If you love lasagna but don’t always feel like tackling the whole layered‑from‑scratch production, this Lazy Lasagna for Two is going to be your new weeknight hero. It has all the cozy flavors we crave — tender pasta, rich tomato sauce, creamy cheese — but comes together with a fraction of the time and effort. Perfect for smaller households, busy days, or those moments when you want something comforting without spending hours in the kitchen.
This is lasagna made simple, satisfying, and wonderfully doable… just the way cooking for two should feel.
- oven-ready lasagna noodles
- 1 1/2 cups (336g) cottage cheese
- 6 TBS of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (375g) jarred Bolognese sauce (one with meat in it)
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 cups (450g) grated Mozzarella cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 TBS chopped flat leaf parsley
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a small loaf sized dish. (Mine is a Pyrex dish that measures approximately 5 by 8 inches in size. It is also about four inches deep.)
- Mix the water together with the Bolognese sauce. (This isn't necessary if your sauce is more on the watery side. Mine was quite thick.)
- Spread a light layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of noodles and more sauce. Add 1/2 of the cottage cheese spreading it out over the sauce, a third of the Parmesan cheese, 1/3 of the Mozzarella cheese, some Parsley, and some seasoning. Repeat the layers. (What you want is two filled layers and a top and bottom layer of noodles with sauce and cheese to finish off the top.)
- End with a top layer of noodles, sauce, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese and the remaining parsley.
- Cover tightly with some aluminum foil. (Grease the foil first if you don't want the cheese to stick to it.) Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until starting to turn golden brown. (If you want you can turn on the grill/broiler to help with this, but do keep an eye on it.)
- Leave to stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. (Standing time means it is much easier to slice and to serve.)
Lazy Lasagna
This is as simple to make as layering a few things in a baking dish. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy and so delicious! Sized for the smaller family.
Ingredients
- oven-ready lasagna noodles
- 1 1/2 cups (336g) cottage cheese
- 6 TBS of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (375g) jarred Bolognese sauce (one with meat in it)
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 cups (450g) grated Mozzarella cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 TBS chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a small loaf sized dish. Mine is a Pyrex dish that measures approximately 5 by 8 inches in size.
- Mix the water together with the Bolognese sauce.
- Spread a light layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of noodles and more sauce. Add 1/2 of the cottage cheese spreading it out over the sauce, a third of the Parmesan cheese, 1/3 of the Mozzarella cheese, some Parsley, and some seasoning. Repeat the layers.
- End with a top layer of noodles, sauce, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese and the remaining parsley.
- Cover tightly with some aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until starting to turn golden brown.
- Leave to stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Hi everyone and welcome to my Sunday Meals of the Week post. Every Sunday I like to do a recap of all of the meals that I have enjoyed as my main meals over the past seven days, and from the feedback that I get from all of you, this is something that you also enjoy seeing!
I like to cook, and I like to eat, and I don't ever want any of it to be boring. Now, in my golden years, I find myself having had to go from cooking for a large family down to cooking for just myself. I also find myself having to live on a limited budget, so meal planning is something which really works for me.
When you live on your own, the temptation can be strong to want to eat only ready meals, or frozen dinners, or from cans. It can sometimes seem like too much effort to cook for only yourself. But, I am here to tell you, YOU ARE WORTH THE EFFORT! You really are.
Even if you are a smaller family, or a couple of empty nesters, cooking for yourself is so much healthier and cheaper. All of those processed foods are always high in salt, sugar and fat. Cooking for yourself helps you to control that and to eat much healthier and actually, cooking from scratch, you get a lot more bang for your buck as well!
Why waste time and money on highly processed foods when, with only a tiny bit of effort and a lot less dosh, we can cook simple, nutritious and healthy meals for ourselves. That is my goal. And in that process my goal is to also share them with you in an effort to inspire you to want to do the same!
Whether you cook for yourself, or a small family, or a large family. There are plenty of things here to tempt your tastebuds. And all of them are quite adaptable to cook for a large family or a small family or a singleton. Got questions about that? Just ask and I am only too happy to help!
