Cowboy Lasagna

15 Servings

485 calories per serving

Cowboy Lasagna
This lasagna is not your normal lasagna.  It is more meaty
than saucy, and has a slight kick to it

Ingredients

•   1 pound Ground Beef

•   1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage

•   2 cloves Garlic, Minced

•   2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes

•   2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste

•   2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley

•   2 Tablespoons Dried Basil

•   1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

•   3 teaspoon Sugar

•   16 oz Ricotta Cheese (Cottage Cheese can be 
     substituted if you prefer)

•   2 whole Beaten Eggs

•   1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

•   2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley

•   1 teaspoon Salt

•   1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese

•   1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles

•   **Optional, 1 finely diced red bell pepper

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  (Add 1 tbls. salt and 2 tbls. olive oil to water, this will add flavor to the noodles, and prevent your water from boiling over.)  Once water is boiling add lasagna noodles until they reach "al dente" slightly firm, but cooked through.
2. In a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain the fat.  Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. Simmer sauce on low heat for 20 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, mix Ricotta Cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. 
4. Once your noodles are cooked and drained, sauce is done simmering (should be thicker) and ricotta cheese mix is prepared you are ready to assemble your lasagna.
5. Spray bottom of a 9" by 13" ban with a nonstick cooking spray.  Evenly arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the ricotta mixture over the noodles (works best to plop on mounds evenly throughout, then lightly spread). Cover Ricotta with a layer of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon a little less than half the meat sauce mixture over the top.
6. Repeat the layering process, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.