I have made lasagna for mixed groups -- usually involving teens and adults. The teen groups have been mixed boy/girl and some of those girls can eat as much as my hollow leg boys, but others hardly eat. Most of them eat pretty well though. College age girls may have slowed down, but a home cooked meal is going to be appreciated and enjoyed. There are other variables

Before I started making the lasagna, I would want to know whether these girls are athletes, involved in an activity, what kind of activity -- before or after they eat, and do you know any of their general eating habits? All of those things could change the calculation.

As a starting point though, your 12x9 pans will give you 9 servings that are 3x4 inches. I think that's a reasonable size. To get 12 servings, you would need a 12x9 and an 8x8 and would have a couple of servings worth left. That would probably be my approach since leftovers would be tossed. However, if you think some of the girls might eat more (generally speaking or if they will have been competing or performing, if it will have been a long time since they last ate, etc.), you might want to do two 12x9s.

A single 12x9 will only give you 12 servings if you make them 3x3 inches. That's the size of a square post-it note -- I think that would not be enough for average appetites.

I agree 100% with Lascatx.

Having a couple of extra servings is always a good idea. Even if no one goes after a second helping, there's always one that slides onto the floor and an unexpected guest.

I know you won't be cutting, but if you draw a grid on a piece of paper and tape it to the cover, or give instructions to whomever is cutting/serving what size portions you cooked for, it'll help. Polite and/or self conscious girls often will take less than they really want, whether to be sure there's enough for everybody, or so they won't look greedy, or so they won't feel like they're being judged for taking a full serving even if they want it. Indicating the serving size may still have girls cutting them in half, but it helps with getting them to eat in public. :)

It's a cheap dish to produce so making a bit extra won't be too onerous. Better too much than not enough.

Thanks y'all. This is for a group during Sorority Rush. It is a very stressful time, and it may have been a long time since they had a good meal. All good points you brought out, lascatx.

Good point about the grid, plllog. There won't be guests. This is for a working dinner for a specific committee, but some may hit the floor - who knows!

And as i-c says, it is cheap to make. If there are leftovers, perhaps some of the house staff can enjoy them. (I'm told the kitchen staff will be there to receive the food and do the re-heating. I'm a bit confused about why they won't be preparing a meal, but I don't really have the time or inclination to delve into it.)

So, 2 12x9 pans it is! Thanks for all of your guidance and helping me sort through this.

Yeah -- they are in a place with a kitchen and other folks around. I'd do 2 12x9s too. It won't go to waste. And 2 pans the same size will actually be easier to prepare, bake (timing will be the same) and transport. They're going to love it!

I laughed as I first opened this thread thinking "more than you think." Lasagna seemed to become our Christmas Eve dinner in recent years. I think we had 12 or 13 people last year, but I was cooking for 13-15. I used a large, deep roasting pan figuring that was at least twice two smaller pans. I tripled my sauce recipe. I didn't have leftovers and nearly didn't get any myself. My hockey playing nephew was about to come back for thirds when I reminded him not everyone had gotten their first serving. We scraped the pan clean. Guess I'll have to make a second pan this year.

This post was edited by lascatx on Thu, Sep 11, 14 at 12:06

For me, a 12x9 pan makes six servings (4x4-1/2), and an 8x8 pan makes four servings (4x4), but it also depends on how thick you make it. I agree that two 12x9 pans is the right amount. Better to appear generous.

Mine is not very thick. It is 3 layers. I use my homemade "spaghetti gravy" which is like a bolognese sauce, layered with ricotta mixed with eggs, mozzarella, and a little parm, and, of course, lasagna noodles.

I am tempted to use no-boil noodles, but I think they taste funny. Does anyone else think so?

Also, does anyone else think it cuts more cleanly, if it is assembled, frozen, thawed, then cooked? Mine tends to retain the square shape of each portion if I do that. Otherwise, it kinds slides apart when the cut portion is plated.

