Lasagna

This is Pioneer Woman's "Best Lasagna Ever" and frankly I agree. Mmm. Mmm. It is a hearty lasagna with great flavor. And it's not fussy. No strange ingredients or expensive cheeses, it uses cheapo, green bottle, Kraft Parmesan cheese! This will be my go-to lasagna recipe from now on.


Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb Jimmy Dean Hot Breakfast Sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2, 6 oz cans tomato paste
2, 14.5 cans whole tomatoes, with juices
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried basil
salt
10 oz package lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Kraft Parmesan Cheese
4 tablespoons dried parsley
1 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a skillet combine ground beef, sausage and garlic. Cook until browned, draining off half of the fat. Pour in the cans of whole tomatoes (I squished up the tomatoes in my hands before adding), tomato pastes, 2 T. parsley, basil and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix together thoroughly and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes; stir occasionally.

In the meanwhile boil the lasagna noodles. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the water. Cook according to package directions to "al dente". When noodles are finished, drain, rinse with cold water, and lay the noodles flat on a sheet of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

While meat and noodles are cooking, in a bowl mix: cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 T. parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Set up your assembly line: meat mixture, sliced mozzarella, cottage cheese mixture, lasagna noodles. Lay 4 noodles on the bottom of a deep 9x13 pan (I have a stoneware 9x13 that worked great) that has been sprayed with non-stick spray; overlap the noodles a little to make them fit. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Lay 1/2 pound of mozzarella slices on top of the cottage cheese.

With a spoon make a line through the meat mixture so you'll distribute it evenly. Spread a little less than half of the meat mixture over the slices of cheese. Spread the meat around to distribute it evenly over the mozzarella cheese.

Repeat the layering process, begin with another layer of 4 noodles, top with remaining cottage cheese, top cottage cheese with another 1/2 pound of mozzarella slices, and finish with the rest of the meat mixture.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella on top and then generously sprinkle with Kraft Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Uncover and bake an additional 3-5 minutes to brown cheeses on top.

** You can cover and refrigerate unbaked lasagna for 2 days. Lasagnas also freeze incredibly well so if you could make it in a disposable foil 9x13, cover with plastic wrap, then cover with foil and freeze it. Frozen lasagnas usually take at least 2 hours to cook through.