November 13, 2012

Lasagna Cupcakes

     I know, I know, it's been a while since I've actually posted something to eat. However, I have a good excuse. I've been going through all my issues of the cooking magazines that I get (Food Network, Rachael Ray, and Taste of Home) ripping out the recipes that look good so I could recycle the actual magazines and have more room in my bedroom. I ended up with a stack about four inches tall and have started to type the recipes up so I can put them in my recipe binder. I have a feeling that I am going to have to buy another binder (this will be my third).
     These lasagna cupcakes are adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe that can be found here. They can be eaten by themselves, but are also great with a side salad and/or garlic bread. To make them:

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 Lasagna Cupcakes

          6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained, cut in half
          1 1/2 c Tomato pasta sauce (I use homemade spaghetti sauce.)
          1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
          1 tsp oregano
          1/2 tsp garlic powder
          1/4 tsp salt
          1 egg
          1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
          2 T grated Parmesan cheese

     1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray jumbo muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
     2. In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and egg.
     3. Line each muffin cup with 2 lasagna noodle halves, crossing the noodles to make an "x." The noodles will come up the side of the cup. Spoon about 1 T pasta sauce over the noodles.
     4. Spoon about a half cup of the ricotta mixture over the sauce and then put about 3 T pasta sauce on top of that. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover with foil.
     5. Bake for 35 minutes, turning at least once during baking. Take off the foil and let it bake for about five more minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove and serve.
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     The original recipe has you mix cooked spinach into the ricotta cheese mixture, but I can't stand cooked spinach (raw only, please) so I don't use it.
     These can be a meal in themselves, but you'll most likely want to have a dessert on hand because there is a possibility that you will get hungry later.
     This last time that I made them, there were 8 lasagna noodles in the box so rather than putting the box back in the cupboard with two noodles, I made a mini lasagna in a mini loaf pan.
     They reheat quite well, so Dad and Rachel usually take the leftovers for lunch the next day.
     I didn't think to take a picture of them (we were too hungry), so the picture below is the one from the Betty Crocker website and looks quite a bit different because it has the spinach in it.

Photo credit: Betty Crocker website

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