Uncle Vito’s Stuffed Lasagna
Who is Uncle Vito? I have no idea. A close friend of mine who grew up in a culture rich in Italian cooking traditions near Buffalo, New York, made this lasagna for my family many moons ago. It was the first lasagna I ever ate made with ricotta cheese – a culinary epiphany. It was also the first lasagna I ever ate stuffed with pieces of sweet and spicy Italian sausage, in addition to using a traditional meat sauce. As I took the first bite of hot, bubbly, cheesy, creamy goodness, the noodles perfectly al denté unmistakably flavored with fennel, my eyes rolled to the back of my head, and I swore to never buy another carton of cottage cheese. Cindy named her dish Uncle Vito’s Stuffed Lasagna. Whether or not Uncle Vito ever existed, I’m not sure, but I have no doubt there is a candle lit for him at the basilica in Buffalo.
While well made homemade lasagna isn’t difficult to prepare, it is a labor of love. So, I made a pan last night to have ready for my son, who arrives from Florida Thursday, because I love him and he needs to be fattened up. Really, I’m hoping he is so overwhelmed with dinner that he forgets he left 80° temperatures to visit his mother in 30° Billings, and comes to visit again.
I’ve got lots of pictures, but don’t let the steps fool you. This is easy – so very yummy!
Simple Italian Meat Sauce cooks up quickly for a pasta dinner or to save as the base for a nice pan of lasagna. This sauce uses butter and a little milk, so it’s sort of like a bolognese, but only takes 45-60 minutes.
WOW! This is an awesome potato soup, if I do say so myself. Perfect for a cool and windy Halloween night, or any night for that matter. I just happened to make this on Halloween. Cheesy Leek Potato Soup is a combination of several recipe elements. I wanted a creamy, cheesy soup, not too watery and not too thick. This soup knocked it out of the park. Happy, Happy, Happy!!!
My husband, Richard, loves peanut butter. While he often slathers it on bread, rolls, crackers, and celery, I like to eat it by the spoonful right out of the jar. I can’t help myself. Peanut butter by itself is such a simple pleasure – sweet, salty, creamy. The perfect between meal pick-me-up.
It’s that time of year and everyone is making a variety of warm and hearty soups perfect for the change of seasons. I love the fall. Cooler weather is a welcome change from summer’s seemingly relentless heat! Whether you’re retrieving the crock pot or bringing out your trusty soup pot, there’s nothing that goes better with a warm bowl of soup than a beautiful and flavorful bread. This recipe I turned into rolls.
I love cookies. They’re the perfect nibble. I know all of us have our favorite go to chocolate chip cookie recipe. For the longest time, I’ve made traditional Toll House cookies, you know, the famous recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips. For some reason, this particular recipe caught my eye, and has become my favorite.
My modest garden blossomed into a bountiful little garden this year. Much to my surprise, as I’m still learning how to make herbs, flowers, and tomatoes grow and flourish in semi-arid Billings. For several years, I just gave up. Now that I have lots of time on my hands, Richard and I decided to give it another go.
It was cold and rainy yesterday here in Billings. Perfect time to whip up a cake. If I still had school-age children hanging around, this would be a perfect after school treat with a tall, cold glass of milk. Oh my – this cake is fabulous!
