Lasagna

Lasagna has always been one of my favorites.  I really love anything with noodles and Italian meat sauce in or on it.  A friend of mine shared her recipe with me and with a few modifications, I have made it my own.  

I like to double the amount of ground beef in mine, my family likes a meatier lasagna.  You could also add some cooked Italian sausage to it if you liked.  You can add whatever vegetables you like best.  I change it up according to what is in the vegetable draw on that particular day.  Same with the cheese choices.  I will sometimes use cottage cheese or maybe ricotta.  With this lasagna I used the "ready to use" noodles.  I make sure I double the amount of tomato sauce because the noodles require a lot of moisture in order to soften and cook.  Otherwise, use the standard noodles with only one large can of tomato sauce.  On top I will use either mozzarella or marble cheddar; just what ever I feel like at the time.  

 

So, experiment with different ingredients and you'll end up with something that suits your individual taste. This makes a huge lasagna.  Enjoy!  

Ingredients

Sauce

1 lb. of lean ground beef

1 large onion, yellow or red

8 cups assortment of diced vegetables - peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, grated carrots

2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

680 ml can of tomato sauce (if using cooked noodles)

796 can of diced tomatoes, NOT drained

Cottage Cheese & Spinach Layer

500 ml container of cottage cheese

300 ml container of ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2 packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out

16 lasagna noodles

500 g of mozzarella (or cheese of your choice)

Method

Fry ground beef and onion until no longer pink.  Add the vegetables and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.  You don't want to over cook the vegetables or they will be mushy after the lasagna is baked.  Add the tomato sauce, adjusting the amount to suit the noodles that you use,  the diced tomatoes and the Italian Seasoning. 

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Or if using "ready to use" noodles, make sure you adjust your tomato sauce to help the noodles cook. 

In a large bowl combine the cottage cheese, the ricotta, 2 eggs and the spinach.  

Grate the block of cheese for the top.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large 4" deep lasagna pan (I use a deep 12" square roasting pan) start with a layer of the sauce mixture.  Add four noodles, evenly spacing them.  Next, add half the cottage cheese mixture, 4 more noodles, half of the sauce mixture, 4 more noodles, the other half of the cottage cheese mixture, 4 more noodles, the rest of the sauce and top with mozzarella cheese.  

Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 more minutes.  Remove from over and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.  

Makes 16 large servings.