Jerry's Circumlocution: My Easy (yeah... seriously...) Lasagna

I know I have said it before, but it bears repeating. I love food and I love cooking. I hate recipes that require four hundred steps. Especially the ones claiming "Best Hamburger You've Ever Eaten from Simple Ingredients You Have IN Your Kitchen." Then, as you scroll through the forty pages of how they mother brought the recipe over on the Mayflower and why they like wooden roller pins but plastic cutting boards, you come to some instruction as follows: "Take three hairs from a Muskrat and twine them together with nylon rope and the innards of a carefully marinated field mouse." Okay, it may not be that drastic. But you know what I mean. That recipe that claims to be simple, but in reality involves an hour of prep, tons of ingredients, and you have to be a trained chemist to make it.

Want to be a chemist? Shameless plug for my chemist friend's mystery series!

I keep my recipes simple. I don't spend hours on something already done pretty well commercially. I also don't skimp on deliciousness to be organic, vegan, or gluten free. In fact, if you have a few extra jars of gluten, send it my way. I'll mix it in. But enough intro. Here is the recipe:

THE INGREDIENTS:

- Lasagna Noodles (Duh)

- Your favorite Pasta Sauce (I like MIDS marinara or MIDS Sausage)

- 1lb ground Itallian sausage

- 1/2 to 3/4 lb ground beef

- pack of mozzarella cheese (usually 16oz but recipe is flexible)

- tub of Ricotta cheese (mine was 14oz. Again, flexible. We aren't chemists!)

- one onion (I like the Vidalia)

-one egg

- tblspn of minced garlic (or use fresh garlic, or garlic powder. I love the jar ready to use and it lasts forever in the fridge)

- Italian Seasoning (This one has salt and pepper already in it. If not, might add a little of that)

Ten Ingredients. I know. But trust me, it is easy. I have divided these steps up into three parts. The longest is the meat sauce. DO the other two in and around that prep.

PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 375 degrees

THE MEAT SAUCE:

-1. Chop up your onion and sauté

There are LOTS of theories about chopping onions. Here is mine. I cut the ends off. Throw them away. I cut the first two layers. It is easier to peel away two layers than one. I throw them away. Wasteful? Maybe. Onions are cheap and you can buy them in bags for under $3 or individually for under $.50. Not worth crying over.

I saute mine in a tsp of olive oil. If you don't have that just throw them in with the meat. If cook ahead of the meat, only saute till they turn clear (2-3 minutes).

-2. Add the sausage and hamburger into your pot. Brown meat.

-3. Add pasta sauce (I usually use 1/2 to 3/4 of a jar as I like my lasagna meaty and not super saucy. But you do you.)

THE NOODLES:

-1. Follow the box instructions. I lay them on wax paper after to keep them from sticking. Others butter them (yummmm.... butter....). Or just have impeccable timing.

THE CHEESE:

-1. In a bowl, mix the Ricotta, 2-3 oz mozzarella (a fist full), an egg, and some Italian Spice (teaspoon or to taste)

ASSEMBLY!!

Spray your pan (I used an 8x8, but you can make it in a longer pan too) with cooking spray (or not).

Lay down a little sauce, then noodles, cheese mix, meat sauce, mozzarella, noodles, cheese mix, meat sauce, mozzarella, noodles, meat

Honestly, I probably do this a bit different every time. It is flexible. I would suggest ending with the meat to cook. Don't worry, you'll throw some cheese on top at the end.

COVER and cook 25 MINUTES

UNCOVER, ADD MOZZARELLA CHEESE (Parmesan optional) and cook an additional 25-30 minutes (cheese brown and bubbly)

Now.... LET IT SIT for at least fifteen minutes. This is critical. Then enjoy!

My family eats our salad and salivate over it.