Mexican Beef Lettuce Wraps

I made this dish for dinner a couple of nights ago for several different reasons. Firstly, my mom and I had decided to make moussaka, something we hadn’t done in a very long time, and had some leftover ground beef. Also, we had a whole bunch of mushrooms that needed to be used up somehow so I needed to make something that would incorporate them. Most importantly though, I needed to make something that I could post in order to meet my personal monthly quota that I set for myself when I first started the blog. 

Originally I was going to make beef lettuce wraps in an Asian style, as I had done previously, but since I needed a new recipe I decided to create a Mexican version. I made up the recipe completely on the fly and used flavors and spices that I thought would give the dish a Mexican feel. I paired the beef with a corn, pepper, and bean salad somewhat adapted from my Southwest quinoa salad just without the quinoa.

To my surprise the dish was met with much more enthusiasm than I expected, considering how randomly I threw it together. I couldn’t find the right type of lettuce at the grocery store so we actually ended up using cabbage leaves as the wrapping vessel. My mother actually pointed out that the dish was Passover friendly because it didn’t use a flour tortilla for the wrapping, something I hadn’t even considered while making it. 

In the end I was quite pleased with myself as I saw how much everyone enjoyed dinner that night. I think that it was so successful because it truly had a Mexican flavor to it, something I achieved by using a couple of tablespoons of Chipotle sauce. It’s extremely spicy, so I wouldn’t recommend using too much, but just a little bit goes a long way and can really bring that familiar Mexican taste to any dish. 

Mexican Beef Lettuce Wraps

Note: For the accompanying salad follow, double the quantities of the ingredients from the southwest quinoa salad but omit the quinoa. 

1.  Heat some olive oil over high heat in a large skillet and add the ground beef. Cook until no pink is visible then drain the beef and set aside. 
2. Using the same pan, heat some new olive oil and sauté the chopped onions over medium heat until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. 
3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. 
4. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and mix well to incorporate. Continue to cook until the mushrooms soften and brown.
5. Return the cooked beef to the pan and mix into the mushrooms and onions. Add the ground cumin, coriander, chipotle sauce, and salsa and mix well throughout.
6. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and add some extra chipotle sauce or salsa if desired.
7. Serve alongside the corn, pepper, and bean salad as well as any lettuce that can act as a cup for filling, such as bibb or butter lettuce. 

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pizza with Cream Sauce

My friends and I are in the last term of our nursing program and just finished our last group clinical before our final practicum. To celebrate I decided to host a dinner at my house and made fresh pizza. My friends are somewhat picky eaters and it's hard for everyone to agree on one food type so I made two pizzas: one classic vegetarian pizza and one more upscale pizza with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and a creamy herb and garlic sauce. I was a little unsure whether the second pizza would go over well but my friends loved it and finished the entire thing.

I think my friends were most impressed by the fact that I made the dough from scratch and how light and airy the crust turned out. Interestingly enough, there was a lot of moisture in the air that day and as a result I had to add more flour than usual to make the dough. Apart from that, the pizza was extremely easy to make. The process of caramelizing the onions took some time but I made the most of it by vacuuming and mopping the entire first floor in anticipation of them coming over. Every few minutes I would return to the stove and stir the onions. I made sure to prepare the onions, mushrooms, and sauce ahead of time so that everything would have a chance to cool before assembling the pizza.

Because of my planning I was then able to assemble the pizza and stick it in the oven in under ten minutes and actually have it ready by the time my friends came. The rest of the evening was spent chatting, playing games, and enjoying each others' company. Overall it was a great night and I was so glad that everyone managed to come.

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pizza with Cream Sauce
Note: The below ingredients are enough dough to make two pizzas but toppings for one.

• Pizza dough (recipe found here)
• 2 medium sized onions, thinly sliced
• 10-12 mushrooms, chopped (depending on size)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 oz cream cheese
• ½ cup milk
• Mozzarella cheese, grated
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and reduce the heat to medium low. Saute the onions, stirring every 2-3 minutes and allow them to slowly caramelize. They will be ready once they are a deep golden color, about 35-45 minutes. Once finished, put into a bowl and set aside to cool.
2. Using the same pan, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the chopped mushrooms. Add one teaspoon each of the dried oregano and thyme and mix to incorporate. Saute the mushrooms until they soften and turn brown, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a bowl and set aside to cool.
3. To make the sauce: In a small saucepan melt the tablespoon of butter then add the minced garlic. Lightly saute until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the cream cheese and milk. Add the remaining teaspoon of dried oregano and thyme and stir through. Continue to heat and stir until the cream cheese melts completely and the sauce becomes uniform. Set aside to cool.

