My friends lasagna recipe

[Roxy]

Lasagna:

 

Mo's Lasagna

 

Prepare "Mo's Marinara Sauce" as directed, and set aside. (Recipe is below)

 

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1 TBSP. olive or salad oil (I use olive oil)

1 Onion (tennis ball size, chopped fine)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, very well drained

2 cups 1% or 2% cottage cheese or you can use ricotta (I love ricotta)

2 TBSP. grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

12 lasagna noodles, cooked as directed on the pkg.

1 - 9 x 13 baking pan, glass or metal (I use glass)

 

Make marinara sauce and set aside.

 

Boil lasagna noodles as directed, rinse in colander and set aside.

 

In large fry pan cook ground beef, onion, and garlic in 1 Tbsp. oil until ground beef is thoroughly cooked. When done, add this to the marinara sauce and stir well. Now you have a delicious homemade meat sauce!

 

In another bowl, add cottage cheese or ricotta, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the grated mozzarella cheese and the well drained spinach. Stir together well and set aside.

 

 

In 9 x 13 pan, layer pan like this:

 

Pour about 1/2 cup of Meat sauce on the bottom of your baking dish, then 3 noodles, then 1/2 of the meat sauce.

 

Then 3 noodles, then all of the cheese mixture.

 

Then 3 more noodles, then the rest of the meat sauce.

 

Top with the last 3 noodles, cover with foil and bake as directed below.

 

( DO NOT ADD ANY GRATED MOZZARELLA ON TOP BEFORE BAKING!)

 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Remove lasagna from oven, uncover, and immediately sprinkle with the rest of the grated mozzarella on top so it can melt. Place uncovered lasagna back in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let the lasagna sit on the counter for 10 minutes before serving.

 

Serve with tossed salad & garlic toast!

 

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MARINARA SAUCE

 

 

2 TBSP Olive or Salad Oil

2 Garlic Cloves (pressed)

1 Onion (tennis ball size chopped fine)

28 oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes

1 can Tomato Paste (5.5 oz.)

1 Can Hunt's Tomato Sauce (14 oz.)

1 TBSP Sugar or Splenda

2 tsp. Sweet Basil

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

 

In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, in oil, cook garlic & onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn, or sauce will be bitter). Stir in mashed tomatoes, their liquid, and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low; cover; cook 20 - 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Be careful not to burn!

 

We have it for one meal and then I cut it up into portions and freeze it for fast lunches or suppers...I have 3 beautiful pieces in the freezer right now. So, you can freeze what you don't finish...I cut up the pieces and freeze them in the pan for about 3 hours or so and then I put them in freezer ziplocs :-)