Lasagna

I like lasagna, but don't ever feel like making it, and always have too much when I do. I've learned to assemble and divide a full recipe of lasagna into foil lined bread pans. Then, I have one for dinner and 3 more for the freezer. I also came up with a mock lasagna recipe which is posted below this traditional recipe. The mock recipe is smaller than the traditional. You can cook the lasagna noodles, assemble, and bake the same day, or follow my recipe the day before and skip the noodle cooking. This is easily a vegetarian meal by omitting the meat.

Traditional Lasagna:
1 lb hamburger or italian sausage (I prefer hamburger.)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 large can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp baking soda
10 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups cottage cheese, low fat, small curd
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 small package frozen spinach (optional)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
pan spray
NOTE: If baking immediately, drop lasagna noodles in a pan of boiling water and cook half the time indicated on the box. Remove from water and drain.
If baking lasagna the next day or preparing for the freezer, do not par boil the noodles. Use them uncooked.

Lay spinach out to thaw, if using. Cook hamburger, onion, and garlic until just done. Drain off fat. Spray a 9x13" pan, OR line 4 bread pans with foil and spray. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the spinach. In a medium sized bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and spinach. In a separate bowl, mix the tomato sauce, italian seasoning, sugar, salt, pepper, and baking soda together. Coat the bottom of the pan with tomato sauce. Add one noodle, top with a little more tomato sauce and hamburger, then a layer of cottage cheese, and a sprinkling of mozzarella. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the center is hot all the way through. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes.

If freezing, place in the freezer until frozen solid. Remove foiled food from the pan, wrap in one more layer of foil and store in a labeled and dated freezer bag.

To cook later...cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours...24 hours is better. Remove from the fridge and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes for a 9x13" pan, or 45 minutes for a bread pan. This can be cooked ahead and reheated later too.

Mock Lasagna:
1/2 lb hamburger or italian sausage (I prefer hamburger.)
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 (15 oz)can tomato sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 cups small pasta(macaroni, radiatore, rotini, etc.)
1 cup cottage cheese, low fat, small curd
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 small package frozen spinach (optional)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
pan spray
In a large oven proof saucepan, cook the pasta as directed...being careful not to overcook. Drain and set aside. In the same pan, cook the hamburger, onion, and garlic until just cooked. Drain off the fat. Mix in the pasta and the rest of the ingredients in the saucepan with the hamburger. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.