A Great Man Once Said

I have a dream. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before a crowd of over 250,000 marchers Martin Luther King Jr. shared his vision of the future.

What was this dream? That one day black children will join hands with white children as equals, brothers and sisters. All children are precious. The color of skin does not make one life matter more than another. All lives matter. There will always be economic differences, not all those differences are the result of race. Economics has nothing to do with equality. Life will always seem unfair if we value our own worth in dollars and cents or social status. It’s not what God had in mind, nor is that what Martin Luther King had in mind. He sought freedom. He wanted people to be judged not by the color of their skin but by the character of a person alone. Is there racism in this country? Unfortunately the answer to that is yes. And from that ugly evil has grown a subculture of hate. I’ve never understood how people who are the victims of racial hate can justify that same hatred toward others. As a woman, I know what it is like to feel discriminated against. As the child of a non-American in America, I know what it is like to be judged based on race. As a Catholic, I know what it is like to be shunned because of belief. There are many forms of prejudice and discrimination. These are all symptoms of the same sickness. The only cure is to love one another as we love ourselves. I believe if each of us stands as a light of truth, hatred one day will cease to exist. Evil gowns in darkness and lurks in the shadows. Be that light to others. That’s my rant for the day.

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When Hubby saw Meatloaf Lasagna on the menu, he made one of his “can’t you do anything normal” faces. He smiled, my willing Guinn pig, and said he’d be willing to give it a try. Hubby actually took the first reluctant bite once the Lasagna was served. Kiddo studied his face, looking for a clue as to how large a slice he should take.

“It tastes like Lasagna.” Hubby announced. I had tried to get them to understand this was a Lasagna with a twist. The meat, usually cooked up in the sauce, was actually baked like a meatloaf, only in layers between the pasta and the cheese. And the sauce went on top at the end, much like some people smother their meatloaf in ketchup. It really is very delicious, although not as attractive as a traditional Lasagna. Next time I might try making it in a loaf pan, then inverting the pan on a baking sheet before finishing it in the oven to help the loaf hold its shape.

Enjoy!

Meatloaf Lasagna
Meatloaf
1/2 Yellow Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
1 lb Ground Beef
1 lb Italian Sausage
4 tablespoons Parsley Flakes
1 Egg
3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
3/4 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
1/3 cup Milk
2-1/2 teaspoons Dried Italian Seasoning
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Cut onion in half from root to tip. Reserve half for another use. Peel and mince remaining half. Peel and mince garlic.

In a large bowl, combine ground meats. Add onion, garlic and parsley. Lightly whisk egg, pour over the meat mixture.

Stir in tomato paste, breadcrumbs and milk. Season with Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper. Set meat mixture aside.

Lasagna
6 Lasagna Noodles
1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles until tender but not quite fully cooked. Drain well.

In a bowl mix Ricotta cheese with Mozzarella and Monterey Jack Cheeses. Set aside until ready to build lasagna.

Pasta Sauce
1 Shallot
3 Garlic Cloves
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 (14 oz) crushed Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

Peel and mince shallot and garlic cloves. Set aside.

Heat oven to 425-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Once the noodles have boiled, drain and rinse under cold water. Lay 2 Lasagna Noodles side by side on the prepared baking sheet. Pay close attention to where the noodles are on the paper. Remove pasta and set aside.

Spread 1/4 of the meat mixture out in a thin layer covering the spot where the needles had been. Place 2 Lasagna Noodles over the meat, adjust meat and noodles to create 2 even layers. Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the pasta.

Repeat layering again with 1/4 of the meat, 2 noodles and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat three layers one more time. Finish with remaining meat on top.

Note: The finished Lasagna will be four layers of meat, three of cheese, three of pasta, with meat as both the bottom and top layer.

Once assembled, shape the loaf more evenly with your hands to form a nice rectangular loaf. Place into the heated oven to bake for 25 minutes.

As soon as the lasagna loaf is place in the oven, begin the sauce.

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan, add the shallots and onions, sauté for 5 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, cook while pressing the paste into the shallot mixture.

Add the crushed tomatoes and Worcestershire Sauce. Stir to combine. Let simmer for the remaining time that the Lasagna bakes.

Remove the Lasagna Loaf from the oven. Pour sauce over the top, allowing sauce to drip down the sides. Return Lasagna to the oven and continue to bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until cooked through and bubbling hot.

Remove from oven. Allow Meatloaf Lasagna to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into squares for serving. Finish with a nice salad and a nice glass of wine.

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 The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.