Things rude houseguests do, a vent:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

You are nuts. You think that people eat a quarter pound of beef in a lasagna serving? That could make lasagna for 12.

4oz isn't much, plus do you only make just enough Food?

You could triple, quadruple the meat and not come close to $80.

And that... wouldn't be a lasagna? You have to double everything to keep the ratio the same (this is a DUH but it seems to have somehow escaped you) which would bring the total up to $70, and that's without any herbs or spices or the fresh basil. So, you were wrong. It's cool to just admit it now. Thanks for doing the math to prove it.

She basically just proved our point.

No. Lasagna is not a particularly meat heavy dish. You wouldn't need to triple or quadruple the meat in order to make the recipe. But if you wanted more meat it would not cost you $80 to have it.

That's right... it would cost $80 to have it the way the PP described- with large portions, enough for people to get seconds if they wish (possibly not even enough for that depending on portion size and based on the 20 people figure she gave earlier). The list you described is using fairly basic ingredients as well, like shredded cheese instead of the more traditional bufalo mozzarella. it also includes no herbs. And it still adds up to $70.

Yes. If you start throwing in the most expensive ingredients you can find and start feeding people twice...it will add up to more $$. A fool and his gold.

Should we not allow the guests to get full?
Here, this will kill you, but I send leftovers of all food home. Sometimes I make two $80 batches of lasagna ($160) just so people can take leftovers.

The $8 lasagna PP right now:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

You are nuts. You think that people eat a quarter pound of beef in a lasagna serving? That could make lasagna for 12.

4oz isn't much, plus do you only make just enough Food?

You could triple, quadruple the meat and not come close to $80.

And that... wouldn't be a lasagna? You have to double everything to keep the ratio the same (this is a DUH but it seems to have somehow escaped you) which would bring the total up to $70, and that's without any herbs or spices or the fresh basil. So, you were wrong. It's cool to just admit it now. Thanks for doing the math to prove it.

She basically just proved our point.

No. Lasagna is not a particularly meat heavy dish. You wouldn't need to triple or quadruple the meat in order to make the recipe. But if you wanted more meat it would not cost you $80 to have it.

That's right... it would cost $80 to have it the way the PP described- with large portions, enough for people to get seconds if they wish (possibly not even enough for that depending on portion size and based on the 20 people figure she gave earlier). The list you described is using fairly basic ingredients as well, like shredded cheese instead of the more traditional bufalo mozzarella. it also includes no herbs. And it still adds up to $70.

Yes. If you start throwing in the most expensive ingredients you can find and start feeding people twice...it will add up to more $$. A fool and his gold.

Should we not allow the guests to get full?
Here, this will kill you, but I send leftovers of all food home. Sometimes I make two $80 batches of lasagna ($160) just so people can take leftovers.

The $8 lasagna PP right now:

Love it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

You are nuts. You think that people eat a quarter pound of beef in a lasagna serving? That could make lasagna for 12.

4oz isn't much, plus do you only make just enough Food?

You could triple, quadruple the meat and not come close to $80.

And that... wouldn't be a lasagna? You have to double everything to keep the ratio the same (this is a DUH but it seems to have somehow escaped you) which would bring the total up to $70, and that's without any herbs or spices or the fresh basil. So, you were wrong. It's cool to just admit it now. Thanks for doing the math to prove it.

She basically just proved our point.

No. Lasagna is not a particularly meat heavy dish. You wouldn't need to triple or quadruple the meat in order to make the recipe. But if you wanted more meat it would not cost you $80 to have it.

That's right... it would cost $80 to have it the way the PP described- with large portions, enough for people to get seconds if they wish (possibly not even enough for that depending on portion size and based on the 20 people figure she gave earlier). The list you described is using fairly basic ingredients as well, like shredded cheese instead of the more traditional bufalo mozzarella. it also includes no herbs. And it still adds up to $70.

Yes. If you start throwing in the most expensive ingredients you can find and start feeding people twice...it will add up to more $$. A fool and his gold.

Should we not allow the guests to get full?
Here, this will kill you, but I send leftovers of all food home. Sometimes I make two $80 batches of lasagna ($160) just so people can take leftovers.

