National Lasagna Day! (Recipe)

A holiday for lasagna... now that is something I can appreciate!

Last weekend we had friends over for supper and I decided that lasagna would be perfect for our meal.  It was a big hit.  Besides being delicious, it is SO easy to make because it is 'semi' homemade.

I was given the base for this recipe 33 years ago.  I say 'base' because it was very, very simple: noodles, jar sauce, sliced cheese.  Tasty enough...but not enough.  You know what I mean?

So I ramped it up!  It's now one of my favorite "company" dishes.

Hot (and drippy) out of the oven.

OK, there is the secret to my lasagna... Ragu Mushroom sauce.

Layering in the sauce.  Gotta have three thick layers.

Perfect.

Teri's Six Pound Lasagna

24 ounce jar of Ragu Mushroom Sauce

36 ounces of large curd cottage cheese (small curd is OK)

1 pound of fresh mushrooms, sliced and sauteed

2 eggs, beaten

1 Tsp cornstarch

 3 lb bagged LOW MOISTURE shredded mozzarella (important!)

1 lb block fresh mozzarella - sliced

15 lasagna noodles, cooked.

9x13 inch baking dish/cake pan

(this makes a lot of lasagna... think leftovers!)

Pour Ragu sauce into large mixing bowl.  Remove enough to make a paste with the cornstarch, add this back into the sauce for thickening.  Mix in beaten eggs, then cottage cheese and mushrooms.

Next step is the start of three layers...

Place a layer of noodles in pan -- then add a third of the sauce -- then cover with the shredded mozzarella.

Repeat.

On the top layer, use the fresh Mozzarella.  I like the Polly-O brand.  The shredded melts in a way you can see the shreds still and using the softer fresh gives a nice appearance.

Place in 375* F oven.  I would highly suggest putting the baking dish on top of a cookie sheet; it has a tendency to really bubble and make a huge mess.  (Remember the first photo?  LOL)

Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until top is at the brownness you'd like.

ENJOY!!!