And so has her "Marlboro" man:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/

Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!

TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
cheese nor green can stuff in sight)

TammyM wrote:
> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>
> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>
> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>
> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)

The cottage cheese bugs me more than canned parm. I just don't get it.
They don't taste anything alike! And even if you "can't tell" it's
cottage cheese, why use it????????

It does look good though for a baked pasta dish with meat. I wouldn't
call it lasagna.

Tracy

On 2009-09-14, Tracy > wrote:

> The cottage cheese bugs me more than canned parm. I just don't get it.
> They don't taste anything alike! And even if you "can't tell" it's
> cottage cheese, why use it????????

Why not?

It's not a new concept. I first had cottage cheese lasagna over 40
yrs ago. A recipe from Calories Don't Count, a low carb diet/cookbook
that preceeded Atkins by decades. As I recall, it was pretty dang
good.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.... homemade sauce, imported ricotta, 2 yr old
parmasan, blah blah, is better than Ree's green parmasan, but how many
of us really have access to that high priced stuff. I once did, but
no more. Ricotta and a GOOD cottage cheese are very similar in
texture. Why not use it? It's not like the ricotta in Albertson's
dairy case is seriously high quality stuff. Certainly not good enough
to punch through a hearty red sauce. Ree used good canned tomato
stuff and good sausage. I'm sure her herbs were relatively fresh,
too. I have no problem with Kraft's parmesan, either. It's pointless
to dismiss an effort just because it doesn't use top shelf
ingredients. Anyone can use the best ingredients and still turn
out dog food. It's more about the combination of what you have and
the care used to achieve the end product.

Get down wif yo bad self, Ree!

nb

notbob wrote:
> It's pointless to dismiss an effort just because it doesn't use top
> shelf ingredients. Anyone can use the best ingredients and still
> turn out dog food. It's more about the combination of what you have
> and the care used to achieve the end product.
>
> nb


I agree completely.

When I make lasagna (using store-brand ricotta, one carton of regular
and one of low-fat) it helps tremendously to blend the ricotta in a food
processor for a minute or two until it is smooth. The same technique
should work with cottage cheese to *really* improve the texture if you
must use cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese and ricotta are usually the same price here, except
occasionally the cottage cheese can be found deep discounted when it's
on sale or approaching its last sale date.

Bob

On 2009-09-14, zxcvbob > wrote:

> occasionally the cottage cheese can be found deep discounted when it's
> on sale or approaching its last sale date.

Or in your fridge!

I'd buy ricotta, but if I had some cottage cheese and decided to make
lasagna and ricotta meant an extra trip.... forget it. OTOH, there's
some pretty bad cottage cheese out there. Some brands I've run across
are almost a slurry.

nb

zxcvbob wrote:
> notbob wrote:
>> It's pointless to dismiss an effort just because it doesn't use top
>> shelf ingredients. Anyone can use the best ingredients and still
>> turn out dog food. It's more about the combination of what you have
>> and the care used to achieve the end product.
>>
>> nb
>
>
> I agree completely.
>
> When I make lasagna (using store-brand ricotta, one carton of regular
> and one of low-fat) it helps tremendously to blend the ricotta in a food
> processor for a minute or two until it is smooth. The same technique
> should work with cottage cheese to *really* improve the texture if you
> must use cottage cheese.
>
> Cottage cheese and ricotta are usually the same price here, except
> occasionally the cottage cheese can be found deep discounted when it's
> on sale or approaching its last sale date.
>
> Bob

It's not about top shelf ingredients. I don't think of cottage cheese as
a cheap substitute for ricotta. I just think it's the wrong ingredient
to use in a lasagna.

Tracy

On 2009-09-15, Tracy > wrote:

> It's not about top shelf ingredients. I don't think of cottage cheese as
> a cheap substitute for ricotta. I just think it's the wrong ingredient
> to use in a lasagna.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference.

nb

"Tracy" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> TammyM wrote:
>> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>>
>> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>>
>> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>>
>> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
>> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)
>
> The cottage cheese bugs me more than canned parm. I just don't get it.
> They don't taste anything alike! And even if you "can't tell" it's cottage
> cheese, why use it????????
>
> It does look good though for a baked pasta dish with meat. I wouldn't call
> it lasagna.

