Almost Lasagna

So my family loves, and I mean *LOVES* pasta in all shapes and forms, and lasagna is a huge favorite - for them: those who do not have to cook it.  I've finally come up with a quick, easy, and almost mess-free way to make this family favorite. It's also insanely easy to serve: if you line the ravioli right then it's already scored - no cutting needed!

You'll need:
1. 2-3 packages of ravioli (I used 3 8oz packages) of any flavor (we chose 5 cheese)
     ***NOTE*** Make sure they are the large ravioli, not the smalls ones =)
2. Pasta sauce (any type, brand, style, flavor - you can even make your own)
3. Spinach (I used the frozen spinach - it's cheaper and we're on a budget)
4. Cheeses (whatever your heart desires; we used shredded Mozzarella, grated Parmesan, Ricotta and Cottage cheese)
5. Meat (optional - we didn't use it, but you could brown it, drain it, and mix in with your sauce if you'd like)


You'll need to do:
1. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. If using frozen spinach, put in colander and wash with cold water until thawed - squeeze the mess out of it to get as much water as possible out. Rest your hands, and squeeze some more.
3. Spread a thin layer of sauce on bottom of dish, top with a layer of ravioli, then a layer of spinach, and a layer of cheeses (I mixed all 4 cheese types together for this step), top with another layer of sauce.
4. Repeat step 3 until you're happy - using as much/little spinach and cheese as you'd like.
5. Top with sauce and a layer of cheese; cover with foil and cook at 350 for 20 minutes, uncover and bake another 10-15, or until cheese is all gooey and bubbly.


If you'd like to make this and freeze it: make the lasagna, cover, and freeze. Do not cook. It should last up to 3 months (I've only kept mine for 2-3 weeks, but all of these ingredients freeze fine).

Quick Chicken Lo Mein

Now now I know this is not "real" Lo Mein ... when you are craving Chinese nothing but the real stuff will do.  However, when you have a cranky and teething toddler and a picky 7 year old (not to mention a strict budget), here's a fast, easy, and most importantly, cheap Lo Mein recipe:

Ingredients:
* 1 TBSP Sesame oil
* 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (I have a family of 4 so we use 2lbs); cut into strips or bite-sized pieces, we do bite-size
* 1 clove garlic, minced (I might add just another 1/2 clove more)
* 2 TBSP soy or teriyaki sauce (we use soy, sodium-free kind)
* 2 tsp fresh grated ginger OR 1 tsp powder
* 1 3-oz package of chicken flavor Ramen noodles
* 1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables (again, picky eaters here so we just use one bag of snap peas)
* 1/4 cup water

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink.

2. Add vegetables and cover. Cook until veggies are done.

3. Cook noodles, drain, set aside - DO NOT mix with seasoning packet.

4. Mix soy sauce, garlic, ginger, seasoning packet and water together. Mix well and pour over chicken/veggie mixture; toss with noodles.

Smothered Steak

I've decided to start trying to find meals that are easy to prepare and cook, that are still yummy and won't break the bank.  Tonight we hit it big with a meal that called for only 5 (FIVE!) ingredients - two of which I always keep on hand!

Smothered Steak and Rice
Ingredients:
1. 4 to 6 beef cube steaks (about 1.5 to 2 pounds)
2. All-purpose flour
3. 1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
4. 1 package (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
5. Steamed rice (or potatoes, whatever you want to serve the steaks over, we used rice, it was yummy)

Directions:
1. Dust steaks lightly with flour. Place in slowcooker. Combine cream of mushroom soup with dry onion soup mix (I had to use a bit of water as well) in a medium bowl. Pour over steak.
2. Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours (note: make sure to rotate the steaks from the bottom about halfway through if you had to layer them - we did not and the bottom two were very salty).  Serve over rice, or potatoes!