{Post 1,758} Lasagna Recipe ~ the New One

 This looks like a lot of work, but it isn’t really. First, get a 9 x 13 glass Pyrex baking dish that is 50% taller than a standard one. Otherwise, have oven cleaner on hand and prepare to open some windows at the end of the baking time, LOL!!

Ingredients first:

8 oven-ready lasagna noodles (these are available at Walmart and don’t have to be boiled before baking lasagna)

1-1/2 lbs ground beef

1 lb pork breakfast sausage

Sauce ingredients (in first paragraph)

3 cups cottage cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (extra for sprinkling on top before baking)

1 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced

I am going to break this down into stages. First, brown 1-1/2 lbs ground beef and 1 lb breakfast pork sausage. Drain fat. Add a 29-oz and a 15-oz can tomato sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp dried basil, and 3/4 tsp dried oregano. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.

In bowl, mix cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and 2 Tbsp dried parsley.

In your lovely deep baking dish, put just enough tomato sauce mix to just cover the bottom of the pan (I try to avoid getting meat in this layer). Put 4 lasagna noodles across, overlapping slightly (boil noodles al dente if not using oven-ready noodles). Spread half of the cottage cheese mix over the noodles. Layer half of mozzarella cheese slices over top evenly (I buy a one-pound brick of cheese and slice it with my shredder/grater/slicer Kitchen Aid attachment). Put less than half the meat sauce evenly over that. Repeat layers one time (noodles, cheese mix, mozzarella cheese, and rest of meat sauce). Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. I often make this ahead and store it in the frig. I have to add about 15 minutes more baking time because it starts out so cold.

Once it is out of the oven (push a fork through all the layers to make sure the noodles are tender enough—the fork should go through very easily), let it sit, covered with foil for about 10 minutes. This makes the serving easier and the remaining lasagna in the pan doesn’t shift as much. 

Report back if you try this!

{Post 1,757} Better Than Christmas

 I got a box of scraps from a blog reader today (Hi, Paulette!). It was better than Christmas. I loved sorting and ogling the fabrics while I ate a quick lunch. I am so eager to add her scraps to mine. This AM I was not feeling very energetic. I did not sew at all Saturday or Sunday. I was going into withdrawals. I usually sew a little every single day. I was preparing space and then food for company. Whew—it was exhausting. 

Here is a peek of my goodie box. It’s not too late to add your scraps. Little pieces (at least 2” wide) are usable.

In other news, I have a new lasagna recipe. I only made it twice before yesterday. Both times it overflowed my pan while baking. I put in less sauce the second time. I guess those noodles plumped up more than I anticipated. I am not sure it’s obvious in the picture, but this is a 9 x 13 pan that is 50% taller than the usual ones. I etched “PARKER” on both the long sides (that helps at pot lucks!). I used oven ready noodles, too. It was a big hit yesterday, and I am so happy with my new baking dish.