A Cheese Lasagna to Build On

Submitted by Studentchef

"The title should speak for itself. The reason why I call it so, is because in my family everyone has different tastes, and it is sometimes hard to appeal to everyone. I like to have broccoli and red onion, my father will only likes spinach above all other vegetables, and insists on packing on the cheese, my mother prefers it plain, and my brother doesn't like onion so much. /the best combination of cheeses I found is Monterey Jack and cottage cheese. All vegetables below are optional because the plain cheese lasagna is just the starting place. For those who like to experiment go right ahead, I'll use any other ingredients you suggest as part of an optional ingredient list."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 40mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 4 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 4 cups cottage cheese
• 4 1⁄2 cups pasta sauce, divided (your fave kind)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder, divided (or more as desired)
• salt and pepper (and also divided for each layer)
• 1 1⁄2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed (optional)
• 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed (optional)
• 1 cup red onion, chopped (optional)

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cook lasagna noodles as directed on the package. Drain, and let cool for a few minutes.
3. Lay three noodles at the bottom of a ungreased lasagna pan (you can use any other large baking pan. I use a lasagna pan).
4. Add some pasta sauce, followed by some shredded cheese, followed by some cottage cheese.
5. Sprinkle some garlic powder, salt and pepper. With the exception of the vegetables repeat basic steps, until all the noodles, cheeses, sauce and seasonings have been used up.
6. On the first layer add the spinach. On the second layer add the broccoli, and on the third layer add the red onion. You don't have to go by this order, but it is a suggestion. Leave these vegetables if you are in the mood for just plain cheese lasagna, and just follow the first five steps.
7. Bake for one hour.

Reviews

[Dreamer in Ontario]

This is a delicious and versatile lasagna. I used chopped fresh broccoli and red onion with fresh whole wheat lasagna noodles omitting the need to boil the pasta. I also used reduced fat monterey jack and cottage cheeses. Thanks for posting.

 

[Lori Mama]

Delicious. My husband had thirds. I chose the broccoli/onion option, since we have a don't like cooked spinach person in the house. I did have some "sauce" in the finished product (see photo) which is odd, as I drained the broccoli really well and this after I had let the lasagna sit for awhile before serving. :)