Traditional (and easy!) Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef

• ½ pound Italian sausage

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 48 ounces spaghetti sauce (your favorite sauce)

• 15 ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)

• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 teaspoons dried parsley or 4 tablespoons fresh chopped

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

• 12 lasagna noodles

• ¼ cup water**

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef and sausage together. Drain off and discard any fat.

3. Add the minced garlic and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Spread ¾ cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking pan.

5. Cover the bottom with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles.

6. Top with ⅓ of the cheese mixture and ¼ of the sauce.

7. Repeat layers (noodles, cheese, sauce, noodles, cheese, sauce).

8. Top with 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

9. **If your sauce is a thick, hearty sauce, add ½ cup water to the edges of the pan. If your sauce is runnier like Old World Style Ragu, you won’t need as much water).

10. Spray a sheet of aluminium foil with cooking spray. Cover with the pan with aluminum foil (sprayed side down). This spray prevents the cheese from sticking.

11. Bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

12. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.