A glass pitcher with strawberry lemonade.

Awesome Oasis-Inspired Lasagna, & Simple Strawberry Lemonade-An Epic Treat

/ Recipes / By

This week, my family and I will be making an Oasis-inspired lasagna and a summer strawberry lemonade. 

Oasis is one my husband’s favorite English bands -who have recently reformed- and are currently on tour in England. Naturally, my husband has been watching all the news related to this iconic English band. I thought it would be thoughtful and fun to make a dinner for my husband, that features two edibles, that are mentioned in two Oasis songs. Any excuse to make lasagna really.

Now, I don’t know about you- but I am hungry- so let’s get started, shall we?

Handwritten recipes along with strawberry lemonade and a vintage pen set.

~My First Experience of Oasis~

Let me first say, that I am not a music connoisseur, however, I do enjoy listening to music. My earliest memory of the band Oasis- was as a teenager. I remember riding to school in my elder sister’s white Volkswagen Beatle and hearing Oasis for the very first time. My sister owned the Oasis CD, and we often got pumped up for the school day ahead… by…you guessed it, listening to Oasis.

Consequently, being married to an Oasis fan, I think I must have heard all of the Oasis songs at least a hundred times. I never would have imagined, some thirteen years later, that I would marry a man from England- and therefore, have listened to those early morning car jams a hundred times over.

~The Oasis-Inspired Meal~

If you are an Oasis fan, you may have fun trying to figure out which songs the meal inspiration came from. If you know, you know.

While a tart lemonade and an acidic lasagna don’t necessarily complement one another, they can balance each other out with a sweet and savory tango.

Alternately, you can just make the two recipes… on two different occasions. Which is what I would normally do, but this is for my husband, not me.

A handwritten Strawberry Lemonade recipe
Lemons, strawberries, and a glass juicer on a cutting board,
*Sweet strawberries (can you spot the strawberry heart?), tart lemons, a glass juicer, and a vintage sun strainer to catch any remaining seeds. Any excuse to "stage" a bit of summer on a cutting board.
A fresh lemon being juiced on a glass juicer.
*I love a glass juicer as they are beautiful and robust- they get the job done in an efficient manner. Because they are so sturdy- I don't have to worry about cracking it with the pressure of my hand.
Strawberry lemonade ingredients
*Thankfully, the tart lemon juice has a sweet mate. Lemon and sugar-opposites attract- and make a wonderful pair.
Strawberry lemonade with fruit floating on the top.
*Strawberry lemonade-delicious on the taste buds... and beautiful for the eyes.
Strawberry Lemonade
Strawberry Lemonade in a crystal glass.
*I decided to add a little "extra" by rubbing the rim of the glass in lemon juice-before dipping the sour rim in the sweet Turbinado sugar. Turbinado sugar adds a lovely crunch for added texture!
Butterfly ice cubes made with strawberry lemonade.
*These ice butterflies were a bit "extra too." Unfortunately, they melted before I could capture the photograph with them perched on top of the sliced lemon, in the poured strawberry lemonade. I made these simply by adding a bit of the drink to some silicon molds before popping them into the freezer. This tiny detail creates a bit of fun when people spot the thoughtful detail.

~The Back Story to the Lasagna~

A handwritten Lasagna recipe

Of course, there is a little story to note on the lasagna recipe. Let’s rewind ten years…

As it would be, this lasagna recipe is the first meal I made for my husband- on his first visit to meet me in America. It is not a difficult recipe to make, but it does involve a bit of time and multiple ingredients. It makes a large pan and can be eaten on for several days. My recipe is inspired by the Pioneer Woman’s Best Ever Lasagna recipe.

I adapted the meal to suit my family’s individual preferences, and you can do the same for your family’s tastes and needs.

Chopped onion and fresh rosemary on a cutting board.
*I love fresh rosemary! You can add as little or as much to this recipe as you like. Just wash and remove the green needles. Easy Peezy!
The meat sauce ingredients for the lasagna.
*The colorful ingredients! Cooking is an art form!
The meat sauce for the lasagna.
*The saucy meat simmering away.
Cooked lasagna layers set aside.
*Rows upon rows of pasta! I make the whole box of lasagna noodles because my little helpers like to eat the extras.
Freshly grated parmesan cheese.
*Freshly grated parmesan cheese is the best!
Eggs and herbs ready to be whisked for the lasagna.
*The eggs and herbs ready to be melded together.
Parmesan cheese and cottage cheese mixed with herb and eggs.
*When the parmesan cheese and herbs meet the lasagna "glue."
The cottage cheese and egg layer of the lasagna.
*The lovely lasagna layers: First up, pasta and the cottage cheese and egg layer.
The meat layer of the lasagna.
*Another layer is put down...mozzarella cheese and the savory meat sauce.
Unbaked lasagna
*Layers upon layers... and the cheese takes the crown!
A vintage trivet to protect the countertops.
*I wanted to mention this helpful little guy here: I found this vintage silver trivet at a thrift store. I loved that it was both beautiful and functional.
Vintage trivet
*I especially love that the trivet "grows" to accommodate a larger dish. Very clever!
Baked layers of cheesy lasagna.
*See my little trivet friend-providing a useful service-keeping the piping hot lasagna off the countertops.
Baked lasagna top.
*Bubbly and inviting- ready to be served to my hungry little helpers.
The baked lasagna layers.
*The lovely lasagna layers. A real treat!

