I was recently asked to participate in a wonderful opportunity from Frito Lay called the Tastes From Home Recipe Contest. For me there are so many recipes that remind me of home. My grandmother was THE best cook and baker as I have often said on my blog so many times before, but being able to find one of her recipes or even duplicate it would be a tremendous task. She had her own way of doing things and quite honestly never wrote down or followed recipes very often. So, I thought long and hard about what recipe to feature here at Mommy2Twogirls for this unique opportunity and what I came up with was something very simple that everyone either has made at one point or definitely eaten in some capacity. My lasagna might not be any different than what you make, but my family loves it and my aunt is always asking me to make it for her. She raves that it is the only Italian dish that she can eat that doesn't give her heartburn, guess that is truly saying something. It reminds me of home because I go back to my roots, to the love and hard work that my grandmother put into each and every one of her dishes. The time and effort that she always took into making sure that everyone enjoyed her food, that's what I like to do with my lasagna. Every time I make it, I layer it different, or maybe add another ingredient, it's just never the same, yet it is always delicious.
Eloise's Homemade Cheesy Lasagna-
1 box of lasagna noodles (you can use any variety you like)
2 jars of Ragu Garden Combination Pasta Sauce (3 if you like it extra saucy)
1 container of lowfat small curd cottage cheese
1 small green bell pepper
1 small red bell pepper
1 small package of fresh mushrooms
1 roll of Bob Evans Italian Sausage
1 lb of ground beef, ground chuck, or ground sirloin (ground turkey works well too!)
1 8oz package of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 8oz package of Sargento 4 Cheese Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
1 8oz package of shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
a little chopped onion just for flavor in the meat
Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper to flavor the meat
Brown meat with seasonings and onion until done. You can combine the sausage and beef together or cook them separately. You may also add the peppers and mushrooms if you like them sauteed, I usually add the veggies in the layers. Cook your noodles and set them aside (or if you prefer to use the Oven Ready lasagna that is an options as well). Spray the bottom and signs of your casserole or baking dish (any size will work) so that everything doesn't stick. Layer as you wish, but for example I go with some sauce on the bottom, then a layer of noodles, then my sausage/beef mixture, some green and red peppers, then a package of cheese, sauce on top of that, then more noodles, mushrooms, cottage cheese, more sauce, more noodles, well..you get the point! Make sure to have a layer of noodles, sauce and top it with lots of cheese on the top before you put it in the oven so you get that golden brown crust on top when you take it out of the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for an hour to up to an hour and a half (make sure to have a cookie sheet underneath in case it runs over.) Serve with garlic bread, garlic sticks or ciabatta garlic rolls and a fresh tossed salad for a great meal!
The secret to making this lasagna taste so different and even more delicious is to make it the day before you cook it and leave it in the fridge overnight. All the flavors "marinate" overnight and the noodles soak in all of the sauce...it is amazing!
Frito Lay has introduced a new line of delicious Regional Flavors Potato Chips that look and sound divine! These chips were inspired by popular American regional cuisine and include:
*Northeastern US-Lay's Honey Mustard
*Midwestern US-Lay's Creamy Garden Ranch
*Northwestern US-Lay's Balsamic Sweet Onion
*Southwestern US-Lay's Chipotle Ranch
*Southeastern US-Lay's Cajun Herb & Spice
All of Lay's Regional Flavored Potato Chips are made with all natural ingredients and cooked in healthier oils, like corn and sunflower oils, which contain 80% or more of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat-"the good fats". They also contain 0 grams of trans fat per serving. There's also less sodium in them than you might think0a 1oz serving of Lay's Regional Flavored Potato Chips contains less salt than a plain bagel!
I would love to try the Creamy Garden Ranch flavor as I love ranch and garden makes me think there's some veggies in there somewhere..maybe?! Also the Balsamic Sweet Onion has got me a little curious, it sounds different yet delicious. Of course they all sound really good and quite honestly I would love to try them all!
How about you? Would you like a chance to try the Lay's Regional Flavors? Well lucky for you, I've got your chance!
Winner will be selected via Rafflecopter and will be emailed. You will have 48 hours from the time you are notified to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Open to US residents 18 and over ONLY! Special thanks to Frito Lay for sponsoring this giveaway. Frito Lay provided me with samples of the Regional Flavors chips and my blog post is an entry into the recipe contest. The prize is the responsibility of the sponsor and will be sent to the winner by the sponsor themselves.
Disclosure-I received no monetary compensation for this blog post. The words expressed are my own and not influenced in any way. I abide by all FTC rules and regulations.
