Lasagna {Dinner Party ll}

My favorite members of the "High Rock Dinner Club," Mallory (Nanny), Brian, Tommy, & Heather, decided that Monday nights they will come to 'Chef Bell's' house (Chef Bell = ME!) and have dinner. Hooray for me because I hate eating dinner alone! Yesterday's menu consisted of lasagna ( recipe from melskitchencafe.com ), garlic bread, and chocolate chip cookies!!! Perfect rainy weather dishes! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have! Cook with love, and you'll never go wrong♥

Mel's Mom’s Lasagna

 INGREDIENTS:

1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles

1 to 1 ½ pounds ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 28-ounce can tomatoes (undrained)

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

2 teaspoons sugar

2 ½ teaspoons dried basil

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 container (15 ounce) ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Cook ground beef and onion, drain. Stir in tomatoes (undrained), tomato paste, sugar, 2 teaspoons of the basil and pepper. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes. In a small bowl blend ricotta, egg, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, parmesan cheese and ½ teaspoon salt. Put a layer of noodles in a 9 X 13 pan, a layer of meat sauce, layer of ricotta mixture and a layer of the cheese then repeat all the layers twice more. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 20 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Step One:

Step Two/Three:

Ricotta cheese mixture (in bowl) not pictured! 

*would've been step four*

Step Four:

Step Five:

Step Six:

Step Seven:

Step Eight: Finished Layers

Step Nine: Covered & Going In Oven

Step Ten: Uncovered, Going Back In Oven

Step Eleven: Out & Cooling

Step Twelve: Go back for seconds!!!