Pasta with Vodka Sauce...on Weight Watchers!

I want to take minute to talk to you all about one of most dieter's pet peeves. The ever-present Food Police. You know the type. They are always asking things like, "Should you be eating that?" or "Are you allowed to eat that on Weight Watchers?" or "Isn't that high in fat/calories/carbs?"

First: If you love a person and truly have their best interest at heart, phrase the question nicely, calmly, and in a caring manner. We might still snip at you, but your intentions will show through and we'll appreciate the support. I mean, if I was about to sit down to a pan full of brownies, I'd want my husband to ask me if I really thought that was a good idea. I would want the support.

But if I'm sitting down to a brownie a la mode, with a big ol' grin on my happy face, I've already counted the points values for those items on my plate. I've planned. I've sacrificed. And gosh darn it, I'm going to enjoy every bite of it.

And I'm allowed to eat whatever I want to eat. Even brownies. Even a la mode.

And so Food Police asking if I can/should/really want to/am allowed to eat that decadent dessert are just nosy and rude.

Weight Watchers isn't about deprivation. As a matter of fact, we're encouraged to treat ourselves, however we see fit, every week, even!

This recipe uses vodka sauce. Vodka sauce has heavy whipping cream in it! Yes, even heavy whipping cream has a place in Weight Watchers.

This is a Weight Watchers recipe, mildly modified to suit what I had on hand. And it goes from pan to table in the time it takes to cook the pasta!

Pasta with Vodka Sauce
Serves 6 (9 Points Plus value per serving)

What You Need:

• 12 oz pasta (penne is traditional but use what you have)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) vodka
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

How it's Done:

1. Cook pasta al dente and drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute' the onion and garlic for three minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for about five minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.

4. Pour in the vodka, cook and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, for three minutes.

5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Cook and stir three more minutes.

6. Toss sauce with the pasta. Yields about one cup per serving.

Lightened Up Chicken Spaghetti

In the past, I've made some delicious chicken spaghetti that had Rotel tomatoes with green chilies and loads of Velveeta cheese. It's really good. But it's really bad for you, too. As I've mentioned, I'm doing Weight Watchers, so I'm not eating much by way of Velveeta these days. Actually, I haven't had Velveeta in almost a year.

Anyway, Weight Watchers eTools has something really cool that I've been playing with, called Recipe Builder. You tell it what you're putting into your recipe, and it tells you how many POINTS value are in each serving. I can't share those values with you, because it's copyrighted material. I just love that feature. It helped me plan today's dinner. Here it is:

Chicken Spaghetti
serves 6

What You Need:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded or cut into chunks (I did a combo of the two, just quickly cutting it up)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup sliced bell peppers
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 lb dry spaghetti, cooked and drained
• 2 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (use less if you don't care for it that much. We love it.)
• 2 gloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of cheese (I used Weight Watchers brand 4 cheese Italian blend, made with 2% milk)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

How it's Done:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or mist with oil.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pepper and onions, stirring until soft and fragrant. Stir in sauce, basil, garlic, chicken, and spaghetti, mixing well. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese.
• Pour spaghetti mixture into the prepared dish. Top with the remaining cheeses.
• Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Let the dish sit for five more minutes before slicing and serving.

Incidentally, I had my third weigh-in on Wednesday, and have lost a total so far of 10.8 pounds, eating stuff like Chicken Spaghetti, and putting cream and sugar in my coffee. It works, and it's sound, and it promotes whole foods eating. I love it.

Rotini with Kielbasa and Vegetables

Light and filling, this dish also goes together in under 30 minutes, making it a good choice for busy school nights (like tonight, so please forgive me for being so brief).

Rotini with Kielbasa & Veggies
Serves 4

What You Need:

• 4 cups cooked rotini (I used whole wheat)
• 8 oz kielbasa, cut into round "coins" (I used turkey kielbasa)
• 1 large bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 2 cups cooked broccoli
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
• 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, divided

How it's Done:

1. Heat the oil in a skillet. Saute the sausage, pepper, onions, and broccoli for five minutes.
2. Add the garlic and basil and cooked pasta. Cook and stir until the pasta is coated with olive oil and the dish is well-combined.
3. Plate four servings and top each with a tablespoon of grated cheese.

What shortcuts do you take to speed up your meal prep on busy days?

Not Enough Hours in the Day!

