LASAGNE!!!!

Lasagne!!

Today I made Lasagne...Normally I save this dish for special occasions..as it takes quite a lot of work...Now there is traditional lasagne..and there is BEV'S Lasagne...It is a wonderful and versatile dish that can be adapted to fit most lifestyles.  Meat Lovers and Vegetarians alike!!  Mine is a Canadian combination of health and flavour!!
So here it is!

Ingrediants;

Twelve cooked lasagne noodles ( I used spinach)

1 pound lean ground meat of your choice

One Large egg

One 2 cup tub of cottage cheese

One jar or can of spaghetti sauce..( cheap is fine as we dress it up)

One little can of tomatoe paste

one can of slice mushrooms ( drained and rinsed)

One green pepper ( not in picture sorry)

Two medium sized cooking onions

5 cloves of garlic

1tsp basil ( fresh is best but dry will do)

3 cups shredded cheese usually mozarella..(but I used mixed today)

1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

2 cups fresh rinsed sprouts ( todays it was mixed brocoli,alfalfa and radish) OR

fresh spinach.

Procedure;

Cook the lasagne noodles in boiling water to which 1tsp salt and 2 TBS oil have been added..try NOT to break them in stirring and do not let them stick..rinse in cold water and set aside.

Brown the ground beef  and drain any fat.

While meat is browning..chop onions and green pepper and put in bowl..add 5 cloves crushed garlic and sprinkle with basil..stir and set aside.

Add to ground meat, stir and simmer for about 20 minutes.

In a sperate bowl mix ...

2 cups cottage cheese

2 cups sprouts ( or shredded spinach)

one egg and a good dash of pepper.

mix with fork. Set aside.

Return to your frying pan and add sauce and paste!

Stir for 5 minutes until well incorporated and thick.

 

Gather all you prepared ingrediants together at a work station ( my kitchen table)

Along with an oblong lasagne pan or cake pan..and assemble!

Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of sauce..then a layer of 3 noodles.

Then gently spread the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles...and sprinkle with parmasean cheese.

Add another layer of 3 noodles...

then a layer of sauce and shredded cheese...

One more layer of noodles..then top with sauce..shredded cheese and remaining parmasean!

(It would have been nice if the one layer of cheese was chedder and the top layer, Mozzarella..but I had to mix them for quantity reasons.)

Cover with tinfoil..being careful to "tent" the foil so that it does NOT touch the top of the lasagne!

Bake are 325 for 45 miutes ..or until the smell drives you mad!

When done...turn oven OFF and leave the lasagne to "rest" covered in the oven for 15-20 minutes...this allows it to settle so that when you slice it..it holds it's shape! Uncover and place on table.. ADMIRE your handiwork!

VOILA!!! 

Slice..Serve and Enjoy!!!

This is lovely on it's own..but goes WONDERFUL with ceasar salad..garlic bread..and maybe some breaded fried mushrooms!

CHEERS!

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