When I was trying to Google for answers to my question (and they were all over the place!), one guy said, "if it is really good, then a 9x13 pan = 2 servings!" LOL. I think mine is good, but it may not be that good.

I don't want to complicate the dinner but are you aware if any of the girls are vegetarian or have celiac? The smaller pan could be spinach with gluten free noodles.

I asked the other alum who is organizing the food, if we needed a vegetarian entree too. She said no. If they need a GF entree, it wasn't mentioned.

I agree about the no boil noodles. They have gum in them and they're a weird texture and flavor. You don't need to boil the fresh sheets. You can use them straight out of the package or off your machine. I know you're supposed to boil them, but they absorb water from the ingredients and cook just fine in the pan.

You don't need to boil boxed pasta either, unless it's the very expensive imported kind that's more golden than white and has the tiny ruffle. The regular dried lasagna, the white kind with the quarter inch-ish ruffle, doesn't need to be boiled.

Half fill a baking dish or similar with hot tap water, and put the pasta in it. Do several rounds or several dishes, rather than crowding. About half a box at a time in an 8x8 Pyrex (i.e., not very deep). Within 5-10 minutes they'll be moist and pliable. That's all you need. That way there's almost no sticking, and it doesn't tear when you handle it. Take it out even if you aren't ready though, or it'll get waterlogged and stick together, tear, and all that stuff you were trying to avoid.

I don't drain hard, just kind of squeegee with my fingers, but I'm old fashioned and put eggs in my ricotta, which is the secret to firming up the whole thing. If you don't do the eggs, you might want to drain as you would after boiling to keep down the water that gets in.

I can't remember who I learned that from, about not boiling the pasta, but it makes me much more likely to make lasagnas!

plllog, I, too, put eggs in my ricotta. Didn't know why. It was just what the recipe on the back of the lasagna pasta box said do.

I am so glad someone else thinks the no-boil pasta tastes weird.

I may convert to your soaking method. It sounds way easier than cooking the pasta. Currently, I boil the pasta sheets in a large skillet, then when they are al dente, I take them out of the skillet with tongs, and lay them on a huge sheet of aluminum foil that has been very lightly sprayed with PAM. I let them sit for a while. When they are cool and no longer wet, I assemble the lasagna.

I live in the boonies. There is no imported pasta. My choice of grocery stores is Walmart or a national chain grocery.

I don't buy no boil pasta, but I don't precook the pasta either. I don't soak or anything -- just snap them to fit the pan where necessary. I use regular dry lasagna and my sauce is scaled to have some of the moisture absorbed. I do add an egg to the ricotta too. I remember my mom making lasagna and precooking the pasta, untangling them and laying them out, hoping they didn't tear. I don't miss that at all!

I have baked it right away and frozen and then baked. I think I had one in the fridge for a while and then baked -- hasn't really made a lot of difference. I do let it set at least 5-10 minuted before cutting.

Wow! I never thought of freezing without baking. Cool concept!

The only reason, really, for soaking dry lasagna is for if you want to seal the sides/corners by draping them. It makes the pasta pliable. That's what doesn't work about the uber-fancy Italian stuff with the micro ruffle. It doesn't absorb the water enough to bend!

Y'all are inspiring me to make pumpkin lasagna for the October holiday. :)

To keep the square shape, just let the dish rest for a few minutes when you take it out of the oven. It will set up a bit.

Mmmm, lasagna. I agree that two 12x9's should do the trick.

Don B.

I agree that two is the number. I also don't believe for a minute that any will hit a trash can. Someone will scoop that up!

Not a fan of no cook either.I either cook the pasta just until it bends, or don't cook it at all, like lasctx, and use a decent amount of sauce. I also like to let the ricotta drain, the night before, for the wetter brands. By all means use your freeze/thaw method since it works for you. The uncooked pasta would work great there, since it would soak while...waiting.

Nice of you to do this.