Nonnie's Lasagna

Nonnie, Grampy & friend cerca 1920

As I understand it, Nonnie was born in Yonkers, NY, Bernadine Chamberlain. She was born in 1904 to a poor family. She had one brother Dave Chamberlain. She was only 16 years old when she married my grandfather, George Samuel Wilklow. She apparently was a flapper and enjoyed some of the wild life for a couple of years! She never finished high school and had no formal education after she married but knew all the practical things a wife and mother needed to know. She was a good cook, she sewed, knitted, made crafty things and was a terrific accountant. She later credited the Ladies Home Bureau for her domestic education.

My grandfather would bring home his money every week. Nonnie would have envelopes for each bill. She would add the money to those envelopes. At the end of the month, she would put her money in the bank or invest in stocks. Nonnie lived to be 86 years old and Grampy was 99 when he died. Their estate was worth a lot of money as Nonnie had smartly invested in a new company back in the 1940's called Texas Instrument!


Nonnie and Grampy live in Highland, NY. We always lived within a couple of hours of them and would visit on weekends. One of our all-time favorite meals was Nonnie's lasagna. I share this recipe from a note to my mother in her own handwriting on the back of deposit slips from the First National Bank of Highland.

Nonnie with Uncle George cerca de 1925

Nonnie's Lasagna:

Tomato Sauce: 
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves of garlic - minced
1/4 olive oil
1lb ground beef
1 16 oz can of tomatoes - stewed or diced
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper
2 cups water
1 tsp sugar
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp basil

Brown onion and garlic lightly in oil in a large sauce pan. When beef brown add remaining ingredients into pan and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 hours.

Lasagna:
1 box of lasagna noodles
3 qts boiling water
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb cottage cheese
1/2 lb of mozzarella cheese sliced
Tomato Sauce - see above
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water about 25 mins or until tender, stir often. Drain and mix with the olive oil. Arrange in shallow rectangular baking dish making three layers of each; cooked lasagna, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Tomato Sauce and Parmesan Cheese.  Bake in a 325* oven for 45 minutes.

PS I know this is pretty much a basic recipe but we thought it was delicious! Over the years, I have made a couple of adjustments to the recipe. Instead of cottage cheese, I use ricotta cheese. I add 2 eggs and italian seasoning to that mixture and set aside until assembling the lasagna.  I also have used uncooked lasagna noodles because it cooks right into the baking dish and does not mush as much. Or I only cook it about 10 minutes. I think the biggest different idea from this recipe is the Cayenne Pepper, the Bay Leaves and the sugar in the tomato-meat sauce. That most definitely gives Nonnie's Lasagna a unique flavor.
We love you and miss you Nonnie!