All summer, you gazed wishfully upon your untidy abode, reminding yourself that soon, school will start, and you'll have more time to get things done. For now, you told yourself, I'll just enjoy my children and ignore what can be ignored.

Then, school started, and you found yourself wondering where all of that free time you were promised had gone. PTO meetings, soccer practice, driving kids to cross country meets, attending parent-teacher conferences, baking cupcakes to share with the class for your child's birthday, meeting new parents, shopping, driving.... Oh! So that's where the time went!

What? Is it only me? I swear that I should have more free time in my days! I envisioned myself completing a present I'm working on for a friend who's expecting (and I'm running out of time!), finishing my braided rug, going to the gym... There's simply no time!

So, I look to my kitchen to provide shortcuts where I can. One reliable way to cut time in the kitchen is by using my slow cookers. Here's what's for dinner at my house tonight. I'll upload the final product later (after school, play date, homework, cross country practice, study time, laundry, and cleaning).

Slow Cooker Lasagna
makes a 5 quart crock full

What You Need:

• 1 box uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
• 1 jar pasta sauce
• 2 cups water
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 3 cups mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• salt & pepper to taste

How it's Done:

• Grease the inside of your slow cooker's crock.
• Combine cooked beef and pasta sauce. Separately, combine ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, and the Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper this mixture to taste.
• Layer in the crock in this order:

First, lay down a small amount of meat & sauce.

Break two noodles in half and press them into the meat sauce.

Dot with some cheese mixture.

Repeat until you run out of noodles.

Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.

Pour two cups of water over the top.

• 
  
  Cover and cook on HIGH one hour, then LOW six hours or until dinner, whichever is later.
  

Using up Leftovers

My mother came to visit last weekend, and while she was here, she bought us a cooked rotisserie chicken from my grocer's deli department. It was $3.99 for a whole, cooked chicken! I can't do much better on raw chicken! I created this recipe to use up the rest of the chicken leftover from her visit. Also, she takes 1/2 & 1/2 in her coffee, so I had leftovers of that as well. Feel free to use milk in its place in this recipe.

Chicken & Pepper Pasta

What You Need:

• 2 cups leftover, cooked chicken, skin and bones removed
• 2 cups pepper strips (I used sweet banana peppers, but bell peppers would add more flavor)
• 1 large onion, sliced into thin strips
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup 1/2 & 1/2
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 cups cooked pasta (I used torchiette)
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions for serving (optional)

How it's Done:

1. Heat oil over medium heat on stove top. Add peppers and onion and saute until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Once heated through, stir in the 1/2 & 1/2 and shredded mozzarella. Cook and stir until melted and thickened.
2. Serve over pasta, topping with scallions if desired.

This post is linked to Tuesday Tag-Along and Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays.

How to Host a Dinner Party

How to Host a Worry-Free Dinner Party

courtesy of All Home Cooking. All Year Long., Buitoni Riserva Pastas & Sauces, & FoodBuzz

1. Prepare. Invite guests. Plan a menu based on the number of guests, your chosen theme, and your time constraints. Be sure to choose an appropriate number of hot and cold appetizers, beverages, main courses and salads, and desserts. A theme makes this easier, as it gives you a place to start and keeps you on track throughout decorating, choosing menu items, and choosing music.
2. Be everywhere all at once. Be the cook, the server, the cleaning crew, and the enchanting, charming hostess. Stay clean, stay fresh, and stay on the ball. Remember, you're doing it all alone, but you must make it look easy!
3. Serve delicious foods right on time to a fawning crowd of appreciative diners.Keep smiling like it's effortless.

Before you throw your frying pan at my head, read on. Dinner parties can be home-prepared AND easy. Really! Thanks to Buitoni, I was able to single-handedly pull off a dinner for ten people without being frazzled, frustrated, and feeling left out of the fun. Here's how I did it:

I picked my theme. I knew my dinner would focus on Buitoni Riserva Pastas & Sauces, so I went for a charming, homey Italian dinner. I decorated in red and white and had Italian music playing softly in the background. I served on white plates.

