Have you
heard of the Pioneer Woman? I am sure you have, but if not, you can find her blog HERE. She makes a lot
of down home things and sometimes even healthy things. I have made a few of her recipes and they
always turn out great. One of my favorites is the “Best Lasagna
Ever”.
The Best Lasagna Ever (**modified by me a
tad)
Layer 1
10 oz lasagna
noodles
Layer 2
3 cups
cottage cheese
2 eggs,
beaten
½ cup
parmesan (**I used shredded, she calls for grated)
2 tlsp Italian
seasoning**
Salt
Layer 3
1.5 lb
ground beef
1 lb hot
breakfast sausage
2 cloves
garlic
2 cans (12
oz) whole tomatoes
2 cans (6
oz) tomato paste
Salt
Italian
seasoning**
**2 cups
chopped zucchini, celery, bell pepper or other veggies
Layer 4
1 lb
mozzarella**
Brown the
hamburger and sausage with the garlic. Once it’s done, drain off half the fat
and add the rest of layer three to the pot. Let that simmer for about 45
minutes. While it’s cooking, mix together layer two and cook the lasagna noodles.
Once everything is done, layer (in a 9x13 pan or similar) in order: 3 or 4 noodles,
cottage cheese, meat, then add mozzarella. I usually make two pans at a time
and can get two layers out of each. Instead of mozzarella on the very top
layer, put parmesan on top (after the meat layer). Cook for about 30 minutes in
a 350 degree oven.
I usually make
two pans at a time and cook one right away and put the other in the freezer,
where it will keep for a long time and you can make it whenever you want! If
you are cooking from frozen, I found it best to leave it out all day and then
cook it for about an hour and a half, but it depends on your oven strength
(mine is weak). You can also make it and
then keep it in the fridge for a couple days before baking.
**Modifications: I did use actual shredded parmesan, even
though she says you can use Kraft. I also used real buffalo mozzarella, even
though her photo shows the harder kind of mozzarella (like string cheese). I also added veggies, which is not in her
recipe, but I like to sneak them in when I can. For Italian seasoning, she uses
separate ingredients of basil, parsley etc. But I found it easier to just use Italian
Seasoning!
If
you are interested in calories, if you make this into 12 servings, it’s
approximately 450-500 calories per serving. So it’s not necessarily low fat,
but it sure is good! I use two pans and can get about 9-12 servings per pan, so
that cuts it down a little. Except for the fact that I just eat TWO servings
instead!
What is your favorite
Lasagna recipe? Have you tried any of the Pioneer Woman’s recipes? Do you
modify recipes or stick to the schedule?
