Three Cheese Lasagna

I have textbooks and notebooks scattered all around me right now but all I want to do is procrastinate...so what better way to procrastinate than to upload another recipe?

My fiancée J is Italian and needless to say, he has had many different home-made lasagnas in this life. I was THRILLED with he tried this one and said it was one of the best he has ever had!




THREE CHEESE LASAGNA

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef/turkey (we used ground turkey)

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (12 ounce) package oven-ready lasagna noodles (you don't have to cook these beforehand!)

12 ounces ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is browned and onion is translucent.

Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, and oregano to the skillet. Stir until well incorporated. Cook until heated through (just a few minutes).

In a large bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well until all of the cheeses are nice and blended together.

Spoon a layer of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the slow cooker (about 1/3 of the meat mixture to make a three-layered lasagna).

Add a double layer of the uncooked lasagna noodles. Break to fit noodles into slow cooker if you need to.

Top noodles with a portion of the cheese mixture (again, about 1/3 of the cheese mixture). Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, and cheese until all the ingredients are used.

Cover, and cook on LOW setting for 3-4 hours, or until noodles are at your desired softness!

I served this with simple GARLIC-ROASTED ASPARAGUS (as pictured).

Ingredients:

Asparagus spears (as many as you want to make!)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

I cut the ends (near the root) off of the asparagus before I cook them, but this is just personal preference. On the stove, heat olive oil in a pan. Once heated, add the minced garlic. Immediately add the asparagus spears. (Note: Garlic cooks really fast so you don't want to leave it on for too long!) Make sure to turn the asparagus over so all sides are cooked evenly. I cooked these for about 5 minutes, until they were easy to pierce with a fork but not too soft!

Happy Lasagna-ing!