Kalmia wrote:
> On Mar 10, 3:18 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>> I used to make lasagna all the time. When my daughter was young, she
>> loved helping me wash all the veggies and assembling the lasagna.
>> The only thing she didn't like? Eating the lasagna. So I quit making
>> it.
>>
>> Fast forward several years. Now we have food allergies. She has
>> discovered frozen lasagna that she isn't allergic to. She loves it.
>> But it contains eggs. And I'm allergic to eggs.
>>
>> Now when I used to make lasagna, it didn't come out the same way
>> twice. I didn't follow an exact recipe. I usually used ricotta
>> cheese but occasionally I would use cottage cheese instead if that
>> is what I had in the house. I have seen online that you can also use
>> a mix of the two. To this, I would always add an egg and some grated
>> Italian cheese. Might be mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, Asiago,
>> whatever I had in the house. Usually a mix of things. I would also
>> usually add some chopped spinach, but if I had no spinach, I would
>> add lots of parsley.
>>
>> I found it best to cook the noodles first. I would put down a layer
>> of sauce. I usually made my own, tomato with added peppers, onions
>> and maybe mushrooms, maybe a bit of carrot, but not chunky. I would
>> use my immersion blender because I found that some kids wouldn't eat
>> chunks of veggies. Anyway... I would then put down a layer of the
>> pasta, then some of the cheese mixture. Then a layer of sliced saut
>> ed zucchini (to help lower the carb count and up the veggie count).
>> Then more sauce, more cheese mix, more pasta then more sauce. I
>> would bake it through and just before it was done I would add more
>> grated cheese and leave it in the oven until melted.
>>
>> I have learned from making my meatloaf with veggies (about 1/2 meat
>> and 1/2 veggies) that it is best to saut all the veggies before
>> using them. This allows most of the liquid to seep out and it
>> concentrates the flavors. Much better end result. So if I do make it
>> again, I will for sure saut the spinach before adding it to the
>> cheese.
>>
>> Anyway... I am concerned about making this without the egg. I have
>> seen a discussion online and the results were very mixed. Some say
>> they never add egg. But some were not talking about a cheese and
>> vegetable type. They
>> were talking about one with ground beef and b chamel sauce. Some did
>> make the cheese kind and said they never added egg and it worked.
>> Others said they never used ricotta or cottage cheese and only
>> grated cheese. I could see this working too, although the end result
>> wouldn't be the same.
>>
>> So have you successfully made a cheese or cheese and veggie lasagna
>> with no eggs? I have been buying the gluten free lasagna noodles but
>> using them broken in chunks for chicken and noodles.
>>
>> I would LOVE to be able to make and eat lasagna again. My only other
>> problem is the amount that it makes. At one point I had a huge
>> lasagna pan. I will have to look. Am not sure I still have it. No
>> matter what I do, I wind up with soooo much of it! I have made this
>> for my husband's extended family (Italian, lots of people there for
>> dinner) and although they loved it, there was still enough for a
>> second day. Yes, I know it freezes, but I never seem to have room in
>> my freezer for leftovers.
>>
>> I did buy some smaller casserole dishes for us to use while my
>> husband is away. Perhaps what I should do is start by pulling out a
>> set amount of noodles, then cooking and only using those? Using the
>> whole box would for sure be overkill. Unless perhaps my husband is
>> home. He has no problems eating leftovers.
>
> Never have I put in an egg in any form.
>
> As for size, build a couple of small ones in those 9 by 3 baking
> dishes, or build some individuals in boats.
>
> I count out the noodles I need, and do a couple of extras for
> breakage. If I have an extra noodle or two, I build an individual.
> Waste not.....
>
> No one should have a problem eating leftovers. If someone disdains
> leftovers, I call it a form of snob-ism. It used to be considered a
> sin to waste food.

Thanks! The problem with the leftover lasagna is that it has dairy in it.
Daughter and I outgrew dairy allergies so we can only have dairy twice a
week on subsequent days. So I try not to make leftover things with dairy
unless it is just enough for one other meal for us.

The other problem is that we are often not home to eat leftovers. I might
put stuff in the fridge with the intention of eating it later and then it
never gets eaten because something will come up. Then we are not home at
dinner time.

I do sometimes plan to have leftovers because daughter does take meals with
her to the dance studio. But I have to plan out just enough for her. Or
for the both of us. But I'd much rather eat something else when I am home
alone. Something that she can't or won't eat. Like peas. She is allergic
to them but loves them. So I will not eat them around her. But I love them
too. So sometimes I will eat them when she isn't here.