Best Loved Recipe {Lasagna}

I love cookbooks.  I have too many.  And ever since watching the movie Julie and Julia, I have toyed with the idea of cooking my way through an entire cookbook.  Then I remembered that I am all about great ideas but unfortunately don't do a great job of following through with the ideas.

So I'm doing a mini-version of cooking through this cookbook.  

I am going to attempt cooking through all of the Best Loved recipes (144 recipes).  I'm not setting a timeline because once again, timelines stress me out, I get overwhelmed and then end up not doing anything.  

Rating system:

 = wouldn't feed it to my dog {I don't have a dog, but hypothetically speaking}

 = edible, but wouldn't fix it again.

   = good, but would tweak it to make it better.

 = Loved it!  Wouldn't change a thing.

First recipe: Lasagna

This is what I wish my lasagna looked like...

My picture looks a little lot less desirable.  Hopefully, there will be some photo improvement as I go along.  

Judges: Wes, Abby's parents, and Abby

Rating: - It was unanimous.  Everyone thought the lasagna was very tasty, but that it needed more sauce.  I would have used a smaller dish so that the lasagna had more layers. This might solve the lack of sauce problem too. 

Recipe:

12 oz. bulk Italian sausage or pork sausage or ground beef (I used Italian sausage)

1 c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

1-8oz. can tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed (optional)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

6 dried lasagna noodles ( I used oven-ready noodles)

1 beaten egg

1-15 oz. ricotta cheese or 2 cups cream-style cottage cheese, drained (I used ricotta cheese)

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

6 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese

1. For sauce, in a large saucepan cook sausage, onion and garlic until meat is brown.  Drain.

2. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds (if desired) and pepper into meat mixture.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. For filling, combine egg, ricotta, and the 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

4. Spread about 1/2 c. of the sauce over the bottom of a 2-quart rectangular baking dish.  Layer half of the noodles in the bottom of the dish, trimming or overlapping as necessary to fit.  Spread with half of the filling.  Top with half of the remaining sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers.  If desired, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.

5. Place baking dish on a baking sheet.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.