Lasagna, oh yeah

It’s been decades since I have had lasagna and I got a weird craving for it this summer (ok no craving is weird when you are pregnant but still lasagna isn’t exactly a summery food). I had never made lasagna before, always being intimidated by its layers and multiple types of cheeses and meat. But really nothing can stand between a pregnant woman and a craving so I dove into figuring out how to make this cheesy, layered pasta dish gluten AND dairy free … and I succeeded!

Enjoy the fruits of my labor here. I’ve included some shortcuts and also the full on homemade version depending on what you are in the mood for.

INGREDIENTS

• Mainly Vegetable Bolognese

• 2C dairy free mozzarella

• 1C dairy free parmasean (we like the dairy free cheese options from Trader Joe’s - both mozzarella and parm are great in this recipe)

• 1-2C dairy free ricotta either from Kite Hill or you can make your own (50/50 over here on which we do)

• 1 box Barilla oven ready gluten free lasagna noodles

• **see notes below for tips on making this meal go smoothly

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375F and spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray

2. In a bowl mix mozzarella and parmesan cheese together

3. In another bowl, thin out dairy free ricotta by adding 1 tbsp of cold water, stirring, and repeating until desired consistency is achieved. DF ricotta tends to be thicker and hard to spread so this is helpful as you begin to layer.

4. Pour 1 cup of bolognese sauce on the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Place four sheets of lasagna side-by-side, slightly overlapped, covering the sauce.

5. Top the lasagna sheets with 1 cup of sauce, ¼ of the shredded cheese mix and ¼ of the ricotta, spread evenly or dolloped, personal choice.

6. Repeat Sauce-Noodle-Cheese 2 more times

7. the final layer should be Noodles-Sauce-(you will add the final bit of cheese at the end of the baking).

8. This will result in a 4 layer lasagna. The first time I made this I only had 3 layers and it was more soupy more that I had hoped. The key really is in thin layers.

9. Cover with foil; bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, add the remaining cheese, and bake an additional 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Broil for 2-3 minutes if desired.

10. Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving, you can wait up to 45, lasagna holds heat very well and if you don’t let it rest you won’t get those sturdy squares which is so indicative of a lovely lasagna!

**Notes

Bolognese - I use this bc like the recipe says it’s a great way to get veggies into a meal that would otherwise be lacking. I make it in double or quad batches and freeze and take out what I need for dinners or things like this!

Ricotta - If you make your own, I prefer cashews but you can also use almonds for a delicious creamy ricotta. Make sure they don’t have the skin before starting the recipe.

Mac n’ Cheese please!

Growing up my favorite food was Mac n cheese. My grandmother made THE BEST Mac n cheese that I became “famous” for among friends. Then I discovered I was allergic to the very thing that I loved 😭😭 and until about a year ago I hadn’t had my favorite dish.

About a year ago my mom worked on making my grandmother’s recipe and hit the jackpot. Dayia cheddar style shreds and Kite Hill cream cheese as well as Barilla gluten free pasta make for an incredible dupe that might just make me famous again - at least with my son 😉

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bags Daiya - 1 cheddar/1 mozzarella style cheese shreds

• 1 8oz tub kite hill Dairy Free Cream Cheese

• 1 box gluten free Barilla pasta (elbow or rotini) - try to find Barilla. It cooks the closest to real pasta and tastes nearly identical too

• 1 C reserved hot pasta water

• 1 tsp mustard

• Dash of pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. preheat oven to 350

2. boil pasta to al dente in a large pot. When done reserve 1 C of the hot pasta water and drain the rest

3. put pasta back into pot used for cooking, add in cream cheese first, while pasta is hot, 1/4 of tub at a time, stirring until thoroughly mixed

4. add in 1.5 bags of cheese shreds, reserving 1/2 bag to cover dish.

5. add in mustard and pepper. Mix.

6. Cool uncovered for 45minutes. With 20 minutes remaining cover with remaining cheese.

7. serve with a salad and grilled chicken (or tofu like in our house!)

Let me (re)introduce myself

Hi there! It’s been a minute!

I as I finally sat down and took a deep breath, for the first time in what felt like ages, I scrolled through my blog posts and realized (1) I haven’t written anything in 4 months (eek!) and (2) I never formally introduced myself to you!
It’s been a while, but I’m back. It was never my intention to disappear from the virtual world the way I did, and I even tried to jump back in a few times, but it was never the right time. You might say there was a lot going on *gestures broadly* and I kept getting pulled away.
I’ve spent the past little bit of time refocusing on myself and preparing to come back so this time it’s for real (promise!)

WHAT IS CHAOS AND CROWNS
This blog started as a place where my friends could find all the recipes that I was constantly getting asked about. It became a place where I could write down my musings on life as a woman, mother, and runner, is really geared towards women in this funny in between middle stage of life.
You can find a damn good recipe here (gf/df of course). You can also find a piece of writing that (I hope) will make you think or laugh or give you a moment to yourself.

WHO AM I
I am a dedicated wife to Z (really the most patient man ever), mom to T, two dogs, and one cat … it’s a zoo up in here.
Like you I am living through a pandemic right now and shit is weird, so I’m just muddling though. Some days are good and some days are not at all, it is what it is at this point.
I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley but have been just outside of DC for 15 years now and love the bustle and all this area has to ofter (in non-pandemic-y times).
I”m loud and opinionated, thats probably why I like to write. I went to law school and gave it a shot. My writing was too flowery for legal work. I’m now a stay at home mom and love to craft and bake and cook. It is what it is.
I can’t eat dairy or gluten. But I can EAT.
I am a runner. I could run for days. I like to think of that as my excuse for living in leggings but really they are just the best thing ever so, it is what it is.
I suffered from Post Partum Anxiety Disorder and after years of thinking I was “just type-A” finally realized I was suffering from sometimes crippling anxiety. I am not shy talking about my mental health and think we should all talk about it more.
I like to think I am a good friend but I am awful at replying to texts.
I love learning to things and meeting new people so reach out to me., tell me YOUR story, let me know when you like sometime I write or if you’ve tried a recipe!

And don’t forget If you want to see more of me (and so you don't miss any blog posts) you can follow along on Instagram