Ultimate No Fail Lasagna Food

ULTIMATE NO-FAIL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Brown meat and drain off fat.
• Add spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, salt and pepper.
• Cook noodles in boiling water until tender.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In separate bowl, mix together ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, parmesan, eggs and herbs.
• In a 9x13 pan lay down layer of cooked noodles only slightly overlapping.
• Cover noodles with 1/3 of meat sauce and 1/2 cheese mixture.
• Cover with another layer of noodles.
• Cover with 1/3 meat sauce and rest of the cheese mixture.
• Cover with another layer of noodles.
• Cover with remaining meat mixture and top with remaining shredded cheeses.
• Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes.

THE ULTIMATE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Drain and return to pot.
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce,and water. Season with sugar, Basil, Fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
• Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. Dry noodles on some paper towels.
• In a mixing bowl, Combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture.Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Remove foil, and bake an additional 15 -20 minutes.
• Cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. This makes for easier slicing.

THE ULTIMATE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.
• Coat a large skillet with olive oil, add beef and sausage and brown until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, parsley, an oregano. Process until pureed, add to the pan with the ground meat and stir to combine. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and add the heavy cream and the cinnamon.
• In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta and the parmesan. Stir in the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble the lasagna: Coat the bottom of a deep 13 by 9-inch pan with olive oil. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. Then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna noodle. This forms a collar that holds in the corners. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, spread to the edges with a spatula. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Top with a ladle full of sauce, spread evenly. Repeat with the next layer of noodles, ricotta, sauce, and cheeses. Top last layer with noodles, sauce, shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Tap the pan to force out air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

NO-FAIL BAKED SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly; simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan; set aside. Mix spinach, cottage cheese, 2/3 cup mozzarella and nutmeg.
• Spread 2/3 cup Parmesan sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Cover with 3 lasagna noodles and layers of half each of the shrimp, crabmeat and spinach mixture; top with 2/3 cup of the remaining Parmesan sauce. Repeat layers, starting with the noodles. Top with remaining noodles, Parmesan cheese sauce and mozzarella; cover.
• Bake 45 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 25 min. Let stand 10 min. before cutting to serve.