The other night I made a lasagna for Jus & his friends to cook up while I am at work Friday night. I'm not trying to brag, but my lasagna is good, like really good, like Jus & his friends request it. So I'm trading one lasagna for an organized basement.
This recipe is from The Good Housekeeping Cookbook, which is an awesome cookbook for someone who is a novice in the kitchen.
I've changed it along the way, so here's my recipe for some yum yum yummy lasagna, that's actually a little healthier, spicier and meatier than your average lasagna.
What you'll need:
1 1/4 pound hot Italian sausage
1 pound of Lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) peeled, diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
15 ounces skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or dried if you forgot fresh at the grocery store like I did)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
16 ounces part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Take casings off of sausage, this feels as weird as it looks (and usually sparks some dirty jokes around these parts)
2. Break sausage up as you put it into a nonreactive 4 quart saucepan
3. Add onions
4. Break up ground beef as you add it
5. Cook over high heat until meat is well browned. Drain fat
6. Add tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, and one teaspoon salt
7. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes
8. While meat sauce is simmering cook lasagna noodles as label directs MINUS and salt or oil (I usually cook mine for 10 minutes)
9. Drain and rinse with cold water immediately
10. Lay a single layer of noodles on wax paper until further notice
11.Preheat oven to 375
12. In a medium bowl add ricotta cheese
13. Add egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt
14. Add parsley and black pepper and mix
15. Turn heat off of meat sauce
16. In a 13"x 9" baking pan arrange 6 noodles overlapping so they fit
18. Cover with half of the mozzarella (2 cups)
19. Top with half of the meat sauce
20. Cover with the next layer of noodles, smoosh them down so you can fit the rest of the yumminess
21. (Sorry I didn't take pictures of this part) Repeat step 17 (spread the ricotta), then repeat step 19 (meat sauce)
22. Cover meat sauce with remaining mozzarella
23. Cover with tin foil
If you're ready to eat it up: Pop your lasagna in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.Drink a glass or two of wine for me. After 30 minutes remove tin foil and bake until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is brown. Drink another glass of wine while you let the lasagna cool for about 15 minutes.
If you're not ready to eat some lasagna: Put a post-it on the foil to remind you how to cook the lasagna. Drink a glass or two of wine for me.
My Love for today: My sister Banan who pointed out that I forgot to write my love & happinesses...I promise a make up post this weekend.
My Happiness for today: Its Friday hooray!
3 comments:
you forgot to put your love and happiness
i just love when you write about me in your love and happiness!
I just tried to make lasagna today for the first time! kinda winged it i'm not one for following directions. haha. but your recipe looks so good i'll try it next time! my husband would be the one to make the dirty jokes during the sausage party. hehe. came across your blog through you are my fave! love it! i'll be sure to pass it along on my blog.
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