I planned my menu. I chose a variety of foods I could either prepare ahead or that went together effortlessly minutes before serving. Here was my menu:

• A platter filled with marinated cherry peppers, kalamata olives, hot peppers, and bruschetta -- I bought the peppers and olives. The bruschetta I made from scratch. It took 15 minutes thanks to some prior planning and preparations.
• Toasted Buitoni Riserva Wild Mushroom Agnolotti: These took 15 minutes to fry.
• Pasta & Salad for the main course: I chose Buitoni Riserva Chicken 7 Four Cheese Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce, alongside the Spicy Beef & Sausage Ravioli with Marinara Sauce. I chose the Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti, with both sauces, for the vegetarians in my party. Keeping with the red & white theme, I served a stacked tomato-mozzarella salad drizzled with olive oil. The pairing was beautiful and delicious. Using prepared pastas and sauces makes a dinner party come together with simplicity and ease. Using prepared items doesn't have to mean sacrificing flavor, value, or quality. Buitoni pastas are high-quality, high-flavor, good value items. The ingredients lists contain all items I recognize and am comfortable serving. The pastas are stuffed to the gills with delicious fillings, allowing you to taste everything in them, unlike other ravioli products that have only a tiny bit of filling. The flavor combinations are unexpected, both simple and complex at the same time. A dance for your taste buds.
• For dessert, an assortment of classic yummies: cheesecake, tiramisu, cannoli, and strawberries with strawberry-pecan cream. Again, prior planning and preparations minimized kitchen time when I would rather be mingling with guests.

I served my guests. Since Buitoni did part of the work, and most of the rest was done ahead of time, I was free to have fun with my friends and family. Easy as a pizza pie. ;)

Thank you, Buitoni and FoodBuzz, for this unique opportunity. It was amazing.

Toasted Buitoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti. Simple to make. Just dip them in egg, then Italian breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil 3 minutes. Drain. Serve with Marinara Sauce. This was a favorite among guests. The agnolotti is absolutely stuffed with pieces of mushroom. The aroma is excellent and the flavor is mouth-watering. Perfect!

Appetizer platter with cherry peppers, hot peppers, olives, and bruschetta

These cute tomato dishes from Pier One made the perfect server for my Pesto Bruschetta. To make this appetizer, simply slice a baguette into 3/4" slices and toast under the broiler until crispy. Top with pesto (either homemade or prepared)m sliced, seeded tomato, and fresh mozzarella. Place back under the broiler for a minute or two to melt the cheese.

Want a salad that looks great, tastes great, and goes well with red & white pasta? Try this simple tomato stack. Simply slice a ruby red tomato. Alternate tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and serve! It's eye-catching, fresh, and delicious, but simple enough so as to complement, not overpower, the main dish. Bonus points: It uses the same cheese as the appetizer, cutting your entertaining costs a little bit.

The main course. For our vegetarian guests, Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti in place of the Chicken & Four Cheese and Spicy Beef & Sausage Ravioli. Both groups were served this way, with red & white next to one another. It made a stunning presentation and was gobbled up quicker than I could snap pictures!

The pasta & salad together. A stunning presentation of red, white, and green, don't you think? The flavors worked wonders together. Simple red & white place mats and white cloth napkins kept the mood casual and inviting.

Strawberries & Cream. The cream is simply cream cheese, sugar, strawberries, and pecans blended together.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

A crust of rich chocolate on the tiramisu

Tiramisu. Yum!

*note: I was compensated for my efforts and provided with free Buitoni Riserva pastas and sauces. However, that in no way impacted my opinions, nor was I, at any time, told what to write. My opinions are genuine and completely my own.

Eating a (Primarily) Plant-Based Diet

Day 144.

It's a natural tendency for me. I don't eat meat on bones. Fat on meat disgusts me. I don't like any seafood -- anything at all that lives in water, for that matter. I don't care for the taste of chicken or pork. I do love a juicy Porterhouse steak (after my darling husband has removed the bone for me), and I love me a good burger. I love crispy bacon, but only if it doesn't have that bit of mushy fat at the end that doesn't crisp up.

Gee, I wonder where Picky Eater gets her tendencies?

But really, it's natural for me to want to move toward a plant-based diet. The catch is that my husband loves all meats and sea foods and always will. So, in order for me to be able to eat what I want, I am looking at duplicate cooking most nights. (I cook in the house. It's how it works here. Please don't see me as the Little Wife in the kitchen -- I'm not. ;) It's just my contribution. He works, I cook.)

My husband isn't the type to refuse food if it's not meat and potatoes. He loves casseroles, beans, even lentils! But right now he's low carbin' it so it'll be tricky. While our dinner cooked tonight I pan-fried him a  steak and a couple eggs and served some broccoli for greenery.

Batch cooking is going to work well for us during this diet. A big batch of low-carb meatballs should last him a week or so. Meanwhile, I can cook more meatless meals for the rest of us.