The $8 lasagna PP right now:

Yes, they get full. Because you serve garlic bread and salad to go along with the tray of lasagna. Some big eaters will want an extra helping of the lasagna but most will do fine with one serving. You do not have to plan for every guest to have seconds because most won't.

[Anonymous]

^Sounds like people objectively like the $80 lasagna better if they are demanding seconds and they aren't of yours. Hmmmm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

You are nuts. You think that people eat a quarter pound of beef in a lasagna serving? That could make lasagna for 12.

4oz isn't much, plus do you only make just enough Food?

You could triple, quadruple the meat and not come close to $80.

And that... wouldn't be a lasagna? You have to double everything to keep the ratio the same (this is a DUH but it seems to have somehow escaped you) which would bring the total up to $70, and that's without any herbs or spices or the fresh basil. So, you were wrong. It's cool to just admit it now. Thanks for doing the math to prove it.

She basically just proved our point.

No. Lasagna is not a particularly meat heavy dish. You wouldn't need to triple or quadruple the meat in order to make the recipe. But if you wanted more meat it would not cost you $80 to have it.

That's right... it would cost $80 to have it the way the PP described- with large portions, enough for people to get seconds if they wish (possibly not even enough for that depending on portion size and based on the 20 people figure she gave earlier). The list you described is using fairly basic ingredients as well, like shredded cheese instead of the more traditional bufalo mozzarella. it also includes no herbs. And it still adds up to $70.

Yes. If you start throwing in the most expensive ingredients you can find and start feeding people twice...it will add up to more $$. A fool and his gold.

Should we not allow the guests to get full?
Here, this will kill you, but I send leftovers of all food home. Sometimes I make two $80 batches of lasagna ($160) just so people can take leftovers.

The $8 lasagna PP right now:

Yes, they get full. Because you serve garlic bread and salad to go along with the tray of lasagna. Some big eaters will want an extra helping of the lasagna but most will do fine with one serving. You do not have to plan for every guest to have seconds because most won't.

I want leftovers, I wants my guests to take food home so they don't need to cook for a few days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

+1

Also, I personally, and i am not the poster who originally posted about the $80 lasagna, but I only use bufalo mozzarella. If you want to use REAL parmesan, that is significantly more expensive than the fake American stuff (you could never buy it for $6) with all the accordant health benefits of being made in Parma Italy with centuries old techniques and grass fed cows. To me, it's 100% worth it to spend extra for the better taste, texture, and health.

You also didn't add in fresh basil, which I always add to my lasagnas.

But what I can't fathom is why anyone is bothering to make "fancy" lasagna. Lasagna, che schifo. It would be like making "fancy" sloppy joes. This is not an elegant Italian meal by any stretch. Spend your money making crespelle fiorentina, not lasagna. Lasagna is for i cafoni.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^Sounds like people objectively like the $80 lasagna better if they are demanding seconds and they aren't of yours. Hmmmm.

Truth is they probably have no clue which one costs more to make. It is quite possible that my homemade sauce using fresh home grown ingredients might taste more pricey though. Just sayin..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

+1

Also, I personally, and i am not the poster who originally posted about the $80 lasagna, but I only use bufalo mozzarella. If you want to use REAL parmesan, that is significantly more expensive than the fake American stuff (you could never buy it for $6) with all the accordant health benefits of being made in Parma Italy with centuries old techniques and grass fed cows. To me, it's 100% worth it to spend extra for the better taste, texture, and health.

You also didn't add in fresh basil, which I always add to my lasagnas.

But what I can't fathom is why anyone is bothering to make "fancy" lasagna. Lasagna, che schifo. It would be like making "fancy" sloppy joes. This is not an elegant Italian meal by any stretch. Spend your money making crespelle fiorentina, not lasagna. Lasagna is for i cafoni.

Everything I make for holidays is expensive and fancy. I am also serving kids who don't want to eat ham or duck or salmon.
Everyone loves lasagna. You assume I have one main course.
I do four meat dishes plus sides. Many sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

You are nuts. You think that people eat a quarter pound of beef in a lasagna serving? That could make lasagna for 12.

