Is this possible? Lasagna

[FrugalTexan75]

I am wondering if it is possible to make lasagna in muffin pans? I do that when I make cassaroles(sp?) - divide up the mixture into the muffin holes, but I'm wondering if that same concept would work with a lasagna. Also, can you substitue cottage cheese for ricotta cheese in lasagna?

Thanks!

[PrincessPerky]

Why d you divide it up? (just curious)

[zakity]

There are lots of recipes for lasagna using cottage cheese.

[robex]

I always use cottage cheese instead of ricotta in lasagna.

Did you know you can use regular uncooked lasagna noodles when you prepare your lasagna? Add 1.5 cups of water to the pan once your lasagna is assembled, cover it with tinfoil and bake at 350 for 1.25 hours? It cooks the noodles while it bakes!

I don't know about muffin tins, but I read in a freezer cooking book that you can assemble the lasagna in an ice cream bucket, freeze it, and when you want it, knock it out of the bucket and stick the frozen lasagna in the crockpot to cook. I haven't tried it, but I will the next time I make one!

[Duchesse]

There are a couple of ways you could do it. But I'm like, why so small?

Anyway,

If put to the test I would use a cookie cutter on my cooked lasagna noodles
to form circles and then layer as usual.

or

Layer the ingredients on the cooked lasagna and roll like a jelly roll. You may have to cut the noodle shorter, ( lengthwise and crosswise) but depending on the size of the muffin pan it may fit as a package without the trimmings. If you try it in any of these ways let me know how it turns out.

[shelbylovesmelby]

I've used small curd cottage as well & it comes out fine.

I think the pp has the best idea to make it smaller portions.

I usually cut up my leftovers & put into one portion sizes in storage containers in the freezer.

[FrugalTexan75]

Thanks for the ideas/information. The reason I was thinking of putting it in a muffin pan was to make individual size servings for freezing. When I make a cassarole, I bake it in a muffin pan so I have individual servings pre-made.

[PrincessPerky]

K now I get it, sorry I am dense!

I like the frozen lasagna thing, might try that.

I think the jelly roll thing is cool, my SIL does that with her lasagna, but she then puts it all in a pan. (she has 4 kids)

[boefixepa]

I have a giant muffin pan, I will have to try that. I generally make it a bread loaf pan. It works great for a four serving thing. I've learned to make alot of things in small pans....the joys of being single.

As a thought, meatloaf would do well in a muffin pan too.

[PrincessPerky]

I used to make meatloaf in mini loaf pans, it cooked faster, that was when it was just the two of us, oh so long long ago.

[miclason]

Yes, it works with lasagna, too...

[lrjohnson]

I've made meatloaf in muffin pans, and I call them meat muffins, and people get squeamish and I laugh.

[markio26]

i make alot of things in my muffin tins... but, i use pam spray in the tins first... meatloaf is great, we do it this way to make it crispier.. i usually make meatloaf in my large iron skillet, punch a huge hole in the middle, so the meatloaf looks like a ring and the middle bakes evenly... i add baked potatoes, tomatoes, onions, peppers, all around the ring and in the middle of the ring... bake corn bread, corn... delicious..... i use tomato soup in the meatloaf and on top....
i make lasagna with ricotta or cottage cheese.. both work well.. i add these for toppings on pizza also... i try to make individual size containers for the freezer as well.

[weimmomtwo]

I like to drain the cottage cheese and add an egg. It seems to make it more like ricotta.

[flash]

My standard lasagna doesn't use ricotta, but my mother has made it in muffin pans. You take two noodles and cross them into the muffin tins in "x"s, trim at the top, then layer it in. Never liked it as much as real Northern Italian lasagna, though. MIL's recipe is perfect!

[zakity]

I know of some people who made lasagna in a 13x9 pan, but did it short ways instead of long ways (does that make sense?). They would eat one "line" of noodles for dinner and then another for lunch the next day. They would package up the rest of the "lines" in baggies or tupperware or whatever and freeze them. The short line was the right length for a meal for them and it was easy to package up.

[markio26]

i made lasagna for the freezer:

place into the bottom of tin pan, spaghetti sauce, then halved dried (uncooked) lasagna noodles, then ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese) layer, then mozzarella shredded cheese layer, then fresh spinanch leaves... thats it .. no noodles on top... cover with foil.. freeze.

to serve:
defrost and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.. let cool 5 minutes.. cut into servings and top with parmesean cheese.

[Bluezy]

What an excellent idea. I can freeze the smalller portions made in the muffin tins for my lunch or for my little one. Thanks for posting this.

[Thrifty Ray]

I often make lasagne bake using all the same ingredients, but I use penne pasta instead of lasagne pasta. This makes it super easy to divi up into small freezable portions....and my family loves it just the same.

I always use cottage cheese when I make any lasagne.

I use either hamburger, italian sausage or a combo of both.

And I top with whatever cheese I have on hand (parmesian, mozarrella or a combo of both.)

I prefer Prego...but I have found that the store brand pasta sauce is just as tasty most times!

[s.saver]

TR your penne idea sounds awesome. Thanks for the idea