Meat Sauce Lasagna

I learned to make lasagna from my mother, and think this recipe is so much better than any other lasagna I've tried. Feel free to add green peppers to the meat sauce if that sounds good to you. The meat sauce gets more flavor as it cooks, so simmer it anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple of hours, but keep the temerature low so you don't reduce the amount by much. I also really recommend using the long rectangular slices of mozzarella cheese (approximately 3x6 inches) rather then shredded cheese, since it is so much easier to spread the meat sauce on the slices.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground beef
• 1  onion, chopped
• 8  ounces tomato sauce
• 6  ounces tomato paste
•  garlic powder, to taste
•  salt and pepper, to taste
•  basil, to taste
•  oregano, to taste
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 24  ounces cottage cheese, large curd
• 6  lasagna noodles
• 8  slices mozzarella cheese (long rectangular slices, not small squares)
• 4  tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Brown ground beef with onion in large pot. Drain grease and return to pot.
2. Add tomato sauce & tomato paste, plus one can of water of each.
3. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, basil and oregano.
4. Cook 45 minutes or more.
5. Just before you are ready to assemble the lasagna, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles, laying them flat. Do not break. Cook in boiling water for about 10-15 minutes, then drain.
6. While noodles are cooking, mix eggs with cottage cheese in a medium bowl.
7. Spray 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
8. TO ASSEMBLE LASAGNA: Place layer of noodles on bottom of pan, cutting them to fit so they do not overlap.
9. Spread 1/2 of the cottage cheese over the noodles.
10. Place a layer of mozzarella cheese on the cottage cheese, cutting the cheese as needed to avoid overlapping.
11. Spread 1/2 of the meat sauce on top of the cheese.
12. Sprinkle with 2 oz Parmesan cheese.
13. Repeat layers (noodles, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, meat sauce and then Parmesan cheese).
14. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
15. NOTE: Lasagna can be assembled in advance and baked just before serving. Let sit for a few minutes before cutting.