Lasagna

Chock full of meat. Need I say more?

Lasagna

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 pound hot breakfast sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 oz.) cans whole tomatoes
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
10 oz. package lasagna noodles
3 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound sliced mozzarella cheese

In a skillet, combine ground beef, hot breakfast sausage, and garlic. Cook until brown, draining fat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Mix together thoroughly and simmer, uncovered, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, boil a lasagna noodles. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the water, as well as 1 tablespoon olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking. Cook the noodles "al dente" so they’ll still have quite a bite to them. When they’re finished cooking, drain, rinse with cool water, and lay the noodles flat on a sheet of aluminum foil. That way, they’ll be easier to handle later.

While the meat mixture and noodles are cooking, mix cottage cheese in a bowl with the beaten eggs. Add the parmesan cheese, parsley flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well.

Lay four cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of the pan, overlapping as you go. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the noodles, and then lay 1/2 pound of mozzarella cheese slices on top of the cottage cheese mixture.

Spread a little less than half of the meat mixture over the mozzarella cheese slices until evenly distributed. Add another layer of four lasagna noodles and repeat the process, finishing with the meat mixture. Top with a generous layer of parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.