From Pantry to Table: A Cozy Lasagna-Inspired Supper

There are some meals that don’t need reinventing — they just need to be made right.

This dish started the same way many comfort meals do: a busy evening, a craving for something warm and filling, and a pantry that needed to do the heavy lifting. It’s inspired by those familiar boxed “helper” dinners many of us grew up on… but made the Cottage Kitchen way — with real ingredients, real flavor, and nothing you can’t pronounce.

This is exactly why I started creating pantry mixes in the first place:
to make clean, comforting food convenient — without sacrificing quality.

The Box vs. The Pantry

Why I Skip the Box

We’ve all read the ingredient panels on boxed dinners.
They’re long. They’re vague. And they often include things most of us don’t stock — or want — in our kitchens.

My pantry version keeps it simple:

• Pasta
• Herbs and spices
• Tomato
• Premium 100% Parmesan Cheese Powder (not grated parmesan cheese)
• Dairy
• Real meat

No fillers.
No stabilizers.
No mystery powders.

If you can read it, you can cook with it — and that matters.

Start With the Basics
Brown your ground beef in a large oven-safe skillet. Let it develop real flavor — this isn’t rushed food.

Once the beef is cooked, add the pantry mix & pasta, water, and milk. Everything simmers together, letting the pasta absorb the seasoned sauce as it cooks.

Continue to heat until boiling and reduce heat.

Low and Slow Comfort
Cover and simmer until the pasta is tender and the sauce thickens into that familiar, cozy texture we all love. (Approx. 15 minutes)

At this point, you already have a satisfying, complete meal — perfect just as it is.

The Cottage Kitchen Twist

But… because this is my kitchen — I couldn’t stop there.

Before serving, I took it one step further.

I added generous dollops of ricotta cheese and slices of fresh mozzarella right over the top, then slid the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes.

What came out was something magical.

Golden.
Bubbly.
Rich and melty — like a lasagna decided to skip the baking dish.

This version gives you:

• The ease of a one-pan supper
• The comfort of a childhood favorite
• And the richness of a classic baked lasagna

It’s cozy food that feels indulgent — without being complicated.

Serve it with a simple biscuit, a slice of sourdough, or just a fork and a quiet moment at the table.

This dish is exactly what the Pantry Corner is all about.

Real food.
Simple preparation.
Ingredients you trust.

Because convenience shouldn’t mean compromise — and comfort food should still feel like home.