Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Meatless Lasagna & Mardi Gras Contest


Before we get to the vittles, I'd like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM! I wish she was well enough to be online like she used to love to be, but let's send up good thoughts and prayers for her special day.

Now here's a recipe for my vegetarian friends in the form of something yummiciously Italian (per Colby's request). It comes from my lady neighbor friend Vera, who wrote her own family tradition cookbook, one of which sits proudly on my cookbook shelf. I've had several cooking lessons at Vera's, and I can promise you this is the real deal. (Some of the best food I've ever had.)
So, let's git to it!

Vera's Meatless Lasagna







1 lb. lasagna noodles
1 lb. Fat Free Ricotta cheese
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese
1 qt. of your favorite spaghetti sauce (in a jar is fine)
Grated Romano cheese to taste
1 beaten egg
parsley, garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste
dash of nutmeg

To Ricotta, add egg, salt, garlic, pepper, parsley and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside. Boil noodles until tender, but do not overcook.

In a large pan, layer as follows: tomato sauce, noodles, Ricotta mix, Mozzarella, Romano and more sauce. Layer until you have the pan full, then top with more Mozzarella and sauce.

Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lasagna is heated through and cheese is melted and blended together.

NOTE: You may add cooked hamburger or sausage if desired. If you want to keep it meatless, you can also add cooked chopped spinach as well.

***********************

Now, for the First Annual Gumbo Writer's Mardi Gras Contest~~

The rules are simple. The contest will run for one week, from now until midnight, February 17.

If you want this ---> -- then leave a comment with your guess on how many individual beads (not strands) are in this picture --->
Winner will need a street address for delivery, and will choose from these flavors for their very own King Cake: Cinnamon - Strawberry - Cream Cheese - Blueberry Lemon - Pecan Praline - Apple - Raspberry.

Laissez les bon temps roulez!!!!!
(Let the good times roll!)

38 comments:

Jinksy said...

Been emptying out your jewellery box, Angie?!

Bella@That damn expat said...

Happy birthday Momma Ledbetter!

As for the beads, first of all - you naughty girl, you!
Secondly, my guess is 400. Now where's my cake?

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Mom. Great Lady that raised some great kids. Hope Colby enjoys the dish. Should be spectacular. Cold green salad and hot cheesy garlic bread on the side. White Choclate bread pudding just before falling out of chair.
Oren

Jenni James said...

How cow! That veggie lasagna looks amazing! Happy Birthday to your mom too! Looks like you've got all the trimmings for the perfect party! Cake, beads and Lasgna! Who could ask for anything more?

Oh and on the beads.. hmm.. that's tricky. I'm gonna go for JUST the picture only and not how many I think are lying below it. Hmm... 237 LOL!

Angie Ledbetter said...

Yes ma'am, Jinksy. Since my Christmas tree's still up, I thought a little judicious cleaning in other areas was in order.

LOL, Bella. (Ledbetter's my married name, but originally, I'm a DiBenedetto like my mom. Always regretted not hyphyenating that.) Surely they sell king cake down at your corner store. :)

Oren, how sweet! You got the side dishes just right. I'm gonna have to repost your white bread pudding recipe again soon for new readers.

Thanks for playaing, Jenni/giddy. Writing your guess down.

Janna Leadbetter said...

Mmm, that looks reeeeaaally good. *smacks lips*

I guess 208!

Debbie said...

Why am I such a moron? Are we talking strands of beads or individual beads? Either way, I'd say too frickin many to count. But I'll guess 630.
And as for the flavors - yes please.

JKS said...

O.K., matter of semantics here. Are you asking how many beads (individual beads) or are you asking how many beads (strands of beads) are in the picture?

Anonymous said...

Yummers to tuesday tummers, thanks Angie!

Happy Birthday, Angie's mom and sending prayers and good thoughts as I type.

Yum on that cake, it is edible, no?

3,444 beads, Angie, is my guess! ;D

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to your Mom! It's mine too!

Angie Ledbetter said...

ATTENTION: IF YOU VOTED BEFORE I EXPOUNDED ON THE DEFINITION OF "BEADS," FEEL FREE TO GUESS AGAIN!

Janna, it really is a donuty/cakey treat everyone should try once.

LOL, Debbie. Recording your guess.

JKS, I nailed down the definition, so how many little small beads (not necklaces) do you guess?

Thanks, kimmi friend. Yes, the cake is edible. I'll be posting on the history of the King Cake shortly. Smells divine too. Got your entry recorded.

Melissa Amateis said...

Happy Birthday to your mom! Lasagna looks DIVINE. I am like Garfield - could eat lasagna every day.

I will guess...142 beads.

WendyCinNYC said...

Happy Birthday to your mom!

My guess is 266

Angie Ledbetter said...

