Delicious Lasagna

This lasagna is full of flavor, with layers of pasta, cheese, and a tasty meat sauce! One of the best things about this lasagna is its versatility. Whether you're hosting a dinner party, blessing a friend with a meal, or simply looking to meal prep for the week ahead, this dish is a lifesaver. By assembling it in advance, you can conveniently pop it in the oven whenever you're ready to enjoy a piping hot, freshly baked lasagna.

Lasagna is one of my favorite foods! Although it may seem complicated to prepare, with the right recipe, it's not as difficult as it appears. I still remember my first attempt at making lasagna a few years ago, let's just say it didn't turn out quite like I expected;) The recipe I followed instructed not to boil the noodles, claiming they would cook in the sauce while baking. I thought this method would be much simpler than the other recipe I had seen! Unfortunately, my lasagna turned out very runny, and the noodles ended up rubbery. That's why, my friends, it's important to boil the lasagna noodles unless you are using the pre-boiled, oven-ready type. Another lesson I learned the hard way is to let the boiled noodles soak in cold water after cooking. I made the mistake of draining them and leaving them to sit until I was ready to assemble the dish, only to find them clumped together like glue. I had to discard them and start over, what a hassle.

Ingredients you will need:

• lean ground beef- add 1 lb. Italian sausage for 1 lb. of the beef for even more flavor

• tomato sauce-

• tomato paste-

• white sugar- just a little

• garlic- minced

• spices- salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning

• lasagna noodles- cooked

• shredded mozzarella

For the cottage cheese layer:

• cottage cheese- or ricotta

• eggs-

• shredded parmesan- grated parmesan is fine too

• fresh parsley- minced
  

Start by browning the ground beef, drain off any grease if needed. Next, you want to add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, sugar, and spices. You'll cook this for 10 to 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. While the sauce simmers, take a moment to enjoy the wonderful aroma filling your kitchen. Then, remove it from the heat and set it aside. If you are preparing this to bake later cool the meat sauce completely before continuing.

While the sauce is cooking, you can cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions, drain and let them sit in cold water until you are ready to assemble your lasagna. Combine the cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan, and parsley.

Ok, now you are finally ready to assemble this deliciousness! Start by adding a little bit of meat sauce to the bottom of your baking dish. Add 3 noodles, half of the cottage cheese mixture, and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella.

Add half of the meat sauce followed by another layer of noodles, the rest of the cottage cheese mixture, and 1-1/2 cups of mozzarella.

Add another layer of noodles, the rest of the meat sauce, and the remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 10- 15 minutes until heated through and the cheese is bubbly. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it. Serve with some garlic bread and enjoy!