 To Assemble:

1. If using a pizza stone, put it in the oven and allow it to preheat with the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes before transferring the pizza to it.  
2. Punch down the dough and then separate into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth, round ball and allow it to sit on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes (this will make it easier to roll/stretch).
3. Proceed to roll/stretch out the dough until it is of the desired size then brush the edges with olive oil. 
4. Spread the cream sauce over the surface of the dough. Top generously with the onions and mushrooms and then sprinkle some of the freshly grated cheese.
5. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake at 500 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. If not using a pizza stone the baking time may be greater, around 18-20 minutes.

Lasagna Roll Ups

By now the little petite lasagnas I came up with years ago have become a family staple in my household. My mom routinely asks me to make them and has made them herself on more than one occasion. She has told me more than once that she loves how they have all the great flavor of traditional lasagna but is already individually portioned and convenient to take to work or school. 

In an effort to mix things up a little I decided to try out a new but similar concept: lasagna roll ups. Like the petite lasagnas, these roll ups are also individually portioned and therefore easy to pack up. However these roll ups are even more like the real thing because they use lasagna noodles while the petite lasagnas use wonton wrappers. 

As with a lot of new recipes, the first time I make something it takes a bit longer because I have to learn the technique while I’m doing it. These roll ups were no exception; my first few were not nearly as great as the ones I made toward the end because I overfilled them. As a result, when I went to roll up the pasta I had filling spilling out the sides. I adapted for the subsequent rolls and had much better results. 

Due to the fact that I had some chicken leftover from stock I had made, I decided to use it in the filling. I had never actually tasted chicken lasagna before, only having the ground beef and vegetarian versions. I can’t quite say that I liked it as much but I did like the idea of the roll up. I think that in the future I will stick to the same filling as the petite lasagnas but apply it to the roll up just for some variety.

Lasagna Roll Ups
Note: These ingredients and directions are for the roll ups with a vegetarian sauce. If desired, add a layer of meat filling before sprinkling with cheese and rolling up the pasta.

• 12 lasagna pasta sheets 
• 1 500 g container ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• ¼ cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5-6 large mushrooms, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes, crushed
• 3 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil 
• Optional: ¼- ½ tsp chili pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

1. Cook the pasta sheets according to the package instructions. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
2. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat then sauté the onion until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute or until fragrant.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped bell pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. 
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried thyme and basil, chili flakes (if using), and 2 tsp of dried oregano. Mix everything well and season with salt and pepper.
5. Using a hand blender or standing one, blend everything until an even consistency (note: it will still be chunky, not smooth, just make sure there are no large pieces). Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. While the sauce is thickening, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, fresh parsley, and remaining tsp of oregano. 

To Assemble:

1. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan.
2. Lay down each pasta sheet individually. Spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixture along the pasta sheet, leaving about ¼” on each side and a ½” at the top.
3. Spread a layer of sauce over top the ricotta mixture. If using a filling spread that on top.
4. Sprinkle some freshly grated cheese over the sauce.
5. Working from the bottom, carefully roll the pasta sheet up and place the roll, seam side down, into the pan. Repeat with remaining pasta.
6. Pour the remaining sauce over top of the rolls and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the cover in the last 5 minutes to allow the cheese to fully melt and bubble. 

 
 

Eggplant Lasagna

Looking over my posts from the last month it may seem like I spent the entire month baking, which is not true. Although I did not cook any new recipes for the blog, I did spend a fair bit of time in the kitchen making some family favorites such as chicken enchiladas, petite lasagnas, tom kah gai, and roasted tomato and pepper soup just to name a few. During that time I managed to come across a few new recipes that I bookmarked for later but I didn't have a chance to try some out until last week.

This recipe was one that I found during my usual nightly browsing of tastespotting.com. On the original blog it is called "Eggplant Parmesan" but I renamed it Eggplant Lasagna because it reminds me of just that. It's kind of like a hybrid between a moussaka and a lasagna because it uses eggplant to create layers, like a moussaka, but the flavors are that of a lasagna.

The process of assembling the dish is not complicated, but it does require more steps than that of an average moussaka or lasagna because the eggplant is first breaded in seasoned panko crumbs before it is baked. Although that means more effort I definitely think it was worth the results because the panko crumbs added an unexpected crunch. I don't know whether I prefer this lasagna over the petite lasagnas I normally make, but it was fun to try a different alternative.

Eggplant Lasagna
Note: This lasagna can be made vegetarian by using a meat-free tomato sauce.

