Lots of Lasagna Gathering

Drinks and Appetizers

Desserts

Lots of Lasagna!

Sides

"Noodles" of Fun
 These Passion for Pasta activities are designed for all ages.  

• Play a bluffing game. Fill containers with less-common pastas (capellini, ziti, vermicelli, soba noodles, mafalda and fusilli), and give one to each person or team. They must tell guests about their pasta: its name and how to use it. Example: Soba noodles originated in ___ country and are traditionally served with ___ sauce. Guests then decide if they are bluffing or telling the truth. Award points to the bluffer if a bluff is undetected or to the attempted bluffee for uncovering a bluff. The fun comes when pasta tales are created and fallen for. Have the answers on index cards.
• Play a guessing game. Fill a see-through container with pasta, and create a number of guessing games. Award prizes for the right answers.
• How many pieces of pasta are in the container?
• How many pounds (or ounces) of pasta are in the container?
• How many servings of pasta are in the container?
• Create pasta pictures. Provide various shapes and colors of pasta, glue and poster board. Divide party-goers into teams, and challenge them to create a picture within a given amount of time and then tell its story. Who says this activity is only for kids?

 
Pasta Pizzazz and Pointers

• Pass a bowl of warmed spaghetti sauce to top off lasagnas made with red sauce.
• Dress up baked lasagna with a sprinkle of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese.
• Garnish baked lasagna with sprigs of fresh basil and/or Cherry Tomato Flowers.
• Perk up sausage lasagna by using spicy sausage made with hot red peppers.
• Give cheese a golden glow at the end of baking (for lasagna with cheese baked on top).
• Set the oven control to broil. Broil with top 4 to 5 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown.
• Wrap and tie a colorful cloth around hot lasagna dishes to add a splash of color to the dinner or buffet table and prevent burns from hot pans.
• Cut lasagna into serving pieces with a sharp serrated knife. Cut the pieces twice; doing so will make serving each portion much easier.

Up to 2 Months Before

• Make Cassata; store tightly wrapped in freezer.
• Make Bread Machine Fresh Herb Bread; store tightly wrapped in freezer.
• Make Easy Meatless Lasagna, but don't bake; store tightly covered in freezer.
• Make Italian Sausage Lasagna, but don't bake; store tightly covered in freezer.

Up to 2 Weeks Before

• Make Marinated Roasted Peppers, Olives and Cheese; store tightly covered in refrigerator.

 The Day Before

• Make Toffee Tiramisu; tightly cover and refrigerate until serving.
• Make Melon and Prosciutto; store tightly covered in refrigerator.
• Make Lasagna Roll-Ups, but don't bake; store tightly covered in refrigerator.
• Make Golden-Crusted Chicken-Asparagus Lasagna except the whipping cream topping, but don't bake; store tightly covered in refrigerator.
• Prepare salad greens for Party-Size Garlic and Romaine Salad; store covered in refrigerator.
• Combine dressing ingredients for salad in glass jar; store tightly covered in refrigerator.
• Remove bread from freezer.
• Remove Easy Meatless Lasagna from freezer; store tightly covered in refrigerator.
• Remove Italian Sausage Lasagna from freezer; store tightly covered in refrigerator.
• Prepare fruit for Italian Sodas; store covered in refrigerator.

 The Morning Of

• Sleep in; you've earned it!

 About 1 1/2 Hours Before Serving

• Bake Easy Meatless Lasagna.
• Bake Italian Sausage Lasagna.
• Make whipping cream topping for Golden-Crusted Chicken-Asparagus Lasagna, and bake.

 About 45 Minutes Before Serving

• Bake Lasagna Roll-Ups.

 When Guests Arrive

• Make Italian Sodas.

 Just Before Serving

• Complete salad.

 About 30 Minutes Before Serving Dessert

• Remove Cassata from freezer and unmold.