I took no pleasure in watching her take that first bite. The rhythmic movements of her cheek muscles served to disguise the pain and anguish behind her gray-blue eyes. She knew what she was doing, I suppose.

I had warned her that the lasagna was not meatless, but disregarding my warning, she forged ahead, helping herself first to a bite, then to a plateful.

Good lasagna will make a traitor out of anyone. Perhaps her vegetarianism was not definitively over, but my guest had embarked on a slippery slope.

Before long, I predict, she will be a full-fledged omnivore.

I should begin with some background. Lasagna is one of my favorite things. In fact, if I were a character in "The Sound of Music," Julie Andrews would be busy singing to me about it now.

Which is why, when I had dispensed with my responsibilities before fall break, I decided to make some. Defrosting the meat took longer than I had anticipated, and I sat idly on the couch, eager to begin caramelizing onions.

By the time I had frittered away a few hours on more forgettable pursuits, it was 8:30 p.m., the dining hall's well-meaning breakfast for dinner had long been digested, and I was hungry. I knew just what I wanted.

That was when I heard a sharp knock on the door. My friends came in and sat down on the couch. I told them I was making lasagna and they were pleased. Until one of them saw the pound of meat beginning to brown.

"I guess I can't have any. Bummer." She would eat those words. And my lasagna.

Ingredients:

24 oz. ricotta cheese (I like to use full fat, but if you prefer, skim milk ricotta is an option.)

11/2 cup grated mozzarella

11/2 cup grated cheddar

1 lb. ground beef (80 percent beef is good. If you freeze the meat beforehand, know that the reversal of this process will take time. A lot of time. Remember: don't be effete, fully defrost your meat!)

1/2 yellow onion (optional)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

(optional)

1 cup carrots (optional)

2 cloves garlic

Salt (to taste)

Olive oil (for cooking vegetables)

Butter (to grease pan)

Lasagna noodles (Use the type that says "no boil" on the package. It might feel a little bit like a cop-out, but I find that unless you are actually making the noodles from scratch, these are the best option. Barilla is good, and if you're looking to burn money, De Cecco is even better)

Step One:

Defrost your meat several hours in advance. Then preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop onion and begin to sauté in oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, chop up the carrots and mushrooms very thickly, and the garlic into small pieces.

When the onions have turned translucent, throw the other vegetables into the pan.

Cook until onions begin to caramelize. You'll know that this is happening because they start to turn yellow.

Step Two:

Throw on that meat! Mix it in with the vegetables, and stir occasionally until it browns. When it is cooked, salt liberally.

I also like to throw in a dash (alright, several dashes) of Sriracha sauce to give the meat a bit of a flair. Next, dump in your can of tomato sauce, reserving a small amount. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer.

Step Three:

In a large bowl, mix your ricotta and most of your cheddar and mozzarella. You will want to reserve a small amount of these cheeses (the ones that aren't ricotta) for the top.

Next, take your lasagna pan (9 inches by 12 inches is best, but smaller works too) and butter it liberally. This is not necessary, but a little extra fat is always a good thing.

Spoon a small amount of tomato sauce into the pan and spread it around. Place a layer of noodles on top. Then, alternate layers of cheese with layers of meat sauce until you run out. Place some mozzarella and cheddar on top. Cover the whole thing with tin foil, and slide it in the oven. Let this bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cheese on top starts to bubble and turn brown.

Step 4:

Remove from oven. Take the aluminum foil off, and let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes or so before eating.