Easy Lasagna

To those who tried my Easy Vermicelli, here's another recipe that you might like. I chanced upon it while I was craving for some Mouthwatering Pasta dishes.

I was hooked on the Greenwich Lasagna. It was one of the cheesiest and meatiest lasagnas I have ever tried in my life! It's also very tasty. It was not tangy, salty or bland... It was just right!

One day, I couldn't get a hand on an order of Lasagna. I started to research on how to cook lasagna the easy way.

Those in the know can attest that Lasagna is one of the hardest Pasta dishes to cook/bake. You have to prepare a cheese sauce, the meat sauce and, of course, cook the noodles! In addition to cooking, you have to bake the whole thing!

Well, I got just the recipe for you! It's easy in the sense that you need not slave for hours in the kitchen. But the cooking and baking is still there.

Here it is, folks! My own take on a very tasty, cheesy and delicious Lasagna!

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LASAGNA

Ingredients:
Lasagna Noodles
1 Large Can Hunt's Spaghetti Meat Sauce (or you can also use Hunt's Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce)
1/4 kilo Ground Beef
1 Small Onion, chopped
1 Tetra Pack, All Purpose Cream
1 Container Magnolia Cottage Cheese
Quickmelt Cheese, grated
Mozzarella Cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Cook Lasagna Noodles according to package directions, until al dente. Drain, separate and set aside.

2. Saute Onions until transparent. Add Ground Beef and cook until the Ground Beef is golden brown. Add salt and pepper according to your taste. Drain the excess fat. Add the Spaghetti Meat Sauce and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.

3. In a separate container, combine All Purpose Cream, Cottage Cheese, Quickmelt Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese. Mix until well blended.

4. Preheat oven to 345 Degrees Fahrenheit.

5. In a glass pan, layer the Sauces and Noodles in this order: Lasagna Noodles, Meat Sauce and Cheese Sauce, repeat as needed. Top with Grated Mozzarella Cheese.

6. Cover pan with Aluminum Foil and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour.

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It's actually very easy. After you layer the lasagna noodles, the meat sauce and the cheese sauce, the only "work" you will do is putting the pan into the oven. That's it.

And this is my guarantee... Everyone will love it! My friends and colleagues loved my lasagna! It wasn't greasy (because I drained the fat), bland, sweet, or too spicy. The taste was just right because of the Canned Spaghetti Sauce. You really don't need to put additional spices because the Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce has just the right amount of spices.

You can also substitute some of the Cheeses with other economical Cheese Alternatives. You may use Kesong Puti, your regular grocery Processed Cheese, or whatever cheese you'd like (except Blue Cheese or sour cheeses, of course!).

Hope you like my new recipe. I will try to share more if time permits. Enjoy!

Kids, Issues & Being A Kid

Wow! It's been more than 3 weeks since I last updated my BLOG! That's a long time! I'm so sorry, to those who frequent my BLOG. Nothing much was happening in the last few weeks, and I didn't want to fill my BLOG with all the drama and negative things that were happening in my life.

Well, now, I have lots of things to write. I have had a lot of things happen in the last week that I just can't wait to share. But of course, I have to edit out things that are quite sensitive... Hehe!

First of all, I saw my nephew again!!! Yep! He's such a looker! He's just such a darling! Matty is growing up so fast! He's only about 4 months old, but he's a big guy! He's a sweetheart! His big, beautiful eyes just glisten with innocence and love! I can't wait to see him again!

I saw Matty during our family's mini-outing in Laguna last Saturday, October 16. It was my little cousin, Izabella's, 6th birthday. It was one of those events where we would just hang out, pig out, go out, etc. We'd see relatives we hardly ever see, and just enjoy each other's company. It's just like those old times when the whole clan gets together. It's such a fun experience.

In addition to the event being a fun experience, I also had the chance to have some R&R. It's so nice to get away from the city and just enjoy the mountainside. Although there was much commotion around, I was so happy that I was able to take a couple of restful naps. It was pure bliss!

Another event last Saturday Evening, that I quite enjoyed, was the get-together of my friends from RV Land. It was so nice to see them again. I just love exchanging conversations with some of them. I love the cheerful and jovial banter we all share! The way we would joke around just livens up my spirits (though we already got there around 11:30PM!).

That event, however, did not end well. There was a really big issue that was brought up in the wee hours of the morning. All the hollering and bawling woke those who were already peacefully asleep (myself, included). That is the sensitive issue that I mentioned I was omitting. It's just complicated.

Anyway, the week went on with nothing but that issue as a Hot Topic of discussion among my friends, my sister and myself. I'm glad that, though the issue was quite sensitive and somewhat damaging to the group, the group gets together more often because of it.

Last night, most of our friends stayed over in our house, after the taping of Regine Velasquez's Soap Opera, "Forever In My Heart." They're all leaving, together with my sister, for Lucena City, where Regine Velasquez will be having a concert. It's a long drive from our place to Lucena (about 3-4 hours), but I am sure that they'll all have a great time, like we had this morning!

This morning was just the best! It was like being a kid again! You see, we lost our water supply this morning, and the only way we could bathe was if we did it in our backyard, under the Water Tank. And guess what? There were 6 of us taking a bath in our backyard!!! Picture little kids enjoying the water on an open Fire Hydrant or Garden Sprinklers... That was exactly how we looked like! Hahaha! It was fun! Of course, we were fully clothed while taking a bath (I wore my 2-piece bathing suit)! We have no plans of becoming exhibitionists, even if our perimeter walls were high enough to cover us from the streets! It was so fun!

I mentioned the taping of "Forever In My Heart." Well, I was also there. For those who don't know me quite well, I have a certain grievance against Regine Velasquez, which I do not care to elaborate. I might get reprimanded again by those people who hover around her. (There goes the Right of Free Speech, out the window and down the drain!!!)

Anyway, I went along with my sister, because I know our friends will be there and that we'll be able to rant about the issue again. It kinda helps release the building tension inside when we talk about it and rant some more. I really enjoyed that. We also got to see another friend who does not really hang out with us, but is still considered as a part of the group. It's just so nice to be with them again, though they were there for Regine.

I love being a kid. And being with my little cousins and some friends made me feel like one! Oh joy! Here's to being a kid for a time!

25 Going On 13

My sister, Pam, and I just saw Jennifer Garner's movie, 13 Going On 30. It was a pretty hilarious movie, and it really made an impact on me.

I have had multitudes of experiences in my life that I wish, somehow, I could forget. Some things that I regret having experienced at all. I even found myself looking back on those specific instances that I wish never occured. I thought of how I could've handled things differently. How it would've affected my life, had I done things in another way.

But you can never undo what has been done. Unless you have those mystical Wishing Powder, like the one that Matt gave to Jenna, in the movie.

If I had a pack of that Wishing Powder, I would go back to my days in 6th Grade. I would've studied harder, rather than just hangout with my Bandmates. I would've been accelerated to High School. But then again, I wouldn't have met my First Boyfriend.

From the 6th Grade, onwards, I would've done things in a lot of different ways. Maybe, I would've been a more educated person. Maybe, I would've taken Law or another profession. Who knows?

So, I pray to God that I can get a hold of a working "Wishing Dust."