July 26, 2025

WEEKLY MENU 07.27.25

National Lasagna Day is part of the Weekly Menu 07.27.25, but we’re going with Lazy Lasagna, Fast Dinners, and Zero Regret~

The Weekly Menu 07.27.25 celebrates lasagna by making a ridiculously easy version, but that doesn’t mean we love it any less. This stuff is iconic – especially if someone else is making it. But did you know that it didn’t originate in Italy?

Lasagna Originated in Greece

We may never know the exact person who created lasagna. In fact, this dish was not named after an individual, but after a fermented noodle called laganon that was frequently used in ancient Greece where lasagna originated. In the beginning, lasagna was sprinkled with toppings, and eaten with a pointed stick. Unrecognizable by today’s standards, the only similarity between the two was the layering of pasta and sauce.

Thank the Romans

Lasagna would not be so popular today if not for the Romans. While this dish was created in Greece it was not until the Romans conquered the region around 146 BC that the dish became known. The Romans were famous for embracing local customs, cultures, and foods into their society so it wasn’t long before lasagna became commonplace in their cuisine. Rome came to adore the lagonon noodle, a flatbread dough cut into thin strips, then smothered in a various toppings. Under Roman influence, the recipe made its way to Italy where chefs altered it until it became the amazing dish we know today.

Lasagna first made is a grand entrance in Naples, Italy during the Middle Ages in the 14th century. Initially, this dish was reserved for special events and holidays. Ironically, this pleasure inducing food was introduced to Italians in the middle of the Black Plague.

Mama Mia! Hello, America!

Eventually, lasagna made its way to North America in the late 1800s with Italian immigrants who brought their family recipes to the New World. Shortly after, Americans were introduced to Parmigiano-Reggiano embraced with layers of slow-cooked tomato sauce separated by perfectly cooked lasagna noodles. It was love at first taste, and lasagna quickly became a staple within American cuisine.

Italian Garden

What’s for eats on the Weekly Menu 07.27.25?

Lasagna is iconic, but let’s be real: it’s also a colossal pain. All that boiling, layering, and praying the noodles don’t tear? Hard pass.

That’s why the Weekly Menu 07.27.25 is skipping the drama and celebrating National Lasagna Day with a ridiculously easy 5-ingredient version that tastes like a hug from Nonna, without spending half the day in the kitchen. We’re talking sausage (maybe some ground beef), marinara, cheese ravioli, and a mountain of melty mozzarella. Easy, cozy, and weeknight-approved.

But that’s on Tuesday. Sunday dinner is going old school grilled wings and burgers for a nice, easy dinner to start the week. Monday is a super-easy and fresh Summer Chopped Chicken Salad. It’s got grilled chicken, fresh corn, and some bell peppers to complement the garbanzo beans and sunflower seeds. It has more than 5 items, but it comes together while the chicken is grilling. No fresh corn on the cob yet where you are? Canned corn works great too (and it’s easier).

To accommodate the Lasagna “celebration,” we’re having Crockpot Chilaquiles on Wednesday (instead of for Taco Tuesday). This is another 5-ingredient meal that cooks up in just the crockpot. Our boys love it.