The miracle of the lasagna or was it the fishes and the loaves?*

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Source: Allrecipes

Source: Allrecipes

Friends were here to celebrate Christmas this past weekend. In keeping it simple I bought pre-made lasagna. The box said 12 servings. I had 9 people. Perfect!

Or so I thought.

I have a neurotic gene. It works overtime. Will there be enough food? Will they like the it? Do they have food allergies or medical conditions? Will the weather be bad? Yes, all these things danced in my head like sugar plums I wanted to shoot with a water pistol. (Actually something more potent but I am a non-violent person except at a Starbucks drive-through line.)

All was good until the afternoon of the party. I took the lasagna out of the box and looked at it. Oy vay! They call that 12 servings! Sure looked skimpy to me.

Lasagna is weird. With meat you use ounces per person to calculate but how do you calculate lasagna? There’s probably an app for it but I preferred to get my freak on.

I called the beloved husband to look at it. He asked, “What do you want me to say?” I said, “Does this look like 12 normal servings?” He said, “How would I know?”

He took pity and offered to “get another one.” I had already upped the meat and the garlic bread.

The oven times were carefully planned so everything would be done together. That’s a miracle in itself.

The weather was bad in the morning but improved as the day went on but we had two people who didn’t want to chance the travel. Now I had 24 servings for 7 people. Some of the guests were also bringing sides.

Everything went out on the table like a true feast. In the end, we didn’t finish the original pan of lasagna (no need for a second). Only a third of the meat and one loaf of bread was eaten.

It was a Christmas miracle just like the fishes and the loaves (only it was lasagna). I have enough to last well into the New Year if it doesn’t keep multiplying.

I may have started a new holiday tradition.

*If you are not familiar with the miracle of the fishes and the loaves, you can click here.

 

54 thoughts on “The miracle of the lasagna or was it the fishes and the loaves?*”

  2. I share the neurotic food-planning gene. The fridge was stuffed to the rafters and the counters groaned from the weight of all the home-made goodness last night. I made enough for 45 people, we had 8. 90% went home with the kids and we enjoyed leftovers today. I really really get you on this topic, Kate!

    Merry Christmas – may you have more than enough !!
    MJ

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  4. That was hilarious, Kate. Miracle lasagna!! When we have a large crowd, I usually get the portion of the meat right, Then I’m afraid there won’t be enough and kill people with sides. Everyone feels obligated to try a little of everything, and their plates look like little mountains. They roll away from the table glassy-eyed. I’ll never learn to keep it simple.

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  5. My favorite part of the frozen lasagna is the fact that the instructions include letting you know to take it out of the box. I would never have figured that out without someone cluing me in on that!

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  6. Frozen lasagna is one of those things that seem an easy solution when you want easy. i am always afraid I won’t have enough so I probably would have bought two. Glad you had leftovers! I love leftovers and fortunately Husband does too and will eat most anything.

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  8. I never trust the servings that are printed on a box. It seems that they always over-estimate (and it helps them get their per-serving calorie and trans fat count down). It is so hard to estimate servings for a crowd. One time you might get a bunch of ravenous eaters, and the next not so much. Fortunately, leftovers are my favorite food group.

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    • With garlic bread and a salad, there were 10 servings in a box marked for 12. Now I know! Leftovers are my favorite food group too except that there is such a thing as too much lasagna! That doesn’t happen with pizza or spaghetti.

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  9. Know the feeling. Get the same fear when I see a gateau that is supposed to serve 12. Only big enough for four, and that’s skimping!
    These days I only have small pans, so I pack the plates with salad and fresh bread. But then I don’t buy butter, and so the list goes on. Glad it’s just the two and a half of us now. Happy Holidays Kate.

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    • My mother always said that once she stopped doing all the baking, it became harder because she lost her “knack.” I think once you stop cooking “large” regularly you lose perspective. The other thing is that you eat less as you (and your friends) get older.

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  10. We love Stauffer’s lasagna. I’m Italian and should make my own but why bother when she does it so well? I definitely would freeze it and put it toward the back so you don’t find it for a month or two 🙂

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  11. Ha, that’s me. I’m always sure there won’t be enough food, and so I make more cake, cookies, cream puffs, etc. My husband never makes quite enough, but he’s in charge of the savory. So we always and up with extra desserts.

    It gives me a complex.

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  12. Lasagna is a great casserole for parties ~ and leftovers freeze well in 2 serving portions for quick meals later on.

    But if Jill is coming, I’d plan for Baked Ziti instead . . . with NO ricotta. 😀

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    • I have several portions frozen and we ate it 3 days in a row. I also made my brother take some home. I’ve had enough for a while. It is a great casserole for a party. Easy peasy except trying to figure out how much you really need.

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  14. I too had a group here. Only there were 25 adults and 10 children that were supposed to come. Let’s just say I had enough food to feed a small country. I always do that…always doubt myself! I had enough left overs to keep that small country going for at least a week! Wonder if I will ever learn!!!!

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    • There maybe hope. I remember my former mother-in-law when she was older serving lunch for 8 of us with a half pound of lunchmeat and a quarter pound of liverwurst (gawd! who eats that stuff?) and a half pound of cheese. I think she also had a pound of potato salad. That’s it. Nothing was left. I stopped for pizza on my way home.

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  17. I have the most amazing recipe for a quinoa lasagna made in the crock pot if you ever want it. You don’t have to cook the noodles or anything – soooo easy, and we can enjoy it for a few days since it is just the two of us. One of our favorite winter meals.

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