Ingredients & Materials:

• 1 pack of lasagna noodles
• 1.5 jars of Prego meat flavored sauce (don’t judge)
• 2 lbs ground steak
• fresh garlic cloves
• 1 large container (48oz) of ricotta cheese (whole milk)
• 2 lbs fresh mozzarella (big salted balls, duh)
• 1 container freshly grated romano cheese
• 1 large sauce pan
• 1 large pot
• 1 extra deep lasagna pan
• spoons, strainers, garlic crusher, and all that jazz

What you do:

1. Cook the ground steak in a large sauce pan until brown and drain the fat. Add in the Prego along with crushed or roasted (if you’re feeling extra ambitious) garlic, cover and let simmer.
2. In a large pot, boil water and cook the noodles. I usually use about 12-15 noodles in my lasagna, but always cook a few extra in case a few rip (which is bound to happen).
3. Prep your lasagna pan while the noodles are cooking by smearing the entire thing with a thin layer of butter or spray the hell out of it with Pam. Also pre-heat the oven to 400 (I think… might be 350, whatever).
4. Pull out all of that delicious cheese and cut the fresh mozzarella balls into discs about 1/4 of an inch thick.
5. Once the noodles are done (not too soft, but fully cooked), put down the first noodle layer on the bottom of the pan with the edges of the noodles just slightly overlaping.
6. Add a generous layer of the meaty sauce.
7. Layer on the ricotta cheese by simply scooping it out of the container.
8. Next, add a layer of the fresh mozzarella slices and then a sprinkle of the romano cheese.
9. Looks good, right? Now repeat… noodles, meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, romano.
10. And repeat again. Noodles, meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, romano.
11. Cover with a layer of tin foil and put into the oven for about 40 minutes. Mine always ends up super heavy so be aware of that as you transfer to the oven. I also leave a broiler pan or walled cookie sheet on the rack below in case the juice boils over (which mine does on occasion).
12. Remove the foil and leave in the oven for another 20 minutes. At this point your house should be smelling good. Open the windows and watch the boys gather outside.
13. When done, remove from oven and let sit for about 45 minutes before serving.
14. Eat with garlic bread and a good glass of wine if you want to feel extra fancy. Enjoy!

Also, you can always freeze half of it if you don’t think you’ll finish it (lasagna is a terrible thing to waste).

Yes, my next boyfriend will be a chef among many other things. And lucky for him, Gilt Taste has just launched. Beautiful imagery, good deals, and all around yummy, Gilt Taste will be to him what Gilt Groupe is for me.

Patsy’s Pizzeria, a historical New York institution, will be celebrating its 76th Anniversary by charging patrons the same prices as during the Great Depression, when they opened this establishment in 1933. A 12oz. steak will be 90¢, an original coal oven pizza will be 60¢ and a soda, just two nickels.

For its 76th anniversary, Patsy’s Pizzeria will also host a pizza-eating contest between NYPD, FDNY and EMTs to benefit a worthy East Harlem student to further his/her educational goals. This year’s recipient, honor student Derrick Cox, is a young, multi-talented, striving individual. Derrick has received numerous awards for helping the homeless and is involved in many other charitable causes and organizations. He will be presented with a check for $2,500 so that he may complete his school year at St Agnes School for Boys.

A street naming ceremony will take place, in recognition of Patsy’s Pizzeria’s long history of success. The City Council of New York and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have honored Patsy’s Pizzeria of East Harlem by memorializing the city block of First Avenue between 117th and 118th Streets with a new honorary name: “Patsy Lancieri Way”.

A favorite of famous personalities past and present including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joe Dimaggio, Yogi Berra, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg, Patsy’s Pizzeria offers up some of the best food in town. The other day (while dining with the ever-charming designer Nicole Romano), we sat next to mega-producer, Jerry Bruckheimer and his wife.

So get your Choos first, jump on the 6, and then enjoy one of the best meals you’ll ever have for under $1!

Location: Patsy’s Pizzeria, 2287-91 First Avenue, New York NY, 10035 (Between East 117th/118th Streets)
Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

White Sangria:

• 1 bottle Sauvignon Blanc
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups soda water
• peaches, nectarines, cherries, oranges, strawberries, lemon, crushed lime

Red Sangria:

• 1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups soda water
• apples, oranges, strawberries, lemon, cherries

Pour wine into pitcher. Wash, peel and remove seeds for the fruit. Slice into small cubes and put directly into the wine. In a small saucepan. warm the orange juice and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Stir OJ/sugar mixture into pitcher with the wine and fruit. Chill overnight – we let ours sit for over a day and a half. Add the soda water just before serving. Serve over ice and enjoy! Easy, no?