Lasagna

It seems appropriate to make lasagna my first blogged recipe. I am not a picky eater whatsoever and I appreciate all types of food. However if you force me to choose a "favorite food", LASAGNA is it. 

This recipe has never failed me... it is one of my "go-to" dinners when I'm not sure what to make. It's also great for hosting/entertaining... guests always love it! Not to mention, it's GREAT as leftovers!! 

What you'll need:

-2 lbs ground beef
-1 large onion (I use the sweet yellow kind)
-1 large can of tomato sauce
-1 small can of tomato sauce
-8 lasagna noodles (I usually end up using 6, but make more because some of mine always rip)
-garlic (I used chopped garlic from a jar but you can use fresh or any form that you have in your kitchen!)
-1 bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
-1 bag of "other" shredded cheese (you can mix and match here- I've used american, colby jack, another bag of mozzarella or an italian blend... the secondary cheese isn't as important, it always tastes good!)
-Sugar*
-Italian Seasoning*
-Salt & Pepper*
-Olive Oil
          
         *Use these according to your taste. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, you'll add a little more sugar. If you like a lot of Italian seasoning, add as much as you want! There's no "wrong" when it comes to seasoning, it depends what YOU like! 



Optional: you may want to have an assistant... you know, someone to chop onions, stir sauce, wash dishes, etc. My assistant wasn't all that helpful... he just sat on the counter and did this:

Directions:

1.) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2.) Fill a large pot with water, add noodles once boiling. Cook noodles until soft, remove from heat.

3.) While your noodles are cooking, brown the ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic in a large skillet coated with olive oil (feel free to use an alternative cooking oil or spray for this step, I've used it all!).

4.) Drain grease from meat/onion/garlic mixture.

5.) Return your meat mixture to skillet. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Let simmer until warmed through. 

   I usually taste-test here. The sauce is the heart of this recipe, so make sure you're satisfied with how it tastes! If needed, add a little more sugar, Italian seasoning, or salt.

6.) Spray a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray (or line with aluminum foil) and assemble your first layer of noodles.

7.) Add a layer of meat/sauce mixture on top of noodles. 

8.) Cover sauce with mozzarella and other choice of cheese.

9.) Repeat- noodles, sauce, cheese so that you have 2 layers of each. 

10.) Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. 

11.) Serve & Enjoy!!

-Alison