Lazy lasagna (but not really)

I called it lazy because I used jarred sauce, but by no means is this low maintenance lasagna.

No, siree!

But it is good and really really cheesy and yummy and totally worth it and after you have the filling and sauce made, incredibly easy to put together.

Ready for a culinary delight and a hearty meal? Let’s go!

1. Get a big ol’ pot of water boiling and drop in your lasagna noodles. Lasagna noodles are bigger and longer than other pastas, so you may need to break them a little to fit them into the pot. You want you lasagna to be cooked and “noodle-y,” but don’t freak out if it’s not completely cooked entirely through. (You know, it has a bit of resistance when you bite into a cooked noodle.) You’re going to be baking this thing for over an hour with sauces and moisture, so the noodles will get done if they aren’t entirely done when you assemble the lasagna.

2. Brown the meat. I used about 8 oz. of Italian sausage and 1/2 lb of ground beef. Italian sausage can get too greasy and is overpowering in dishes, especially if you’re serving this meal to people you know aren’t huge sausage fans. The ground beef-sausage mixture tones down the spice from the sausage and adds a nice texture and flavor.

3. When the meat is cooked through (NO PINK!), drain the grease well, and stir in one jar of your favorite storebought sauce or 2 cups or so of a homemade sauce. I don’t often make my own sauce and like several of the storebought ones. I will say this: be careful about jarred sauces. Some are wonderful; others are so acidic and tasteless you’ll wonder what made you buy them. I really like anything from Rao‘s, which is what I used in this case, and I love Trader Joe’s sauces. (Please note that I did NOT spend $17 on the pasta sauce I used for this lasagna. You can buy Rao’s at Publix.) Allow the meat and sauce to simmer over low heat while you prepare the Ricotta filling.

4. In a medium bowl, add these ingredients: • 2 15-oz containers of Ricotta cheese • 1 cup grated/shredded Parmesan • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (use your chopper or food processor so that it’s a fine chop) • 2 large eggs Mix well and set aside.

5. At some point, you should remove the lasagna noodles from the boiling water. I dumped mine into a colander so that the hot water drained out and immediately ran the noodles under cold water. That’s important because the cold water stops the noodles from cooking any more and helps them not to get overdone.

6. Prepare baking dish by spreading a little sauce on the bottom of the empty dish. I opened a second jar of Rao’s and poured a little into the pan because I didn’t want chunks of meat on the bottom.

7. Layer noodles over the bottom of the pan until it’s covered, about 5 noodles. Spread 1/2 of the Ricotta mixture onto the noodles and sprinkle mozarella cheese to taste over the Ricotta. Cover with meat sauce.

8. Continue layering in this fashion until you reach the top of your pan. Try to finish with noodles on top so that it’s a smooth top and a sturdier pasta dish. Cover the noodles with remaining meat sauce and any leftover jarred sauce. Top the entire thing with a generous helping of mozarella and Parmesan cheese.

9. At this point, you can cover the whole thing with foil and stick it in the fridge to cook later or pop it right into the oven. When you do bake it, bake the lasagna at 350-400 degrees (depending on your oven) with the foil on for about 40 minutes. Then, remove the foil and cook at 350 degrees for 40 more minutes. Of course, you may have to give or take a few minutes. Just check up on your lasagna and take it out if it looks like it’s burning. Some browning around the edges is expected and good. Let your lasagna sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with salad, green beans, and garlic bread and your family/friends/neighbors/whomever will LOVE you!

Ingredients: 2 jars storebought spaghetti sauce of your choice 1 box lasagna noodles 1/2 lb ground beef 8 oz. Italian sausage 2 cups Mozarella 1 cup Parmesan 2 15-oz containers Ricotta cheese 1 cup fresh spinach 2 eggs