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cheese

Homemade Lasagna

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

This is something I hadn’t made in about a year, homemade lasagna. The other day while grocery shopping I thought about buying a frozen lasagna to throw in the oven but decided against it in favor of making one myself. Frozen, store bought lasagna just isn’t as good as a homemade recipe.

Homemade Lasagna

*This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure for more information.*

This is not a quick meal by any means, not the cooking, not the prep. This is hours long, mainly just the cooking, with occasional stirring. But the amazing flavor is in how long it takes to make.

What you need:

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 6.5 ounce can canned tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to make Lasagna

Dice up an onion and mince some garlic, tenderize in a little oil, in a large pot. Choose your tomato base. I use a cheap jar of spaghetti sauce, something that has added seasoning in it already, but you can also use a large can of tomato sauce. Add to your onions and garlic.

Add in a can of crushed tomatoes, your sugar, and most of the spices. Also now add in already cooked, and fat drained off ground beef.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat, once it comes to a boil reduce heat, cover and let simmer for a couple hours over low heat.

Homemade Lasagna

While you are waiting on your sauce to simmer, you can get the Ricotta cheese made up: add an egg and remaining parsley.

Homemade Lasagna

Also grate your cheese, a lot of it.

Homemade Lasagna

Once you have simmered your meat sauce for a couple hours you are ready to make your homemade lasagna.

Start with a layer of meat sauce on the bottom on your pan, I used a 9×13. Add a layer of noodles. Add half your ricotta cheese on top of those noodles, add a third of your mozzarella cheese on top of the ricotta.

Homemade Lasagna

Add a layer of meat sauce, and continue the layers. Top the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all of it.

Homemade Lasagna

How to Tent Aluminum Foil for Lasagna

Making a tin foil tent is easy. Take a piece of tin foil that is a good 6 inches longer than your pan. Wrap each end around the the end of your pan. In the middle of your pan/tin foil create a peak in your tin fold so that it looks like a tent. This allows the steam to vent out of the lasagna.

How Long to Cook Lasagna

Bake at 375. You want to start with it covered in a tin foil tent, you’re not going to want to have your cheese stuck to the tin foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the tin foil and bake for another 25 minutes.

Let it cool for 15 minutes before you cut into it.

Homemade Lasagna

Lasagna in A CrockPot

I love using my slow cooker for make things like this because I can set it and forget it. It also makes the house smell amazing as it cooks. The only difference in making this in your crockpot versus the oven is that you do not tent it, and you cook it longer.

Cook on low for about 4 hours. Add more cheese, let it sit for another 15 minutes then serve.

Homemade Lasagna

Homemade Lasagna

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

There is nothing like a homemade lasagna.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garli
  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 6.5 ounce can canned tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large pot cook onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce/spaghetti sauce and cooked ground beef.
  2. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Main Course

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Filed Under: Family Friendly Recipes, Main Course Tagged With: cheese, homemade lasagna, lasagna, Recipe, tasty tuesday

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Winter brings the hot soups that warm you from the inside out. French onion soup warms us from the inside out, fills us up with warm bread and cheese. It’s especially great for a budget friendly meal, or a day where you feel like eating lighter. If you are looking for something  bit heavier you should check out our bacon cheeseburger soup.

This french onion soup is a great starter when having friends over for supper, or for a light meal before heading out.

 Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

*This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy.*

What you need:

  • 3 large white onions sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried Thyme
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • french bread
  • 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella

How to make slow cooker french onion soup:

First start, slice your onions, I like to slice mine into circles, but slice them however you’d like, slicing them thinly.

Melt your butter in a frying pan over medium heat, with your brown sugar. Toss in all your onions, cover, let them sit for 5 minutes. Then toss them, cover and sit for 5 minutes. Repeat for 20 minutes. You want your onions tender.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Once your onions are tender dump them, the melted butter, everything into your slow cooker.

Add in your beef broth, bay leave, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and garlic to your slow cooker.

 Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

While you’re waiting on you soup to cook, slice your french bread, thick. Grate your cheese, we use mozzarella because we have it.

After 4-5 hours on low your french onion soup is cooked and ready to move on to the next step. Dishing it into ramekins.

Top with a slice of of the french bread, and grated cheese.

 Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

I placed our ramekins on a cookie sheet to make it easier for handling. Broil in your oven. If you use High, watch it closely! You want your cheese to melt and brown not burn.

