It's National Lasagna Day!!! Who's excited? If you didn't know about this huge holiday I am glad I am the first to tell you. I like to eat pasta, I like to eat all carbs, and I really do love lasagna. My problem is that I don't make lasagna very much because it's not a very good leftover food.
I know what you are thinking. You make it and you eat it, why would you base your opinion on how food taste the next day? Well because that's how my mom brain works. That kind of sounded like the reasoning "because I said so." But, this is how my family works and eats. Every week we have about 3-4 meals that we plan to make and eat fresh. We then plan on leftovers 1 or 2 nights a week depending on what we are having, 1 night for spur of the moment (usually small meal or picnic meal in the summer) and then 1 eat out night meal. Through my experience in cooking and reheating and making dinner into something new and exciting, I have found that lasagna is one food that does not reheat well. Because of this no one in my family wants to eat this for leftovers, usually leading to throwing out the food after a week of nobody eating it. I know, you can just cut it up and add more sauce to make it more of a pasta dish but then I feel like I might as well just make spaghetti.
I do love to make lasagna when we are having a big group of people over since a pan usually makes enough for 12, but that's the only time. I know maybe it sounds crazy, but instead I have this recipe for lasagna cups that I make when I am craving lasagna. They are delicious when fresh and are just as good the next day for leftovers. Talk about a fulfilling snack, this is it!
You can even call them lasagna cupcakes and then your kids will think you flipped your lid serving them for dinner.
Let's start with the ingredients. I have used jarred spaghetti sauce just for convenience, please feel free to use your own, if you like to make your own.
First we are going to throw the ground beef in the hot skillet and start to brown it.
While the ground beef is cooking I cut the zucchini. Cut the zucchini in half and set aside the other half since that's all I need. I dice the zucchini in small dices so that are evenly distributed in the lasagna mixture.
When the ground beef is only a couple minutes from being done, with just a little pink left
add in the zucchini to cook for about 3-4 minutes.
While the beef and zucchini are cooking, dice up the tomato.
Add in the tomatoes the last minute of cooking, and remove from heat.
Add in the cottage cheese, or ricotta if you would like.
Mix until all combined
Add in a cup of marinara sauce
Depending on your liking, taste the mixture and add seasoning if you would like. I added a teaspoon of Italian seasoning
Viola! The meat mixture is done.
In a small bowl add the Italian cheese blend and cheddar cheese together.
Open up the wonton wrappers and remove from package. You can either use water to work with the wonton wrappers or I used olive oil spray this time. This will help the wrappers mold to the cupcake tin.
In a lightly sprayed pan, start forming the wonton wrappers to the sides of the cupcake tin.
If you are using water, just dab your fingers in the water and start pulling the wontons wrappers around the muffin tin. Not too much water, you just want the wrappers to be moist not soaked.
As you can see I use the olive oil spray, instead of the water and form the wonton wrappers in the muffin tin and spray over wrappers when they are in. It will help them to crisp up.
As you can see I skip every other hole to avoid them cramping each other since you will be adding another layer of wonton wrappers on top.
Next you add in the meat mixture. Here is where less it more, you only want to add about a tablespoon. You will be adding another layer and don't want it to overflow. You want just enough to fill the bottom of the wonton wrapper.
Now it's time for the cheese blend. Just a little pinch goes a long ways.
Now we just repeat the process again, wonton wrapper, meat, cheese.
Layer on the wonton wrapper, over the cheese
Careful when pushing down the wrapper so that the two wrappers stick together in the cooking process, but not creating any holes in the wrapper.
Spray again with olive oil spray lightly
add more meat...
and more cheese
as you can see the mixture is a little higher than the muffin tin but will bake down and not overflow.
We are now ready for the oven. Put it in the oven at 350 degree for 10 minutes.
Turn the muffin tins to ensure proper cooking throughout, and cook for another 7- 9 minutes.
Pull out of the oven when the wonton wrappers are a little brown and crispy and cheese is melted.
Oh man, don't these look scrumptious?
I know you want to take them out and eat them right away, but they are best when they have sat for about 3 minutes out of the oven so they are easier to remove from the muffin tin.
After 3 minutes, take a couple of the flaps of the lasagna cup and remove from the tin.
Slightly pulling it out. You can use a knife as well but I think my hands are easier.
Place on the plate and enjoy!
Here's hoping you have a wonderfully tasting lasagna day!!
-Cool
makes about 12 cups
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
3/4 c. cottage cheese
1 c. marinara sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 c. Italian blend cheese
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
24 wonton wrappers
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 2 muffin tins, spraying every other hole and set aside. In a large skillet add ground beef and cook on medium high heat for 6-7 minutes. When there is little pink left, add the zucchini and cook for 3-4 minutes until ground beef is cooked throughout. Add the diced tomatoes to the meat mixture and cook for 1 minute and remove from the heat. Add in the cottage cheese and marinara to the meat mixture and stir until all incorporated. Taste and add seasoning as desired. In a small bowl mix the Italian cheese and cheddar cheese until all blended. Take the muffin tin and place 1 wonton wrapper in each hole. Pressing the wrapper carefully to mold along side the tin. Spray the wrapper with olive oil spray and add in a large tablespoon of the meat mixture. Top with cheese blend and repeat process. Wonton wrapper, spray, meat, top with cheese. Bake for 17-19 minutes until brown and crispy. Let it cool for about 3 minutes before eating. Enjoy!
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