Lasagna

Inspired by my friend Marie and her husband Roland, I made lasagna for dinner for the whole family + a guest (Joe's parents and Scott) last night (December 27). Just like canning, I was amazed at how easy it can be to do.


2 boxes of uncooked regular lasagna noodles
1 16 oz container of ricotta cheese w/ fresh minced oregano mixed in
10 oz frozen spinach sauteed in 3 cubes of basil pesto
3 quarts of pasta sauce
2 cups milk
some shredded Parmesan/Romano/asiago cheese
1 lb grated mozzarella
1 lb ground beef cooked up with garlic

Mix the sauce into the ground beef and heat
Mix the milk into the ricotta cheese

Spoon some red sauce into the bottom of the 13 x 9 baking pan. Lay down a double layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon on a layer of white sauce. Spoon on a layer of spinach - use half. Apply a light layer of the aged cheeses. Spoon on a layer of red sauce. Add a new double layer of noodles and press them down into the other layers - get out all the air bubbles. Layer white sauce, the rest of the spinach, the aged cheeses, red sauce, noodles then press down. Add the last of the white sauce and the last of the red sauce and top with a layer of the aged cheeses and the whole pound of mozzarella cheese.
Cover with foil, place on a cookie sheet to catch overflow and place into a preheated 375 oven for 1 hour. After the hour, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 min - until you see it bubbling around all the edges and the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned. Let rest for 10 min after removing from the oven before cutting. Makes 12 servings.