Here's what we had tonight:

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells
serves 8

What You Need:

• 1 package jumbo shells, cooked al dente, drained, and rinsed in cold water
• 4 cups of cooked, drained beans (2 cans will work) -- I used half pinto, half Great Northern for color
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 1/2 a large onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 16 oz cottage cheese (or ricotta, or tofu)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar

How it's Done:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute the onion in the melted butter for a few minutes, until the onion is see-through. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach, beans, garlic, 2 tsp of the Italian seasoning, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar, and the egg.
3. Stir together the tomato sauce with the remaining 1 tsp Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. Fill each shell with the bean mixture and set them, sides touching, in a 9x11" baking dish with high sides.
5. Pour tomato sauce evenly over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar.
6. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until heated through and bubbling.

Once in a Blue Moon

Day 136.

Normal dinner table talk at our house:

Picky Eater: Are there onions in this?

Me: Yes, but they're small. You won't even be able to see them.

Picky Eater: I don't think I like this.

Me: Just try it. You won't know unless you try it.

Picky Eater: How many bites do I have to take?

Me: Take as many bites as you'd like. Just give it a fair shot.

Picky Eater: (pushes food around plate. takes a lick. pushes some more.) I don't like this.

Me: Okay, but that's what we're eating this evening. I'm sorry you don't like it.

Picky Eater: But how many bites do I have to take?

Me: As many as you'd like.

Picky Eater: But how many? How many, Mommy?

Me: Five. Take five bites. How's that?

Picky Eater: (quickly shovels five small bites in her mouth.)

That's an average day. But every once in a great while...every blue moon...dinner goes like this:

Picky Eater: Are there any onions in this?

Me: Yes, but only a tiny bit.

Picky Eater: How much?

Me: One-fourth of an onion.

Picky Eater: Okay.

Me: (okay? Did she just say, "okay?")

Picky Eater: (happily chowing down) If I'm still hungry when this is gone can I have more?

Me: (Is this really happening?) Sure, honey, there's extra.

Picky Eater: Good, 'cuz this is delicious, Mommy.

Me: (sighing happily)

Picky Eater-Approved Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

Serves 4 to 6

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 of a large onion, diced
• 1/2 lb pasta, cooked and drained (I used ziti)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp of each was just right for us)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce
• 4 strips of bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

How it's Done:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Brown ground beef with onion. Sprinkle with flour. Cook and stir until all the flour is absorbed.
2. Slowly stir in the milk, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until thickened like gravy. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of cheese and ketchup or BBQ sauce.
3. Toss pasta and sauce together. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish.
4. Top with the remainder of the cheese and the crumbled bacon.
5. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted.

To Market, To Market, To Buy a Fat...tomato???

Day 106.

I'm giddy with excitement over the spring season! Today, my husband and I visited our first farmer's market of the season, and it was brimming with fresh produce. We walked around, scoped out, sniffed, touched, and selected a bunch of things. I ended up spending nearly $60 more than my budget allows for mid-month groceries (yes, that's more than twice my mid-month budget), but I couldn't contain myself. Besides, I hadn't spent my early month $400-$500 anyway, so I am still at a savings.

This recipe uses some of the produce I bought at the farmer's market today. It's fresh and light, yet satisfying and filling. Paired with oat bran cornbread, this is a yummy springtime meal.

Baked Spaghetti with Black Beans
Makes 5 generous servings

What You Need:

• 1/2 lb spaghetti, cooked according to package directions, drained, and tossed with 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 can of diced tomatoes)
• 3 Tbsp salsa
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• sliced green onions for topping

How it's Done:

1. Heat olive oil in saute pan. Add onions and saute for one minute.
2. Add tomatoes, salsa, cumin, sea salt, and white pepper. Cook and stir for five minutes. Remove from heat. Gently stir in black beans.
3. Combine pasta with sauce. Pour into an 8" square baking dish (coated with non-stick baking spray for easy cleanup). Cover with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
4. When done, sprinkle green onions over top and serve.

Oat Bran Cornbread
adapted from The Quaker Oat Bran Cookbook

What You Need:

• 1 cup oat bran (uncooked)
• 3/4 cup corn meal
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking pwoder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk

How it's Done:

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour into a greased 8" baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Mid-Month Grocery List, Dehydration of Fruits and Humans, Gardening, and Messy Lasagna!

