Lasagne - two recipes

The recipes are similar - just a variation in the ingredients.

Lasagne With Meat Sauce

9 lasagne noodles, cooked al dente 

28 oz can pasta sauce

1 lb meat of choice ( lean ground beef, Italian sausage, ground turkey ) browned and drained 

1 container part skim ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (divided) 

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp basil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

Cook noodles and drain. Toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking together. I use the No-Boil noodles - but cook them first if I have time. They are a little thicker and sturdier than regular noodles do don't tear as easily once they are cooked 

Mix together the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, and the egg. Set aside. 

Take out a couple spoonfuls of the pasta sauce and spread in the bottom of an 11 x 7 baking dish. Mix the remaining sauce with the meat. 

Place 3 noodles side by side on top of the sauce. 

Spoon about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture onto the noodles and spread out. Don't worry too much about getting a perfect layer. 

Spoon about 1/3 of the remaining sauce over the ricotta layer.  When spreading the sauce it might mix some with the cheese but that's okay. It will all be a big gooey mess of cheese, noodles and sauce anyway. 

Repeat noodles, cheese and sauce layers twice. End with the sauce layer. 

Cover the top with the 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan cheeses. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles. 

Let sit 15 minutes before serving. 

Spinach Lasagne  

9 lasagne noodles cooked al dente 

1 carton ricotta cheese

9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thaw and drain well 

1 1/2 cup mozzarella

1 egg 

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

1 tsp basil

28 oz can pasta sauce

Drain spinach well and get rid of any excess moisture by placing in a strainer and pressing with a spoon. You don't want watery lasagne. 

Cook noodles and drain, toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking together. 

Mix ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella and the spinach. 

Place a couple spoonful of sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 baking dish. 

Layer 3 noodles over the sauce. 

Spoon about 1/3 ricotta mixture over the noodle layer. 

Spoon sauce over the cheese.  Repeat the layers twice more - noodles, cheese, and sauce. 

Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan over top. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. 

Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving.