Main Meal

Gaelyne’s Lasagne

Published 29 April, 2011

I’ve been making this recipe for my birthday since I was 13yrs old. It’s a family favourite.

Gaelyne’s Lasagne

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Recipe type: Main

Author: Gaelyne Gasson

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour 45 mins

Serves: 10

I’ve been making this recipe for my birthday since I was 13yrs old. It’s a family favourite.

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Beef (beef mince)
1/2 pound Ground pork (pork mince) – OR Italian sausae removed from the casing
1 Onion chopped
3 cloves Garlic minced
16 oz tomatoes chopped
15 oz tomato sauce (not ketchup! Use spaghetti or bolognaise sauce)
3 tablespoons Parsley Flakes
2 tablespoons Sugar or Splenda
1 teaspoon Fennel ground
2 teaspoons Basil
2 teaspoons Oregano
3 Cups Cottage Cheese
1 C Parmesan Cheese grated
8 or 16oz package Lasagne Noodles If in Australia & using ‘instant’ pasta, see notes.
1/4 pound Mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

Cook and stir ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic in large sauce pan or dutch oven until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off all fat.
Add tomatoes and break up with fork. (You weren’t dating any forks? Oh well, break up the tomatoes with the fork, if you need to to).
Stir in tomato sauce, 2T parsley, the sugar, 1t basil, 1t oregano, 1 t fennel (to taste).
Heat to boiling while stirring occasionally. Do a taste test and adjust seasoning to your preference. Reduce heat, simmer uncover for an hour.
Mix Cottage Cheese, Ricotta (if you have it), 1/2c Parmesan Cheese, 1T Parsley flakes, 1t oregano and 1t basil. You can do this part ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to layer the Lasagne.
Heat oven to 350f or 180c.
Reserve 1/2C to 1C of the meat sauce for a thin top layer.
In un-greased baking pan (13x9x2) layer 1/4 each of the noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese mixture. Repeat this process 3x or until you run out of the ingredients. Spread the reserved meat sauce over the top and sprinkle with 1/2 C parmesan cheese.
At this point, the lasagne can be covered and put in the fridge until it’s time to cook it.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Allow an additional 10-15min if lasagne has been refrigerated. For easier cutting and indeed, the best flavour, allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Note: If using “instant’ Lasagne noodles (we have them here in Oz, don’t know about USA), double the sauce recipe. Before layering the Lasagne, put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan so the bottom noodles have some sauce to cook in.

You can also use ricotta cheese in place of or in addition to the cottage cheese. The more cheese, the better!

Add Basil and Oregano & Fennel to taste rather than by the amounts above.

I usually triple this recipe and use more sausage, as well as a lot more shredded mozzarella cheese.

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Tagged Main Meal

Buffalo Wing Sauce

Published 29 April, 2011

This recipe never fails me, and is easily adaptable if you want to mix things up a bit – such as using Peri Peri seasoning in it or otherwise experimenting. Buffalo Wing Sauce isn’t just for chicken wings. It’s great over chicken legs, Fish sticks/ fingers, meatballs, as a sauce for noodles… really I just love this stuff!

Buffalo Wing Sauce

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Recipe type: Main

Author: Gaelyne Gasson

This recipe never fails me, and is easily adaptable if you want to mix things up a bit – such as using Peri Peri seasoning in it or otherwise experimenting. Buffalo Wing Sauce isn’t just for chicken wings. It’s great over chicken legs, Fish sticks/ fingers, meatballs, as a sauce for noodles… really I just love this stuff!

Ingredients

1 8oz bottle Hot Chilli Sauce (Durkee, Franks or in Oz, Maggi brand)
2 tablespoons Margarine
1 tablespoon Vinegar
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
1 clove Garlic minced

Instructions

Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer on low until it is all melted / mixed well. It mellows and gets a nice sheen to it as it cooks.
Keep it warm while you prepare your chicken.
I usually put the sauce over the (already cooked) meat and then cook further in the oven, but it’s not a requirement.

Notes

Measurements are not exact. You can add more or less of any particular ingredient. Have fun. Play with it.
The honey softens the heat and also gives it that nice glaze look.
The lemon adds some tang.
And of course, without the hot sauce, it’s nothing!
You can also add chilli pepper, tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, etc if you like.

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Tagged Main Meal

Gaelyne’s Tuna Noodle Casserole

Published 29 April, 2011

My kids rave about this dish and often ask for the recipe, so here it is. The thing is, I always made it because it was cheap and tuna’s good for you.

Gaelyne’s Tuna Noodle Casserole

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Recipe type: Main

Author: Gaelyne Gasson

My kids rave about this dish and often ask for the recipe, so here it is. The thing is, I always made it because it was cheap and tuna’s good for you.

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 pounds Wide Egg Noodles
1 can Evaporated Milk (Regular Milk is OK in a pinch)
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese (to taste)
1 or 2 cans Tuna (to taste, medium/normal size cans)
1 tablespoon Margarine (Omit if using oil packed tuna)
1 Onion chopped
1 stalk Celery optional
1 tablespoon Chives optional
1 teaspoon each Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic, Pepper Plus any other seasonings to taste

Instructions

First cook the noodles as directed on the package, but cook for a couple minutes less (as noodles will continue cooking and absorb the flavours from the casserole).
In a largish bowl, mix tuna and margarine, then add about a tsp each of the seasonings along with the Parmesan cheese and mix well, Now grab a clean spoon and taste, adding seasoning and cheese as needed (and using a clean spoon each time you taste). When you find you want to just sit and eat it without putting it in the oven, you know it’s ready!
HONEST, this is how I know it’s ready!
Now mix in the noodles and once they’re mixed in, add some milk – just enough to make it wet.
If you like really wet sloppy creamy tuna noodles, make sure to add enough milk so it’s quite wet. If you like yours dryer, use less milk. I have found a can of evaporated milk gives just enough whether I use two cans of tuna and 1 whole bag of noodles or if I use half a bag and 1 can of tuna.
If you like, you can crumble up a bunch of potato chips to put on the top, but I usually skipped that (my Mom did the chip thing) and instead put a layer of Parmesan cheese and more seasonings on top.
Cook for about 45mins at 350f (that’s about 180c) and check on it. The main thing is to make sure when you stick a big spoon in the center that it’s not all milk. If you like it dryer, cook it a bit longer.

Notes

The tuna, noodles and Parmesan cheese and milk are required, everything else is optional and to suit your taste.
DON’T add salt as the parmesan cheese is already quite salty.
The Tuna can be either the kind packed in oil or water is fine. Make sure and drain it though.
If you want to make less, use half a bag of noodles and half the tuna.
I purposely typed in instructions for a large batch so that you can either make it and freeze some or have enough to feed your army.

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Tagged Main Meal

Avocado Salad

Published 29 April, 2011

One of my favourite ways to enjoy avocado.

Avocado Salad

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Recipe type: Salad

Author: Gaelyne Gasson

Prep time: 40 mins

Total time: 40 mins

A cool yet spicy blend of avocado, tomatoes and meat of your choice that can be served over a variety of foods. I like it over hot egg noodles.

Ingredients

3 Avocados Very soft / ripe
2 Tomatoes chopped
1 Onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon Chilli Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Corriander Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
dash Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 pound Prawns/shrimp, Turkey or Chicken cooked

Instructions

In a large bowl, blend all the ingredients and make adjustments to suit your taste. Allow to chill for 30 minutes or longer, and then serve over hot egg noodles, or use as a dip with corn chips. This can also be used to make sandwiches with.

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