Cindis Lasagna Recipes

WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

CINDI'S AWESOME CRESPELLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make Crespelle Batter:.
• Start with the crespelle batter by mixing together flour and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk four eggs plus milk.
• Whisk the eggs into the flour mixture, and beat until you smooth and bubbly.
• Melt butter in microwave.
• Whisk butter into the batter.
• Chill in the fridge for one hour while you make the sauce.
• Make Your Sauce:.
• In a very large sauce pot, saute the onions, garlic, and peppers in the 2 tbs of olive oil.
• As they start cooking, add sugar and balsamic. (Red wine can be used if you prefer, but you may need to decrease the sugar a bit unless you like really sweet sauce.).
• Once the liquid evaporates and the veggies are softened, add the meats, and cook until browned. Be careful not to overcook, or they will be dry in your sauce!
• Add your cans of sauce, crushed tomatoes, and paste.
• Add your parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
• Simmer for at least one hour, stirring occasionally. Keep a very close eye out that the bottom doesn't start burning, as the sweeter the sauce, the easier it burns! Don't be afraid to taste as it simmers, and add more sugar, salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper if necessary. Remember to add only a little at a time, and then allow time for the flavors to grow before tasting and adding more!
• NOTE: This is enough sauce for TWO lasagna's, so reserve half and refrigerate or freeze when done.
• Cook Crespelles:.
• While the sauce simmers, finish making your crespelles.
• Heat a 10 inch non-stick skillet on medium high heat.
• Put a small amount of oil in the bottom of the pan and rub it inches.
• Add 1/4 cup of batter and swirl around the bottom of the pan so it covers making a 10 inch pancake.
• Loosen sides with spatula.
• When the top appears bubbled and dry, go ahead and flip. Crespelle should be very lightly browned on bottom.
• Give another minute or two on this side until brown spots appear on bottom.
• Stack in a plate separated by paper towels so they don't stick.
• I generally add a dab more oil between every two or three crespelle's.
• Should make about 12 crespelle's, with maybe one or two left over for the kids to snack on. (They LOVE these things plain!).
• Preheat your oven to 375.
• Make your filling:.
• Beat two eggs into the ricotta.
• Add 1/2 cup of parmesan and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. (Note, if you use lasagna noodles in place of the crespelle, use a bit more cheese for 'body'.).
• To make the lasagna:.
• Spray the bottom of a lasagna pan with Pam.
• Place two crespelle's on the bottom of the pan, and tear parts of another one to fill in the two gaps on the side if necessary.
• Add about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sauce to LIGHTLY cover the crespelle with sauce.
• Add one third of the cheese filling a teaspoon at a time, spreading over the sauce.
• Add another layer of crespelle, and repeat the sauce and cheese layers.
• Do this one more time, and then top with crespelle, a little more sauce, and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup parmesan and 1/2 cup mozarella.
• Bake at 375 for approximately 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
• Let the lasagna stand for 15-20 minutes to 'firm up'.
• Can be frozen as well.

CINDI'S SLOW COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. In a 12-inch skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic, until the meat is no longer pink; drain off the fat.
• 2. Now add the salt, Mrs. Dash Salt Free Seasoning, black pepper, spaghetti sauce and tomato paste. (After I added the spaghetti sauce, I then put 2 Tablespoons of water inside the empty jar. Placed the lid back on the jar, then shook it up a bit, before adding it back to the skillet.) Cook until heated through.
• 3. In a medium size bowl, mix together, the cottage cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and the 1-1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. Cheese mixture will be thick.
• 4. Be sure to reserve 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, to sprinkling on top the final layer of meat sauce.
• 5. Grease the inside of a 6-quart rectangular slow cooker. (I used a cooking spray to coat the inside of the slow cooker.)
• 6. Spoon 1/4 of the meat sauce in the bottom of a slow cooker.
• 7. Arrange 3 (uncooked) lasagna noodles over the meat sauce.
• 8. Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the uncooked Lasagna noodles.
• 9. Repeat layers twice, with meat sauce, Lasagna noodles, and the cheese mixture.
• 10. Top with remaining meat sauce.
• 11. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
• 12. Cover, and cook on low setting (Number 3) for 4 hours.
• 13. Let the Lasagna sit while it's still in the slow cooker, for 15 minutes, before slicing, and serving onto your plate.
• 14. Yields: 8 servings.

CINDI'S SLOW-COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a 12-inch skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain off fat.
• Add the salt, the Mrs. Dash Table Blend Seasoning, black pepper, the pasta sauce, and the tomato paste to the skillet. Cook until heated through.
• In a medium-size bowl mix together, the cottage cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and the 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese. (Cheese mixture will be thick).
• Grease the inside of a 6-quart rectangular slow-cooker.
• Spoon 1/4 of the meat sauce in the bottom of the slow-cooker.
• Arrange 3 (uncooked) lasagna noodles over the meat sauce (over lapping the noodles just a bit).
• Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture, over the uncooked lasagna noodles.
• Repeat layers twice, with the meat sauce, the noodles, and the cheese mixture.
• Top with the remaining meat sauce.
• Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
• Cover, and cook on low setting (NO. 3) for 4 hours.

LINDA'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until brown. Drain off all fat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir until combined and cook over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
• While sauce is simmering, blend cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg until smooth. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover sauce with 3 noodles. Cover noodles with 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella. Place another layer of noodles and one of sauce over the mozzarella; top that with the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.
• Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake 15 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.

CINDI'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Cook lasagna noodles (with vegetable oil), according to pkg. directions.
• 2. Brown the ground beef and onions (seasoned with the salt and pepper). Drain off any excess fat.
• 3. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato soup, sugar, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic salt, and 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, and cook until heated through.
• 4. Spray the inside of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan, with a non-stick vegetable cooking spray.
• 5. Lay 4 of the cooked lasagna noodles, inside the pan (overlapping each noodle just a bit).
• 6. Add 1/3 of the meat sauce over the noodles.
• 7. Sprinkle on 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
• 8. Cover with 9 slices of the Kraft Cheese.
• 9. Repeat layering with the noodles, meat sauce and both cheeses.
• 10. On top of the last layer, top the meat sauce with grated parmesan cheese. (You may add more grated parmesan cheese on top. Desired amount is up to you.)
• 11. Cover baking pan with Reynolds Wrap non-stick Aluminum Foil.
• 12. Bake 45 - 50 minutes, in a 350 degree oven.
• 13. Let the lasagna sit on top of stove for 10-15 minutes, before removing lid or foil, and slicing the lasagna.