Mom's Basic Lasagna

This is a no-frills recipe that uses ingredients that mom commonly kept around the house.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 (9 ounce) box  lasagna noodles
• 1  tablespoon  cooking oil
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 3  cups water
• 1 (1 ounce) package  american beauty  spaghetti sauce mix
• 2 (12 ounce) cartons small curd cottage cheese
• 1  tablespoon  finely chopped parsley
• 1  lb  grated mozzarella cheese
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Rapidly boil 4 quarts water. Add 2 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp oil. Add lasagna a strip at a time and boil 10-12 minutes or until tender. As it cooks, separate strips occasionally with a fork. Drain and rinse with cold water. (If lasagna is not used immediately, let stand in cold water to keep strips separate.).
2. In a large skillet brown 1 lb. ground beef in 1 tbsp oil. Season to taste with a salt and pepper. Stir in tomato paste, 3 cups water (4 6-oz. cans), 1 package (1 oz.) of American Beauty Spaghetti sauce mix. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix together with spoon: cottage cheese, parsley, mozzarella or cheddar cheese.
4. Lightly grease a large baking dish and spoon enough meat sauce to cover the bottom. Top with strips of cooked lasagna. Spread with part of the cheese filling.
5. Repeat layers, ending with meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes to set layers. Cut into 3-inch squares.
6. This can be prepared the day before and refrigerated. When ready to use let stand at room temperature about 1 hour, then bake 1 hour in 350 degree oven.