Best Carols Lasagna Recipes

CAROL'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Put on a pot of water to boil for the lasagna noodles. It's OK if they get done before the sauce since the whole dish will heat up in the oven.
• 2. Brown the ground chuck, onion, garlic and green pepper together. (If you're using fresh mushrooms, add them now, instead of Step #9.) Drain well.
• 3. Add oregano, garlic salt, salt and tomato sauce to the browned meat mixture. (Add the canned mushroom LIQUID now, if used. Save the canned mushrooms until step #9.) Cook over low-medium heat until thickened, stirring often, about 30-40 minutes. (If you like your lasagna "saucier," cook only about 20 minutes.)
• 4. While cooking the sauce, cook the lasagna noodles, with the oil, in the boiling water until almost tender. Drain the noodles.
• 5. Mix the cheeses together in a bowl.
• 6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (or mist with cooking spray) a 13 x 9 baking dish.
• 7. When everything is done, layer the ingredients as follows: a little meat sauce...
• 8. ...lasagna noodles...
• 9. ...meat sauce... (Add some canned mushrooms with this layer, if you're using them.)
• 10. ...1/3 of the mozzarella & swiss cheeses...
• 11. ...more meat sauce.
• 12. Add a second layer of pasta, more meat sauce, more canned mushrooms (if using), cheeses, and another layer of meat sauce.
• 13. Final layer is pasta, rest of the meat sauce, last of the canned mushrooms, and finally, the rest of the cheeses.
• 14. Bake at 350 degrees F until the cheese melts & browns just a little, about 25 minutes. Watch closely to avoid overbaking.
• 15. Serve with your favorite salad & garlic bread.

CAROL'S BAKED ZITI CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in ziti pasta and return to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain.
• Combine egg, ricotta cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Spread 1/3 the spaghetti sauce in prepared baking dish. Top with 1/2 the pasta, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, 1/3 the spaghetti sauce, 1/2 the mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 the Parmesan cheese; repeat layers. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and Parmesan cheese; cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven until heated through, 45 to 50 minutes.