I grew up with cottage cheese in lasagna because my mom made it that way.
She still is unmatched in the deliciousness of lasagna. She made it that
way to cut fat and calories by using low fat CC. Back in those days I don't
think you could by ricotta that was low(er) fat. That said, I do use
ricotta when I make it because it isn't often.

"Tracy" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> TammyM wrote:
>> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>>
>> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>>
>> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>>
>> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
>> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)
>
> The cottage cheese bugs me more than canned parm. I just don't get it.
> They don't taste anything alike! And even if you "can't tell" it's cottage
> cheese, why use it????????
>

Who the heck is Ree and why should I care how she makes lasagna?!

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> "Tracy" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>>
>> TammyM wrote:
>>> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>>>
>>> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>>>
>>> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>>>
>>> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no
>>> cottage cheese nor green can stuff in sight)
>>
>> The cottage cheese bugs me more than canned parm. I just don't get it.
>> They don't taste anything alike! And even if you "can't tell" it's
>> cottage cheese, why use it????????
>>
>
> Who the heck is Ree and why should I care how she makes lasagna?!
>
> Jill

Her blog is the Pioneer Woman Cooks or something like that. Home of the
infamous crash baked potato.

Tracy

In article >,
Tracy > wrote:

> jmcquown wrote:
> > "Tracy" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>
> >>
> >> TammyM wrote:
> >>> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
> >>>
> >>> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
> >>>
> >>> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
> >>>
> >>> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no
> >>> cottage cheese nor green can stuff in sight)
> >>
> >> The cottage cheese bugs me more than canned parm. I just don't get it.
> >> They don't taste anything alike! And even if you "can't tell" it's
> >> cottage cheese, why use it????????
> >>
> >
> > Who the heck is Ree and why should I care how she makes lasagna?!
> >
> > Jill
>
> Her blog is the Pioneer Woman Cooks or something like that. Home of the
> infamous crash baked potato.

Coincidentally, it just happens to be the URL listed 19 lines above.
She has also written a cookbook. The URL is worth checking out. The
recipes, writing and pictures are all interesting. Some recipes don't
look to my taste, but the writing and pictures are all good.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Tracy > wrote:
>
>> jmcquown wrote:
>> > "Tracy" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> TammyM wrote:
>> >>> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>> >>>
>> >>> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>> >>>
>> >>> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>> >>>
>> >>> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no
>> >>> cottage cheese nor green can stuff in sight)
>> >>
>> >> The cottage cheese bugs me more than canned parm. I just don't get it.
>> >> They don't taste anything alike! And even if you "can't tell" it's
>> >> cottage cheese, why use it????????
>> >>
>> >
>> > Who the heck is Ree and why should I care how she makes lasagna?!
>> >
>> > Jill
>>
>> Her blog is the Pioneer Woman Cooks or something like that. Home of the
>> infamous crash baked potato.
>
> Coincidentally, it just happens to be the URL listed 19 lines above.
> She has also written a cookbook. The URL is worth checking out. The
> recipes, writing and pictures are all interesting. Some recipes don't
> look to my taste, but the writing and pictures are all good.
>
> --
> Dan Abel
> Petaluma, California USA
>



Perhaps (coincidentally) I don't click on links in posts when it's about
someone whose name I don't recognize. The name "Ree" didn't ring any bells,
even though I *have* made those crashed potatoes The only reason I knew
about them was due to posts here.

Jill

In article >,
TammyM > wrote:

> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>
> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>
> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>
> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)

I thought the comments were telling. There was more than one:

"I hate lasagna but this was great."

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

Dan Abel wrote:

> TammyM > wrote:
>
>> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>>
>> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>>
>> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>>
>> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no
>> cottage cheese nor green can stuff in sight)
>
> I thought the comments were telling. There was more than one:
>
> "I hate lasagna but this was great."

I laughed out loud when the person said

"Using slices of cheese is really a neat idea. I never would’ve thought to
use anything other than shredded!"

Really, who would think of using any other kind of mozzarella?

nancy

TammyM > wrote:

> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>
> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>
> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!

It looks like a pretty thorough effort and would surely be good if made
with real ingredients instead of junk.

> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)

So, prithee, where is Your Highness's recipe?

Fictor

TammyM wrote:
> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>
> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>
> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>
> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)

As is my way, I now am dying to make this particular recipe. It'll have
to wait until the weekend, though.

