weeks ago, I joined Nora's Forum - noraskitchen.com. If you watch Jamie Oliver's revolutionary show - Jamies School DInners / Feed Me Better Campaign - then u'd probably know who she is. Oh well, nevermind, I'll say again. She's a dinner lady in Kidbrooke School in Greenwich. She's Jamie O's right hand lady who helped him sorta succeed in the campaign to change the food served in British Schools. So, that's how she became famous! OK, their forum is quite new, I joined and.. just so coincidentally Nora was giving away 5 of her new cookbooks - Nora's DInners and breakfast, lunches and snacks for you to cook at home. I guess Lady luck was on my side, I was one of the winner.


this is the book.

Ok, so the book's really simple and the recipes' really easy. step by step illustrated. lotsa kids photos.. packed with fun, good for beginners. There's even a few pages on photos of Herbs & Spices, Veges, etc. Cause it's a kids cookbook !!

I decided to make lasagne. Ok, true enough this is my first time making lasagne because I thought it was hard.. Haha.. ok, IT ACTUALLY WAS pretty damn easy!

Ok, first, make some bolognaise sauce. THe recipe was in Nora's book, but I didn't have all the ingredients she listed. So, basically my version is -

1 onion
1 carrot
1 stick celery
button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
350g minced pork
1 tbsp butter
2 ripe tomatos, chopped into small pieces
1 bottle of tomato sauce (not ketchup! those for pasta.. u know, ready made ones)
salt & pepper

Heat the frying pan over medium heat and add the butter. Then add the chopped onions, carrots and celery, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. When the veg have softened, add the minced meat and mushrooms and stir slowly for 3 minutes

Stir in the chopped tomatos, then add in the tomato sauce (not ketchup!). Add a pinch of salt and peppet. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low, put a lit on and simmer for 15 minutes.


If you use tomato puree, add chicken stock + water into the sauce. If u use ready-made tomato sauce, u dont need any stock + water

Ok, when the bolognaise sauce is simmering, you can prepare the cheese sauce.
So for cheese sauce, it's pretty much simple.

50g butter
50g plain flour
850ml milk
100g grated cheese, parmesan or cheddar
salt n pepper

To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, add the plain flour and stir with your wooden sppon until it becomes light, sandy colour. Gradually add the milk, stirring all the time to make a smoothm thick sauve. If you pour in the milk too quickly you may end up with lumps. If so, give it a good beat with a whisk to break them up. Leave to cook for a couple of minute4s, then add half the cheese and a little salt and pepper.



Line the bottom of the baking dish with half of the bolognaise sauce u made earlier. Top with a third of the cheese sauce. Lay the pasta sheets over the sauce in one layer. Pour the other half of the bolognaise sauce over the pasta, then another third layer of the cheese sauve. Add another layer of pasta sheets, then the rest of the cheese sauce.

Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake in oven for 40 minutes. The sauces whould be bubbling and there will be some nice crispy bits.




thats a souffle bowl.. haha

Oh yah! remember to buy those NO PRE-COOKING REQUIRED lasagne pasta.

and thats about it.







could have added more milk to the cheese sauce.. haha
(oh btw, mum said that..)

have a great weekend all

Saturday, May 27, 2006 02:33 am by Swee San

	flower May 27, 2006   12:06 PM PDT   Congratulations!!!