Lasagna as promised

My day started with my mama bringing over fresh flowers!  Isn't she just the best mom anyone could ask for?!

I made Cinnamon Raisin bagels for breakfast.  I love making bagels.  You can make them whatever flavor you want and you don't even have to change out of your PJ's or leave the house!

I made the chocolate glaze for my Wicked Good Boston Cream Pie.  Now I need to get started soon on my Lasagna.  I love the smell of a tomato based sauce simmering on the stove all day!  Don't you?  What are your favorite smells?  I love the smell of Petunia's, coffee, fresh herbs....  There's so many, I could go on all day.  Speaking of smells, isn't funny how they can bring on a memory that you had forgotten about?  A smell can bring on a flood of memories, influence people's moods and even affect their work performance. Check out this site for more information.  It's really very interesting.  Enough chitter chatter, here's my totally awesome recipe for Lasagna.

Traditional Lasagna

serves 12

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
3/4 pound bulk pork sausage
3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
3 cups (24 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 carton (8 ounces) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese - I always use freshly grated. None of that bottled cardboard stuff for me
9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained - I always use the oven ready noodles
6 slices provolone cheese
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Directions:
In a skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Add the next seven ingredients.  Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  In a bowl, combine the eggs, parsley, cottage cheese, ricotta and Parmesan.  Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.  Layer with three noodles, provolone cheese, 2 cups cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, three noodles, 2 cups meat sauce, remaining cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella.  Top with the remaining noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella (dish will be full).  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.  Uncover; bake 20 minutes longer.  Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Homemade bread getting ready to go into the oven

Tomato meat sauce simmering away

Ready for the oven

Dinner is ready!