Lasagna: A Layer by Layer Tutorial

I scoured the entire city today for some damn Daiya mozzarella shreds. Yes, really. Unbelievable, I know. To top it off, it's a crappy day today. Just pouring down rain, windy, muggy, nasty day. What a perfect night for comforting lasagna.

Everyone knows how to make lasagna, right? I don't know, maybe not. I'd like to give you a simply lasagna tutorial today. All while watching Extreme Couponing! (I am just bewildered by these people. It's crazy!)

Lasagna

• 1 lb lasagna noodles (not the "no boil" kind)
• 1 batch of pasta sauce (or jar sauce, if you must)
• 1 batch tofu ricotta
• 1 bag Daiya mozarella shreds
• ~1 cup fresh spinach (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º. You'll prepare the noodles first, and no, you're not boiling them! I repeat, do not boil the noodles. Instead, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes. I do this by filling a separate lasagna pan with about 2" of hot tap water. (Note: my tap water is extremely hot.) Then I layer 4-6 noodles in the hot water for 5 minutes. When the first batch of noodles are ready, begin layering.

Lay 3-4 noodles in a lasagna pan. Spread a layer of tofu ricotta over the noodles followed by a layer of sauce. Next sprinkle the spinach over top (if using). I just tear the spinach with my hands, no fancy chopping needed here. Last, sprinkle a nice layer of Daiya mozz. That's it! Now, repeat so you have 3 complete layers. Once finished, pour the remaining sauce over top and cover the top with a final layer of mozz.

Cover loosely with foil, and bake 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5-10 more minutes. When it's finished your Daiya will be incredibly melty and delicious. If you let it sit for a few minutes, it will hold together a little better when you cut slices.

Snack Time: Supreme Nachos!

I love snacks, and I don't hold back when it comes to snacking. My usual suspect is popcorn. Today I was scavenging for a snack, but knew popcorn wouldn't fill me up enough. Nachos to the rescue!

Supreme Nachos
serves 2 fairly hungry people, or 1 ravenous person

• 3-4 handfuls blue corn chips
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup of Daiya cheddar shreds
• 1/4 cup Daiya pepperjack shreds
• 1/4 cup salsa

Line a large plate with chips. Top with beans and onion, then sprinkle on Daiya shreds and salsa. Microwave for about 1 minute. Eat with a spoon. Or not, but I certainly did!