
The number one complaint I hear about using home-made hamburger patties is that they fall apart on the grill. I’ve solved that problem with a couple extra ingredients and some resting time in the fridge! My rule of thumb for helping burgers stick together on […]
Fruit Salad = Summer Rainbow Giddiness In Your Mouth Traditionally My family served this with dinner as a side salad, but I legitimately think of it as a dessert. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as heavy as a Reese’s Cheesecake, but it is sweet, creamy […]
Red Beans and Rice is my favorite crock pot dinner: You don’t need to make any sides Veggies, whole grains, protein, legumes, all in one bowl Super for your gut health Unique creole flavors that we don’t experience on an every day basis Excellent for […]
Okay, this pantry staple marinara is seriously the easiest recipe on my site. I make it when I need a dipping sauce for my cheesy bread, or a simmering sauce for my tender turkey meatballs, and for a quick and simple pizza sauce. You could […]
In honor of Mother’s Day I’m sharing a decadent dessert with you that whole-heartedly reminds me of my own sweet mom: Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Anything and everything salted caramel brings her to mind, and since I can’t be home for this Mother’s […]
You can end your search for the best apple pie right here. I stumbled across this recipe by Audrey over at Audrey’s Apron a few years ago and have never made it any other way since. The apples, a mix of pink lady and granny […]
I love decorating sugar cookies for ALL the Holidays, but a plain vanilla sugar cookie just didn’t seem festive enough for this Easter. So I’m bringing you a twist on one of Easter’s most classic desserts: Carrot Cake! These carrot cake sugar cookies are complete […]
When a cold, rainy day comes along, a simple and comforting bowl of soup seems to always slide onto our menu. There’s something very meditative about peeling and chopping all of the vegetables and tossing them into an aromatic pot of boiling broth. It really […]
This is one of those light, spring-timey soups that warms you right up and leaves you feeling cozy and refreshed all at the same time. I titled this dish “Pantry Staple” Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup because it’s usually one of those recipes I fall back […]
I think we all need a little bit of this in our lives right now – a little creamy, garlic-smothered, pasta heaven that is still good to your body. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need cream cheese or heavy cream to make a delicious […]
Please welcome, my favorite meal of all time. LASAGNA. This is my favorite recipe (courtesy of my mom ❤️) because it holds it’s shape, has a ton of zesty Italian flavor, and is not too overloaded with oily cheeses like most others are. I like myself a firm, saucy, meaty lasagna, not a stack of cheese grease. 🙅🏼♀️
One ingredient you may not be familiar with in this recipe is the fennel seed. I grew up without this ingredient, and the lasagna is plenty good without it, but I’ve added it in since moving out and experimenting with different spices. I’ve gotta tell you, I won’t ever leave it out moving forward. Fennel seed (ground or whole) really adds some authentic Italian sausage flare to the dish. I would keep it in my spice cabinet solely for this recipe, but I’ve also found use for it in my Tender Turkey Meatballs, Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup, and Home-made Italian Turkey Sausage.
I’ve made the serving sizes for this lasagna pretty large. Big pieces of lasagna are my jam. 🤰🏼 But I served this recipe at a family reunion this past summer and it fed 8 adults and 6 kids alongside some baked broccoli and home made breadsticks. We even had a second tray of lasagna that wasn’t touched.
My point: it feeds a lot of people.
Whenever I’m making a batch of freezer meals, either for myself or for a friend, I almost always include a lasagna. It’s a little more legwork on the front end compared to the rest of my freezer meals because you have to cook the meat; but when you’re having an incredibly busy week, are chronically ill, pregnant, freshly postpartum, or mourning a loss, having a huge, comforting lasagna to eat off of for a few days is a total life saver. This lasagna has helped heal and comfort many of my family and friends.
My mom’s lasagna is a recipe that I have a legitimate(ly weird) emotional attachment to because of all of the good memories I’ve associated with it and all the love I’ve felt preparing and sharing it with others. In fact, I’ve even put off sharing this recipe on the blog because I didn’t know how to do it justice. How could I fit all the comfy fuzzy feelings I feel when making this lasagna into words? I can’t. It’s just one of those things that allows my entire being to be consumed by nostalgia, but traps the right words on the tip of my tongue. 🤷🏼♀️ Maybe you have an inanimate object or experience that makes you feel the same.
I truly hope you find a way to share your love with your family and friends through making and sharing some seriously tasty food with them. Invite them over and make them a lasagna, then send them home with one for the freezer. After all, I feel like lasagna may be the one truly universal love language. ❤️