• 4 large eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
• 6 cups tomato sauce (I used the filling from my petite lasagna recipe)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 2 eggs
• 2-4 cups panko bread crumbs (start with two and add more as needed)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Line two large baking pans with parchment paper or aluminum foil and coat with olive oil.
2. Combine the panko bread crumbs with the oregano, thyme, and a touch of salt and pepper and place in a shallow bowl.
3. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with a tablespoon of water. One at a time, dip each of the slices of eggplant first in the egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs. Make sure each slice is well coated on all sides and sprinkle off any excess before placing on the pan.
4. Once all of the slices are coated and spread out on the pans drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top.
5. Bake the eggplant slices at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour, flipping the slices halfway through.
6. Meanwhile prepare the filling if needed.
7. Once the eggplant is ready, assemble the lasagna in a 9" x 13" oven-safe dish. Place a layer of the sauce (or meat filling if using), followed by a layer of eggplant, then a layer of sprinkled mozzarella. Repeat the process until all of the ingredient are used up, with the eggplant ending up on top. Sprinkle some more mozzarella over top, as well as some grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the layered lasagna for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is hot and bubbly.

Stuffed Mushrooms

A couple of nights ago I made these stuffed mushrooms after discovering a bag full of very large button mushrooms sitting in our fridge. Funny enough as I sit here and write this post I have just realized that I made stuffed zucchini with vegetable rice and cheese exactly one year prior on the same date. Maybe I should make it an annual tradition...

Regardless of the funny coincidence, I had actually been thinking to myself that I hadn't made any "stuffed" dishes in a while and these mushrooms presented the perfect opportunity. The stuffing mixture was just a random mix based on the ingredients I had in the fridge and pantry. After tasting the finished product, my mom and I both agreed that the stuffing tasted great but the mushrooms were a little too "meaty". The flavor was quite intense and she suggested that maybe next time I try pre-baking the mushrooms caps for 15 minutes, stuffing them, and then returning them to the oven for the last 5 minutes, just so that the panko crumbs crisp up and become golden. This sounded like a good idea because this way the mushrooms will soften on their own first and the stuffing doesn't actually need baking.

The real challenge in making these mushrooms actually came when I had to stick them in the oven. Unfortunately, our oven door has a poor design and there have been several occasions when the handle has come off the hinges. The first time it happened to me was when I was making cookies and cream cookies for my friend's birthday. Since then it has happened a couple more times but luckily my mother has been present each time to fix the problem. Generally what happens is that I open the oven door only to have the handle fall off and then I yell out for my mom to come rescue me. This time, I could tell the handle was loose and I warned her that I thought it would come off at any moment...and of course I was right. As I went to retrieve the mushrooms from the oven the handle came unhinged and I was left holding the oven door in one hand and the tray of mushrooms in the other. However unlike the previous times, my mom decided to try a new technique this time to fix the door. Now we just have to wait and see if this solves the problem any better.

Update: I have made the stuffed mushrooms again and followed my mom's suggestions. The mushrooms turned out great and by pre-baking them the intense "meaty" flavor became a non-issue. They were definitely a little softer and harder to handle when stuffing but worth the effort. My brother went especially crazy over them and said he never realized vegetables could taste so good. Success! 

Stuffed Mushrooms
Note: This recipe can be altered to be vegetarian or with meat. I suggest keeping the cream cheese as the base and the same proportions for the mix-ins. Also, I have changed the recipe directions based on my mom's suggestions.

• 12 large button mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
• 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/4 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 8 oz (1 cup) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

1. In a large skillet heat up some olive oil over medium heat then lightly saute the onions until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. I was using sundried tomatoes packed in oil so I actually used some of the oil from the jar in order to really infuse the flavor.
2. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook until soft and brown.
3. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and sundried tomatoes and cook until the peppers soften, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile prepare the mushroom caps by lightly drizzling with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Arrange the mushrooms on a baking tray, stem side down, lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.
5. While the mushroom caps are in the oven, finish preparing the stuffing by mixing the skillet ingredients with the cream cheese and cilantro. 
6. Allow the mushroom caps to cool slightly (just enough so that they are easy to handle) and then empty any liquid that may have pooled inside them. Proceed to carefully spoon the stuffing mixture into and on top of the caps. Mix the panko crumbs together with the grated parmesan and dip each mushroom, stuffing side down, into the mix.
7. Return the tray with the mushrooms to the oven and stick under the broiler until the panko crumbs turn golden, about 5 minutes. 

