Lasgana Fit for a Family

Hello again! I am so sorry this post is a day late, but sometimes a mom just needs a break. And yesterday was exhausting. I thought about writing for all of two seconds and then fell asleep. All of my moms out there get it.

But let's get down to the cheese. LASAGNA! Layer upon layer of thick, ooey gooey, deliciously rich and perfectly cooked lasagna that hits your soul before your stomach. It is exactly what you need after a long week and your feet are sore. Its easy, albeit a little time consuming but so worth it. Especially for the leftovers! We are talking lasagna for weeks! It freezes well and reheats even better. So if you are busy and on the go, this dish is for you!

The meat sauce is thick and full of everything you could ever want. It has the zing of tomato that brings your mouth back to life after eating the typical blah food to keep on track for our #NewYearsResolution (I'm looking at you, cauliflower.) It's made with #AlbertaBeef and pork, plus roasted garlic and tomatoes. Now, don't worry if you don't want to roast your tomatoes and garlic beforehand. You don't even have to use fresh tomatoes!!But it definitely gives you that amazing flavor boost!

The cheese is simple. Ricotta, fresh grated parmesan, and mozzarella. Its a beautiful mixture with loads of cheesy goodness without displeasing picky eaters. I love freshly grated parmesan. It is a staple in my house as its versatility is something that we can all get on board with. For example; the rind! You can add that bit of rind into soups (even canned because sometimes we don't have time to cook from scratch) to give it more depth and life!

The noodles don't have to be fancy. I typically use the boxed kind. While they are important, we sometimes don't have access to a little Italian Nonna or fresh noodles. So we use what we can!

Over all this recipe is tried and true. It is a household staple, freezes well, and is amazing as leftovers.

Adult score: 7/10 (I deduct points only because it is a labor of love)

Kid Score: 12/10. Cheese and noodles. That is all

Let's get down to business!!

Ingredients

*10-12 servings

-1 lb sweet italian sausage

-1 lb medium ground beef

-1 onion, diced

- garlic (measure with your heart), crushed and minced

- 2 cans (56 oz) can of crushed, or stewed tomatoes

- 2 cans (6 oz) tomato paste (or more to taste

-1 can (4 oz) tomato sauce (OPTIONAL)

- 5 firm but ripe tomatoes

-1/2 c vegetable stock or water

-2 tbsp white sugar

-1 tbsp fresh chopped basil

- 1/2 tsp fennel seed'

-3 tbsp Italian seasoning (more or less to taste)

-11/2 tsp salt (to taste)

-1/4 tsp black pepper

-fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

- 12-18 lasagna noodles

- 2 tsp dried parsley

-2 containers ricotta cheese

- 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk

-1 lb mozzarella cheese (plus more if you choose)

1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large pot or dutch oven cook ground beef and ground sausage till brown. Drain any excess fat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add in your tomato paste, canned tomato/fresh tomato, and vegetable stock or water. Add in your spices and herbs and simmer, covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until extra moisture has reduced and the sauce has thickened.

*** For extra flavour, roast your tomatoes and garlic at 375f for 45 minutes. It is a super easy step and can be done in advance and refrigerated. Season your tomatoes with olive oil and salt, and place on parchment paper. Once the tomato skin begins to tear and peel away is when you want to remove them from the oven and let them cool for safer handling. Remove the skin and discard.

***For the garlic, keep the bulb together. No need to season but do add olive oil and about a tbsp of water. Wrap the bulb in parchment paper to keep the garlic extra safe. Either make a parchment pack by folding in the same way you would with aluminum foil or wrap it like a horrible gift for a vampire. That right...just tie the top closed with kitchen string. (I do several bulbs at a time as this results in a softer, more rounded flavor. Way less kick.)

In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese, egg, and 1/2 the mozzarella together. I personally like to add way more mozzarella and parmesan into the mix but it is up to you how cheesy you want to get. Mix in dried parsley,1/2 tsp salt and if you choose; some Italian spices (up to 2 tsp.)

Preheat oven to 375f (190 degrees Celsius)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook lasagna noodles for 8-10 minutes. Drain, and rinse in cold water.

To assemble, spread about 2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. You Can also use personal size aluminum pans for easy freezing. Arrange enough noodles to cover the sauce and add some mozzarella on top of the noodles. Add about half of the ricotta mixture and spread it out evenly. Add more mozzarella, parmesan, and then another 2 cups of meat. Add noodles on top and repeat until you are out of mixtures. Top it all off with extra mozzarella.

Cover with aluminum foil taking care to not touch the cheese on top with the foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and broil on high for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbling and slightly brown. Garnish with parsley if desired. Let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.