The lasagna recipe I use the most is this really easy, shortcut method. It doesn't require hours of preparation, but it tastes like you worked all day on it. It turns out amazingly good to be so simple.
Once you make it this way, you won't go back to the old way more than likely.
Here is what you will need:
1 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb sausage
1 large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 egg
32 oz. carton Ricotta cheese
3-4 cups mozzarella cheese
2 cups Parmesan cheese
6 slices provolone cheese
1 Tbs chopped garlic
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 Tbs basil
1 tsp Good Nature's Seasoning
1 cup water
12 no boil lasagna noodles
1 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb sausage, 1 jar or can of your favorite pasta sauce, 32 oz ricotta cheese, 1 egg, chopped garlic, chopped onion, no boil lasagna noodles, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, sliced provolone cheese, basil, sugar, and Nature's Seasoning.
Brown ground beef, chopped onion and garlic in skillet breaking it up. Once browned drain the grease off of it.
Add pasta sauce, 1 tsp of Nature's Seasoning or just salt and pepper, 1/2 Tbs. basil and
1 Tbs sugar. If the sugar seems odd you can leave it out but it gives any tomato based food a better flavor. I think it's the one ingredient that makes my sauce taste better. Add a cup of water and stir all of this together. This might seem a little watery but you will need that liquid for the noodles since you don't boil them. Cover and let simmer while you mix the cheese filling.
Break the egg in a bowl big enough to hold all of the cheese and beat it up.
Add the ricotta and mix it well with the egg.
Add 3 cups mozzarella cheese and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix all together.
Now start to layer in the lasagna pan you sprayed with cooking spray. Ladle about two cups sauce on bottom.
Next four lasagna noodles overlapping slightly (do not precook these).
Put a layer of sauce over the noodles and then put good size dollops of the cheese mixture over the sauce.
Continue layering with noodles, sauce and cheese three times. On the last cheese layer, before you put the noodles on top, place 6 provolone slices, then the noodles and a last layer of sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a cup of mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with foil. I like to use the no stick Reynolds wrap for this, but if you don't have that just spray a sheet of regular foil with the cooking spray. It keeps it from sticking to the cheese layer. Place it in the oven, set at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Take the foil off and place it back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is nice and slightly browned.
Remove from oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes. It will cut and serve much better if it sits for this time.