Ratatouille

So apparently the amount of time I spend in the kitchen is either inversely or directly proportional to the amount of studying I have to do...the problem is that I can't quite figure out which is true. I find that when I have to study a lot I either have absolutely no time or energy for cooking, therefore resulting in an inverse relationship, or I find myself retreating to the kitchen to bake and take a break from studying, producing a direct correlation. Based on the amount of food I have recently cooked and baked I would say that this time, my studying vs. cooking has produced a direct, linearly proportional relationship. Although this may not be good for my studying, I don't think my faithful food testers mind.

I had actually come across recipes for ratatouille many months ago and had been meaning to make it but somehow it had slipped through the cracks until last week, when I saw some beautiful yellow zucchini at the market and was instantly reminded of my desire to make this dish. There are many different versions of ratatouille, ranging from stews to terrines to tarts. I made mine loosely based on Thomas Keller's Confit Byaldi, which he carefully explains how to make in one of the DVD extras of the Pixar movie Ratatouille. I say loosely based because I took my own liberties with the ingredients I used in the piperade, the tomato and pepper layer that comprises the main substance of the dish. Also, because I am slightly impatient and do not have many consecutive hours to spend in the kitchen I split my work over two days; I made the piperade the night before and then the next day I layered the sliced vegetables and baked it.

While I was preparing the piperade the night before, it was extremely difficult not to eat it up as soon as I made it because it smelled delicious and the tiny sample I tasted was amazing. The thyme and parsley leaves gave it a great flavor, reminiscent of Greek food though ratatouille is actually a French dish, and the roasted pepper was very smooth and sweet tasting. I think that in the future I might just even make the piperade as its own dish and skip the vegetable slices on top if I don't have the time to wait for the ratatouille to bake.

I was fortunate enough to have a new palette tasting my cooking as my friend came over for dinner. We are both entering the nursing program at University of British Columbia this fall, or rather in one week, and today was our first day of orientation. After spending the day being bombarded with information it was nice to come home and get back in the kitchen...my happy place and domain of relaxation. My friend said she greatly enjoyed dinner and I loved being able to share my cooking with her as she is usually only privy to sampling my baking. Now that she has moved to Vancouver and lives so close to me I hope that we can have dinners together more often and she will get to sample even more of my cooking, as well as my baking of course.

Ratatouille

For the Piperade:

• 2 large red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-5 large button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1-2 small bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

1. Cut the bell peppers in half and place, cut side down, on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Bake the peppers at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, until the skins become charred. Remove from the oven and allow the peppers to cool before gently peeling off the skins and slicing the peppers.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat and then add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to keep stirring so that the pieces do not brown. 
4. Add the garlic and saute for another minute before proceeding to add the mushrooms. Continue to cook until the mushrooms turn brown, about another 5 minutes.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, thyme, parsley flakes, and bay leaves and mix well to incorporate all of the ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes, giving it an occasional stir. 
6. In the last five minutes, add the sliced bell peppers and stir well to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper accordingly. Once finished, remove from the heat and set aside to allow the piperade to cool and thicken.

For the Ratatouille:

• Piperade from above
• 1 Japanese eggplant (the long, skinny kind)
• 1 long zucchini
• 1 long yellow zucchini (also called Summer squash)
• Note: It helps if all of the vegetables are roughly the same size in diameter

1. Slice each of the vegetables into extremely thin slices, about 1/16" thick. The easiest way to ensure uniform slices is to use a mandolin or the slice disk on a food processor...I used the latter and had all of my vegetables sliced in 5 minutes.
2. Spread the piperade in the bottom of a 9" pie plate, reserving the juices for the top of the ratatouille.
3. Arrange the vegetables in a concentric circle on top, alternating slices and overlapping them so that about 1/4" peaks out. Repeat until the entire pan is covered and no piperade is visible. Note: you may not have to use all of the vegetable slices up to achieve this.
4. Drizzle the piperade juices over the top of the vegetable slices and cover the pan with aluminum foil.
5. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, or until the vegetables on top are tender. In the last 15 minutes, uncover the pan and allow the top to crisp up a little.
   

Tom Kah Gai

After my previous success with the thai curry mussels, I decided to challenge myself and recreate one of my favorite Thai soups: Tom Kah Gai, also known as chicken and coconut soup. The subtle flavors of lemongrass and ginger complement the coconut and red curry paste. I always love to order the soup whenever I go to Thai restaurants and I was encouraged by my family to try making it at home.

Traditionally, the soup actually calls for galanga instead of ginger and kaffir lime leaves however, despite living in an extremely Asian influenced city, I had difficulty finding all of the ingredients so I substituted fresh ginger root and lime zest instead. I don't think my soup suffered because of it and I definitely did not have the energy to go searching the city for two ingredients.

