What should I do about dinner?

Question

I have a dinner party tonight (13 guests) and am responsible for dinner. I decided to do lasagna, but my lasagna has turned out AWFUL (Actually, I havent cooked it yet, I prepped it last night and just sampled the ingredients as I made it). I used low fat ricotta (YUCK!), I accidentally fully-cooked my noodles (which I am sure will be soggy once I put it in the oven) and I put a dash of nutmeg in my spaghetti sauce (the recipe called for it and I was curious to find out why).

Should I go ahead and cook the lasagna or should I trash it??? If I trash it, can anyone give me an easy and tasty idea for a meal I can fix. I will only have 1 hour to shop and 1 hour to cook. HELP ME!!!!!

Answer 1

They have stouffers lasanga at the store. If you are worried and don't like your lasanga then you can go and get one of them but, make sure you go right away because I am not sure how long it takes to cook. You can get cheese ravioli and make them with some sauce. and sprinkle some parmasean cheese on top. You also look at stuffed shells or manicotti. Just make sure you follow directions on the package and don't forget the sauce.
You can get a package or two of salad, and some garlic bread and make that. You also need dressings. I would pick up a premade cake and some cookies or something and put them on a platter.

Answer 2

For the love of all that is good, make new noodles. Cook them until just al dente.

And the sauce is a cinch, don't follow a recipe. Brown up some ground beef and ground sausage, drain well. season with garlic salt and some pepper, add in a couple cans of tomato sauce and a couple of tomato paste, you want lasagna sauce a bit thick so have some extra cans of paste as you might need them. Add in some sugar, do so slowly, remember you can always add more but if you add too much you're screwed. Also buy an envelope of spaghetti seasoning and use that in the sauce as well. Let it simmer and just keep tasting it until you think its good. I also add in Parmesan cheese to my sauce as it cooks.

Get a couple bags of precut salad greens and put into a big bowl, don't dress it, rather have a couple of different choices like Ranch and Italian for your guest.

Get at least two loaves of garlic or french bread and you're good to go.

Don't forget dessert, you might want to go lite. Slice up a couple of store bought Angel Food cakes, have an assortment of berries and some cool whip, let your guest take a slice of cake, add some berries and cool whip. Yummo

Answer 3

Freeze the lasagna and serve it when you have no guests.

As for a new menu, do an easy chicken bake.

Spray a large pan. Salt and pepper boneless chicken.
Place in pan. Add slices of ham cut into bite-sized pieces. Top with Swiss cheese. Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream. If you like a little spice, add a dash of ground red pepper. Add a little salt. Pour over the top. Crush butter crackers and add some melted butter. Top the dish.
Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife in the center of the center most piece of chicken shows it to be done. Uncover and allow it to brown.

Use the same sides you wanted to go with the lasagna.

Answer 4

Go ahead and cook the lasagne, sample it ahead of time and make a decision as to whether its edible. Here's an easy lasagne recipe that you might also consider:

2 lbs hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T olive oil
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
3 T dried Italian herbs
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 package lasagne noodles (you'll need around 12 - 16)
1 16 oz brick of Velveeta Cheese
1 4 oz package shredded Italian Blend Cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan

Saute sausage, onion, and garlic in olive oil until cooked. Drain and add tomato sauce, herbs, pepper ans olive oil. Simmer for at least 15 minutes and season to taste. Cook noodles, rinse and drain. Slice Velveeta into 1/4 inch slices. Spread 1/4 to 1/3 of the sauce on bottom of baking dish. Top with noodles, velveeta, and 1/4 to 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Top with 1/4 to 1/3 of the sauce and repeat layers until you end with sauce and cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan, cover and bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. This is an easy, great tasting alternative to traditional ricotta based lasagnes. Look for lowfat cheeses and reduce olive oil if you are wanting to go more lowfat.

Answer 5

If you feel like you should toss the lasagna, then do it. But if you do, I think that you should stick with pasta. Pretty much anyone eats pasta and it is quick and easy.
But put together a couple different sauces-a marinara and a cream sauce (alfredo). Both of which are super easy and quick to make. I would recommend a penne pasta-long noodles stick together too easy-plus penne is more fancy and it really gets the sauce soaked up well because of the hollow inside.
Throw together a green salad and some garlic bread or breadstick, maybe a summer fruit salad too for more variety-and you have a whole meal that is really quick and easy!
GOOD LUCK!

Answer 6

trash the lasagne and make this meal to save the party!

season and saute some (15-20) chicken breasts or chicken pieces in a large lightly oiled skillet on both sides for a few minutes. in a large baking pan, pour in 3 cans of cream of mushroom soup and 2 cans of water in the baking dish. mix it all up until the soup and water is well blended and somewhat smooth. put in all the chicken pieces, along with a few dashes of dried thyme and some sliced onions. cover it with foil or a lid and let it bake in the oven (350 degrees) for an hour or so, until the chicken is tender.

cook a large pot of white rice or some mashed potatoes.

make a green dinner salad and buy some of those bread du jour dinner rolls and butter them, then bake them in the oven.

the gravy from the chicken is wonderful for dipping the rolls in or putting on the top of your rice or potatoes.

i guarantee you this will please all of your guests and i think you can pull it off in an hour. it is pretty easy because all you are doing is browning the chicken a little on both side, the chicken will continue to cook in the oven until it's done.

enjoy.

Answer 7

Sorry to hear of this..... don't be stressed out. You can have a fun dinner party with very little time and planning.

Trash your lasagna if it tastes awful.

Instead - do a Taco Bar (where guests build/make their own).
Add some spanish rice (you can get the box mixes of it in the store and cook it successfully in a microwave or on the stove), and beans and you are set.

All you have to do is (and you can do this in the hour of time you have to cook) - very little cooking involved, just buffet style assembly - lots of bowls:

1) Cook ground beef (drain the fat) - season it with chili powder, garlic powder and a bit of salt and pepper.

2) Heat up some cans of refried beans.

3) Shred some lettuce and dice up some tomatoes.

4) Use the pre-shredded bags of cheese (they even have Mexican style pre-grated cheese in the dairy section).

5) Set out plattters of different types of tortillas (spinach flavor, corn, flour, etc.)

And then all you have to do is make homemade pico de gallo (dice up onions, tomatoes and cilantro - add salt and pepper and you are set).

And homemade guacamole (avocados, a squeeze of lime juice, salt, pepper and fresh cilantro and mix)

Add a bag of chips and make margaritas for the party (just margarita mix, tequila, ice, add frozen fruit if you want to make fruit margaritas).

You have a complete Fiesta. Your guests can 'assemble' the tacos themselves, help themselves to chips, salsa and guacamole, and it's a lot of fun. People will talk and interact, it's a good time.

:)

Serve ice cream for dessert. No muss, no fuss. Have fun.

Answer 8

Cook the lasagna, and if its disgusting then trash it and order pizza, cant go wrong with pizza. lol. It's not classy but itll do.

Answer 9

get an italian to cook for you