The Pioneer Woman Cooks (59 page)

6. Sprinkle in the parsley and pour in the cream. This is a very decadent dish.

7. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well and taste for seasonings, adding a splash of clam juice if the sauce needs thinning.

Cook over low heat for 3 minutes more, or until heated through.

8. Pour the pasta in a heated serving bowl.

9. Pour on the sauce straight from the skillet, including all the luscious juice.

10. Toss to combine. At this point, your kitchen smells like Heaven.

11. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with lemon slices.

WARNING: Don’t serve to cowboys. You’ll be run right off the ranch.

Burning ground in the spring is important for the long-term health of ranch land. Aside from ridding the ground of the old, dead grass so that the new, nutritive growth can burst forth, prairie fires also help in the germination of different grass species and promote steady, even growth.

Of course, prairie fire is nothing to be taken lightly. And as much as man thinks he can control it and use it as a tool, it has an uncanny way of coming back and asserting its dominance.

LASAGNA

Makes 8 generous servings

This is a slight variation of the delicious lasagna I’ve made for years. While not necessarily authentically Italian in its use of ingredients (cottage cheese, anyone?), it receives a surprisingly high number of thumbs-ups from hungry ranch hands, ravenous children, and visiting guests. It’s seriously delicious.

1 tablespoon olive oilSalt10 ounces lasagna noodles1 pound mozzarella cheese1½ pounds hamburger1 pound hot breakfast sausage4 garlic cloves, finely choppedTwo 14.5-ounce cans whole tomatoesTwo 6-ounce cans tomato pasteFreshly ground black pepper10 to 12 basil leaves¼ cup chopped flatleaf parsley3 cups low-fat cottage cheese2 eggs, beaten1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the olive oil and a dash of salt. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and lay them flat on a piece of aluminum foil.

3. Grate the mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the hamburger, sausage, and garlic until brown.

Drain off the excess fat.

5. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, ½ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

6. Stir together well. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.