Classic Lasagna

So last week, I got it in my head that I wanted lasagna - trying to work with the food I have in my cupboards and fridge. This is the recipe I worked with when we made lasagna. We didn't have eggs, Italian sausage, fresh basil, onion or fennel seeds (I don't like those anyway). We did use dried oregano, rosemary and parsley. Instead of crushed and diced tomatoes, we used canned tomato sauce and paste. Our lasagna came out fine. Even Ivy had a few bites and wanted more (she had already eaten). But I know it will be better the next time we make it.

1          Pound ground round

3          Cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided (3 cups = 12 oz)

2          Cup part skim ricotta cheese

1          Cup shredded Romano cheese, divide

2          eggs

3          clove garlic, minced

2          Tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil

1/4       Cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided

1          can (28 oz each) crushed Tomatoes

1          can (14.5 oz each) diced Tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained

1          medium onion, chopped

3          *serving PAM® Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray

9          noodle uncooked lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces)

1/4       Teaspoon salt

1          Pound Italian pork sausage

1/2       Teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2       Teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop cooking. Meanwhile, spray large saucepan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot; add sausage and ground chuck. Cook and stir 5 minutes to crumble meat.

Add onion and garlic to pan. Continue cooking 8 to 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain meat mixture well. Add crushed and undrained tomatoes, 1 tablespoon parsley, fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt. Bring meat mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; cook uncovered over medium-low heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place ricotta, 3/4 cup of the Romano cheese, eggs, remaining parsley, basil and remaining pepper in medium bowl; blend well. Set aside.

Assemble Lasagna: Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup meat sauce evenly over bottom of dish. Place 3 lasagna noodles over sauce, top with 2 cups meat sauce, half of ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers ending with a layer of noodles topped with sauce and the remaining mozzarella and Romano cheeses.

Spray underside of aluminum foil with cooking spray; cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese melts and sauce is bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

YIELD 12

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