a meal??
And to add insult to injury they want me to make lasagna? Do they not know I am married to a 100% pure blooded Sicilian who will eat no other Italian food besides his mamma’s? Did I do something to piss off the Daring Bakers?
Well, being the stubborn me that I am, I did not let these obstacles deter me from my challenge. I expected to either throw it away cuz it would totally suck, or end up eating it myself for a whole week until it was all gone.
The March 2009 challenge was hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge. If you want the recipes, click on the hosts’ sites above.
For this challenge we had to make our own homemade spinach pasta, and use a recipe for bechamel sauce and a meat ragu. Alrighty then! The only thing I have used my pasta machine for is fondant and gumpaste. But make the pasta I did. I totally screwed up the recipe and had to add about 3 more eggs to make it kneadable and non brick-like. I knew this was gunna be bad from the get go.
I made mine as rolls, rather than the traditional layered casserole because, well, that’s how I roll. HAHA. I crack myself up sometimes.
J saw the green pasta and asked what the heck was that? I told him I was making lasagna (which he does like) and that it was broccoli pasta and he would love it. I told him it was broccoli because he loves broccoli and if he knew it was spinach he might not even try it.
Well, later that evening as the lasagna is baking he comes into my office and says,
J: Mom, that stuff has spinach in it?
Me: Getting nervous and pretending I did not lie earlier: Yeah, it does.
J: You said it was broccoli. I saw a package in the garbage can that said spinach.
Me: (Busted!) I did? Oh, I just said the wrong thing. It tastes just like broccoli. You won’t even taste it in the lasagna. Trust me, you will like it.
J: Yeah, whatever.
OK, so I know for sure he’s gunna hate it.
And hubby hates all things white sauce and not made by his mom Gina. But, I must forge on as any true Daring Baker would do. I will get my photo shots for the blog, get credit for the challenge, and move on with my miserable lie filled life.
OK. At least he agreed to try it. He looks miserable. But he does that a lot when I take pictures.
What do you think J-Man? He gave it a thumbs up, but in a cool teenager kinda way. (See the one little thumb up?)
He likes it! Hey Mikey!
hahahhaa. believe me, i know how you feel having such a fussy audience. Don’t give up on cooking, you have a real talent in it. They just need to grow up and learn to appreciate it more. Great job!
yeah your lasagne was a success 🙂 Ha you really made me maugh with your descriptions and photos.
The only reason you stopped cooking was cuz i started doing all the cooking, but your right, cooking for our family is a pointless effort. great job Ma, im so proud!!
Way to kick a challenges butt!
Looks like you hit a homerun with your lasagna, you got it made,all of you ate it and like it. I enjoy reading your story, and your pictures are great!, you are doing such a wonderful job with your photo taking. I do have a question for you, in school did you take and writing classes?, I ask this because the writing of your stories are very well writen and funny also.
As I have gotten older, I hate to cook, but worst is coming up with what we want to eat supper/dinner that evening, lol.
Thanks Ya’ll!
D: I was thinking if you were here that night would you have liked it and would we have had a grand slam that night? And PS.You are already a better cook than I ever was/will be. Please come home. You don’t need college.
Sharon: No real writing classes other than the regular English they teach you in school. My writing is just me saying what I would say if we were talking together. And if you knew me really well, you would know I LOVE to talk and never shut up! LOL. Thank you for the compliment though!
Adele: Rut roh. Somebody just got spinach fondant accents on their cake this week! Tee hee
Hugs ya’ll!
Awaiting pictures of your kitchen during/after one of these Daring Bakers escapades. C’mon, please show us that you can’t create these wonderful things and keep your kitchen tidy too! Pleeeese???
(And if you are a tidy cook, well…I’ll just want to cry.)
Awesome! It looks really fantastic too 🙂
I know what you mean about cooking for a family. I feel like a short order cook most nights, and PS I can’t wait until one or all of the kids are able to cook.
Congrats on your well fed and happy family.
I love the picture of your son with the drink firmly in hand in case he had to “wash” the lasagna down!
Vicki 🙂
Thanksa’ll!
Ann: I am not a tidy person. I just play one on TV. I am a very messy worker. And sometimes I wait a day or two to clean it up! LOL .
Jacque: Short order cook, that is me too! Hubby never home in time to eat with us. D at college, so J and I make due with sandwiches, salads, and way too much take out!
Anon: LOL, yes he was very wary but ate the whole plateful! Build the arc cuz the big flood is a comin’!
OMGOSH ! I love the story and the pictures!
I wish you would of posted a pic of your hubby eating his too! Im glad it turned out so good for you!
Great job on this month’s challenge! 🙂
Thanks, Sharon for answering my question. No writing classes, then I would have to say you sure have a way with words and telling a story.
I enjoy reading your stories and the how to’s you write. Thanks for the sharing.