This recipe has been in my family for three generations.  In fact I think my mum still has the original hand written recipe of my grandma’s.  🙂  I know a lot of people claim the saying “not as good as mum’s” when it comes to eating, but with recipe I have to agree.  Honestly, I have yet to find a lasagna that comes anywhere close to touching this recipe in yumminess.  So far, those who have eaten it agree, or at the very least say it’s one of the best they’ve ever had.  I hope you feel the same way, and really put some love into this “secret” family gem.  😉

 

 

Lasagna

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 6 oz. ground lean pork
• 3/4 c. chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can (16 oz.) tomatoes(diced, if possible)
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 2 T. parsley flakes
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 t. salt          
• 1 t. basil leaves
• 3 c. (two 12 oz. cartons) creamed cottage cheese
• 1/2 c. (3 oz. can) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 T. parlsey flakes
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. oregano leaves
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) lasagna noodles(takes 12 noodles)
• 12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese(I use 24 oz. instead)
• 1/2 c. (3 oz. can) grated Parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

1. Combine ground beef, ground lean pork, chopped onions, and minced garlic in large saucepan or Dutch oven. 
2. Cook and stir until meat is browned and onions are tender.  Make sure to break up the meat into small bits as it is cooking. 
3. Drain off any fat (I use a colander). 
4. After draining meat, put meat mixture back into your saucepan/Dutch oven. 
5. Add to the meat mixture the canned tomatoes and break up with fork into smallish bits. 
6. Stir in canned tomato sauce, 2 T. parsley flakes, 2 T. sugar, 1 t. basil leaves, and 1 t. salt. 
7. Reduce heat and simmer (very low heat) uncovered for 1 hour or until mixture is the consistency of spaghetti sauce, stirring occasionally.
8. Reserve 1/2 c. of the meat sauce for the top layer.
9. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Mix cottage cheese, 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, 1 T. parsley flakes, 1 1/2 t. salt and 1 t. oregano leaves.
11. In a 13″x9″x2″ baking pan (lightly rub Crisco around the sides to help keep the noodles from sticking to your pan) layer the noodles, the meat sauce, the mozzarella cheese, and the cottage cheese mixture, in that order.  You will use 1/4 of each of these for each layer, so, there should be 4 layers in total. 
12. Spread the 1/2 c. of meat sauce that you held in reserve over the top.  Sprinkle 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
13. If desired, the lasagna can now be covered and refrigerated several hours at this point.
14. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.  Add an additional 10 to 15 minutes of baking time, if the lasagna has been refrigerated prior to baking.
15. For easier cutting, let the lasagna stand on the counter-top for about 15 minutes after removing from the oven.
16. This recipe makes 12 servings, if you cut the lasagna into 3 inch square sections.