Our editor Chad January shares his failproof Cheat’s lasagne to turn this meal into more in a matter of minutes.  

Cheat’s lasagne 

Serves 4 

To make this even richer, swap out milk for cream or stir through dollops of plain cream cheese or cultured cream. 

Ingredients 

3 Tbsp butter 
3 Tbsp flour 
2 ½  cups milk 
¼ cup grated Cheddar (optional)
Pinch of ground nutmeg 
Salt and milled pepper 
1 cup panko breadcrumbs 
½ tsp garlic powder 
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, + extra for serving 
500g lasagne sheets, cooked 
½ batch best-ever beef ragu
2 cups grated mozzarella 
Olive oil  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Grease a large deep baking dish or 4 individual ovenproof bowls. 
3. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and stir through the flour until mixture is smooth. 
4. Pour in milk, a little at a time, while whisking until all milk has been added and sauce has thickened, about 5-6 minutes. 
5. Stir through Cheddar (if using) and nutmeg. Season. 
6. Toast breadcrumbs in a dry hot pan until lightly golden. Stir through garlic powder, basil and season. Set aside. 
7. Arrange half the pasta into prepared baking dish, almost pappardelle style. 
8. Add generous helpings of beef ragu, white sauce and half the mozzarella. 
9. Repeat process with remaining ingredients. 
10. Drizzle with oil and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and cheese has melted. 
11. Serve while hot, scattered with toasted breadcrumbs and fresh basil.

Recipes & Styling: Chad January
Photos: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Meat-free baby marrow and spinach lasagne

The post Try this failproof cheat’s lasagne recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

The lovely chef behind KwaLisa Soulfood shares 2 delicious recipes with us, oxtail stew and creamy pea soup.

Oxtail Stew 
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME  3 hr 10 min

INGREDIENTS
Oxtail 1.5 kg
Salt and pepper
Barbecue spice 1 tsp
Flour ¼ cup
Oil 2 tbsp
Butter 1 tbsp
Onion, large 1
Garlic, crushed 1 tbsp
Celery, chopped 1 cup
Carrots 1 cup
Thyme 4 sprigs
Smoked paprika 1 tsp
Cumin 1 tsp
Tomato, chopped 1 cup
Sachet tomato paste 1
Brown Sugar 1 tsp
Red wine 1 cup
Beef stock 1 cup
Water 125 ml

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Season the meat with salt, pepper and barbecue, then dust it with flour.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the meat on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
3. To the same pot, add the butter, onion, garlic, celery and carrot. While continuously stirring, add the thyme, smoked paprika, cumin, tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Pour in the red wine and beef stock, and allow it to simmer for five minutes.
4. Add back the meat, coat it in the sauce then add the water and allow it to cook for three hours, checking every 30 minutes to see if it has enough liquid. If not, taste your food and either add the beef stock liquid or the water. You can serve this with steamed bread, mashed potatoes or rice.

Creamy Pea Soup
SERVES 2
TOTAL TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Onion, chopped 1
Mushrooms, chopped 1
Crushed garlic 1 tsp
Frozen peas 2 cups
Plain yoghurt 1 tbsp
Chicken stock ½ cup
Fresh cream 1 cup

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a pan over medium heat, heat the oil and fry the onion, mushrooms, garlic and peas on medium heat for 10 minutes. Let it cool for at least 5 minutes.
2. Pour the mixture into your blender and as you slowly blend, incorporate the rest of the ingredients until it reaches your preferred thickness. Strain your soup to get rid of bubbles.
3. Serve it with butter-toasted bread. This meal is suitable for all members of the family, including babies.

Photography: Courtesy Images

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The post Easy-To-make Meals By KwaLisa Soulfood Chef appeared first on MyKitchen.