Pastitsio

From family friend Fay Kolster. Yummy! It's Greek pasta. Make it without the spinach and mushrooms to be more authentic.

I modified it by adding frozen spinach and mushrooms (cuz I like them and I can!) I cooked the mushrooms in the pan after the hamburger. Squeeze the water out of the spinach first then add it to the mushrooms. Add the hamburger mix back into the pan with the spinach and the mushrooms and mix well. Make the cream sauce, then mix the whole thing together in the 9x13 pan, mix well and bake. Maybe add more parmesan and a little more milk to make it a bit creamier, hmmmm....

1 pkg tube macaroni (ziti, etc)

1 beaten egg

1/4 c milk

1/3 c parmesan

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 c chopped onion

8 oz tomato sauce

1/2 t cinnamon

1/8 t nutmeg

3/4 t salt

1/8 pepper

CREAM SAUCE

3T flour

3T butter

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 c milk

1 beaten egg

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1. Cook macaroni. Stir in 1 beaten egg, 1/4 c milk, 1/3 c parmesan cheesse. Set aside.

2. Cook beef and onion until browned and onion is tender. Drain excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce and spices. Set aside.

3. Make cream sauce: melt butter in small sauce pan. Blend in flour and 1/4 t salt. Stir in milk when well blended and smooth. Cook until bubbly and thickened. Cook and stir 1 min more. Blend a moderate amount of hot mixture into egg. Return to pan and mix. Stir in cheese.

4. Pour noodles, meat mix and cream sauce into 9x13 in pan. Mix well. Bake @ 350F 45-5- min. Will set up and thicken as it cooks.

from Diana

Lasagna Spinach Spirals

10 pieces of uncooked lasagne
2T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves minced
2 10-0z packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, excess liquid squeezed out
1 15 0z container ricotta cheese
3/4 to 1 c grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t nutmeg
30 oz meatless pasta sauce
4oz low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Prepare lasagne according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
Heat oven to 350F.
Heat oil in med skillet. Add onion and galric and saute until tender. Mix in spinach. Set aside and cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach mixture, ricotta and Parmesan cheesses, egg and spices. Spread spinach mixture equally on lasagne (covering the whole noodle) and roll up each piece jelly-roll style.
Place half of pasta sauce in a 13x9x2 baking dish. Place pasta spinach spirals, seam side down, in dish. Top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered until heated through, about 25 minutes.

This is great because you can make enough for a lot of people or enough for just 2 by modifying the recipe a bit. It's very tasty!