Better Than Spaghettios

When I was a kid Spaghettios were da bomb! The only thing better than Spaghettios were Raviolies. Mom didn't buy them because with as many kids as she had it was just cheaper (and healthier) to make a big ol' pot of spaghetti. So, for every birthday till I was 15 I would ask for Spaghettios and Raviolies for dinner. Chef Boyardee was good to me all those many years ago.

I have tried several times to buy my children's love and affection with Spaghettios. The first time I heated them a can and served it I sat back waiting for the praise and adoration. Instead all I got were whines. "This doesn't taste good." "Can I be done." "Whah is distuff?" So I say, "I made it, you eat it." "But we don waaaaannnnaaaa." "FINE, go play. I will eat it. I love it!" Then, with my nose in the air I sit down to enjoy 4 bowls of yummy goodness all to myself.

The only problem is that the kids are right. This stuff is NASTY! I force myself to eat an entire bowl and then I just wash the rest down the sink. The saddest part of this, though, is that I still will occasionally buy them again and try to get the kids to like them again. This last time I even bought Dora The Explorer shaped Spaghettios. I mean, come on, anything Dora has got to be good, right? Sweet Terror and Monster Man had fun cooking them, playing with them, and looking for all the different shapes, but neither of them could stomach more than a mouthful, and neither could I. They seem to get grosser every time we try them. *SIGH* I guess I will finally have to accept that I will not be able to buy my way into the heart of my children via canned noddle Os. Luckily for me I still had a smidgen of Lasagna left over from last night.

What? Lasagna? How could I, who have been complaining about my lack of energy, who's house is a total disaster, who spends WAY too much time on the computer, how could I have time, desire, or the ability to make lasagna on a weeknight? Well if I must share my secret... I made my awesome Lazy Lizzy Lasagna. Now, all you amazing lasagna makers (Yes, sis, I'm talking to you), this is NOT a lasagna meant to impress. It isn't even healthy enough to serve without vegetables. There is no bechamel sauce, there are no vegetables, and my kitchen is clean by the time we sit down to eat because I have only used 2 bowls, 2 spoons, and the pan I cooked it in. But I don't care because every single stinkin' one of my whiney picky kids asked for seconds. My husband had seconds and then had to leave the table to keep from eating more. And because it was eaten so fast I could only manage to salvage this pathetic, dilapidated corner piece for a picture after dinner was over.

Lazy Lizzy's Lasagna

Ingredients: This is for an 8x8 pan (Any bigger and I gain too much weight) but you can just double it for a 9x13 pan

~1-1 1/2 jar(s) Prego spaghetti sauce (No mushrooms, veggies, meat, or anything else that will make the kids think you are poisoning them. Last night I used Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic flavor)

~A bunch of shredded Mozzarella cheese. I think I maybe used 1-2 cups. I just sprinkle to cover.

~Some Lasagna noddles. I do not buy the oven ready noodles. I laughed when they first came out with the oven ready because I have been using the regular noodles as oven ready since my 8th grade HomeEc class.

~Ricotta filling (mix 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/3 C. Parmesan cheese, 1Tbslp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg or dash of pepper)

~Water

Assemble as you would regular lasagna. Sauce, noodles, ricotta, cheese, sauce, noodles, etc. I do at least two layers or until I run out of ingredients. With each layer of sauce I sprinkle a Tblsp of water. At the end I also pour a tsp of water in each corner of the pan. Rap tightly with foil and bake in oven at 350 for an hour or until you can poke a sharp knife all over the lasagna without resistance from the noodles. Don't poke the knife through the tinfoil. You don't want bits of foil in your food and if it isn't done you will need to rewrap it because the tinfoil holds in the steam which cooks the noodles. I also stick my lasagna in a cold oven and then turn it on (but I don't set the timer till the oven has reached 350).

It takes a long time to cook but it goes together in 15 minutes and leaves me time to chop veggies, make a salad, wipe down the counters, check a few blogs, and have the kids set the table. And if I make a 9x13 pan I will thow in raw spinach and sauteed onions and zucchini between the layers on one half for the adults to enjoy.

Now, I'm off to wash two bowls of Dora down the drain. Bon Appetite!