Lazy Lasagna

I hated lasagna when I was little. It always had gross veggies and chunky stuff in it that I couldn't identify and therefore would not eat (I was The Picky Eater, remember?). As I grew up, and got braver, I eventually learned that I actually love lasagna. It's still a little intimidating, though. I mean, it' not the fastest or the easiest meal to make, is it? Plus, I still had a Picky Eater in the house that wouldn't come near lasagna. It was time for me to come up with a new recipe.

I decided, when I set out to make a new lasagna, that it had to be easier than more traditional recipes, but still taste great. I also wanted it to be a little more kid friendly, so I needed to get as much flavor as possible from the fewest "gross" foods available. What I've come up with takes a little more than an hour (with baking times included) and has never caused a nose to turn up in disgust. It's definitely simpler in flavor than many lasagnas out there, but in some ways, I feel like that makes it better.

For this lasagna, you just need cottage cheese, onion powder (or fresh chopped onion), an egg, parmesan cheese, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, and tomato or spaghetti sauce (I prefer plain tomato sauce, so I can season it myself). You'll also add salt and pepper to taste.

You'll also need lasagna pasta.

I prefer Barilla because of the small, flat sheets. For my small family of three, I cut this recipe in half and use an 8x8 dish, and these work perfectly for that without having to break them into pieces, but still work great in a 9x13 dish.

To get started, brown your meat in a large sauce pan over medium heat, stirring in the onion as the meat cooks. Once the meat is browned, add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Add any seasonings, including salt and pepper, that you desire and allow to simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, combine the ricotta, cottage, and parmesan cheeses with the egg in a medium bowl, mixing until well combined.

Once the sauce and filling are ready, put a layer of sauce on the bottom of your pan (about half a cup for an 8x8 dish, one cup for 9x13), and spread it out.

Next layer on the lasagna sheets, followed by the cheese filling (about half to three quarters of a cup for a 9x13 dish), and more sauce. Finally, sprinkle about a quarter cup of mozzarella on top.

Repeat these steps until either you run out of ingredients or the pan is completely full (reserve about a cup of the mozzarella).

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the top of the lasagna with the remaining mozzarella. Continue baking, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

When the lasagna is done, allow it to sit on a wire cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes to cool slightly and set up a bit before serving.

This is a quick, simple version of a comfort food that will make almost anybody happy! Great by itself, or with a fresh side salad and cold iced tea! Plus, this may be just the ticket to getting your Picky Eaters to try an old classic for the first time! Enjoy!

Lazy Lasagna

Makes one 9x13 dish

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE

1 lb. ground italian sausage

4 - 15 oz. cans tomato sauce (or 2 - 28 oz. jars spaghetti sauce)

1 teaspoon onion powder (or 1/2 an onion, chopped fine)

salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE FILLING

1 - 15 oz. container ricotta cheese

8 oz. cottage cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


To make the sauce: Brown the meat in a large sauce pan over medium heat, stirring in the onion as the meat cooks. Once the meat is browned, add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Add any seasonings, including salt and pepper, that you desire and allow to simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the filling: While the sauce simmers, combine the ricotta, cottage, and parmesan cheeses with the egg in a medium bowl, mixing until well combined.

Next layer on the lasagna sheets, followed by the cheese filling (about half to three quarters of a cup for a 9x13 dish), and more sauce. Finally, sprinkle about a quarter cup of mozzarella on top. Repeat these steps until either you run out of ingredients or the pan is completely full (reserve about a cup of the mozzarella).

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the top of the lasagna with the remaining mozzarella. Continue baking, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.