Monday's Menu

I was going to share my waffle recipe because we just got one of these on Black Friday but then I realized it was on the side there already.

So, instead, I'll share my Lasagna recipe (or my mother's actually) because my sister-in-law had asked about it. I made it once when visiting for my mother-in-law and apparently my nephew liked it quite a bit.

My mother came up with this lasagna because my dad didn't like ricotta cheese. Fortunately, neither does anyone else really in my family. In fact, about the only way we'll eat it is in my friend's manicotti or cheese ravioli.

My mother also realized that if there is enough liquid in the sauce, she didn't have to cook the noodles first. This was when I was about 12 years old so it was way before any of that oven ready noodles nonsense. I have come to the conclusion that all of that is just a scheme to make a person spend more on the noodles. Maybe they actually do something to the noodles and maybe they don't, but you don't need special noodles to make it work. I've been doing it her way for years and I never bought anything special. {off my soap box}

I have played with it enough now to know that you can also throw extra stuff in without a problem. Hubby's favorite additions are mushrooms although the kids prefer me to layer in some pepperoni. If I had my way, there would probably be about a half inch layer of extra cheese. I love the cheesy part.

You can play with the amounts of the ingredients in this recipe. Those kinds of recipes are my favorites -- basically, they are suit-to-taste recipes.


Mom's Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked (or cooked if you wish)
1 1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained well
1 jar/can of spaghetti sauce (26 oz. or larger)
1/2 to 1 cup water
3 cups shredded cheese (preferably mozzarella or mozzarella-cheddar mixture)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray lasagna pan with non-stick spray. Spread a little sauce on bottom of pan. Mix together meat, sauce, and water in a bowl. Begin layering noodles on bottom, then sauce mixture with shredded cheese on top. Make a second layer of noodles, sauce, and cheese. If desired, continue layering until top of pan is reached finishing with shredded cheese. Cover pan with foil or lid. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Before serving, insert knife into noodles to make sure they are soft.