Melissa, I love lasagna too. Makes my mouth water...all that cheese! Got your guess locked in.

Thanks, Wendy. Good luck on the King Cake!

Jane! said...

I LOVE King's cake. That lasagna sounds awesome, too. I love the meatless part.
I will say 332 beads in the picture.

Unknown said...

It's whats for dinner!
Thanks for the idea :)
Happy Birthday to the one that brung ya!

Deb Shucka said...

You have a perfect meal here: gorgeous lasagna, the cake, and the jewels to wear to a meal fit for royalty.

My guess: 350 beads. Do we get some beads with the cake?

Jessica Nelson said...

Yum! I love lasagna. But what's up with the fat free ricotta? LOL

Kathryn Magendie said...

Good gawd - I suck at guessing AND math - so, I'm going to wild guess 1,552 *laughing*

Now, I can guess smugly because I will be in Louisiana soon soon and can get some king's cake whilst there - and let me tell you all that may be reading my comment: KINGS CAKE IS SO DANGED YUMMY YOU WILL WANT TO WIN IT!!! TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!

Now, as to the meatless lasagne - I laughed when I saw it know how you love meat *teehee*

Angie Ledbetter said...

Hey, Jane, got you entered.

Diane, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! You're sharing the day with a great lady. Hope your special day is wonderful.

LOL, Mrs. Parks. Thanks. I am loving your new advice at the blog from Aunt Flo! :)

Deb, yeah, I'm sure I can throw in a few strands for the winner.

I wondered the same thing, Jessica. I usually just put in the regular kind.

hehe, Kat, some stuff sans meat is good. :) Can't wait for ya to get here!

Anonymous said...

There is nothing better than a good lasagna. It looks really scrumptious. I make one similar but my son is not a fan of Ricotta. (I know that's sacred to a good recipe.) I leave it out when I make it. Sigh...the things mothers do for their children.

My guess is 526.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday and best wishes to your mom, Angie.

That lasagna looks wonderful... just what I need to munch, while watching the fat folk loosing weight on TV tonight... oops!

1,234 beads and that's my final answer ~ no, wait... can I phone a friend? /Deb

Barb Davis said...

My guess is 700 beads:) And Happy Birthday to your mother!!!

J.R. Johansson said...

Oh my gosh that looks delicious... can I just buy the King Cake from you? LOL I've never had any and mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

Happy Birthday to your Mom! :)

My guess is... 487

Morgan Mandel said...

No fair showing that Lasagna. How can I lose weight after this horrible winter of not much exercise?

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

Hilary said...

Best wishes to GumboMum! And that cake looks woderful. My guess is 1,699. :)

Angie Ledbetter said...

JyLnC, you a good momma!

You may not phone a friend, Deb/GA. :) Got y'alls' entries in the pot. Thanks.

Thanks, Barbara.

Jenn, I'll be glad to email you a few bakery links that ship! :)

Hear ya, Morgan. Dieting's always so hard here where good food abounds.

Thanks, Hil. Got ya down.

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

496. Tummy full, cake please.;-)

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Choisissez-moi! I'm guessing 883.

L.C. Gant said...

Mmm... What have you done to me, Angie?! Sweets are my weakness!

Let's see. I'll guess 180 beads. Um, is that King Cake for sale? Can I order it even if I don't win? Pretty please?

Jaycee said...

Fohundred. That's right, I said fo. Annnd, that in english would be 400.

Jaycee said...

Gosh, you have lots of friends. I wants lots of friends too. =( But I don't have goodies like King Cake to bribe 'em!

Suldog said...

I'll guess 297 beads, Angie.

amy said...

I'm so bad at math. This feels awfully like a math estimating game, Angie. I'm suspicious. I was going to guess in the thousands, but then I thought no way. And then I saw Suldog's post for 297 beads, and I remembered that on The Price Is Right what the guessers like to do is go one dollar higher or one dollar lower, and so that's what I'm going to do:

I'll go with 296, Angie.

Also, happy birthday Angie's mom! I am one day late, so I will send one day late good thoughts and prayers.

JOY said...

Beads, and more beads. I guess 516.

Angie Ledbetter said...

Debra L, Linda (2nd Cup), L.C. and Jaycee, thanks and I got your entries recorded.

LOL, Jaycee -- hear ya, Southern gal! And I'll have you know my bloggerish friends love me with our without the King Cake! :)

Got ya, Suldawg.

amy, I like your Bob Barker strategy. Thanks for the well wishes.

Joy, duly recorded!

colbymarshall said...

Am giddy with excitement...this might warrant a "Colby tries to cook Angie's lasagna" video...

Angie Ledbetter said...

LOL, that would really be a hoot, Colby...especially if that big-arsed Garfield creature puts up a howl for some of your finished product. :)

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