Life Changing Lasagna

Life changing lasagna

Being in my late (late) twenties, I have at least five friends who are pregnant or just had a baby any given month. When you have a baby, I make lasagna.

As with any life-changing event, a large outpouring of attention is lavished on the benefactors for a couple weeks and subsequently trails off. They are initially bombarded with covered dishes, cards, flowers and unsolicited advice. Time passes and eventually the cookies stop coming.

I’ve learned to wait to deliver my congratulatory lasagna a month or two later, when the parents would give their right arm for a full night’s sleep and their idea of a complete meal consists of a delivery pizza. Customarily I also include garlic bread, a bagged salad kit and cookies.

This lasagna is ideal because it can be baked immediately or put in the freeze for safekeeping. If you split the recipe between two pans, you can keep one and give one away. (If this is the case, be sure to assemble the lasagnas in smaller pans.)

Lasagna may also help land you a man (or woman).

I tunneled a path into my husband’s heart with the first meal I cooked for him. Knowing the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, pan-fried chicken and garlic mashed potatoes were my flirting methods of choice

Eventually I landed him with lasagna – the very lasagna presented below – it’s his favorite. Creating lasagna is a labor of love, but I promise, it’s unforgettable.

Life Changing Lasagna
Note: This is enough for one 9″x13″ pan or split between two square pans. I usually make it one day, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and bake it the next day.

12 lasagna noodles, cooked (the kind you boil, I used wheat and white)

Sauce
1-2 T. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 c. red wine (or chicken stock or water)
1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano, if possible)
1 – 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 – 12 oz. can tomato sauce
2 T. dried basil
1 T. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried fennel
1 T. granulated sugar
1/2 t. crushed red pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Filling
1 egg
1 – 16 oz. container of cottage cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese (for the top)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray.

In a large skillet brown the beef and sausage in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender. Pour in the red wine (stock or water) and de-glaze the pan, scraping the bits off of the bottom. Once the wine has simmer for 3-4 minutes, stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Mix in the dried seasonings, sugar and season with salt and pepper.

While the sauce is simmering, make the lasagna filling. In a bowl beat the egg, stir in the cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In the prepared pan assemble the lasagna:

In the bottom of the pan spoon in 1/3 of the sauce
Layer four noodles
Spoon on and spread evenly 1/3 of the cheese mixture
Spoon on and spread evenly 1/3 of the sauce
Layer four noodles
Spoon on and spread evenly 1/3 of the cheese mixture
Layer four noodles
Spoon on and spread evenly the remaining cheese mixture
Spoon on and spread evenly the remaining sauce
Sprinkle the top with Parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Cover the top of the pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

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