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Tailor-Baked

Add or subtract ingredients from these recipes for a meal that fits your family perfectly.

My son, Joseph, recently informed me that his year "officially" ends on the last day of summer vacation and begins on the first day of school. To him, Jan. 1 is simply the day you change your calendar to reflect a new number. I have to say that after 16 years on that same schedule, I, too, feel that September is the month of new beginnings. Summer has been wonderfully undisciplined with meals on the run at whatever time. But now we're back to that same old question: "What's for dinner tonight?"

Ingredients:
1 1/2 packages of "no-boil" lasagna sheets
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 1/2 pounds ricotta
1 egg
1/2 pound mozzarella, shredded
1 cup grated romano cheese
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 large zucchini
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 large onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 red peppers
1 green pepper
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil

Preparation:
Sauté sliced onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until they are brown and soft. Slice the zucchini length wise into 1/4-inch strips. Slice the mushrooms. Remove the cores and seeds from the peppers and cut them into large strips. Mix the ricotta, egg, shredded mozzarella and romano. Season with salt and pepper and fresh parsley.

Assembly:
Spread the tomato sauce in the bottom of a deep 9-by-13-inch casserole. Put down 1 layer of the pasta sheets. Top with the slices of zucchini and a layer of the cheese mixture. Put down another layer of pasta, the mushrooms and more cheese mixture. Add another layer of pasta followed by the caramelized onions and then the pepper strips. Add the final cheese layer and the final pasta sheets. Top with tomato slices. Sprinkle the top with oregano and basil and top with slices of mozzarella.

Cooking and Serving:
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the lasagne settle for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Serves 9.

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TOP 10 ESSENTIALS FOR COOKING
Here's my top-10 list of kitchen essentials for a well-equipped kitchen:

1. An 8-inch chef knife and 3-inch paring knife. Make sure they are high-carbon stainless, forged knives. Avoid the "82-knife set."

2. Cutting board. I favor nylon or bamboo. In either case, make sure it is lightweight and at least 12-by-20-inches.

3. Measuring cups and spoons. You'll need a 2-cup and a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, a set of measuring cups for dry ingredients and a set of measuring spoons. Stainless steel is the most durable.

4. A 12-inch nonstick skillet with cover. Tri-ply such as All-Clad is the best for even heating. This pan does everything from omelets to sautés.

5. An 8-quart stock pot. This is essential for boiling pasta, steaming vegetables or making large batches of chili, soups and stews.

6. Colander. Get stainless steel with firmly riveted handles.

7. A 3-quart covered saucepan. This rounds out your pots-and-pans inventory for small boiling projects and heating canned soups.

8. A four-sided cheese grater. Freshly grated cheese is a big flavor boost for your cooking. This tool is also useful for grating vegetables and shredding lemon zest.

9. Sheet pan. This inexpensive pan has raised sides and can be used to bake cookies, breads and pizza, or to roast vegetables and meats.

10. A 6-quart slow cooker. This is a working couple's best friend. Ten minutes of prep in the morning yields a dinner entree and loads of leftovers. The models with the thickest insert provide the slowest, most-even cooking. Be sure it's at least a 5-quart capacity.

- Chris Fennimore