These are also really good for saving them for later. Great for single serve heating up the next. And I always find soup so much better the next day, chili too.

I don’t feel guilty making a pot of crock pot french onion soup for myself once in awhile that I can reheat multiple times a week to have lunch for myself.

 Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Yield: 10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 large white onions, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried Thyme
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • french bread
  • 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella

Instructions

  1. In a large non-stick pan, cook onions, butter and brown sugar over medium low heat until golden and caramelized.
  2. Empty the pan into the slow cooker along with remaining ingredients except bread and cheeses.
  3. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
  4. Remove and discard bay leaf and ladle the soup into bowls. Top with bread slices and cheeses. Broil until cheese is melted and browned.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Main Course

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 Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Filed Under: Family Friendly Recipes, Slow Cooker Tagged With: cheese, CrockPot, french bread, french onion soup, Slow Cooker, Soup, Winter

Chicken with Parmesan & Bacon

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

My favorite meals tend to be those that I just throw together. Like this chicken with Parmesan & bacon. Delicious! It is super easy to make any day of the week, even busy weekdays.

Chicken Parmesan & Bacon

Chicken with Parmesan & Bacon

*This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.*

This meal has become a huge favorite with everyone in our family, I have to make double the amount of chicken that I normally make for anything else and it still doesn’t seem to be enough.

My favorite thing is you don’t have to measure, just sprinkle one ingredient over the other and bake. Make it to your family’s taste.

What you need:

  • Parmesan cheese
  • ranch dressing
  • bread crumbs
  • garlic powder – easier than grating or chopping garlic cloves
  • bacon bits
  • boneless, skinless chicken breasts

How to make Chicken with Parmesan & Bacon

Grab some chicken breasts and a casserole dish. Also grab some ranch, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, bacon bits, and of course Parmesan.

Chicken Parmesan & Bacon

You’re going to start with placing your chicken breast in your casserole dish. Spread some ranch over the top of them, sprinkle garlic powder over the top of the ranch, add it to your taste.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs over top, using about half a cup. Toss some bacon bits over the chicken, and sprinkle or grate some Parmesan cheese over all of it.

Cover for half of the cooking time to prevent the bread crumbs and bacon from burning. Bake at 425, for 25-30 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Use a good size spoon to scoop out each piece of chicken, trying not to lose any of the toppings. Serve with some vegetables of choice, our choice was baked potatoes. YUM! Plus I then had less clean up than cooking on a stove top.

This Chicken with Parmesan & Bacon is so good that we’ve had twice in two weeks, and we’re not fans of repeat meals in the same month let alone back to back weeks.

Chicken Parmesan & Bacon
Chicken Parmesan & Bacon

Chicken with Parmesan & Bacon

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

This recipe doesn't have measurements, measure this with your eyes and stomach.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup ranch dressing
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 4 tbsp bacon bits
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

    1. You're going to start with placing your chicken breast in your casserole dish. Spread some ranch over the top of them, sprinkle garlic powder over the top of the ranch, add it to your taste.
    2. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over top, using about half a cup. Toss some bacon bits over the chicken, and sprinkle or grate some Parmesan cheese over all of it.
    3. Cover for half of the cooking time to prevent the bread crumbs and bacon from burning. Bake at 425, for 25-30 minutes or until the juices run clear.
    4. Use a good size spoon to scoop out each piece of chicken, trying not to lose any of the toppings. Serve with some vegetables of choice, our choice was baked potatoes. YUM! Plus I then had less clean up than cooking on a stove top.
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Main Course

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Cheeseburger Casserole

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

There are nights that I just don’t want to cook for my family. I still love them and food, but I just don’t have it in me to cook supper. We have all felt this way I know. And I know this because we’re all looking up quick and easy recipes on Pinterest, or we’re heading out the door to grab fast food. It’s all part of this thing called motherhood. Normally for me this where my simple chicken and veggies meal comes in handy, or where Hubby comes in handy and makes something like this: Cheeseburger Casserole.

Cheeseburger Casserole

[bctt tweet=”This Cheeseburger Casserole with make everyone in your family happy at supper time!”]

Cheeseburger Casserole

*This post contains affiliate links see my disclosure policy for more information.*

The great thing about this meal? You can load it full of vegetables for your kids to eat. For you to eat. For everyone to eat without anyone really being any the wiser about how “healthy” it can be.

