The "I haven't seen my friends in ages so I'll cook because I feel guilty" dinner party

It's true, I hadn't seen my close friends in weeks. I'd been busy at work, been to NYC and when I had some down time, I just didn't feel like entertaining. What I felt like was curling up with a book and a glass of vino... that's it.

Then one day, I felt like entertaining again and so we had this dinner party (kind of like waking up from a lot of down time). Menu developed by the Husband and I. Wine consumed? At least 12 bottles among eight of us. Hard liquor consumed? At least a 40 of Canadian Club. Karaoke songs sung using the 100 inch screen TV at my in-laws? Too many to count. Noise complaints at 2:45 a.m.? One.

It was a very good night following by a very hungover next day.

Here's the menu:

1. Appetizer supplied by close guy friend: cheese and fruit tray (the stilton on this tray rocked my sox)

2. Bean/Chickpea salads supplied by close friends

3. Meat Lasagna, roast potatoes, parmesan broccoli supplied by le Husband and I

4. Chocolate mousse cake supplied by close friends

The lasagna recipe is mostly from my mother and it was a huge hit so here's the instructions...

My Mom's Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles (alter depending on your pan size... mine was a 9x13)

1 large can tomato sauce

1 tub cottage cheese

1 tub ricotta

1 package extra lean ground beef

1 package extra lean ground pork

Italian seasoning

about 2 cups shredded havarti (that was my addition...my mom uses mozzarella I think)

parmesan

salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 35oF. Boil noodles until al dente. Cook beef/pork together with about a tbsp of italian seasoning and salt/pepper. When noodles/meat are done, you're ready to assemble. I put a bit of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan so that nothing sticks, then do a layer of all meat with a bit of sauce (not a whole lot), then a layer of all the ricotta and all the cottage cheese. Then another layer of meat/sauce, then the last three noodles (three noodles cover the width). Then lots of sauce on the top so it seeps down into the sides of the lasagna, all the havarti and parm to just lightly dust the top. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Serve hot.

Freezes really well.

The wines we had? All chianti, chianti classico and chianti classico riserva (in reverse order)... it was an epic night for wine consumption.