Lasagna Casserole

This recipe is from a "Quick Cooking" cookbook and may be a lot like something you already fix, but we liked the flavors. It feeds 8-10 people easily and is great for sharing with a friend in need if you are feeding fewer people.

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 - lb ground beef
• 1 tsp. crushed garlic
• 26-32 oz. spaghetti sauce (to taste)
• 1 lb. medium shell pasta (We also like Piccolini miniature bowtie pasta in this)
• 15 oz. container cottage cheese
• 3 cups Italian blend cheese or mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano*
• 1/2 teaspoon basil*

(*or 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning)

Brown chopped onion with 1 lb of ground beef and garlic to taste. Add 26-32 ounces of spaghetti sauce (depending n how much sauce you like.)

Boil medium shell pasta till just tender (I've also used campanelle curly pasta; it is fun). Drain. To pasta add 15 ounce container cottage cheese and 2 cups grated Italian blend cheese (or mozzarella), 1/3 cup parmesan and 2 tablespoons parsley flakes. Mix well. Stir in sauce. Pour into greased 9x13 pan (which will be very full) or two smaller casserole dishes. Cover and bake about 45-50 minutes till hot and bubbly. Add remaining grated Italian blend cheese to the top and heat till melted.

Elsie's Lasagna

My mother-in-law is an amazing woman.  This is her recipe for lasagna that I have adjusted to suit our family's tastes.   

Life always takes some adjusting as we've always known, but now, as we enjoy grandchildren and deal with the realities of aging parents it seems like ever bigger adjustments are needed.  

How truly wonderful it is to be able to rely on God's all-sufficiency when things that need adjusting seem just too big.  He is so faithful to give all that is needed in every situation, no matter if it is motivation to wash the dishes or wisdom to make decisions for parents who no longer seem able to make decisions.  

Here's the recipe.   Soon I will post the fabulous bread that goes so very well with this!

Elsie’s Lasagna
Makes two pans of lasagna . (I use foil casserole pans that are about 13x9, but deeper than a cake pan.

1-3 lbs ground beef (I use one)
1c. chopped onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1 32 oz. can tomato puree
1 quart water
3 tablspoons parsley
(3 tablespoons sugar)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano

Brown ground beef. Saute onions and garlic until tender. Add other sauce ingredients and simmer uncovered for one hour.

2 lbs. Cottage cheese (Ricotta will work)
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ pounds grated mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons parsley
(2 teaspoons salt)
2 teaspoons oregano

Mix filling ingredients well.

Bring a large pot of water and about a tablespoon of oil to a boil. Boil lasagna noodles and then chill with cold water. Leave the in water so they do not stick together. Usualy I don’t add oil to water for pasta, but this is one time it is needed.

Put some sauce in the bottom of the lasagna pan. Layer noodles, cheese and more sauce in three or four layers. End with noodles, top with a little more sauce and additional Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45- 60 minutes.

This dish freezes well and it is just as much trouble to make 4 pans of lasagna as it is to make two