My Lasagna

Happy Groundhog Day! Ah, let's kick off my first post of 2019 with a recipe I thought I had already posted--one of my own creations, my version of lasagna! Like most of my other recipes, I was inspired to create it when I could not find a recipe that matched what I wanted. I love mushrooms, I had some fresh basil (it was last summer...), and I did not want to have to mess with making my own sauce. I've made this a few times now and everyone that has had it has loved it. I've even left out the sausage on part of it for my brother and it was still quite tasty. Enjoy!

Update! Link to my YouTube "making of the recipe" video: https://youtu.be/4r4KbSNVPrw

Ingredients:

16 lasagna noodles

1 package (5 links/~16-19 oz.) hot Italian sausage

olive oil or butter

16 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1 T. jarred minced garlic (or 6 cloves fresh, if preferred)

~2 T. chopped fresh basil

15 oz. whole or part-skim milk ricotta

½ c. shredded Parmesan

1 (8 oz.) bag Italian blend cheese

1 T. Italian seasoning

1 egg

1 jar Classico tomato & basil sauce

1 jar Classico four cheese sauce

1 (16 oz.--I think) bag Mozzarella

extra Parmesan for top

if desired: shredded Fontina cheese for top (I have done it both with and without this)

Directions:

1. Cook lasagna according to package directions.

2. Remove casings from sausages and cook in a skillet, over medium high heat, breaking up into crumbles, until sausage is cooked through.

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from pan (transfer to a bowl), leaving rendered grease behind in pan. Lower heat to medium, add a little olive oil or butter to the grease, then add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook until mushrooms are softened/done, then remove from heat and stir in basil. Set aside.

4. Combine next 5 ingredients (ricotta through egg) in a medium bowl.

5. Blend the 2 jars of sauces together (I use my food processor, as we don't prefer chunky tomatoes. If you use a food processor, you may have to combine half of each jar at a time--look for the 'max liquid' level).

6. Heat oven to 375°F.

7. Construct lasagna: start with a small amount of sauce to coat bottom of pan.

8. Add a layer of 4 noodles, then top with a thin layer of around 1/3 of the ricotta mixture.

9. Top ricotta mixture with around 1/3 of mushroom mixture, followed by around 1/3 of crumbled sausage. (I forgot to take the pic with the sausage on)

10. Top with around 1/4 of the Mozzarella, followed by around 1/4 of sauce.

11. Repeat layering (starting with noodles) 2 more times. Top with a layer of noodles, followed by the last 1/4 of the sauce and last 1/4 of the Mozzarella. Sprinkle Fontina over top of Mozzarella (if desired/using). (And I forgot to get pic with the cheese on, d'oh!)

12. Bake, uncovered, for 45 min. Let cool/rest for 10 min, then serve and enjoy!!