C is for Cooking Summer Lasagna

I love to cook, and yet I could care less about eating the final product. This doesn't mean that I don't eat what I bake (if there is food in front of me, I WILL eat it...), but rather that the process and people's reactions are what I enjoy.

I made this for my family just before leaving for Ecuador (I got the idea from one Neel Patel). It is a summer lasagna, served cold, assembled right before it is put on the table, perfect for hot summer days. I served it with baked beets (tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil from Greece, thanks Joe!!!), followed with my nanny's fresh raspberry pie. A perfect summer meal.

Here's the recipe:

Summer Lasagna

1 c ricotta
1/2 c parm
3 TB olive oil
salt n pepper
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained (I recommend cooking and then breaking them if you have a large enough pot as i had an incredibly difficult time breaking them prettily)
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small zucchini, sliced finely
A bit of garlic, minced
A fair bit of basil

a) mix the ricotta and parm with olive oil,salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside

b) Heat a skillet and toss the olive oil in. Add tomatoes and garlic, cook for three minutes (until just broken down), transfer to bowl

c) Toss the zucchini in the skillet, with a little more oil if need be, and some salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about five minutes

d) Let everything cool and make it pretty. I scattered tomatoes on the plate, then layered noodle, cheese, zucchini, tomatoes, repeated it twice and garnished with basil.

Baked beets:

a) Cut off the tops and tails of the beets (no need to clean them)

b) Put the beets in a baking dish and cover (foil or lid)

c) Bake at 400F for about an hour, or until tender

d) Take 'em out, let 'em cool and slip the skins off

e) Slice and toss with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar


Jill's Raspberry Pie

4 c fresh raspberries
2 c frozen raspberries (these quantities can be switched and mixed but the more fresh berries the better)
1 c sugar
1 c water
2 TB corn starch
Cool Whip (any whipped cream works but I prefer the deliciously fake taste of CW)
1 pie crust--bottom only

a) Blind bake the pie crust

b) Put frozen berries, water, sugar, and cornstarch in a pot and cook on medium heat until thick, cool

c) Once cool (ish, as I have very little patience), fold in the fresh berries. I like to do it gently so there are intact berries once I'm done, but your call)

d) Chill until all the way cold and cover with Cool Whip/healthier althernative

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nuevo, fresco, natural, puro, dulce, descocado, recio, de buen color, limpio, reciente, descarado