~A Natural Oasis~

As I was making this meal, I taught the children about an oasis in nature. We discussed how an oasis in the desert- brings hydration and shelter to animals and people.

With this in mind, we decided that the natural oasis reminded us of our home. Home to us doesn’t have to be a grand, spacious house, but instead an oasis from the world. A place that offers safety and nourishment, laughter and learning, growth and rest. 

While I do realize that this is not everyone’s experience of home- as we do not live in a perfect world. I am certainly thankful for an imperfect space- to share with my family- that offers an oasis of love.

A waterfall through a clearing.
*An oasis of sorts. This photo was taken recently on a family, day trip. I thought it was fitting to share a bit of the beauty we see in God's world.

~H-O-M-E~

When I was a schoolteacher, I often asked the students to create acrostics out of vocabulary words, as I think it creates a visual picture in the mind. Therefore, to spark a fruitful conversation, I asked my oldest two children to think of words for each of the letters in the word home. Their tender replies made me smile. 

H-is for Hugs,

O-is for Love, 

M-is for Mom, 

E-is for Eat. 

While our home is certainly not perfect, I am so thankful for it, and for those who fill the inside of its walls. For, my earthly home is where my husband and children are. I pray it is always a place of rest, hope, learning, growth, forgiveness, safety, nourishment, laughter, and love-our own little oasis.

A vintage cross stitch print, vintage hat, and English hanging hearts- a perfect cottage core welcoming space.
*I have shared this photograph in a previous post, as you may recall, but this photo (just inside the front door) is the perfect picture of my home oasis.

~A Thrifted Transformation:~

A few months ago, the children and I were out thrifting, and we stumbled across a wooden bowl in the shape of a heart. As you may recall, from a previous post, I love hearts! 

Obviously, I was thrilled with excitement when I spotted the top of the wooden heart peeping out of a pile of “junk’ or “treasures”…depending on your perspective. Initially, I did not like the color of the bowl as it was a reddish brown. I flipped the bowl over and saw “HAITI” had been carved into the bottom of the bowl. And it was in that moment, that I knew the bowl was worth having. I felt certain that I could transform it in some way.  

Once I got the bowl home, it sat in the garage for a while, but eventually I found a spare moment to tinker with it. I first added some wood stripper to try and remove as much of the red-brown finish as possible. Then, after some very light sanding, I added a wax to finish it off.

Decidedly, I was pleased with my newly stripped, heart bowl. I “dressed” it on top of a stack of vintage books- in a basket- near a window. Then, I simply placed a vintage crystal candle holder and some of my dried flower bouquets inside the bowl to create a welcoming little nook/oasis. (Which you will see in the first set of pictures.)

The wooden, heart bowl before I sanded it.
*This was how I bought the wooden, heart bowl.
A wooden heart bowl on top of a stack of books, in a charming basket.
*The heart bowl after the transformation and a little TLC. I love books and baskets. Therefore, I like to create little "book nooks" in my home wherever I can- areas that beckon you over, and seem to say, "Come, sit for a while."
A wooden heart bowl perched on top of some vintage books.
*A crystal vintage candle holder-so petite. The dried mini bouquet that I made previously with the children-so charming.

~A Second Alteration~

Obviously, not knowing when to stop, I took the transformation a step further. By making a homemade soy and beeswax candle to pour inside the heart bowl, I was able to create a more permanent fix. I added a sweet floral scent and some of my own dried flower petals, to give the new candle a little extra special flare.

Now, I have a lovely candle… from a forgotten little bowl. This new candle creation allowed me to design a bit of a welcoming, corner oasis. A restful spot that welcomes people to sit down, grab a book, light a candle, and be refreshed from the outside things that are often trying to grab our attention. 

Ahh, I can almost feel the quiet now… (despite the fact that I am actually hearing the rather loud pitter patter of my children’s feet.)

A Homemade soy candle in a wooden, heart bowl
*The candle is too pretty for me to burn just yet!
Homemade soy candle in a heart shaped bowl.
*The homemade heart candle-so cozy and warm. Stacks of books remind me of the English cottage style, where there are often piles of books on the floor or books scattered on the tabletops.

*To see this heart candle used again with an autumn theme click here: It was also featured in a Cotswold Kitchen Mom Facebook post here:

~Until Next Time...~

In conclusion to my post, I will leave you with this final thought. May this Oasis-inspired lasagna and strawberry lemonade post, inspire you to fill your home with love and hugs. Enjoy time in the kitchen with those you hold dear. And may sharing a family meal around a table be an oasis to you.

In the meantime, check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages for more ideas and inspirations. As always, don’t forget to subscribe and share my post with other who may enjoy.

Ta-ta for now! See you next Friday!

~Elizabeth~

A pretty pink flower

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy