Is that really the impression of Houston yo want me to have?

Well, no. We have much better restaurants, so decide if you want Mexican or Vietnamese or Indian or Sicilian or Japanese or South American.

I'm guessing you've never been to a Chuck E. Cheese's then?

Not since I was 4, no.

I grudgingly tolerate Chuck E Cheese's because they have skeeball. I will do anything for skeeball.

t /skeeball whore

Not only have I never put eggs in lasagna, I've never seen a recipe that suggested I should.

My standard lasagne recipe.

The eggs just give the ricotta mixture a little structure. You can't taste egg in it at all.

Eggs? In lasagna? Why?

Um, because the Italians say to? You beat the eggs then combine with the ricotta and stuff for the filling. I think it supposedly helps makes the filling fluffier.

Ah. I see. The cottage cheese lasagne I had didn't have none o' that fancy foreign stuff in it.

Hee.

Good lasagna filling, bastardized ('cause I can) from The North End Italian Cookbook, by Marguerite Dimino Buonopane:

2 lbs Ricotta
3 eggs
3/4 C freshly grated Parmesean or Romano cheese (I use a combo)
Garlic to taste (I use fresh, probably 3 cloves, start with one if you're timid)
1/4 C chopped, fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together, and that's your filling.

You need to reserve another 3/4 C of grated cheese for the layering, and will also need 1 lb Shredded Mozzarella.

Cook your lasanga noodles (feh on that no boil business). Make a meat sauce (more sensible than layering a layer of ground beef, and then a layer of sauce). Italian sausage is nice along with the ground beef.

The Layering:
Put a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the lasagna pan. Then a layer of noodles. Then a layer of meat sauce. Then a layer of the ricotta filling mixture (about 1/3 of it). Then sprinkle about 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Then about 1/4lb of the Shredded Mozzarella.

Repeat 'til you're out of stuff. Top with sauce, grated cheese, and the shredded Mozzarella. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Now I'm hungry.

It was the Chef's Table here.

That sounds amazing.

[eta:

Cook your lasanga noodles (feh on that no boil business).

Okay, seriously people -- regular lasagne noodles do NOT require pre-cooking! There is enough moisture in the lasagne to cook them just fine as is. Really.]

I put egg into ricotta because ricotta is hard to spread if you don't. Okay, I tend to prefer low-fat ricotta, which I am sure makes a difference. But high-fat cheeses make me go ugh. I also put in all the extra stuff I can think of, which at my house is usually spices and mushrooms.

I have suddenly turned into Miss Dragass at work. Which is a pity, because I think I have to stay here till like 8pm. Hope poptarts help.

Aiiieee. Some things I cannot lie effectively about. Getting asked point blank about veracity of a rumor about coworker's fate is one of them. At least by someone who has worked with me all this time and him longer than I. My nonanswer gave it away.

One advantage of Indian restaurants -- not overchained yet.

Buca di Beppo actually started here as Buca's (they added the "di Beppo" when they decided to go national) not too far from where I live. I actually like eating there, but I think that the outlier restaurants are a little more focused on the enforced fun aspect. It is raucous, but they're really good to large groups.

There's even a table in the kitchen, which, to me, would mean FREE MEAL. It's not a treat to be put in the kitchen, folks. It's punishment.

I've paid $100 to sit at the chef's table (in a different restaurant). It's great.