As I have my daughter living with me at the moment, that is making things a bit more exciting. I have someone in the house to spoil besides myself and she enjoys helping me out where she can. Its also a great training for her for when she gets her own place. I am teaching her as much as I can about budgeting and yet still eating well. She has been prone to buying herself those really cheap cheap frozen dinners in the past as she lives on a very limited budget, but it really doesn't need to be that way.
Usually I will eat my main meal at noon. For breakfasts, I normally have a protein shake or some overnight oats, sometimes a bowl of oatmeal. My suppers are usually something light, such as a sandwich, or a salad, sometimes toast and occasionally a bowl of cereal.
Here are the main meals that we enjoyed over the past seven days. I truly hope that you will find something here to tempt your tastebuds to want to cook for yourself also!
SUNDAY, March 22nd - Family Dinner at Cindy's
On Sundays, most weeks, we will go to my sister's for a family dinner. This week was no different. We went to Cindy's and had a delicious Lasagna that she had made. She makes a lovely lasagna. We had garlic bread with it and salad and then for dessert lemon meringue pie.
I am sharing my recipe for a Traditional Lasagna. And this is a really, really REALLY good homemade Lasagna. A lot of people are afraid to make a lasagna. They think its really complicated and it really isn't. How to make lasagna is not a great mystery. Its just a combination of a really good meaty tomato sauce, some pasta, cheese, and in this particularly tasty version, a lush ricotta filling. I also have taken to adding a rich Béchamel sauce for on top in the European manner. I had never experienced this prior to going to Europe. It really adds a delicious touch. You can find a small batch recipe for the same thing here.
MONDAY, March 23rd - Oven Burgers
On Monday I made us Oven Burgers. This was a recipe I had seen online and that I wanted to try. They looked fabulous and I have to say we were not disappointed. They were juicy, flavorful and wonderfully easy to make. A bit messy to eat, I would call them a fork and knife burger.
We enjoyed with some cucumber spears and potato chips on the side. Tender, juicy and moist, these burgers were such a simple make. If you’re craving a reliable, family‑friendly meal that always hits the spot, these Oven Burgers are exactly what you need.
TUESDAY, March 24th - Sheet Pan Parmesan Turkey Tenders & Asparagus
I had picked up some early Asparagus at the shops and I had some Turkey tenderloin fillets in the freezer that I wanted to use up. I decided to make an easy sheet pan supper with them. I cut the tenderloin fillets into thick strips and coated them in a delicious Parmesan Crumb, roasting them for a short time on a baking sheet, flipping them over and then adding the asparagus to the tray. I also scattered them with some spring onions before roasting and then again as a garnish when they were done.
.jpg "Salmon & Broccoli Cakes")
I will put my hand up right now and admit to all and sundry that I am not fond of Nova Scotia Fish Cakes. They use salt cod to make them, or chicken haddie and it is not my favorite thing at all. If I am going to enjoy a fish cake I prefer to make my own and these Salmon & Broccoli Fish Cakes are a real favorite of mine. They are a delicious fish cake made from poached salmon, broccoli and potato, with dill and lemon. You can also use tinned salmon to make them in a pinch. (Which I did on Friday.)
They are lovely served with a wedge of lemon for squeezing. I also enjoyed some salad on the side. You know salmon and broccoli are beautiful flavor partners, and they pair beautifully in these delicious fish cakes.
.JPG "Air Fryer Hot Dogs")
SATURDAY, March 28th - Air Fryer Hot Dogs
Every once in a while, I get a real hankering for a hot dog. These days I like to cook them in my air fryer. It does a really great job! With all of my favorite hot dog fixings, mustard, relish and topped with some cheese and crispy onions.
Normally I would make some mac and cheese to enjoy with my hot dog. They go so well together, but this week I did air fryer chips. Not such a healthy meal I guess, but at least none of it was fried in the conventional way!
Eileen and I both enjoyed this meal very much!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
If you love a dessert that’s simple to make yet full of sunshine, this Easy Lemon Bundt Cake is the kind of cake that you will want to bake again and again. It is a bit of a cheat in that it uses a cake mix and pudding mix combined, but trust me when I tell you that it is so delicious nobody will ever be able to tell the difference from this and a cake made completely from scratch.
This is the sort of bake that feels right at home on any table — effortless enough for a weekday treat, but pretty enough for gatherings, holidays, or whenever you want something quick and easy that tastes homemade. Light, fragrant, with a beautiful lemon flavor. The rich lemon buttercream frosting is the perfect addition to an already delicious cake. This cake is a true crowd‑pleaser that never lasts long.
