Lasagna

Lasagna is one of my favorite meals.  I've always been a big fan of Italian food, and lasagna is one of those meals I typically like best homemade.  There's a lot of different versions of lasagna out there, and I've tried several over the years, but this one is the best I have found.  When it comes to homemade lasagna, it's best to make the meat sauce from scratch instead of using the premade jars of marinara.  If you're short on time the premade versions comes in handy, but you can taste the difference!  You can make your sauce the day before you put your lasagna together to help cut down on the time it takes to make your lasagna on baking day.  Here is how I make lasagna for our family.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground sausage
1 lb lean ground chuck
1/2 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
12 oz tomato paste
13 oz tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 oven ready lasagne noodles
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.  In a large pot over med-high heat cook sausage and beef until brown.
2.  Pour off grease and add onion and garlic.  Cook over medium heat about 3 minutes.
3.  Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water and stir.
4.  Add sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp parsley and stir.
5.  Simmer, covered, for at least an hour stirring occasionally.
6.  After meat sauce is ready, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 Tbsp parsley in bowl.
7.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
8.  To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 dish and cover with a single layer of 4 noodles.
9.  Cover noodles with half of ricotta cheese mixture.  Top with 4 oz of mozzarella cheese.
10.  Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella and cover with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
11.  Add another single layer of 4 noodles and then spread the rest of the ricotta cheese mixture on top.
12.  Cover with 4 oz mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, another single layer of 4 noodles, the rest of the meat sauce, 4 oz mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
13.  Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
14.  Remove foil and bake another 25 minutes.
15.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

We like to eat ours with a side of Ceasar salad and garlic bread.

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