Giesler Family Lasagna

I'd never made lasagna before.  It was just one of those things I didn't care to put forth the effort for.  But my neighbor brought her family's recipe to a recipe exchange party and as I read it, I asked about "oven-ready noodles".  Apparently I've been living in a cave and everyone else knew about these noodles that make it super easy to put a lasagna together.  So I gave it a try and it was SO good!  And relatively easy.    



Meat Sauce:


1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
½ lb. ground beef
½ lb. ground pork sausage (sage flavored) (I used 1 pound ground beef and threw in a few shakes of dried sage)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp fresh parsley (or  1 tsp. dried)
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp sugar

Brown meat with onions and garlic.  Add the other ingredients and simmer for 1 or more hours.


Cheese Mixture:


16 oz. Ricotta
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
2 eggs


Mix everything together and set aside.


Other ingredients needed:


1 (8 oz.) package oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded




Preheat oven to 350.  Put a light layer of sauce in bottom of 9x13 baking dish.

Next put down one layer of uncooked noodles (depending on how many noodles are in your box, you will have enough for at least three layers of three noodles in each layer, but you might be able to do four noodles on the bottom two layers.  Count them out first and plan accordingly.  You want the layers with more noodles to be on the bottom if they're not all going to be even).  After noodles, layer one third of cheese mixture and then one third of remaining meat sauce.  Repeat the layers two more times.

Sprinkle one cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese on top.  Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, or until edges are bubbly.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.