The Lasagna Throwdown

I'm doing some serious back tracking. For the Thanksgiving holiday we traveled to California to visit my parents. We got there a few days before everyone else so we had a chance to have some play-time before the "cooking up a storm" began. Or first order of business, as in as soon as we got of the plane, was to head to In-and-Out for some cheese burger with grilled onions therapy. The Boy ate almost an entire burger, Miss Thing ate fries and Little Miss ate whatever anyone would give her. It was lovely. After that we headed to the Wal Mart to get supplies for Sunday. Sunday is a special day, afterall.

After going to church (which incidentally I taught a lesson at, I'm seriously devoted to teaching and to my mom) we headed home and began preparations for The Lasagna Throwdown.

I suppose a little background information is needed at this point. A number of weeks before heading out to the golden state my mom sent an email to everyone coming asking for meal ideas for the week. Sharing this with David he asked for what he asks for every other week. Lasagna. "You should make your lasagna. Have you made your lasagna for your parents?" It was then that I got a little nervous. You see, my mom has the lasagna recipe. The recipe I grew up on. It's just the. Sharing this with him he thought the only good and right thing to do would be to have a lasagna throwdown.

Enter Sunday.

The lasagna recipe is somewhat time consuming. But good things do come to those who wait. Eventhough mine didn't take as long to prepare I decided to get it going anyway. I've never had so much fun at a throwdown. I've never been to a throwdown. But surely they don't get any more fun than this.

It was fun to see the differences in our preparations. She did hers in the microwave (since we didn't have 4 hours to let it simmer), I did mine on the stovetop. She cooked her noodles, I go with uncooked. Let them cook later, that's what I say!

I'm getting ready to assemble my lasagna for the judges.

 

A small fraction of the amount of lasagna made that night. We each made a small pan for the judges. A small casserole size for us to eat that night for dinner. And then mom made two large size casserole pans, that we froze, and I made one large casserole, also frozen. That's a lot o' lasagna. They had a party for friends the week after everyone left and what do you think was on the dinner menu? Lasagna.

 

 So here we have it "A" and "B." For those that know mom's lasagna, the lasagna, which one is it?

 

 Here is what we presented to the judges. In the center is a couple of lemon whips, we figured they might need a palate clenser, as well as some water. We had to make it official, you know.

 

 Introducing our non-partial judges. On the left we have the Kansas boy, born and bred. He is a lover of all things cheese. Is a self proclaimed dutch oven master. Enjoys eating his wife's food, in his spare time, and has never met Bobby Flay. To the right is our Idaho Stud Spud. He is a skilled food shopper. He is known for indulging his wife and daughter in whatever latest antic they have cooked up and has eaten at one of Bobby Flay's restaurants.

The judges were very serious in their judging. We were judged on three criteria. Presentation, taste and orginiality. So who was the winner? I'm sure you're dying to know. Do you believe in ties? Because that is what it was. Dead even. Adding up all points we tied. Going by categories, she won one, I won one and the last we tied. How is that for judging?

So there you have it, The Lasagna Throwdown.

And just because....

 

 She's cute, isn't she?