LASAGNA SOUP PIONEER WOMAN RECIPES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and 1 teaspoon salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps. In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the olive oil to the boiling water, then cook the lasagna noodles until “al dente” (not overly cooked). Drain.  To assemble: Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top. Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan. Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium-high heat. When melted, add 1/3 of the mushrooms. Cook them until dark golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove them from the pot and set them aside.In the same pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rest of the mushrooms, along with the onion, celery, and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and stir constantly for 3 minutes, allowing the flour to cook. Slowly add the wine or sherry, stirring while you add. Allow it to heat and bubble up for a couple of minutes, then slowly pour in the stock. Keep stirring to reduce the likelihood of lumps.Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender (make sure it is just warm or cool at this stage---blending hot soup is dangerous!) and puree until mushrooms are mostly broken up into small barley-sized bits. (NOTE: You may use an immersion blender in the pot if you have one, and you don't have to let the soup cool first.) Transfer the soup back to the pot, add the cream, and heat it to a simmer. Add balsamic, then taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm with reserved mushrooms on top and crusty chunks of warm bread.