Easiest Lasagna

Submitted by Grams in Tucson

"I'll be the first to admit this recipe sounds strange, but it works, is SO easy, and people absolutely love it! Just slap it together and put it in the oven or in the fridge to be cooked in a day or two."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 5 cups canned spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb lasagna noodle, uncooked
• 1 1⁄2 lbs lean ground beef, uncooked
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 1⁄2 cups hot water
• 12 ounces cream-style cottage cheese
• 12 slices American cheese (enough to cover whole top of casserole)
• 4 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)

directions

1. Pour 1 1/2 cups sauce into a greased lasagne pan (extra deep 9 x 13 or larger).
2. Add a layer of uncooked noodles (half of the noodles), overlapping them as necessary.
3. Add 1/2 of uncooked meat, leaving it in small chunks.
4. Sprinkle with onion.
5. Mix about 1/2 cup of the hot water with the cottage cheese and spread over previous layers.
6. Cover with 1 1/2 cups sauce.
7. Add last layer of noodles.
8. Top with slices of American cheese.
9. Add rest of the meat, in chunks.
10. Cover with the last 2 cups of sauce, and press down with a spatula to remove air pockets.
11. Pour the rest of the hot water around the edges of the pan.
12. Cover with foil and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350 degrees (check for dryness and add more water if necessary after an hour), until a knife inserted in the center easily pierces noodles.
13. Remove foil and sprinkle with the mozzarella, Parmesan and basil. Bake uncovered another 20 minutes, and then let stand a few minutes before cutting and serving.
14. I have used fat free cheeses with good results.