Day 104.

There are several things on my mind today, so I'll get right to them.

But first, Diego says hi. Or hola, as it were.

In all the chaos surrounding my in-laws' visit, I never did do a real grocery shop for the month of April. Rather, it was a couple weeks of shopping as need be. Thankfully, we didn't spend too much money on those trips. Here is what my mid-month trip list looks like. I'll update with prices tomorrow night:

Produce:

• apples (several pounds)
• bananas
• green onions
• sweet potatoes
• 5 bell peppers
• onions
• spinach
• zucchini
• cucumbers
• tomatoes
• potatoes
• strawberries
• lettuce

Dairy:

• mozzarella
• butter (2 pounds)
• eggs (2- 18 packs)
• milk
• cheddar
• greek yogurt
• heavy cream

Baking:

• yeast
• flour
• confectioner's sugar
• granulated sugar

Frozen:

• peas
• broccoli
• cauliflower

Grocery:

• canned tomatoes (4 cans)
• quinoa
• almond milk
• black beans (4 cans)

That ought to do it until May.

Next I'd like to talk to you about dehydration. I decided to make some granola this week. I was going to pick up some dried fruits for the granola, but I thought it would be nice to dry them myself, instead. Since I have no food dehydrator at my disposal, I'll be using my oven set at the lowest temperature I can get it. All the instructions online that I can find recommend a temperature of about 140 degrees. My oven doesn't go that low, but I'm still going to give it a go at 170 degrees. I'm hoping it works out. If it doesn't, I've only invested 8 strawberries which I purchased on sale.

 

But wait! Didn't I mentions something about dehydration of humans in that subject line? Why, yes! Yes, I did! There's a bit of a clash of the wills going on within my mind right now. You see, I am determined to get my family living a healthier, more natural exisitence. And yet, at the same time, I fill my own tank daily with Diet Coke. Now, could I get any more processed than that? Plus, Diet Coke helps dehydrate me! I know I should give it up. I know I should. There are better alternatives. Coffee is a better choice. Tea is even better. Water, well, let's not push it yet.

I really am addicted to my Diet Coke. It's going to be really hard. But I think I'm ready to give it up. Not only will I feel better without that junk in my body, I'll also save my family even more money. Keep me in your thoughts as I kick this habit. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Now that that's off my chest, can I share with you my total excitement over my little patio garden? I'm so thrilled about it. We're already getting sweet, bright red strawberries from our hanging container, and I'm already using my herbs. But here's what I have to look forward to in about two months:

• sweet bell peppers (red, green, yellow)
• sweet banana peppers
• chili peppers
• jalapeno peppers
• cayenne peppers
• cherry tomatoes
• crookneck squash
• broccoli
• cucumbers

• okra

I can't wait to start cooking with them and eating them! I took my Picky Eater-turned-Possible Vegetarian out back and asked her what she thought we should make with our veggies, and she wants to make lots of soup. Squash soup. Pepper soup. Cucumber soup. All possible, sure, but I am going to try to work on some alternate recipes with her in the near future.

Any ideas on all-natural pest control to get the buggies to stop eating my leaves?

And now, what you're here for...a recipe! Messy lasagna. I love lasagna. It's the ultimate in comfort food. But don't you hate it when you burn your fingertips on the hot, cooked noodles? And don't you have better things to do than to neatly and evenly spread the ricotta filling over the slippery noddles? And don't those pesky torn noodles just bug you? They bug me! Not to worry! This dish has all the flavors of lasagna with none of the hassle!

Messy Lasagna

What You Need:

• 1/2 lb pasta (any variety will do, but I used mini wagon wheels today)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 15 oz can tomato sauce

• **SPICES AS DESIRED** If you skip this, your dish will be very, very bland. Spice it as you normally spice lasagna. I used fresh basil, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, fresh rosemary (not normally in lasagna, but it's fresh and I couldn't resist!), salt, and pepper
• a sprinkling of sugar
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

How it's Done:

1. Cook pasta al dente according to pacakge directions. Drain and reserve. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, brown ground beef with onion until no longer pink. Add tomatoes, sauce, garlic, sugar, and spices. Simmer 15 minutes.

3. Combine sauce with pasta. In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. 

4. Pour half of the pasta and sauce into a 9x11" baking dish.  Dot with mounds of the ricotta mixture. Don't try to be neat or even. It's messy lasagna. Cover with remaining pasta and sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the cheeses over top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.