What's on the menu for tonight?

So I've had this fascination with lobster wontons for a while now. There is a place here, that serves them like no other--the only thing it's $12 for 6. While that may be great on occasions, I'm practicing this whole fiscal responsibility thing, so paying that much for that little no longer makes any sense to me. (photo)

Don't get me wrong--we will go out every once in while just to say we did, but with the economy and two kids, it's better to save that $40-$60 and stick it in a piggy bank somewhere. So I decided that while I can't have those wontons (truthfully I'm not a huge fan of lobster anyway), I decided to google wonton recipes, I came across this awesome site Can you stay for dinner? (Don't you just love the name?). They had this amazing recipe for petite lasagna using wonton wrappers. Let's just say this is a must have in my life right now.

Petite Lasagna Recipe (the easy way)


Start with one pound of lean ground beef for the meaty lasagna sauce.

For spaghetti and lasagna I also like to add a pound of Italian sausage. My DH loves spicy/hot food so I am more than willing to accommodate him with that request. The boy is quickly learning, but I never make any of his food with spicy ingredients. I make sure I put some off to the side. But I digress...  adding italian sausage or any sausage gives the sauce a huge flavor boost. I've even experimented with summer sausage--so if you don't like spicy, but you love sweet sauce-pick up a package of summer sausage from any deli. It's usually a little more expensive than regular Johnsonville or Hillshire Farms, but it's worth it!!

Back to the recipe....
This recipe make about 12 , so to make it easy on myself after it's browned and drained, I separate the meat into 4 parts. That way if I want to make more, of the wontons, I can do so for later that night or for lunch. Plus it's good whenever we have something else that requires sauce. 
Mix meat mixture with 1 cup of spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine and set aside.

Mix one and a half cups of ricotta cheese with salt and pepper.

Spray muffin pan with cooking spray and arrange a wonton wrapper into each cup.

 Take half the ricotta mixture and divide it among the cups. 


Top with meat sauce. And sprinkle with shredded cheese. Any cheese will do. I like to mix it up, so sometimes we will have mexican on hand other times mozzarella. Your preference so it doesn't matter. 

Place another wrapper on top---I did this in the opposite direction of the first, just because it looked pretty. 

And repeat the layers one more time. Add the remaining half of the ricotta cheese..meat sauce....cheese

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Petite Lasagna Recipe (detailed recipe)

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb sausage
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
24 wonton wrappers
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown sausage and hamburger in a large skillet over medium high heat and drain. Divide into 4 portions and reserve three for another night. Add spaghetti sauce to remaining meat mixture and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta the salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray, and arrange a wonton wrapper in each cup. Take half the ricotta mixture and divide it among the 12 cups. Top with half of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. 

Place another wonton wrapper over the cheese, and repeat the layers by adding the remaining ricotta cheese, meat sauce, and top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the wonton wrappers are golden. Cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 mini lasagnas or 3 servings. 




Enjoy......