Cooking with Jon & Steph - Nancy's Lasagna

Last week we had That Humes Family over for dinner. I made my mom's lasagna. (Her name is Nancy for those who didn't know.) It was one of my favorites growing up and it's pretty much the only thing I can make well (Jon is usually the cook in our family). It's simple, although it has quite a few steps, and I love it. So this post is going to be all about how I single handedly created a beautifully Italian dinner for 4 by myself!

NANCY'S LASAGNA

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1 lb hamburger

2  8oz cans tomato sauce

3  14 to 16oz cans stewed tomatoes, pureed

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

3 tsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

You will also need:

9 lasagna noodles

1.5 cups grated parmesan cheese

16oz grated mozzerella cheese

16oz ricotta cheese

(I have learned from experience that it is best to grate all this cheese before starting ANY other prep since it takes a while to grate a whole pound of mozzerella and 1.5 cups of hard block parmesean.)

Directions:

Brown hamburger, drain...

Puree the tomatoes, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices and sugar...

Simmer on low heat 1/2 to 1 hour (aka 45 minutes-ish)

At this time you will want to preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cook noodles according to package directions (aka boil in hot water like regular pasta. add olive oil so that they don't stick together)

While this is all cooking, work on making a salad for dinner. Mix your own dressing and try to avoid this:

Salvage whatever dressing is left and make more. Put in fridge until dinner is ready...

IN THE MEANIME you can finish up the lasagna -

Exceptions are made for pictures being taken when you run low on time and quickly put together the lasagna to make it in time for dinner :)

Drain and rinse the noodles you just boiled in cold water. They need to be cool to the touch.

Use a large 9x13 baking dish. Cover the bottom with 1/2 cup sauce. Place noodles on top, side by side (3), top with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup sauce, spread around, 1/3 of mozzerella, 1/2 of ricotta cheese (dot on as you would butter) and 1/2 cup of sauce. Repeat again. End with a layer of noodles (3), then the remaining sauce and parmesan cheese. Add remaining mozzerella on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes (until cheese on top starts to turn golden brown).

Cook garlic bread to go with the lasagna, toss your salad with the italian dressing you have made and set the table. (again pictures are missing but I promise it turned out awesome)

The lasagna finished baking RIGHT when the Humes family showed up, so we chowed down, and it wasn't until the end when we were putting the leftovers away that I realized I needed a final picture - so it's not beautiful but here it is!

mmmmmmmmmmmm :)

Happy Dinner Making!