Cheese Lasagna That Meat Lovers Will Love Food

HEARTY MEAT LOVER'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or large skillet with lid, cook sausage, ground sirloin, onion, mushrooms, and garlic, in olive oil over medium heat until well browned.
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and balsamic vinegar.
• Season with sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
• Simmer on low, covered, for at least 1 1/2 - 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with eggs, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• To assemble, spread enough meat sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dishes.
• Arrange 3 raw lasagna noodles lengthwise over meat sauce.
• Spread noodles with half of the ricotta cheese mixture.
• Place a third of the mozzarella cheese slices on top of the ricotta in pans.
• Spoon about 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle each pan with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup Romano cheese.
• Repeat layers (noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, meat), and top with remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheese.
• Cover pans with foil: to prevent sticking, spray the underneath side of foil with cooking spray.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25-30 minutes or until cheese on top is nice and golden.
• Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

MEAT LOVERS CHEATING LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, cook the sausage and ground beef together with the chopped onions until no longer pink and drain all grease.
• Cook ravioli according to package directions (only for about 3 minutes or so I think) Drain and rinse in cold water.
• In a 13x9 baking dish, spread a small amount of sauce (just enough to cover bottom) and layer enough ravioli to cover.
• Stack the slices of pepperoni and cut them into narrow strips and spread half of it over the ravioli.
• Now spread all the meat over that and pour the remaining sauce on top of it.
• Sprinkle with 1-1/2 cups mozzerella cheese, then layer the remaining ravioli and cheese and sprinkle all of the garlic powder on it.
• Spread the remaining half of pepperoni strips on top of cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake at 375* for about 20-25 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake uncovered another 10 minutes or until cheese and pepperoni are golden.
• Serve with no yeast Beer Bread (recipe# 73440).

"MEAT" LOVER'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.
• Unwrap sausages; place on large microwavable plate. Microwave uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, turning sausages once, until slightly thawed. Cut sausages into 1/4-inch slices.
• In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and the egg. In another medium bowl, mix pasta sauce, Italian seasoning and water.
• In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread about 1/2 cup pasta sauce mixture. Top with 3 noodles, half of the ricotta mixture and half of the sausage pieces. Top with about 1 1/4 cups remaining pasta sauce mixture and half of the soy cheese. Repeat with remaining noodles, ricotta mixture, sausage, pasta sauce mixture and soy cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered 35 to 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes before serving.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA (THAT MEAT EATERS WILL LOVE!)

Steps:

• For this recipe, you are essentially just creating the different elements for the lasagna and then layering them. There is a tomato sauce layer, a pasta layer, a béchamel sauce layer, and a cheese layer.
• Saute the garlic and onion in a large, wide bottomed saucepan.
• Meanwhile chop up your zucchini, mushrooms, and tofu, if using. Size is what you prefer. You can put them through a food processor if you are running short on time or better yet, pass this job to your lowly sous-chef.
• When the onions are nearly softened, add the chopped veggies (and tofu) to the saucepan.
• Once the vegetables are somewhat softened, add the tomato puree, bay leaf, oregano, dried basil, chili powder, salt and pepper. Taste as you go for your preference in saltiness and spiciness. Remember, ambitious guests can always add more spice at the table.
• Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer and then keep it aside on a very low heat.
• Now create the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter into a saucepan and then slowly add the flour, stirring constantly as you go.
• Once the butter and flour are blended, slowly add the milk, again stirring as you do.
• Now add the softened goat cheese to the mixture and stir until blended. Spice the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Lastly, let simmer until thickened. Add milk if it thickens too quickly (you want a gravy consistency).
• Now you are ready for assembly. Pour a spoonful of sauce onto the bottom of a large (9x13 inch) baking dish (glass or aluminum) to just cover the surface. Then add a layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of sauce, a layer of mozzarella, and then another layer of lasagna. For the next layer, add a thick layer of the goat cheese bechemal sauce. Continue layering, adding in fresh basil leaves as you like in the middle layers. Finish off with a layer of lasagna topped with mozzarella.
• Bake about 25 minutes in ? degree oven and serve to great delight.
• NOTE: For a more robust tomato sauce, you can use Alan Leonetti's marinara sauce recipe (Recipe #84217), especially if you've made it in advance and frozen it.
• NOTE: Variation With Ground Beef: To make a more traditional meat lasagna I follow the same recipe as above but I omit the tofu (of course!) and the goat cheese. I still use the mushroom and courgette/zucchini but I cut back on the amount. I brown the beef in a separate pan and then combine it in the layer of tomato and vegetable sauce. The addition of the courgette/zucchini and mushroom in with the meat it usually a welcome twist!