Serene

TammyM wrote:
> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>
> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>
> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>
> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)



Even if I made the recipe, I would use real freshly grated Parmesan, but
I noticed, skimming through the comments, very few people didn't like it
and the worst comment came from what sounds like a real food snob.

Even in these days when you can buy nearly everything everywhere,
I am sure there are places where you can't get buffala mozzarella
and real ricotta. She posted a recipe that makes do with substitutes.

If her family loves it, evidently it's a keeper recipe for them.

gloria p

"Gloria P" > wrote in message
...
snip
>
> Even in these days when you can buy nearly everything everywhere,
> I am sure there are places where you can't get buffala mozzarella
> and real ricotta. gloria p

Oh, puhleeze, you think??? I was shocked to see buffala at my Costco last
week. And I recently found real whole milk ricotta at a restaurant supply.
If the food habits of the people that live around you are still at home on
the range, the local supermarkets are not going to carry any fancy, foreign
food.
Janet

TammyM > wrote in :

> And so has her "Marlboro" man:
>
> http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...e_best_lasagn/
>
> Cottage cheese and green can cheez? Fictor will throw a hissy fit!
>
> TammyM (who made the very best vegetarian lasagne yesterday) (no cottage
> cheese nor green can stuff in sight)



The cottage cheese thing might work, as a low fat alternative to bechamel
sauce........ but I think I'd draw the line at using the "chuck cheese".

We have that green can stuff over here, and to me, it really *does* smell
like a can of spew!!


--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


If we are not meant to eat animals,
why are they made of meat?

Sorry, but if I'm going to go thru all the work, I'm NOT skimpin' on
ingredients. I'll buy the ricotta, I'll grate the parm, I'll make my
own sauce, I'll make braciole and break it with some meatballs. It's
at least a two day affair.

I layer the noodles cross-hatch, i.e. some north to south, some east
to west. Makes serving it easier.

I like lots of sauce around the edges - no dry, crusty corners, if I
can help it. I also like to use the corduroy noodles - the little
grooves hold more sauce.

On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:08:52 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>I also like to use the corduroy noodles - the little
>grooves hold more sauce.

I don't think I've ever seen them and Googling corduroy noodles didn't
give me an image.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

sf wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:08:52 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> > wrote:
>
>> I also like to use the corduroy noodles - the little
>> grooves hold more sauce.
>
> I don't think I've ever seen them and Googling corduroy noodles didn't
> give me an image.
>

I don't think they are called corduroy noodles. Some lasagna noodles
have ripples along the edges but the main body is flat. Others have
the ripples but also ridges down the length. I *think* Prince brand
has the ridges and Barilla is flat. I tried googling for a picture -
here' the best I could find.

http://tinyurl.com/q2kbmu

I don't have a preference. But I do tend to buy Prince products.

Tracy

On Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:05:17 -0400, Tracy > wrote:

>
>
>sf wrote:
>> On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:08:52 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> I also like to use the corduroy noodles - the little
>>> grooves hold more sauce.
>>
>> I don't think I've ever seen them and Googling corduroy noodles didn't
>> give me an image.
>>
>
>I don't think they are called corduroy noodles. Some lasagna noodles
>have ripples along the edges but the main body is flat. Others have
>the ripples but also ridges down the length. I *think* Prince brand
>has the ridges and Barilla is flat. I tried googling for a picture -
>here' the best I could find.
>
>http://tinyurl.com/q2kbmu
>
>I don't have a preference. But I do tend to buy Prince products.
>
Thanks a million, Tracy! I know for sure Barilla is flat in the
middle because that's the brand I buy. I see New World Pasta produces
American Beauty, Ronzoni, San Giorgio, Creamette, Prince, and Skinner.
I've only heard of the Ronzoni and Creamette brands. I'll look and
see if one of them has ridges next time I'm in a grocery store that
carries the brand.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Kalmia wrote:
>
> Sorry, but if I'm going to go thru all the work, I'm NOT skimpin' on
> ingredients. I'll buy the ricotta, I'll grate the parm, I'll make my
> own sauce, I'll make braciole and break it with some meatballs. It's
> at least a two day affair.

I like to make very small meatballs (grape sized?) to add between the
layers.
>
> I layer the noodles cross-hatch, i.e. some north to south, some east
> to west. Makes serving it easier.

yes! I do this also. I don't think I was ever taught to, but it just
seemed to make sense.
>
> I like lots of sauce around the edges - no dry, crusty corners, if I
> can help it. I also like to use the corduroy noodles - the little
> grooves hold more sauce.

