Working for a newspaper I don't get snow days (or ice days as was the case last week). But that doesn't stop me from enjoying the winter weather when it happens.
My favorite winter weather pastime is to bake bread and sit on my porch swing with a mug of hot cocoa and watch the snow fall.
In addition to fresh bread, wintry precipitation puts me in the mood for kid food. Kid food, by my definition, can be food that my mom (or dad) would make for me as a child -- tomato soup and a grilled-cheese sandwich, egg-in-a-basket, corn dogs -- or a food that simply appeals to the kid in me.
This recipe is the latter. The combination of cheese, pizza sauce, meat and biscuits makes these lasagna cups an almost universal taste pleaser.
This version calls for beef, but I think the cups would be just as good with turkey, chicken or even roasted vegetables. To satisfy the adult in me, I served the cups with steamed green beans and hearty salad.
If you'll be making these for actual children, you may want to go light on the crushed red pepper flakes.
Lasagna Biscuit Cups
1/2 pound very lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pizza sauce (I like Classico Fire-Roasted)
1 (8- to 10-count) tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
Generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and ground black pepper
8 to 10 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 8 or 10 muffin cups with nonstick spray.
In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic, breaking the beef into crumbles, until beef is no longer pink. Stir in the pizza sauce; set aside.
Using your hands or a rolling pin, flatten each biscuit into a 4- to 6-inch circle. Line the bottom and sides of the muffin cups with the biscuits.
Season the ricotta with crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the meat mixture among the biscuit cups. Top the meat with a spoonful of ricotta. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake 18 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through and golden.
Makes 8 to 10 biscuit cups.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living What's for Supper: 30-Minute Meals Everyone Will Love
Food on 02/25/2015