Lasagna​

You can always use canned spaghetti sauce instead of making your own (I won’t tell anyone). And NO, I don’t cook the lasagna noodles, that’s why I keep the sauce a bit wet – the same consistency of canned spaghetti sauce. This will give a thick meaty sauce – unless you like a runny sauce. If you do, just add more water (and check the seasoning, it might water down the flavor.)

This is very cheesy, so feel free to cut back to what you like.

You may find that you can’t get that last layer of lasagna noodles on because you ran out of room. That’s OK. Just make sure you end with a layer of sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

If you think your sauce lacks that umami taste – you know, when you say, “It needs SOMETHING” – add a cube of chicken bouillon.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped and caramelized
2 tablespoons bacon grease, Italian dressing OR oil
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup of water (or more)
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 to 2 bay leaves
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 package lasagna noodles
1 32 oz. tub ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 8oz pkgs sliced mozzarella
1 cube chicken bouillon
3 cups shredded mozzarella

In large sauce pot over medium heat, sauté onion in bacon grease until tender and caramelized.

Add in tomato sauce and water; stir to deglaze the pan.

Reduce heat to low and add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt, bouillon, and browned ground beef to onion mixture. Stir to combine.

Simmer sauce on medium low heat for 30 minutes and remove bay leaves. Continue simmering until it reduces (an hour or so) and is a good thick consistency. Taste and re-season.

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix together ricotta cheese, garlic salt, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, and set aside.

In 9×13-inch large baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray. You are going to build 3 layers of lasagna goodness:

  • Thin layer of meat sauce
  • 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
  • First 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture
  • 1/3 of sliced mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 of meat sauce
  • 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
  • Second 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture
  • 1/3 sliced of mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 of meat sauce
  • 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
  • Last 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture
  • 1/3 sliced of mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 of meat sauce
  • 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
  • Remaining 1/4 of meat sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cover with foil and bake for around 25 minutes. Uncover and finish baking for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before serving.

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