The actual preparation of the soup was not at all difficult and the whole thing was ready within half an hour. Personally, I found the hardest part to be properly cleaning and preparing the unfamiliar ingredients before tossing them into the soup. Luckily I was wise enough to ask the shop clerks how to handle the lemongrass and ginger and was very grateful to them for their explanations, including how big to cut the pieces.

Once I made the soup the whole family was eager to try it and I was curious to see if they thought it actually tasted like the real thing. The verdict: total success! Apart from my little brother, for whom the soup was too spicy, everyone had seconds and the soup was completely consumed down to the very last drop. Funny enough, my older brother did not see one of the Thai bird chiles floating around in the broth and he ate it whole, seeds and everything. My mom claimed she could see the steam coming out of his ears as we sat there and watched him turn bright red and start sweating. Fortunately he ate some watermelon and that seemed to help cool off the heat and he was able to resume eating the soup. At the end of the night, I was quite pleased with myself not only for making the soup but also for having the confidence to venture into unknown territory. Who knows what else I can do now...I guess only time will tell.

Tom Kah Gai

• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 6 slices fresh ginger, cut 1/4" thick
• 6 Thai bird chiles
• 2 limes, juiced + zest of one lime
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 400 mL can coconut milk
• 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 2 cups oyster mushrooms, stems removed and caps quartered
• 2 tbsp fish sauce

1. Prepare the lemongrass by peeling the outermost layer and cutting the stalk into 2" long pieces. Whack the pieces with the flat side of the knife to crush them slightly.
2. Peel the ginger and cut into disks about 1/4" thick. For a hotter tasting soup, cut up the Thai bird chiles, otherwise simply cut a slit down the side of each one.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot then add the chopped onions. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes, then add in the garlic and saute for one more minute.
4. Add the lemongrass, curry paste, ginger, lime zest, and Thai bird chiles and continue to cook over medium heat for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the chicken stock and bring the broth to a boil then reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Add the coconut milk, chicken pieces, and mushroom caps and continue to cook for another five minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.
7. Add the lime juice and fish sauce and stir through. You might find that after tasting the soup it could use a little bit more lime juice or fish sauce, it depends on your own preferences.
8. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and green onions.

Petite Lasagnas

After coming upon this recipe a week ago I knew right away that I wanted to try making it and based on the results I am so pleased that I did. My mom had actually approached me last weekend with the idea that I should make a lasagna, a pretty classic dish but something I had never tried before. I agreed to do so and made a mental note to look up some recipes. Then, as I was sitting on the computer one day doing my daily browsing of tastespotting.com I noticed this recipe for "petite lasagnas". Right away I clicked on it and as I read through it I was hooked.

This recipe appealed to me for several reasons, above all the fact that it makes individually sized portions which I am a huge fan of. Also it seemed to be relatively easy and not time consuming. Although the layering process did take me some time I knew that this would hold true of any lasagna. However because all of the ingredients are already cooked through and the wonton wrappers are so thin, the petite lasagnas only have to bake for ten minutes.

Originally my plan was to double the recipe and make twenty four petite lasagnas but once I saw how much meat my mom had defrosted I knew that I would have extra. Luckily, after trying the lasagna, my dad liked it so much that he asked if I wouldn't mind using the leftover meat to prepare some lasagnas for my parents to take with them to a potluck dinner that evening. I was so honored that he asked me to do this and I of course agreed. When they came home later that night they told me that the lasagnas were a big hit and my mom admitted that this recipe will probably become a new staple in our family. To me, that spells success!

Petite Lasagnas
Note: This recipe makes 12 individually sized lasagnas using a standard muffin pan.

• 24 wonton wrappers
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes, crushed
• 4 tsp oregano, divided
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste 

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes or until no pink is visible.
2. Drain the beef and set aside then, using the same skillet, heat the oil once again and add the onions.
3. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook until they turn brown, another 5 minutes or so.
4. Return the beef to the skillet and mix in thoroughly with the onions and mushrooms. Stir in the garlic as well.
5. Add the tomatoes and 3 tsp of oregano, as well as salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Afterward remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
6. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl combine the ricotta cheese with 1 tsp of oregano and the basil.
7. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and place one wonton wrapper in each cup, making sure to press firmly on the bottom and along the sides. 
8. Using half of the ricotta cheese mixture, divide it evenly amongst the 12 cups and spread along the bottom of each.
9. Divide half of the meat mixture amongst the cups as well and then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
10. Gently place another wonton wrapper on top of the mozzarella layer in the opposite direction of the first wrapper. Repeat the layering process.
11. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top starts to bubble and the corners of the wonton wrappers become golden.
12. Let the lasagnas cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully spooning them out and serving.