My Super Yummy Lasagna

This is a recipe that I have been making and playing with for a long time. I had a lasagna epiphany in high school. Really! That is when the first version of this recipe was born. I change it all the time, but the basic recipe remains the same.

1 box no-boil noodles (you can use the regular lasagna noodles, just add a little more liquid)
1 jar spaghetti sauce ( I use Ragu because it has a little less sodium)
1/2 to 1 lb. ground beef
1 small tub part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
handful of grated parmesan cheese
1 (2 cup) bag part skim mozzarella cheese
1 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (or to taste)
FIRST, mix ricotta, egg, parmesan, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning together. Put in the fridge until ready to use.
SECOND, brown the ground beef, drain, add back to pan, then add sauce to the same pan. Mix well and let simmer.
THIRD, in a 9x13 in. pan add a little of the sauce on the bottom, then add several noodles, then ricotta cheese mixture, then sprinkle a handful of mozzarella, then start back with another layer of sauce. Keep layering until you end up with sauce on top.
FOURTH, cover the top layer with a good amount of mozzarella cheese. I like to sprinkle on a little extra parmesan cheese too – and a little garlic powder and Italian seasoning!
FIFTH, bake at 350 degrees until the lasagna is bubbly at the edges and the cheese is golden brown—usually about 30-40 minutes.



NOTE: This is the lasagna I put in the freezer. You can do everything up thru the fourth step if you are going to freeze it. I bake it from frozen just as in step five—it just takes longer to bake, of course!
Lately, I have been baking this in 8x8 in. pans. You could get two lasagnas this size out of this recipe.
Sometimes I play with the amount of cheeses and sauce that I add—do what works well for you here.

ENJOY!

This is linked up to http://lifeasmom.com/2011/02/making-oatmeal-special-ultimate-recipe-swap-valentines-day.html