La-Mac-Gna

Another food entry. So sue me.

I lllluuuuuuurves me some lasagna. I’d claim it was my favorite food, but, well, FOOD is my favorite food.

Ahem.

So, when my body tanked and decreed I can no longer be on my feet for more than about 30 seconds straight, I’ve found ways to bastardize a lot of meals. (I also invested in a kitchen stool that raises me to stove height, but even that has its limitations.) We definitely eat out more than before, but I make an effort to cook at least 5 days a week, not counting leftovers. We HAVE gone weeks without eating out at all – not even takeout.

Today’s trash-cooking-du-jour is my version of macaroni lasagna. Not elbow mac, which has a different texture – I use shells, which have more heft and are a bit closer to the real McCoy.

In the off chance you have leftover marinara-style spaghetti sauce, this is a way to use it. Otherwise I’ll assume you’re like me and working from scratch, so to speak.

Start by scrambling ground meat over medium heat, just until nearly done. I used beef; but if you prefer fowl, I won’t judge. Much.

Add your pasta sauce. I used a jar this time, but have even stooped to canned in a pinch, but to be honest – even from scratch is easy enough. Tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes, and spices. Simmer. How hard is that? Or for a purist, fresh tomatoes and a blender or food processor, add spices – not that tough. I use what I’ve got though, and this time I “got” the jar. I did add some frozen onion and bell pepper, but that’s just me.

Meanwhile, get those noodles of choice in the pot. As I mentioned, I used shells. But let’s be honest, my recipes are about using what you’ve got. Use spaghetti, linguine, rigatoni – if it’s pasta, it’s game. You just want some type of cooked pasta for this variation.

Now comes the fun part. I cut cream cheese into small cubes and melted it into the pasta sauce. You could do ricotta for a more authentic mix, and don’t let it melt fully. I had cream cheese in the fridge, so cream cheese it was.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix it up. If you want to go the extra step, pour it all into a casserole, dump on shredded cheese, and bake. I took the shortcut approach. Turned off the heat, dumped on shredded mozzarella and Parmesan, and let it melt before serving. While I do suggest sticking with a mild white cheese, use what you’ve got. Provolone slices? Do it. Swiss would work in a pinch (and has). I prefer mozzarella, though, and parm if I’ve got it.

This meal was served with a side of cooked spinach, but you could do a salad or other vegetable matter of your choice. Brussels sprouts are good if you like that sort of thing. Heck, you could also drain the spinach and add TO the sauce.

I’m absolutely a “cook with what you’ve got” person. Granted, I buy what I consider to be staples. I always keep cheese; always keep pasta and try to keep some type of pasta sauce on hand. I keep canned and frozen veggies, and rice. Used to keep fresh potatoes – now go more with frozen options, though I do buy fresh creamers and other varieties I don’t need to peel. And so on. But seriously – I’ve been at the opposite extreme, too: my cabinet stopped at little more than flour and canned milk. So biscuits and gravy it was.

Our office Christmas party was last night.

We’re a small company – about 30 of us all told. The typical greeting was a hug instead of a handshake or vague hello. The event was held at the business owner’s home, out on a patio he enclosed with plastic. It was warmed by a couple of standing patio heaters, which worked pretty well. I took some cell phone pictures but too lazy to connect the phone to this itty bitty ‘puter tonight. Despite my description, it actually looked pretty darned good. A handful of round tables, each sitting eight people; red tablecloths, cloth napkins, glass settings, etc.

I brought home an award, one which came with a respectable dollar amount on a gift card. I’ve already used most of it, ordering a couple of new saucepans, a small skillet, and some towels. I still have $$ left on the card and because of the time of year, the retailer was offering free two-day delivery. Not going to the store a week before Christmas was another win, in and of itself!

I thought seriously about ordering an Instant Pot. A lot of people swear by them, and it would replace the existing crock pot. In the end, I figured I’d use the regular pans and towels more.

Besides the gift card, I also got an actual cash-money bonus from the office, and gave half to G. He asked me why. I told him I couldn’t have achieved any of this if he didn’t do the things he does, so it was as much his award as mine. He added it to his computer-upgrade fund, but I think he was absolutely shocked that I’d hand him that much money without a second thought. I meant what I said, though. Anyone who DOESN’T appreciate a spouse’s support is blind or just plain mean. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without my better half.

The rest of the cash, by the way, is going toward paying bills. So with the gift card, G and I ended up with an equal amount of mad money, and the rest will take a small bite out of the credit cards.