July 29 is National Lasagna Day! What better way to celebrate this popular pasta dish than to make one yourself. It doesn’t matter if it’s the end of the world as long as you cook up a storm, right? Go on and gather whatever’s left in your prepper pantry, make yourself a nice piece of lasagna, and enjoy it while wondering if things will ever go back to normal after the apocalypse.
Lasagna Ingredients
Pasta
If you did your prepping right, you should have lots of pasta in your pantry. Hopefully, you stockpiled some lasagne, otherwise known as lasagna pasta or lasagna noodles.
Mushrooms
Fresh pork, beef or chicken meat will be scarce in a dystopian world. If you’ve seen Demolition Man, you’d think rat burgers would be the gourmet food of the future. It’s not that far-fetched, though. A Russian restaurant reportedly serves rodents to its customers in the form of burgers, hotdogs and dumplings. Did someone say Ratatouille?
Mushrooms seem like the better and healthier options if you’re not into river rat meat. Canned mushrooms have a shelf life of 3 to 5 years so you likely still have some in your prepper pantry. If you’ve already partaken of the last can of mushrooms, you can go out and forage some.
You do know how to tell the difference between good and bad mushrooms, right matey? Remember, we want to make lasagna not turn into one. You should know how to forage by now. It’s an important survival skill to know.
Sauce
You also need sauce. Tomato-based pasta sauce normally lasts one year past the date on the label. That is, if the sauce hasn’t been opened yet. Once a can of spaghetti sauce, for example, is opened or punctured, it will take 5 to 10 days before it’s no longer safe to eat. Keep in mind to check your stocks periodically to spot damaged ones.
You can also make your own tomato sauce. All you need are fresh tomatoes, lemon juice, jars, sauce pan and a pot large enough to fit the jars. First, clean the jars and their lids with soap and water. Fill the pot half full of water and let it simmer. Place the lids in the water and then the jars. Do not boil them.
Prepare the tomatoes by washing them thoroughly. Dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute then dip in cold water immediately afterwards. This will make it easier to take the skin off. Cut out the core. You can leave the tomatoes whole or slice them further.
Boil about two cups of the tomatoes in a saucepan. Crush the tomatoes to release their juice. Stir regularly while adding more tomatoes. Don’t crush the additional ones.
Pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a pint jar then add the tomatoes. Both the jar and the tomatoes should still be hot. Pack the tomatoes and remove any air bubbles using non-metallic spatula. Check the headspace then wipe the rim clean. Place the lid then finger-tighten the rings. Be careful not to put them on too tight. Place the jars in the canner and make sure the water is 1 to 2 inches above the jars. Boil for about 35 minutes. If the water level drops below the jars, just add more hot water.
After removing from the water and letting the jars dry for 12 to 24 hours, check the lids. They shouldn’t be moving up and down when pressed. If they’re good, store in a cool, dry pace .
Cheese
Cheese lovers rejoice! You can preserve cheese for as long 25 years if stored at 35 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. All you need is cheese wax. The process of waxing hard cheese is not an entirely complicated one. Start off with a block of cheese sliced into smaller portions. Dip each one into the cheese wax previously melted in a pot over medium heat. It’s rather difficult to clean the wax off the pot so make sure you’re using one that you don’t mind throwing away after. Make sure the cheese is completely covered with the melted wax. Let cool and store in a cool, dry place.
Oil, Herbs and Seasonings
Every pantry must be well-stocked with herbs, spices and seasonings. A prepper pantry, meanwhile, should have years’ worth of these kitchen must-haves. That’s an especially bright idea if you’re planning on making your famous lasagna recipe every National Lasagna Day even if the world is in disarray.
You’ll need onion powder (shelf life: 3 to 4 years), dried basil (2 to 3 years) and ground pepper (3 to 4 years). Finally, your no-bake lasagna needs a teaspoon of canola oil (up to 2 years).
Making the No-Bake Lasagna
If you didn’t notice it earlier, this lasagna recipe doesn’t require any baking. This makes it the perfect comfort food during the apocalypse.
The first step is to heat the oil in a large skillet then sauté the mushrooms and onion (if you have fresh ones from your homestead garden). Add the sauce, basil and pepper then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Cook the lasagna.
Add the cheese, preferably mozzarella, to the sauce. Let it cook in low heat until all the cheese has melted. Drain the pasta and cut into thirds. Layer two tablespoons of the sauce and two lasagna pieces. Do this twice then top with 2 more tablespoons of the sauce. There you go.
Just a disclaimer – We have partnered with these companies because we use their products and/or proudly trust and endorse them – so we do receive a commission if you make a purchase or sign up for services. Often, we are able to negotiate special discounts and/or bonuses, which we will pass on to you via our links. We often get short notice on sale items available for 24-48 hours as we will pass these savings onto you.
