TCL's Easy Lasagna (Spinach-Beef Version)

Hubby and I have been working on keeping a food budget. I've set a weekly budget as of last week, but we've been having trouble staying under. We'd like to try to stick to the budget so we can save money for home repairs and upgrades, so we're working to stay closer to our budgets and carrying forward negative balances so we can even out.

Tonight, I decided to make lasagna because it's cheap, easy, and lasts for more than 1 meal. We intended for this meal to carry us to the next budget, which is a good thing because we're already $10 over (which is better than the $30 we were over last week!).

I decided to do a play on my usual TCL Easy Lasagna by adding some frozen, chopped spinach to make this more of a complete meal. Click here for recipe.

Here are some photos from tonight's cooking:

Here's where the variation came into play: Follow the original recipe but mix up the ricotta with the frozen spinach (thaw and squeeze excess water our first) and an egg. Substitute egg mixture where I referenced just ricotta in the original recipe.

Layering up.

Side Salad: Earlier this week, I did a play on a Clean Eating Magazine recipe and made a quick side dish of chick peas, red pepper, heirloom tomato with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. I topped tonight's romaine salads with some of that chick pea side and it made for an excellent salad topping, indeed!

I used up the rest of the foccacia from this past weekend. It keeps so well in the freezer and is a cinch to heat up in the oven with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling of salt. Tastes like fresh-baked bread when you do it right.

Three plates tonight because our realtor came over to talk business...and because she's our friend. Surprisingly to me (prob not for you seasoned home buyers), we still have more negotiations on the house. Ugh, I just want the process to be over with! There are a couple things we found out that I don't exactly love about the house, so I hope they don't turn into dealbreakers, which they just may end up being. But, let's hope not.

Such a great meal...wonder why we didn't eat lasagna more growing up? So glad I put spinach in this, too. I suppose you could count the salad as our "veggie", but you can't really have enough veggies, can you? I don't think so.

Reader Question: Did you have a dealbreaker ever in a house buying/selling situation? What was it? What were the results of your situation?

Dinner

Comments

[Emily]

I hope everything works out fine with the house! My fingers are crossed for you :)

[Marie]

First off congrat's on the new home! Many years of happiness there!

Owning a home is a crash course in...owning a home! LOL - we went back and forth many times with the seller because of repairs and other issues and even at the eleventh hour we almost pulled out of the deal because we could not come to an agreement on certain things. Eventually it all worked out and we bought the house and have been living here 9 years. There are always repairs to be done even in a new home so don't be surprised or dismayed by that. In the end, just keep reminding yourself that its your home and its much better than renting and throwing money away when it's not even your own home. I'm happy here even though it's an old house and needs work.

Enjoy and don't get discouraged!

[Eve]

That lasagna looks delicious! I love lasagna, such a heart meal and always provides wonderful leftovers. Sorry no tips on home owning...good luck!

[Rosey Rebecca]

Oh wow, that looks so good!! :-) Have a great weekend!!

[Michelle @ A Shade of Gray]

Lasagna looks great!

With our current home (we've been in it for 6 years today!), we lost it to another buyer and then they backed out and we got it! It was meant to be. Hang in there. I know it is hard to but everything will work out the way it's meant to :-)

Have a great weekend!

[kokostiletto]

looks so yummy and healthy!
how much is your food budget set at each month?