I’m all for making delicious meals, and when I cook it’s all about the flavor. But I’m also practical in this area of my life. I tend to cut corners when I can, and the outcome has resulted in some of our favorite meals.
So when my sister Betty told me about her “Lazy Lasagna” I had to try it. My family loves lasagna, what family doesn’t right? Well, I whipped up this lazy lasagna the other night, and fists were banging the table–it was that good!
If you’re going to make it the lazy style, the key is to use bow tie pasta, because it has a similar consistency to lasagna noodles which are a bit thicker than spaghetti. You could also break up lasagna noodles if you have them on hand already.
Ingredients:
(Double for a large family)
1 medium sized box of bowtie pasta
Ground beef: 1 lb (500 grams)
Crushed Tomatoes or tomato sauce: 1 can (about 2 cups)
1 small can tomato paste
1 medium onion chopped
1 clove of minced garlic
1 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. oregano
1 300 gram package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained (optional)
Salt
Pepper
Dry curd cottage cheese or ricotta: (500 grams)
1/2 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Put the pasta on to boil.
Fry the ground beef until it’s brown.
Note: Keep 1/3 of the tomato sauce mixture, 1/3 of mozzarella, 1/3 of the dry cottage cheese, and 1/3 of the noodles aside for the topping at the end.*
Combine the tomato sauce and tomato paste (put 1/3 aside for the topping). Add the mixture to the ground beef as well as the onion, garlic, basil, oregano, spinach (if you like) and salt and pepper. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes while you grate the cheese.
Drain the pasta.
Mix all ingredients together in a baking pan–except for the 1/3 portions you kept aside.
* Once all of the ingredients are combined in the pan, cover with a layer of noodles, a layer of tomato sauce mixture, and top with mozzarella cheese, then Parmesan. Sprinkle with basil and oregano.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 45-60 minutes.
Note: I forgot to pick up the spinach when I made mine and it was awesome! That’s why I’m suggesting it’s optional. It really depends on what your family likes.
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene
For comments or questions, contact me at:
darlene[at]darleneschacht.net
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I’m also guest posting at, “Chats With an Old Lady” sharing a post on the importance of pattern, repetition, and order in family life.
And one other thing… Remember that book that I recently co-authored with actress Candace Cameron Bure? It’s called, “Reshaping it All,” and my friend Janelle is giving away a few copies on her blog, “Comfy in the Kitchen.” So be sure to head over there and enter your name in the draw.
