I have always gotten some of my best recipes from Momma, friends, and family. And of course, now that I have so many fabulous friends on Instagram and Facebook, I use some of those recipes, too. It is those beautiful, mouth-watering photographs that allure me into snatching my ingredients and preheating my oven.

My friend, Avery Guercio, told me her Momma, Toni, made the best lasagna but never used a recipe. She was like most of our moms back in the 50s and 60s. They used a cup of this and a spoonful of that. Mind you, that cup might be a coffee cup. Avery’s best friend, Virginia, was a student-teacher for a home economics class. Virginia asked Toni to come and demonstrate her Lasagna to her class. Toni agreed. As Toni was adding the ingredients, Virginia was diligently jotting down the measurements and ingredients. I thought that was a pretty good way to nail that recipe down.

Toni Guercio was born Antonine Ippolito in 1931 but was always called Lena. She grew up in a very small town called Tickfaw, about 50 miles from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Lena was the middle child and the only girl between brothers, Bennie and Louis. Her parents, Lawrence and Angelina Ippolito had a strawberry farm and they raised and sold chickens. Like most young women, after she graduated from high school, she spread her wings and moved to the capital city of Baton Rouge. She lived in a boarding house for women. This really resonated with me because Momma did the same, moving from north Louisiana to Baton Rouge and staying in a boarding house while working for Western Union.

Lena attended Spencer Business College. She met a young man and married. When they went to get their marriage license, she was surprised to learn her name was Antonine. She had always been called Lena.

That may sound odd to some that she didn’t know her birth name. Times were different. People did not have ready access to their birth records. It is so different today. Now, we know their name before they are born and it is announced to the world via the internet. And speaking to that, I had an Uncle Kitten and an Uncle Buddy, and never once, did I consider that they had another (real) name. My mother learned at age 65 when she applied for social security that her birthdate was incorrect, which her mother confirmed. But social security always went by the incorrect date. You know the government does not make mistakes. Country doctors often did not get around to record-keeping for weeks. Yes, lives were simple and day-to-day routines were taken for granted.

They had four children, two boys, Pat and Kerry, and two girls, Avery and Hollie. Unfortunately, this marriage did not work out.

Lena began her new life as a single, working mom of four children. And she began using “Toni “as her name, short for Antonine. So, don’t be confused. Toni and Lena are one and the same great lady.

Toni used all of her education, wits, and skills to take care of herself and her children. She was usually working two jobs. During that time, some of the jobs were switchboard operator, beautician, and temporary worker for a local agency. And all the while, she was cooking wonderful meals for the family as well as making memories.

She later met Tony Guercio, dated him for six years and they married in 1969. He was ready to take on the role of husband and father to Toni and her four children. He was self-employed, owning a grocery store, part ownership in a motel, newspaper routes, and some rental properties. So, Toni became his bookkeeper. Four years after Toni and Tony married, he adopted her four children. That is a real father. So they became Toni and Tony Guercio and their four children which has now extended into 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren on the way. What a legacy!

Toni is now 90 years old and her husband is 87 years old. I would venture to say that the younger man did well by his family.

Now, about the Lasagna. I have never been fond of Lasagna with Ricotta cheese or Bechamel sauce. So when Avery gave me this recipe, I knew I would love it. She said this is their basic sauce for many dishes. It includes eggplant which cooks down in the sauce and lends some thickening and flavor that I loved. Some add a little sugar if they like a sweeter sauce.

I hope you try it. I would like to thank Avery for allowing me to share this wonderful story and recipe of her Mothers. I would also like to thank Toni for providing us with this great recipe. Let us know when you try it!

Yield: 9 x 13 pan

BAKED EGGPLANT LASAGNA BY TONI

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Flavorful tomato-based meat sauce with eggplant layered over lasagne noodles and cheeses.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions*
• 2 ribs celery*
• 4 gloves garlic**
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 2 stalks of  green onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Parsley flakes
• 1 large egg plant, peeled and cubed
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 12 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups Parmesan Cheese
• 1 12 oz package lasagne noodles

Instructions

SAUCE

In a large pot, add the olive oil and slowly saute the seasonings: onions, celery, garlic, pepper, green onions, and parsley.

Add the ground meat and brown well. With a large wooden spoon or a spatula, make sure the meat is chopped finely and there are no large chunks.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add the tomato paste and simmer for about 5 minutes

Then add the tomato sauce. Fill both cans with water to ensure using all the red sauce. Ensure that there are about 2 inches of water over the meat sauce. You may have to add another cup.

If you want a slightly sweeter sauce, you can add the sugar. But do a taste test.

Add cubed, peeled eggplant. Cover and simmer for about 2-3 hours. Occasionally give a stir.

LASAGNA

Cook according to directions. Drain. Rinse in cold water.

ASSEMBLY

In a large lasagna pan or a 9x 13 pan, layer lasagna on the bottom.

Spread a generous layer of sauce on top.

Spread the cheeses over the sauce.

Repeat until your pan is full.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or your cheese and sauce is bubbly.

Notes

* I used fresh already chopped seasonings (celery, onions, bell pepper) in the produce section.

** I used a teaspoon of minced garlic

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 981Total Fat: 59gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 263mgSodium: 2803mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 6gSugar: 14gProtein: 76g

Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data.

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.”

-Abraham Lincoln