Secret Family Recipe Lasagna

Secret Family Recipe Lasagna

My grandson requested "Secret Family Recipe Lasagna" for New Years. I don't, actually didn't, have a secret recipe. But I made one up for him. After dinner he commented that we need to have it for ALL holidays and ALL birthdays and ALL celebrations forever and always. Now you can too. Shhhh, don't tell him I shared the secret.

That and the brownie and mousse topped with raspberry sauce - Happy New Year!

Barilla lasagna noodles (I quit buying other brands). Lay the dried noodles out in your pan to see how many you'll need to make. You'll be doing three layers.
olive oil
Mom's spaghetti sauce (about 3 cups)
1/2 lb. lean hamburger
1/2 lb. lean sausage (spicy is fine)
1/2 cup diced onion
2-3 tbls. diced garlic
salt and pepper as desired
1 lb mozerella (I liked grating it myself)
1/2 cup (about 4 oz) greatated parmesan (I grated it myself)
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten

Heat the spaghetti sauce if it's been thawing. Cook hamburger and sausage with onion and garlic. Drain meat, add to spaghetti sauce. Let cool slghtly (you'll want to be able to use your hands to place it in the lasagna pan).

I cook half the lasagna noodles in two batches. Heat the water to boiling with a little oil. Barilla states to cook the noodles 8-9 minutes (once the water starts to boil again after adding the noodles). Their timing is perfect. Drain the noodles in a collander and use tepid water to rinse. (Again, cooling them down so you can handle them.) Place the rinsed noodles on foil or a clean, but damp spot on the counter (so they don't stick together).

While the noodles are boiling grate the cheeses, beat the eggs a little and mix the cheeses and the eggs together.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble all your "parts" for the lasagna within arms reach on the counter. Oil/Pam a 9x12 or 13 inch pan. Line the bottom of the pan with noodles. Add a layer of spaghetti sauce/meat mixture using 1/3 of the sauce. Add a layer of cheese using 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Repeat two more times.

Before the last layer of sauce and cheese are added, I press down on the top layer of noodles just a bit to make the lower layers be dense.

Bake for 40-60 minutes - until the center is hot and starting to bubble. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Have a knife and pizze cutter handy to slice into 9-12 servings. Use a spatula to remove the hearty slices.

Celebrate and enjoy!