- 1 (15.25oz/432g) lemon cake mix
- 1 (3.4 oz/96g) package instant lemon pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (114g) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 TBS freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) icing sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/gas mark 4/180*C. Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan really well or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. (I like to be generous with the spray. Alternately you can butter and dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess.)
- Whisk the cake mix and pudding mix together in a bowl. Add the eggs, sour cream and oil. Beat together until just combined. Do not overmix. (Overmixing will create a tough cake. This batter is very thick. I use a spatula to scrape from the bottom to make sure I don't have any dry bits left behind.)
- Spoon into the prepared cake tin, smoothing over the top. (Again, it is a very thick batter.)
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (It will deflate a bit as it cools, but that's okay.)
- Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then tip out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. (Use two wire racks, so you can tip it out onto one and then tip it from that rack to the other, flat side up, if you are planning on frosting and decorating the flat side.)
- To make the butter cream, beat the butter, lemon zest and lemon juice together until thoroughly combined. This will take a couple of minutes. (Persevere. It will seem like it is not going to come together, but trust me when I tell you that it will.)
- Once you have a smooth mixture add the icing sugar and beat together, beginning on low and working your way up to high, until you have a smooth fluffy mixture. (Starting on low helps to prevent you from being covered in an icing sugar cloud, lol)
- Spread this frosting on top of the cake. (I turned the cake upside down and spread it on the bottom flat side.)
- Do not overmix the batter. This is to keep it nice and light. Overmixing can result in a dense cake.
- This easy lemon Bundt cake recipe can be made in tube cake pan or two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans if you don’t have a Bundt pan. (You can always freeze one for later use.)
- To test whether your cake is fully baked, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should come back out clean or with very few crumbs.
- Wait until the cake is completely cooled to frost or glaze. A cake that is still warm with melt the icing or the glaze and it won't adhere properly.
- This cake will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for three to four days. For longer storage, refrigerate. Even so I wouldn't keep it for much more than 5 to 6 days.
- To freeze this cake, do not frost. Wrap the cake entirely in plastic cling film and then in a layer of aluminum foil. Place into a large zip lock baggie. Label, date, and freeze. It will keep frozen for up to three months.
- Swap out the cake mix. Use yellow or white cake mix for a less intense lemon flavor.
- If you want to add a bit more lemon flavor to your yellow or white cake mix, use lemon zest or lemon extract.
- Add a lemon glaze on top rather than a frosting. (2 cups (260g) icing sugar whisked together until smooth with 2 to 3 TBS fresh lemon juice.)
- Instead of a lemon frosting, you could use a vanilla, chocolate, or cream cheese frosting instead.
- Leave off any frosting or glaze and dust simply with icing sugar. Always pretty.
- Use plain Greek yogurt. This is a great lower-calorie substitute for sour cream.
- Garnish the cake with lemon zest if you wish.
- Fold some milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter before baking. Lemon and chocolate go very well together.
- Split the cake through the middle and fill with a layer of strawberry jam. In this case, simply dust the top with some icing sugar to finish.
- You can also split the cake and fill with some whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Only do this is you are going to eat the cake all in one go as it won't keep. Alternately, you can cut into wedges and top with the cream and berries instead.
Easy Lemon Bundt Cake
Dense, moist, and delicious with a beautiful lemon flavor. Quick and easy to make as well.
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25oz/432g) lemon cake mix
- 1 (3.4 oz/96g) package instant lemon pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (114g) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 TBS freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/gas mark 4/180*C. Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan really well or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Whisk the cake mix and pudding mix together in a bowl. Add the eggs, sour cream and oil. Beat together until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spoon into the prepared cake tin, smoothing over the top.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (It will deflate a bit as it cools, but that's okay.)
- Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then tip out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- To make the butter cream, beat the butter, lemon zest and lemon juice together until thoroughly combined. This will take a couple of minutes.
- Once you have a smooth mixture add the icing sugar and beat together, beginning on low and working your way up to high, until you have a smooth fluffy mixture.
- Spread this frosting on top of the cake. (I turned the cake upside down and spread it on the bottom flat side.)
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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