6 dollar meal!

We are officially on sweets hiatus for one day.  Sugar high, my foot....though my mouth loves every second of Christmas, my tummy (and pants) digress sometimes.  So, we bring you this public service announcement....

EAT YO VEGGIES.

Thank you.

Wait....you knew there was more.  If you hail from western New York,( and now PA and VA and spreading!) you know of the monstrosity that is Wegmans.  If you are a visitor, you know Pittsford Wegmans, the godfather of all grocery stores in WNY.  Seriously, it's a tourist attraction.  Ask Alec Baldwin.  Ahem.  For all you non locals, Wegmans is a grocery store that has (duh) groceries, Chinese food, subs, bulk bins, organic food, pastries, and a hot bar (I'm probably missing more).  There are several dozen stores in Rochester, and the age old joke is that people go there for entertainment on a Friday night.  I'm not that hard up.  But they do have a cool concept on their hot bar called "6 dollar meals"-a main course and two sides for 6 bucks, served hot and fresh.  The good stuff, too.  Like Chicken French, Eggplant parm, lasagna, etc.  My Uncle swears by this stuff, and the few times I've had it, it's been pretty good!  But who has time to go to weggies amidst all the cookies flying around my kitchen?  Not me!  Let's check out the fridge and my pantry for insight.....voila-veggie lasagna, made for 6 dollars total (via bargain shopping, of course!)

Veggie Lasagna

1 bunch kale ($.67)

8 oz shredded mozzarella (clearance find, $1.00)

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes ($.99)

1 container Philly Cream spread with Italian seasonings ($1.00, clearance)

6 slices turkey bacon ($.75 clearance (no joke)

1 tbsp garlic, minced ($.50)

1 onion, diced ($.25)

 = $6.45

Mix cream cheese spread and 6 oz of cheese in a bowl.  In a pan, saute onion, garlic and kale until soft.  Pan fry bacon until semi cooked, drain on paper towels.  In a 9 x 11 pan, spread in layers - tomatoes, noodles, cheese mixture, veggies.  Repeat x 2.  after the final layer of noodles, add on bacon, more sauce, and remaining 2 oz of cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour.  remove foil and bake 10 more minutes, then broil for 5 to brown cheese.  Serves 4 hungry dudes (or dudettes).

The finished product?

No pictures.  The hubster did a face plant in the lasagna before I could get a shot. 

Or I am a bad blogger and I forgot.

You decide which.

Back to our regularly scheduled cookies tomorrow :-D

Night friends!