One Recipe two Meals

We went away for Valentines weekend. Monday night found me without many food options and desperately in need of a grocery shop!!! Luckily I did have some beef and pork mince (I grew up with my mum being able to make some yummy things from mince so I always have some on hand). With a mix of the two I had just under 1.5 kgs to play with. The other ingredients I found were 1/2 bottle tomato passata, 2 potatoes, some very dodgy looking organic carrots and an onion. Surprisingly I also had some lasagna sheets. So along with some regular pantry items I was able to come up with a plan.

Enter one recipe two meals – I decided to make a lasagne and a meat and vegetable pie. That way dinner was done for the next two nights. Giving me some breathing space to unpack, wash and do my grocery shopping.

For this recipe I used the microwave to make the bechamel sauce as I was short on time and energy!!! It worked very well and I’ll probably do that all the time now. Before you put your lasagne together remember that you will want to keep some of the meat sauce for the next recipe. It wont be much of a one recipe two meals trick if you don’t. 🤣 You don’t need any of the bechamel sauce for the second meal so use as much as you want. Serve with some herb or garlic bread and a salad – if you have some unlike us tonight!!!

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Easy Lasagne Recipe

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg combined beef and pork mince You can use plain beef if thats all you have.
• 1/2 bottle tomato passata Around 1.5 cups
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 packet fresh lasagne sheets
• 1/4 cup cream This is optional I just happened to have some left
• 1/2 cup grated cheese Use whatever cheese you like or have on hand

Bechamel Sauce

• 50 grams butter
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 2 cups milk
• fresh nutmeg

Instructions

Meat Sauce

• Fry onion in olive oil. Add mince and cook until lightly browned. You can add garlic in too if you have some. I didn't for this recipe.
• Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add tomato passata and canned tomatoes and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Longer is better.

Bechamel Sauce

• Place butter in microwave safe container and melt on medium heat for 20 seconds.
• Add flour and stir well. Put in microwave on medium heat for another 20 seconds. At this stage you might be a little scared of what the mixture looks like but don't worry it will be fine.
• Add half a cup of milk and stir well. Add another half a cup and stir well. Then place in microwave on medium heat for 30 seconds and stir.
• Add half a cup of milk and stir well. Put in microwave on medium heat for 1 minute. The mixture should start to thicken. Mix well.
• Add the remaining milk, stir well. Using a whisk can help at this point. Put back in microwave on medium for another minute. Whisk. If not thick enough put back in on medium for another minute and then whisk again. Keep doing this until its thick enough. Don't worry if it looks lumpy with a good whisk it will come together fine. Lastly add in some grated fresh nutmeg. If you find the mixture has become too think add in some extra milk 1 tbsp at a time.
• Of course you can always do this on the stove top in the usual way. I just like using the microwave because I find it foolproof and easy.

Putting the lasagne together

• When putting the lasagne together remember that you will have between 1/4 and 1/3 of the meat mixture left over to make the pie. How much will depend on the size of your lasagne dish and how thick you make the meat layer.
• Lay down your lasagne sheets (I use fresh so I don't have to precook) then a thin meat layer followed by some bechamel sauce. Repeat until you get to the top of your dish finish with a lasagne sheet layer. I like to finish with a lasagne sheet layer because I like some crispy bits. If you don't like crunchy bits just finish with a bechamel layer and sprinkle with cheese.
• If you have some drizzle cream over the top of the lasagne sheet and then sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake at 160°C for 45 minutes.

RECIPE NO TWO FROM OUR ONE RECIPE TWO MEALS NIGHT

The next recipe to make is the meat and vegetable pie. Now I always have pastry in the freezer so I was able to do the pie. If you don’t fear not you can still use the filling recipe and serve it on toast, just as delicious.

You will take your leftover lasagne meat sauce and add whatever vegetables you have. I had some potato, carrot and frozen peas. Sweet potato would be nice with some corn kernels and spinach for greens. This is just a great way to use up whatever you have leftover.

The other ingredient I added was some chicken stock as I had some leftover in the fridge. If you don’t you can use water and add in some salt and pepper for some extra flavour. I will also use tomato sauce (ketchup) to add flavour if more is needed. You could also add some curry powder for a curried meat and veg pie. This flavour base is where you can do what your family loves.

In the same pot you cooked your meat sauce in, add back the leftover meat and all your chosen vegetables together with 1 cup of chicken stock (or whatever liquid you have – beef stock, red wine, water.

Simmer until vegetables are tender and the liquid has evaporated. As shown in the above picture. You will then either cool and put in the fridge for serving on toast tomorrow night or use frozen puff pastry to make a pie like I did. Let me tell you this is comfort food right here. So delicious.

If you made a pie you can use it tomorrow night or freeze it for another night. To cook the pie, preheat your oven to 180C and cook for 20 minutes, then turn down to 160C for another 20 minutes. You can use an egg wash on top to brown it or if you don’t have any like me I just used a little melted butter.

If you’re after another idea for an easy pie take a look at my easy salmon pie recipe.