My Pretty Kitty, Layers of Friendship & Lasagna

“A Friend is one who incessantly pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues, and who can appreciate them in us.”
― Henry David Thoreau

January 24^th, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bruLafuiu80&feature=related 

My lungs are still speaking in tongues of mucus but in general, I feel alive . . which is to say that yesterday, I felt somewhat dead.  The sun is shining brightly, burning away the excess moisture that has accumulated over these past few days of rain and although I didn’t make it to the gym this morning – I do believe I have the courage to make an afternoon run.

Sheliqua Veroquat (aka: Shelley, Kitty, Mittens, Lovebug) is a good friend.  A new friend in the sense that I’ve only known her for a Quaker’s quilt of time (a little over a year), but oh how we’ve naturally and expeditiously grown inward and outward over that time period.  After all, it was she alone that took it upon herself to make certain my 35^th birthday did not go uncelebrated as we clambered westward in her aging, forest green Subaru; a fantastic road trip to the Scotch pine forests of Idyllwild.  Numerous bottles of champagne were drunk without care or remorse, gourmet meals forged from way over-priced firewood and a feeble attempt to teach my beloved Veroquat the game of Uker – blissfully consumed as a pair of parakeets we were! There are only so many friends in this world that there is an equal exchange without pretension, assumption or conflicted emotion.  Sheliqua & Scotty are fortunate to possess such an exotic  friendship.  I’m very proud of my little Washington State transplant, a recent divorcee that scrounging to make ends meet as she paves her way through a Microbiology career in earnest attempt to create something new for herself.  We both are hell bent on a better life, survivors of transformation and intent on "cashing in" on our karma – laughter before tears, we will conquer all obstacles . . . this is a friendship that will withstand the sands of time.

What makes a good friend?  When pondering this question I am drawn immediately to the words: selfless, gratitude, respect, trust, patience, generosity, kindness . . .  I have been blessed with so many beautiful people in my life and the most recent trials have certainly exposed those true to their nature, those that would have me as penniless before constituent of fortune, those who would answer that call when nobody else could even hear the ringer, those that cherish me just as much for my weaknesses as my strengths.  Integrity!  That’s one that I had forgotten to mention!  Oh, boy how integrity plays such a part of true friendship for if one is not solidly founded in morals & ethics than how else are they to equally contribute to another?

My "revised" team is one of stability, sound reason and logic – Dad would be proud.  My family is my structurally uplifting spine as my friends are my biceps, my hamstrings, my tendons that pull and push me through the day to day transactions of living.  I alone own my heart and while it still aches a bit of lost love . . . it has enough responsibility in keeping the rest of things moving along, pumping the oxygenated blood  throughout my body, sustaining the most basic of purposes, preoccupied with so many involuntary tasks that the emotional desires fall short of any immediate necessity.  Hell, I’ve got to get rid of this mucus before investing such stock in the concept of true love again - tell then, I'm more than gratified with my beloved family & friends.

A recipe for friendship could entail some classic comfort cuisine, it could take you back to collegiate years of gourmet deposed ramen noodles, it could recollect a moment of poptarts & champagne on a sunrise that arrived a day early . . or was it that we just hadn’t made it to bed yet?  I give you lasagna which certainly qualifies as the piece de resistance of layered love.  Make it the day before & serve up with some garlic cheese bread and Caesar salad – a simple meal for you & those closest to your heart.

With Culinary Blessings,

                   Chef Scotty, Richard the III, Cletus to some,  Fool to others & Friend . . well they know!

Basic Lasagna Template

There’s no point in me adding my own secret twists here as Lasagna is just one of those things that you follow your own intuition.  Much like friendship, it is what you put into it and even better with a good bottle of red vino.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil leaves (or ¼ C. fresh basil)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Over medium heat cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.