Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage

1 medium onion –chopped

2 garlic cloves –minced

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

2 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons salt –divided

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning –divided

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves –divided

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley –divided/or dried

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese –divided

15 oz. (1 3/4 cups) whole milk Ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese –divided

1 large egg

12 lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the meat sauce. Add beef and sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until meat is browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat. Return the meat to the skillet.

Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon basil, and the black pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley.

As the sauce cooks, make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, add 1 cup mozzarella, the ricotta, 1/4 cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon basil. Stir until well incorporated.

Cook the according to it’s package directions.

Assemble the lasagna. In a 13x9 inch baking dish, add a very thin layer of meat sauce (about 1/4 cup). Layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 1/2 (level) cups of meat sauce. Repeat the layers twice.

Add a final layer of the remaining noodles, meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan.

Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake 15 more minutes.

(Cherryl's recipe)