Lasagna

Last Friday, I made the lasagna that I grew up eating. I got the recipe from my Gramma although I'm not sure of where it originally came from. Wherever it came from, it's SO yummy!

I remember, I loved lasagna as a kid, but one time, I walked in the kitchen when my Gramma was making it and saw it: the cottage cheese. I was so creeped out that I didn't eat it for a long time, but with time, I accepted it (and the fact that you can't taste it) and moved on. 

Here it is... enjoy!

You start with lasagna, cooked normally (obviously).

Then, you brown 1 pound ground beef (or turkey, whatever) and mix that with about 24 oz. spaghetti sauce (Jeremy made this sauce for me). 

Next, beat 2 eggs. Combine 8 oz. cottage cheese, the 2 eggs, a cup of parmesan cheese, one tablespoon parsley, salt & pepper.

Your other layer is 4 cups mozzarella cheese.

Next, you begin putting it together. First, line your 9x13 with lasagna noodles

Then, spread about 1/2 of your cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella over that.

Then, pour 1/2 of your meat sauce over that. And repeat: noodles, cottage cheese, mozzarella & meat.

I forgot one of my mozzarella layers, so I just threw some on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

And I thought it made it kind of pretty. :)

After I put that one in the oven, I realized I had enough lasagna noodles cooked to make another one, plus I could use the other 1/2 of my cottage cheese (which is going to go bad if I don't), so I made another lasagna to freeze in servings. I remembered all of my layers in the second one, so it looks "right."

I let the second one cool completely, cut into servings and put each serving into a sandwich bag. Then, I put the sandwich bags into gallon-sized freezer bags. It's super easy to grab on my way out the door to eat for lunch or a quick leftover when I don't cook.

And serve... fabulous.

Jeremy obviously approves.

As does mini-Jeremy.

A couple of bites in, he said, and I quote, "This is really good. I love it, Vicky!"

Check out my happy plate.

In fact, check out ALL of our happy plates.

Then, Jeremy picked Jacob up from school yesterday as he always does on Tuesdays. He asked his daddy, and this is another direct quote, "Can we go to fort worth for dinner? We can eat some of the yummy food Vicky maked us."

Kid knows the way to my heart...

Here's a text-only version of the recipe

1 box lasagna noodles

4 cups grated mozzarella

16 oz. small curd cottage cheese (I'm almost sure I only used 8 oz?)

2 eggs

8 oz. grated parmesan

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Salt & pepper

24 oz. spaghetti sauce

1 lb. ground beef

Cook the noodles. Brown (& drain) the beef. Combine beef and spaghetti sauce. Beat the eggs. Combine cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper.

Layers:

½ beef sauce (Top)

½ mozzarella cheese

½ cottage cheese mixture

Noodles

½ beef sauce

½ mozzarella cheese

½ cottage cheese mixture

Noodles (Bottom)

Hope you like it! 

What are your favorite casserole type dishes??