Katie's Meat and Veggie Lasagne

Ingredients

• 1/2 - 3/4 lb ground beef or sausage
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed ~ 2 tsp)
• 1 1/2 jars of pasta sauce (26 oz jars)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 15 oz container of riccotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
• 1 package of frozen chopped spinach (~ 12 oz) (thawed and drained)
• 4 oz of shredded carrots (approx)
• 1/2 - 3/4 lb of lasagne noodles (8-10)
• 4 cups (1 lb) of shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Cook ground beef over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
2. Add chopped onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes.
3. Stir in pasta sauce and water and turn off burner.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
5. Grease 13 x 9 x 2 pan
6. Combine riccotta cheese, eggs, parmesan, spinach, and carrots in a medium bowl.
7. Spoon 1 3/4 cups of sauce into the bottom of the pan.
8. Top with 4 or 5 uncooked noodles (they need not cover the sauce entirely -- they will expand while cooking).
9. Top with 1 3/4 cups of the riccotta mixture.
10. Top with 1 3/4 cups of sauce.
11. Top with 2 cups of mozzarella.
12. Top with 4 or 5 uncooked noodles.
13. Top with remaining 1 3/4 cups of riccotta mixture.
14. Top with remaining 1 3/4 cups of sauce.
15. Top with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella.
16. Cover tightly with foil and cook for 45 minutes; uncover and cook for 15 minutes or until top is bubbly and lightly browned.
17. Let sit uncovered for 15 minutes before serving.

Tips

• You can use a spatula to help spread the sauce and riccotta.
• You can refrigerate a cooked or uncooked lasagne and then cook it at 375 degrees when you are ready. Cook covered for 1 hour and then uncovered for 15-30 minutes.
• You can also freeze a cooked or uncooked lasagne and then heat it at 375 degrees when you are ready. Cook covered for 1 1/2 hours and then uncovered for 15-30 minutes.
• Makes 9-12 pieces of lasagne.
• Goes nicely with salad and garlic bread.