LASAGNA 
Oven 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Saute and fry in olive oil. Use only Bertoli's or Merlino's olive oil, their pale light gold color, not the greenish more expensive.

This recipe uses only cooked leftover meats.

In large pot, put water, salt it and add about 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bring to a boil. Add 8 whole pieces lasagna pasta (like Creamettes). Slowly boil 9 minutes. Pour out into colander and rinse in cold water. Separate the pieces carefully and drape them separately around rim of colander; so they can't stick together. Set aside.

Prepare 2 large bunches fresh spinach, clean and cook in small amounts, covered, about 1 minute. Pour out into a colander to drain. Set aside to drain.

Prepare 2 sauces.

SAUCE #1:

In medium size saucepan cook slowly 1 medium size can whole tomatoes, or several fresh cut up tomatoes to equal 1 can. Add 1 can Golden Grain marinara sauce, 1 tablespoon dry oregano, 1 teaspoon tarragon, 1 tablespoon dry basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds pepper. Cover with lid and cook slowly while preparing sauce #2.

SAUCE #2:

In a large frying pan saute 1 1/2 large chopped up white onions (the big round ones). When onions are softened, remove about 1/4 cup of the onions that were sauteed in olive oil and add to the tomato mixture. In another medium size saucepan, add 1/4 cup of the sauteed onions, and 1 whole can Campbell's creamy chicken-mushroom soup, 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup dry vermouth. Stir well to make sauce smooth from soup lumps. Cover and set aside.

Into the frying pan with remaining onions, add more olive oil if needed and 3 cups chopped leftover meats - a combination is best (chicken, ham, beef, etc.) Fried bacon chopped up is good with chopped lunch meats. Add 8 or 10 cleaned, chopped fresh mushrooms. Brown slightly. Add few grinds pepper and 2 tablespoons dried tarragon. Set aside off stove.

In deep baking pot (must be more than 4 inches deep) put over bottom the tomato sauce, except for about 5 tablespoons for the top. Lay 4 pieces side by side of lasagna over tomato. Add all the meat mixture over lasagna, spreading it out. Add the spinach which you chop up first. Add 4-6 pieces Cheddar cheese, or shredded. Over that pour half the cream sauce mix. Over that lay last 4 pieces lasagna side by side. On top put 4 or 5 pieces Mozzarella cheese. Cover with remaining cream cheese. Put 4 or 5 dollops of tomato sauce on here and there last. Bake uncovered, setting on a pizza pan to catch spills.

 

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