Madeline opened her lunch box to find a thick slice of leftover lasagna, a side helping of buttery zucchini, an exotic kiwi cut into quarters, five pearly round cherry tomatoes, a tiny Morton salt shaker, two still-warm chocolate chip cookies, and a red plaid thermos full of ice-cold milk.”
Lessons in Chemistry
Chapter 2, Pine
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
4 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup hot water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly grease an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.
- Cook beef in large skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well.
- Stir in pasta sauce.
- Spread one-third of meat sauce in baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles and half each of ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.
- Repeat procedure; spread final one-third meat sauce over mozzarella cheese.
- Slowly pour 1/4 cup hot water around edge of dish.
- Cover tightly with 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Beulah Jane 