Lasagna a la Taka

Level of difficulty: Medium

Caloric Count: High

Ok people, we're talking WOW factor stuff here. explosions of different flavours hitting your palate at different intervals yet all in one beautiful mouthful! Fresh pasta and herbs are key to this dish and I use minced lamb, instead of minced steak , but there are many variations to this dish. Me, I have to go over the top. Only the best! I use 6 cheeses in my lasagne, and it makes the flavor amazing. You will need quite a few ingredients.

Let's get started. I will also include a vegetarian version.

For meat sauce:

• 2 pks fresh minced lamb or mince steak appox.400 grms
• 5 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cp virgin olive oil
• 2 med yellow onions
• 1 red 1green and1 yellow bell pepper(s)
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 fresh vine ripened tomatoes
• handful each of the following fresh herbs! (if available, if not, dry wiil suiffice
• basil
• parsley
• oregano
• salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta:

2 boxes fresh lasagne pasta sheets can be found at your major supermarket in fresh pasta section. Dried lasagne pasta is fine (but must be cooked first).

Cheeses:

• 2 tubs fresh riccotta cheese 500 grams
• 2 bags grated mozzarella 500 grams
• 2 bags grated yellow cheddar 500 grams
• 1 tub cottage cheese 250 grams
• 1 block feta cheese 200 grams
• fresh grated parmesan

Sauce:

• 2 jars of favorite spaghetti sauce 1000 grams
• 1 small can chopped italian tomatoes 400 grams
• generous splash of italian wine (I use merlot, full rich deep nutty flavor) have a glass while preparing if over 12 yrs old. Merlot is French but what the hell!

• Chop onions peppers celery and herbs along with garlic.
• In large skillet,add 1/4 cup olive oil, add garlic, then add the above and saute until tender
• Add 1tsp of dried oregano .
• Add meat and cook till done stirring throughout.
• Add fresh tomatoes (diced) and simmer 10 min.
• Add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce stir and add wine. I find 1 tablespoon of sugar will cut sharpness of tomato ingredients. You can also add 2 tsps of tomato paste or purree.
• Simmer and stir occasionally for 20min.
• Set to the side to cool a bit.

You need rectangular deep dish casserole pan, rub with tsp olive oil. If pasta is fresh or boiled, layer with pasta until bottom is covered. Spoon over sauce mixture liberally on top of pasta. Now it gets a bit messy. Dip with your clean hand into cottage cheese and sprinkle lightly on top of sauce. Then sprinkle liberal amount of mozzarella. Next, crumble feta light amount, next the riccotta liberally. Add another layer pasta, then sprinkle cheddar, mozzarella and riccotta. If pan is deep enough, build another layer of pasta, sauce and cheese making sure the top ends with sauce and copious amounts of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan on top.

Bake in pre-heated oven on 375 degrees for 45 mins to 1 hour. You'll know it's ready when the cheese is golden and it's bubbling and smelling up the neighborhood.

For vegetarians:

Follow recipe substituting meat for 2 eggplants & zucchini, and 200 grams fresh mushrooms thinly sliced and layered on top of sauce, followed by cheeses.

There is also a soy mince called quorn which is a dead ringer for beef mince only it's soybean. It's hard to tell the difference between it and beef. 2 packs of quorn needed.

I get fresh baguettes or long thin loaves of bread slice mix fresh garlic parsley and butter spread and toast in hot oven.

Serve with mixed salad and some red wine!

Yum yum!!
Hit me back with feedback. Any?'s just ask!

Enjoy! Taka

Chicken & Dumplings

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Caloric Evaluation: High carbs

Ok, the season is changing. The hunters and gatherers are getting busy, it's time for wholesome food with substance that sticks to the ribs..to warm you from the inside-out. This is a old classic soul dish very easy to prepare ,and you can freeze leftovers for a chilly night.perfect served with a green salad as a starter.

i have a tendency to make copious amounts when it comes to soups and stews of this sort. if you find the
amounts a bit too much for you, just use half of listed ingredients. I would also like to add that my mom showed me recipe when I was a child, and I put my spin on it over the years.... so props to my mama!

Chicken & Dumplings

• 1 large chicken
• 4 chicken stock cubes
• 4 carrots
• 2 large onions
• 3 stalks celery
• 4 cloves garlic
• basil (fresh 4 large leaves) dried 2 tsps
• parsley( 1 bunch fresh)dried 2 tsps
• cilantro or corriander (1/4 bunch fresh)dried 2tsps
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 tsp blk pepper
• salt to taste

(with all recipes it is essential to taste as you go along, so you can adjust dish according to your palate)
(add stock cubes as you go as they contain salt, you made need more or less)

The best dumplings for this dish are ready made bisquits in refrigerated section i.e. pillsbury or hungry jack
2 cans, 1/4 cup flour( for rolling out)

• In large stew pot fill 3/4 full with water
• Quarter chicken, rinse and put in pot to boil with chicken stock cubes
• Dice onions, carrots, celery, herbs, mince garlic and add bay leaves
• Boil 1 1/2 to 2 hours until chicken falls apart easily
• When done turn off stove.

• Prepare clean surface for rolling out bisquits
• Sprinkle some flour 1 tablespoon or so onto surface and roll bisquit one at a time with rolling pin
• Into saucer size circles. slice into strips and add one at a time to pot STIRRING all the while (make sure
• Dumplings don't stick together)the amount of dumplings you want is up to how many you roll out and add
• Simmer fo 10 minutes and BAM. all ready to dish up and chow down

Enjoy
any ?s
I'm here for you..
Love Taka