Lasagna Cupcakes

I found this recipe in one of my many People mags and decided to save it for the perfect occassion. I figured Tarrah's surprise baby shower was as good a time as any (mainly because it was a small, intimate group which allowed for small batch to be plenty ;) ). I set about getting all of the ingredients at the grocery the weekend prior. I had things set out and ready to rock for the Thursday early evening event. To triple check, I scanned the recipe Wednesday night around 11:15pm when I was about to hop in bed.

What I found to my horror was this (step #4 I loathe you):

4. Fold the 2 overhanging pieces over the top of each cupcake. Use sauce to seal edges. Sprinkle with each cheese and a dab of sauce. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for at least 2 hours.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! I don't have 2 hours to chill anything on Thursday is what my little voice cried as I circled our tiny kitchen cursing to myself. So what is a girl to do? Stay up until 1:30am prepping the damn things. **Note to all, I will not be defeated by any recipe especially Rachel Bilson's fave smoked mac-n-cheese lasagna cupcakes!


Let me also add that these things are messy. I had so diligently cleaned my house and managed to keep it sparkling (despite living with a male) for nearly 3 days...that is of course until these little cupcakes came along. Oil all over the kitchen counters; lasagna stuck in various pans and strainers; cheese sprinkled on the carpet; sauce dripping on the oven. I even went so far as to turn the cupcakes into wraps when I ran out of muffin pan space.
 
Low and behold, they turned out to be magnificent. Take that L.A.'s Yummy Cupcakes! I will divide and conquer; err I didn't really divide anything except perhaps my sanity, but I did conquer nonetheless.

cupcakes

rolls

 
Ingredients: Makes 12 cupcakes

• 15-16 pieces (1-lb. box) lasagna, cooked until tender and drained
• Olive oil
• 3cps grated Parmesan
• 3 cups grated smoked mozzarella
• 
  3 cups grated sharp cheddar white sauce (see recipe below)

Sauce:

Melt 4 tbsp. butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp. flour and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly add 2 cups hot milk, stirring constantly. Add a pinch of salt and cook over low heat, stirring until thickened, about 10 minutes.



Directions:

1. Trim 12 lasagna pieces into 6×2-in. strips and place on lightly oiled sheet pan. Cut remaining pieces into 3 equal sections and place on sheet pan.


2. Brush a 12-cup cupcake tin with olive oil. Lay 2 6-in. lasagna strips in the bottom of each mold to form an X. (Strips will hang over.)

3. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of each cheese over pasta, packing down well. Top with 1 tbsp. of sauce. Place 1 smaller lasagna piece on top. Repeat for each.

4. Fold the 2 overhanging pieces over the top of each cupcake. Use sauce to seal edges. Sprinkle with each cheese and a dab of sauce. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for at least 2 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 325. Bake cupcakes 25 to 30 minutes. Let cupcakes rest 10 minutes before serving.


For the article, click here.