Better Than Ever Cheesy Meat Lasagna Recipes

ULTIMATE MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large pot, brown the beef in one large piece until it is browned on the bottom, 2-3 minutes, breaking apart the beef into slightly larger chunks.
• Cook until the beef is browned and add in the basil, oregano, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, crushed red pepper flakes and fennel seeds.
• Stir until you start to smell the fennel seeds starting to toast then drain the fat and add in the marinara sauce.
• In your ricotta container, if you have space, add the egg and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and mix well.
• Add your no boil noodles to the meat sauce (you are not looking to cook them, just coat them in the sauce to ensure they don't get dry in the oven).
• Put 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan (use one with straight sides for easy assembly and for added height. If you are using a glass baking pan with curved sides it may not be large enough to fit this quantity of food).
• Add the dried no boil noodles in an even layer, for this pan it was 5 noodles per layer, four across and one broken in half lengthwise to go down the side of the pan.
• Add 1/3 the provolone slices, another 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce, 1/4 of the mozzarella, 1/4 of the parmesan and 1/3 of the ricotta in spoonfuls dotting across the pan.
• Repeat with the same noodle/cheese/meat sauce process.
• Finally, add a top layer of lasagna noodles and cover with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella. Cover with foil.
• Bake for 40 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional ten minutes to brown the cheese.
• Let cool for 20-25 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with parsley.

BETTER-THAN-EVER CHEESY MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Brown meat with garlic and oregano in large saucepan. Stir in pasta sauce; simmer on medium-low heat 5 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes.
• Mix egg, cottage cheese and Parmesan until blended. Spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with layers of 3 noodles, half the cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1 cup of the remaining pasta sauce mixture; repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and pasta sauce mixture; cover.
• Bake 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining mozzarella; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

CHEESY MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large skillet, cook beef, salt, and pepper over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and crumbly. Drain and set aside. In same skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, and stir in beef and ½ cup marinara sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and remaining marinara sauce. In another medium bowl, stir together ricotta, cottage cheese, and eggs. In a third medium bowl, combine mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses. Spread ½ cup tomato mixture in bottom of prepared pan, and top with 4 lasagna noodles. Spread one-third of ricotta mixture over noodles, and sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese mixture. Top cheese with one-third of beef mixture and one-third of tomato mixture. Starting with noodles, repeat layers twice. Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray, and cover lasagna, spray side down. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese mixture. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

CHEESY MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Boil and cook shells as directed
• Brown ground beef, season, and drain grease (reserve 1 tsp).
• Saute onions (or other vegetables in same pan using approx 1 tsp reserved grease -- add more if needed or use butter or other oil).
• combine ground beef, onions, and pasta sauce in same pan. cover and simmer on low while you prepare the rest of the meal. Stir occasionally.
• Mix cottage cheese, egg, then salt and pepper lightly. Mix well and add 2 cups cheese. Mix again.
• Spray a 13x9 inch baking pan and begin to layer in order -- shells, cottage cheese mix, meat sauce (repeat 3 times) and finish off by topping 1-2 cups mozzarella or Italian blend cheese onto lasagna.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes uncovered or until cheese is melted to your preference. I like to sprinkle an Italian blend seasoning or crushed red pepper on our individual servings. We serve this with garlic bread and a salad.
• Let stand approximately 20 minutes before cutting/serving (to set up or else it is too saucy). I use this time to make the salad and toast the garlic bread. This meal tastes even better the next day!

BETTER-THAN-EVER CHEESY MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 375°F Brown meat with garlic and oregano in medium saucepan. Stir in spaghetti sauce; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes.
• MIX egg, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spread 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with layers of 3 noodles, 1 cup of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of the remaining spaghetti sauce mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining spaghetti sauce mixture. Cover with foil.
• BAKE 30 minute or until heated through. Uncover; top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, an additional 5 minute or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minute before serving.