Last Thursday was a day of cleaning and cooking…we had a lasagna recipe that I’ve been using for a little while now but it just lacked flavor in the end. The ingredients had great potential but perhaps it all just needed to sit a lot longer. Even after it was frozen, the flavors didn’t come out much. So it was back to the drawing board (read Allrecipes.com lol) and I came across a new recipe that has rave reviews.
I did a few modifications to it: added some mushrooms, bay leaves, a bit of chili powder, basil, and some extra garlic pepper. I’m thinking 1 hour isn’t really long enough to bring out all the flavors so I let it sit at least 2.
I usually make lasagna in at least two small portions and freeze one for later since there are usually only two of us eating it. This one actually turned out to be three and it was very good. We’ll definitely be making it again although we may add even more spices. Perhaps the frozen ones will have a bit more flavor…I really just can’t get into bland lasagna.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 12 ounces cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef until brown. Drain. In another skillet over medium heat, cook onion until translucent. Combine beef and onion in a large saucepan with tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, water, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.
- While sauce is simmering, blend cottage cheese, Parmesan and egg until smooth. Set aside. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover sauce with 3 noodles. Cover noodles with one-third of remaining sauce. Top with half the mozzarella. Place another layer of noodles and one of sauce over the mozzarella; top that with the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.
- Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake 15 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.
