This week I made a big batch of meat sauce. You can find that recipe here.

For this lasagna, you can used jarred sauce (and add in your meat – using ground beef and/or Italian sausage), if you like. But, I do think that it is better with homemade sauce.

For the cheese mixture, I used three kinds of cheese: grated mozzarella, ricotta and grated parmesan (not the kind in a can, but actual grated parmesan).

To the cheese, I added one egg. You can add in some dried basil, as well, at this point. I didn’t, but wish I would have.

I used a large rectangular dish to make my lasagna. I wasn’t sure how many layers I would get – but, turns out that I had 3 layers of meat sauce, 2 layers of cheese mixture and 2 layers of noodles (and topped with additional cheese). My baking dish was pretty shallow, I would have loved to gotten another few layers – but, it was still delicious!

I did the layers in the following order:

• Meat sauce
• Noodles
• Cheese Mixture
• Meat sauce
• Noodles
• Cheese Mixture
• Meat Sauce

I reserved some of the grated mozzarella to put on the top. I also sprinkled on some grated parmesan and even a little of the parmesan in a can for added flavor.

For my recipe, I chose to use the ‘oven ready’ noodles that you don’t need to pre-boil. I’ve actually read that you can use regular noodles in the same way, but I’m not sure.

Lasagna

4-5 cups of meat sauce (you can use jarred sauce and meat or my recipe for homemade meat sauce)
Up to 1 box of ‘oven ready’ lasagna noodles
3 cups grated mozarella cheese (reserve one cup for top)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (reserve 1/4 cup for top)
1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
1 egg

• In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and the eggs (you can also add some dried basil, if you like)
• Begin layering in the following order: meat, noodles, cheese mixture
• When all layers are complete, top with remaining cheese
• Bake in a 400 degree oven, for 45 minutes

This ‘recipe’ (if you can call it that) has been around forever. I first remember my grandma making it, when I was a teenager. The cheese ‘dip’ or ‘queso’ consists of 2 things – velveeta cheese and rotel tomatoes and chilis.

I wasn’t making this for a big group, so I only used 1/2 of the 32 oz block. I just cut the cheese (we will pretend it is cheese, even though it will presumably survive anything in it’s shelf stable form!) into small cubes.

I just added the cheese to a sauce pan, along when the can of tomatoes and chili’s (don’t drain!). Over medium heat (you don’t want it too hot or it will scorch – be patient, it won’t take long!!), I allowed the cheese to melt. And kept it all stirred together.

Once the cheese was good and melted, I spooked some over some tortilla chips and topped with some jalapeño peppers. You can do it like this, to make nachos (I wanted simple nachos – but you can add other toppings if you want!) or just dip your chips in the queso dip.

** this is far too simple to write up in ‘recipe’ form, so I will use the extra time to go back for seconds!! 😂

For dinner, I’m making lasagna. And, I was tempted to go the easy route and use jarred sauce, but I changed my mind and decided to make a big batch (way more than I needed for the lasagna) of homemade meat sauce.

I started with an onion and a green bell pepper. I chopped both to about similar size.

In a large dutch oven, I added some olive oil and warmed it through. Then I added in the garlic, onion, bell pepper, dried basil, Italian seasoning and salt. I cooked until the vegetables started to soften.

We are a house that loves a lot of meat in our meat sauce, so I added in 1 lb of Italian sausage and 2 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef. I cooked until the meat was browned.

Finally, I added in the tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. I brought the sauce up to a boil. I added in the wine, bay leaves and fresh basil – reduced the heat to simmer and let it simmer for about 4 hours.

1 glass for the sauce and 1 glass for me!

I did take care to stir it ever so often, so it didn’t stick to the bottom of the dutch oven.

When the sauce is done, it will have reduced by about 1/3 or so – simmer with the lid off.

Homemade Meat Sauce

1 lb Italian sausage
2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon, just because it is my fave!)
2 – 3 tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp olive oil

• Chop onion and pepper
• In large pot, add olive oil and warm up
• Add in onion, garlic, bell pepper, dried basil, Italian seasoning and salt – cook until the vegetables start to soften
• Add in sausage and ground beef, cook til browned
• Add in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and stir through – bring to a boil
• Add in wine, bay leaves and fresh basil
• Reduce heat to a simmer and allow it to simmer for about 4 hours.

Stir occassionally, to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom.