Our Favorite Lasagna

I tend to cook dinner more in the winter. When its cold outside and we aren't at the park all the time, we tend to stay inside and I want to make a cozy meal for my family. Lasagna definitely falls into the 'cozy' category for me.

This lasagna has a homemade sauce with ground beef and Italian sausage. Its full of flavor with the basil and garlic. A delicious meal for any night, but especially a cold winter evening!

Our Favorite Lasagna

1 1/2lbs Ground Beef
1 lb Italian Sausage
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Onion, diced
1 - 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
2 - 6oz cans Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Cottage Cheese
2 Eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated not shredded
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1 lb Mozzarella, freshly sliced
10 oz Lasagna Noodles, add 1/2 teaspoon Salt & 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil to your pasta water

1. In a dutch oven or large saucepan, over med-high heat, put the ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, and garlic and cook until brown and the onions are soft. Drain the fat. Add in your crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil, oregano, and salt. Let simmer for at least an hour.

2. In a large bowl, combine your cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt. Boil your noodles to al dente. 

Assembly...

3. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place 3 of the cooked noodles on the bottom of the dish. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly on the noodles. Place a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spread a little less than half of the tomato meat sauce over the cheese. Repeat, topping with the extra tomato meat sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

4. You can store this in the fridge for 2 days or bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman     

Lasagna

Let me start off by saying, I have never even had the desire to make my own lasagna. My mum used to make her own lasagna and then I think she realized that she could by Stouffers and it tasted just as good as what she was making and it was so much easier. But the other day I thought I would attempt it and let me tell you, it was totally worth the effort. SO much better than the store bought frozen kind. 

Lasagna
Recipe Source: AllRecipes.com

1 lb Italian sausage
1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 cup Onion, minced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1- 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
2- 6oz cans Tomato Paste
2- 6.5oz cans Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Water
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
4 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Chopped
9 Lasagna Noodles
16oz Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 lb Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1. In a large stock pot, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. In a large bowl of lightly salted  really hot water soak noodles for 30 minutes. Drain noodles. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4. Assembly... Spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with a third of the ricotta mixture. Top with a 1/4 of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. To prevent sticking, spray foil with cooking spray.

5. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.