4oz isn't much, plus do you only make just enough Food?

You could triple, quadruple the meat and not come close to $80.

And that... wouldn't be a lasagna? You have to double everything to keep the ratio the same (this is a DUH but it seems to have somehow escaped you) which would bring the total up to $70, and that's without any herbs or spices or the fresh basil. So, you were wrong. It's cool to just admit it now. Thanks for doing the math to prove it.

She basically just proved our point.

No. Lasagna is not a particularly meat heavy dish. You wouldn't need to triple or quadruple the meat in order to make the recipe. But if you wanted more meat it would not cost you $80 to have it.

That's right... it would cost $80 to have it the way the PP described- with large portions, enough for people to get seconds if they wish (possibly not even enough for that depending on portion size and based on the 20 people figure she gave earlier). The list you described is using fairly basic ingredients as well, like shredded cheese instead of the more traditional bufalo mozzarella. it also includes no herbs. And it still adds up to $70.

Yes. If you start throwing in the most expensive ingredients you can find and start feeding people twice...it will add up to more $$. A fool and his gold.

Should we not allow the guests to get full?
Here, this will kill you, but I send leftovers of all food home. Sometimes I make two $80 batches of lasagna ($160) just so people can take leftovers.

The $8 lasagna PP right now:

Yes, they get full. Because you serve garlic bread and salad to go along with the tray of lasagna. Some big eaters will want an extra helping of the lasagna but most will do fine with one serving. You do not have to plan for every guest to have seconds because most won't.

I want leftovers, I wants my guests to take food home so they don't need to cook for a few days.

Fine. But you are not making an $80 tray of lasagna. You are making TRAYS of lasagna that add up to $80.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

+1

Also, I personally, and i am not the poster who originally posted about the $80 lasagna, but I only use bufalo mozzarella. If you want to use REAL parmesan, that is significantly more expensive than the fake American stuff (you could never buy it for $6) with all the accordant health benefits of being made in Parma Italy with centuries old techniques and grass fed cows. To me, it's 100% worth it to spend extra for the better taste, texture, and health.

You also didn't add in fresh basil, which I always add to my lasagnas.

But what I can't fathom is why anyone is bothering to make "fancy" lasagna. Lasagna, che schifo. It would be like making "fancy" sloppy joes. This is not an elegant Italian meal by any stretch. Spend your money making crespelle fiorentina, not lasagna. Lasagna is for i cafoni.

So you've never had the Bernaise Burger at J.G. Melon's then. Never spent money on a cupcake from a nice bakery? Never had a real neapolitan pizza that costs more than Dominos?

There are lots of simple, humble foods that taste better when you have higher quality ingredients. In fact, i would argue that in many ways, using the more expensive ingredients gives you a truer food to what the original recipe intended, because whole foods tend to cost more than the mass-made, watered down crap on most of the grocery shelves. I personally will pay more to have a product that I know is healthy and good and the ingredients aren't a list of chemicals I don't recognize. I think it tastes much better too.

[Anonymous]

Can we go back to talking about banging at grandmas house?

What did grandma think? Was she upset? Did the weird cousin find out that everyone heard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

+1

Also, I personally, and i am not the poster who originally posted about the $80 lasagna, but I only use bufalo mozzarella. If you want to use REAL parmesan, that is significantly more expensive than the fake American stuff (you could never buy it for $6) with all the accordant health benefits of being made in Parma Italy with centuries old techniques and grass fed cows. To me, it's 100% worth it to spend extra for the better taste, texture, and health.

You also didn't add in fresh basil, which I always add to my lasagnas.

But what I can't fathom is why anyone is bothering to make "fancy" lasagna. Lasagna, che schifo. It would be like making "fancy" sloppy joes. This is not an elegant Italian meal by any stretch. Spend your money making crespelle fiorentina, not lasagna. Lasagna is for i cafoni.

Everything I make for holidays is expensive and fancy. I am also serving kids who don't want to eat ham or duck or salmon.
Everyone loves lasagna. You assume I have one main course.
I do four meat dishes plus sides. Many sides.