Yes to this also. I like the rippled noodles when I can find them. Not
sure which brand it is, but I stumble on them now and then. It sounds
like we have similiar tastes in lasagne

On Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:11:56 -0400, Goomba >
wrote:

>Kalmia wrote:
>>
>> Sorry, but if I'm going to go thru all the work, I'm NOT skimpin' on
>> ingredients. I'll buy the ricotta, I'll grate the parm, I'll make my
>> own sauce, I'll make braciole and break it with some meatballs. It's
>> at least a two day affair.
>
>I like to make very small meatballs (grape sized?) to add between the
>layers.
>>
>> I layer the noodles cross-hatch, i.e. some north to south, some east
>> to west. Makes serving it easier.
>
>yes! I do this also. I don't think I was ever taught to, but it just
>seemed to make sense.
>>
>> I like lots of sauce around the edges - no dry, crusty corners, if I
>> can help it. I also like to use the corduroy noodles - the little
>> grooves hold more sauce.
>
>Yes to this also. I like the rippled noodles when I can find them. Not
>sure which brand it is, but I stumble on them now and then. It sounds
>like we have similiar tastes in lasagne

Lasanga is one of my specialties... no skimping on ingredient quality
(only the best cheeses and no mystery meat) or quantity... I never use
less than three pounds of noodles, otherwise not worth the effort, and
there is no such thing as too much lasagna.

Ready for the oven:
http://i25.tinypic.com/xkvqjo.jpg
http://i31.tinypic.com/23j4e89.jpg
Waiting:
http://i28.tinypic.com/35amd03.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/111kt1g.jpg

"brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...

> http://i27.tinypic.com/111kt1g.jpg

S/he looks like s/he's been snorting soot. lol What a cutie.

Goomba wrote:
> Kalmia wrote:
>>
>> Sorry, but if I'm going to go thru all the work, I'm NOT skimpin' on
>> ingredients. I'll buy the ricotta, I'll grate the parm, I'll make my
>> own sauce, I'll make braciole and break it with some meatballs. It's
>> at least a two day affair.
>
> I like to make very small meatballs (grape sized?) to add between the
> layers.
>>

I went to a New Year's party last year and one of the hosts made a
"lasagna" with little meatballs. Except he used bucatini not lasagna
noodles. It was really good and inspired me to try make something
similar. We never (growing up) had meat in the lasagna. We had
meatballs or braciole on the side. So this whole lasagna bolognse
has me intrigued. I might have to try it one of these days.

Tracy

On Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:10:18 -0400, Tracy > wrote:

>bucatini

Is bucatini that fat round noodle with a tiny hole in it? I've never
known how to use it! It's too fat and unwieldy to use in place of
spaghetti. Are you saying it was laid straight in a lasagna pan and
used in levels as if it was lasagna noodles?

Any other ideas for using bucatini? I want to buy it, but I'm
clueless.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

sf wrote:
> On Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:10:18 -0400, Tracy > wrote:
>
>> bucatini
>
> Is bucatini that fat round noodle with a tiny hole in it? I've never
> known how to use it! It's too fat and unwieldy to use in place of
> spaghetti. Are you saying it was laid straight in a lasagna pan and
> used in levels as if it was lasagna noodles?
>
> Any other ideas for using bucatini? I want to buy it, but I'm
> clueless.


http://ilovepasta.org/shapes.html

"sf" ha scritto nel messaggio
Tracy> wrote:
>
>>bucatini
>
> Is bucatini that fat round noodle with a tiny hole in it? I've never>
> known how to use it! It's too fat and unwieldy to use in place of>
> spaghetti.

That's it and my favorite. You are supposed to break it with your hands
when putting it into the water, but I never do. I like that it is
impossible to eat it without making a mess.

> Any other ideas for using bucatini? I want to buy it, but I'm> clueless.

It likes liquidy saucing, the quick tomato types, amatriciana is often
served with bucatini.
I always think you cannot go wrong with:

bacon any kind at all
onion any kind at all
tomato fresh or canned
cheese whatever you like

Cook it not longer than 10 minutes once the tomatoes are in, toss in the
cooked bucatini and cook a minute then add the cheese and toss. Never fails
to please.

Mmmmmmmmeatballs-next lasagne!! (When the temp goes to a chilly 80
something degrees)