Cheeseburger Casserole

Add in some of the usually cheeseburger toppings: ketchup, mustard, if you like relish as well, just wait on adding that until you read on.

Cheeseburger-casserole-2

Add in your diced tomatoes.

Cheeseburger-casserole-3

Add in cooked pasta. Dump it into your casserole dish, top with cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle diced pickle over the top and serve. While it may not be a one dish meal, it is still great.

Cheeseburger-casserole-4
Cheeseburger Casserole

Cheeseburger Casserole

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 6 ounces uncooked rotini pasta (spiral pasta)
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pound 95% lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 4-5 large Roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup dill pickles, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. Boil the pasta in a large pot according to packaged directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until onions are transparent. Add the garlic and stir about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the ground beef and fully cook through until brown. If using 95% lean ground beef, there is no need to drain. But if you are using a less fat version, drain the fat and return to the stove.
  5. Stir in the seasoned salt, ketchup and mustard until well combined. Add the chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 2 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.
  6. Add the cooked and drained noodles to the meat and stir well. Pour into the prepared baking pan and evenly sprinkle the cheese across the top. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and slightly cool before serving. Top with chopped dill pickle.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Main Course

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Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Sometimes when my husband decides to venture into the kitchen I get scared, I think my children do too. To be fair, the man can cook. It’s just not always a hit with everyone, he likes way more salt than us for example. These mozzarella stuffed meatballs, however, were a hit.

It helps that my kids love cheese so of course they would love mozzarella meatballs right?

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Crockpot Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

*This post may contain affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy.*

What you need:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup bread crumbs panko or regular, Italian seasoned or plain
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • block of mozzarella cheese

How to make Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs:

Take your block of mozzarella cheese and cut it into small pieces. Put them in the freezer until your ready to use them.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Mix together the bread crumbs, egg, spices, and ground beef. Use your hands (there is a reason that I don’t make meatballs, and this is it).

Get your cheese out of the freezer and start rolling small amounts of the meat mixture, about 4 tablespoons worth. Form a ball, push a piece of cheese in to the meat, roll into a ball so the cheese is completely covered.

Amazon also sells a meatball maker that you can use to make stuffed meatballs.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Place into a greased slow cooker, or on a baking sheet if baking.

Hubby choose to pour our favorite pasta sauce over the meatballs in to your crock pot.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

These smell amazing while their cooking! And of course they smell great once they are finished and you’re digging into them.

With the holidays, maybe you’re looking for something you can make ahead and freeze, these work! Instead of putting in a slow cooker or in the oven, place them evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze. Once frozen through you can put them in a freezer bag. Perfect for Christmas Eve evening as an appetizer.

You can serve with your choose of dips, for dipping: Alfredo, marinara sauce, pasta sauce, or even a variety for your guests.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup bread crumbs, panko or regular, Italian seasoned or plain
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • block of mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Chop each cheese stick into half inch pieces (about 6-8 pieces for each cheese stick). Place on a plate and chill in the freezer until ready to use.
  2. Add ground beef, bread crumbs, egg and egg yolk, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to a bowl. Mush the ingredients together with your hands until everything comes together.
  3. Remove cheese from freezer. Scoop out about 4 tablespoons of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Gently push a piece of chilled mozzarella into the middle of the meatball. Roll the ball in your hands to cover the hole where the mozzarella cheese was pushed in. Place inside a greased slow cooker and repeat with remaining meat and cheese.
  4. When all meatballs are in the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low 3-4 hours until meat it cooked through (no longer pink). The cheese may start melting out of the meatballs, that's okay. OR Place meatballs 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes until browned and cheese is melty.
  5. If desired, when using your slow cooker you can pour your favorite pasta sauce over them as we did.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Main Course

Can you freeze mozzarella cheese?

The answer to your question is, yes you can freeze mozzarella cheese. You can freeze the whole block, or you can grate or shred it before freezing it. The block of cheese that you freeze, when you take it out, will be more crumbly. The crumbliness is great for topping your pizza.

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A Little About Me

I'm Ashley, a Canadian secular homeschool mom of 3, living in Nova Scotia.

I share our adventures in homeschooling and parenting.

You can usually find us at the library surrounded by books.
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