If I spend $300 making my tray of lasagna that would mean that my lasagna is better than your lasagna, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

You are nuts. You think that people eat a quarter pound of beef in a lasagna serving? That could make lasagna for 12.

4oz isn't much, plus do you only make just enough Food?

You could triple, quadruple the meat and not come close to $80.

And that... wouldn't be a lasagna? You have to double everything to keep the ratio the same (this is a DUH but it seems to have somehow escaped you) which would bring the total up to $70, and that's without any herbs or spices or the fresh basil. So, you were wrong. It's cool to just admit it now. Thanks for doing the math to prove it.

She basically just proved our point.

No. Lasagna is not a particularly meat heavy dish. You wouldn't need to triple or quadruple the meat in order to make the recipe. But if you wanted more meat it would not cost you $80 to have it.

That's right... it would cost $80 to have it the way the PP described- with large portions, enough for people to get seconds if they wish (possibly not even enough for that depending on portion size and based on the 20 people figure she gave earlier). The list you described is using fairly basic ingredients as well, like shredded cheese instead of the more traditional bufalo mozzarella. it also includes no herbs. And it still adds up to $70.

Yes. If you start throwing in the most expensive ingredients you can find and start feeding people twice...it will add up to more $$. A fool and his gold.

Should we not allow the guests to get full?
Here, this will kill you, but I send leftovers of all food home. Sometimes I make two $80 batches of lasagna ($160) just so people can take leftovers.

The $8 lasagna PP right now:

Yes, they get full. Because you serve garlic bread and salad to go along with the tray of lasagna. Some big eaters will want an extra helping of the lasagna but most will do fine with one serving. You do not have to plan for every guest to have seconds because most won't.

I want leftovers, I wants my guests to take food home so they don't need to cook for a few days.

Fine. But you are not making an $80 tray of lasagna. You are making TRAYS of lasagna that add up to $80.

No it's one BIg tray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we go back to talking about banging at grandmas house?

What did grandma think? Was she upset? Did the weird cousin find out that everyone heard?

Boring. Grandma probably can't hear well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 lb of organic laura's 90% ground beef ~ $8.00
1 box barilla lasagna noodles ~ $1.50
1 jar rao's sauce, often on sale at giant for ~ $6
1 bag shredded organic moz cheese ~ $4
1 container organic ricotta cheese ~ $5
1 cage free brown egg ~ $0.30
1 container grated real parm cheese ~ $6
1 bag organic spinach ~ $3

Total = close to $35

I'd say the $80 and $8 posters are both off by a bit . I also now realize that a pan of lasagna is more expensive than I realized.

One lb of ground beef won't make a large tray. You need at least 50% more ingredients. ONE egg?
How many people are you feeding, four?

+1

Also, I personally, and i am not the poster who originally posted about the $80 lasagna, but I only use bufalo mozzarella. If you want to use REAL parmesan, that is significantly more expensive than the fake American stuff (you could never buy it for $6) with all the accordant health benefits of being made in Parma Italy with centuries old techniques and grass fed cows. To me, it's 100% worth it to spend extra for the better taste, texture, and health.

You also didn't add in fresh basil, which I always add to my lasagnas.

But what I can't fathom is why anyone is bothering to make "fancy" lasagna. Lasagna, che schifo. It would be like making "fancy" sloppy joes. This is not an elegant Italian meal by any stretch. Spend your money making crespelle fiorentina, not lasagna. Lasagna is for i cafoni.

So you've never had the Bernaise Burger at J.G. Melon's then. Never spent money on a cupcake from a nice bakery? Never had a real neapolitan pizza that costs more than Dominos?

There are lots of simple, humble foods that taste better when you have higher quality ingredients. In fact, i would argue that in many ways, using the more expensive ingredients gives you a truer food to what the original recipe intended, because whole foods tend to cost more than the mass-made, watered down crap on most of the grocery shelves. I personally will pay more to have a product that I know is healthy and good and the ingredients aren't a list of chemicals I don't recognize. I think it tastes much better too.

This was my first post in this thread (I am not the $8 pp). I was just pointing out that I don't think lasagna can be "fancy." Can it be well made and delicious? Certo. But I would never serve lasagna as a "fancy" dish. Especially not to any Italians.