Lasagna

Everyone has their staple lasagna recipe, but this one has a little twist that the family really enjoys. The rich flavors of sauce and cheese really shine through.

Ingredients

• 13 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 - 8 ounce brick of cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• salt 
• pepper

Sauce

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 - 25 ounce can of pasta sauce
• 1 - 6 or 7 ounce can of tomato pesto
• 1/3 -1/2 small onion (about 1 cup)
• 4 small to medium baby bella mushrooms (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add pasta sauce, tomato pesto, garlic powder, basil and pepper. If it begins to boil, reduce heat and keep hot. Once hot, set aside 1 cup of sauce for use for the bottom and top of lasagna.

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Chop onions and mushroom and add to skillet. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent and tender. Once tender, add to the sauce.

Once the onions and mushrooms have been added to the sauce, brown the ground beef in the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Once the ground beef is cooked, drain and add to sauce.

Cook noodles as instructed on package. Once they are cooked, be sure to separate them so that they do not stick together.

Stir together ricotta cheese and eggs to help bind the ricotta together.

Prepare your 9 X 13 pan. I like to use a aluminum nonstick disposable pan. If you are using a regular pan, be sure to grease it.

Add 1/2 cup of sauce that was set aside earlier to the bottom of the pan and coat the bottom of the pan.

Place 4 noodles on top of the sauce. Tear them if need be to cover the entire bottom. I always cook 13 noodles so that I have an extra to fill in any spaces.

Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles.

Break 1/2 of the brick of cream cheese into small pieces and evenly distribute on the ricotta mixture.

Spread 1/2 of the sauce mixture on top of the ricotta and cream cheese.

Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan on top of the sauce. Use approximately 1/4 cup of each.

Repeat another layer of noodles, ricotta & cream cheeses, sauce and shredded cheese. On this layer you will use the remaining ricotta, cream cheese and sauce (except the portion reserved from the beginning).

On top of the second layer, place 4 noodles.

Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce on top of the noodles.

Cover the top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with parmesan.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. If the lasagna has been stored in the fridge, it make take a bit longer.

Lasagna also freezes well. Make sure that the lasagna is given 24 hours in the fridge before baking.

Let rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 13 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 - 8 ounce brick of cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• salt 
• pepper

Sauce

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 - 25 ounce can of pasta sauce
• 1 - 6 or 7 ounce can of tomato pesto
• 1/3 -1/2 small onion (about 1 cup)
• 4 small to medium baby bella mushrooms (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add pasta sauce, tomato pesto, garlic powder, basil and pepper. If it begins to boil reduce heat and keep hot. Once hot, set aside 1 cup of sauce for use on the bottom and top of lasagna. 
2. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Chop onions and mushrooms and add to the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent and tender. Once tender, add to the sauce. 
3. Once the onions and mushrooms have been added to the sauce, brown the ground beef in the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Once ground beef is cooked, drain and add to sauce. 
4. Cook noodles as instructed on package. Once they are cooked be sure to separate them so that they do not stick together. 
5. Stir together ricotta cheese and eggs. This will help bind the ricotta together. 
6. Prepare your 9 X 13 pan. I use a aluminum nonstick disposable pan. If you are using a regular pan, be sure to grease it. 
7. Add 1/2 cup of sauce that was set aside earlier to the bottom of the pan and spread around. 
8. Place 4 noodles on top of the sauce. Tear them if need be to cover the entire bottom. 
9. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles. 
10. Break 1/2 of the brick of cream cheese into small pieces and evenly distribute on the ricotta mixture. 
11. Spread 1/2 of the sauce mixture on top of the ricotta and cream cheese. 
12. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan on top of the sauce. Use approximately 1/4 cup of each.
13. Repeat another layer of noodles, ricotta & cream cheeses, sauce and shredded cheese. On this layer you will use the remaining ricotta, cream cheese and sauce (except the portion reserved from the beginning).  
14. On top  of the second layer place 4 noodles. 
15. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce that was set aside earlier on top of the noodles. 
16. Cover the top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with parmesan. 
17. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. If the lasagna has been stored in the fridge it make take a bit longer. 
18. Lasagna also freezes well. Make sure that the lasagna is given 24 hours in the fridge before baking. 
19. Let rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!