Mom's Baked Lasagna

Photo courtesy of Chris Watson

Recipe shared by Audella Evans - Modified by Wayne and Chris

NOTE: This recipe is for 4 layers of noodles and makes enough for TWO 11 x 13 inch pans or ONE 12 x 17 pan.

Whatever pan you use, be sure the sides are high enough to contain the layers without it over-flowing  the pan when it starts to bubble.

Also, if using the 12x17 lasagna pan with 3 inch sides, it works best to make a divider of folded layers of aluminum foil to go across the middle to conduct the heat gets into the middle and help it cook.  This will help the middle get done without drying out the sides.


INGREDIENTS:

1 package (16 oz) Italian style lasagna noodles, cooked

Sauce: 3 quarts spaghetti sauce or your favorite recipe

Filling: 2 lbs mild Italian sausage
2 lbs hot Italian sausage
1 lb lean hamburger
3 lbs ricotta (Italian cottage cheese)
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups 3 cheese Italian blend cheese
2 egg, beaten
1 small onion, finely grated (tip: grate over a bowl to catch the juice as you grate it and add it to the mix also)
6 oz. cooked, finely chopped spinach
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp pepper
If desired, add ½ tsp McCormicks Montreal Steak Spice blend to hamburger when cooking


DIRECTIONS

1. Remove casings from sausages and cook until done.  Use a wooden spoon or hand-held potato masher to help break up the sausage as it cooks.

2. Cook hamburger, sprinkled  with the McCormick spice and a little salt, also breaking hamburger up into small pieces.

3. Mix together all of the shredded cheeses.  Reserve 1½ cups to cover the top before baking.

4. Mix ricotta cheese, spinach, eggs, grated onion, and spices until smooth.

5. Pour ½ cup sauce in bottom of baking pan and cover with noodles, spoon a layer of the ricotta mix over the noodles, add a layer of the grated cheese mix, and pieces of sausage.

6. Repeat this process in layers until all ingredients are used.

7. Top layer should be noodles.

8. Cover noodles with a thin layer of sauce.

9. Sprinkle the reserved 1½ cups of shredded cheeses all over the top.

10. Bake in 350 degree oven 55-60 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.  Cut in serving portions.  Place on individual dishes to serve, topped with more sauce and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.