COUNTRY BOY LASAGNA

COUNTRY BOY LASAGNA image

Comfort Food with Comfort Food! Ok what could be better then that? I had some homemade Pimento Cheese spread that I had made that was going out of date and really didn't want to just make a sandwich so Country Boy Lasagna was born! This dish cooks up just like good old fashioned lasagna BUT trust me it does not taste Italian AT...

Provided by Gina Davis

Categories Pasta

Time 1h40m

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef (i use 80/20)
1/2 green, yellow, red or orange pepper
1/2 medium onion (any kind)
1 clove minced garlic (1 teaspoon powder)
1 can(s) 28 ounce tomatoes (i use my quart sized home canned you can use 2 small cans or 1 large can whole, diced or crushed)
1 can(s) 15 ounce tomato sauce
2 Tbsp parsley fresh or dried
salt and pepper to taste
1 12 to 16 oz container of pimento cheese spread (i make mine home made but have used it pre-made)
1/2 c heavy cream, canned cream 1/2 & 1/2 or milk (i have used all of them!)
1 16 ounce tub cottage cheese (i use whole milk cottage cheese)
1 pkg oven ready lasagna (you can use regular just cook to package directions)
2 c shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese or more any cheese of your choice (i had monterey and cheddar slices that needed to be used so i used them today!)
2 c shredded monterey jack cheese

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree
2. Butter, spray with cooking spray or oil a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
3. Dice onion and pepper. Mince garlic if you are using fresh. Set this aside.
4. Brown ground beef in skillet until half cooked.
5. Add onion, peppers, parsley and garlic and let beef finish cooking. If you use 80/20 or leaner do not drain unless you want to. (I don't drain my leaner ground beef) If using a fattier beef drain the grease off at the half cooked stage and don't drain after you add the peppers, onions and garlic unless you want to have less oil in the dish.
6. Once beef has finished cooking add tomatoes and let simmer for 15 minutes on medium heat. You want the sauce to reduce some but still need it to be a "little on the wet side" if you are using oven ready lasagna. If sauce still looks to "wet" check it again in 5 minutes. Keep sauce warm it helps with the spreading of the pimento cheese spread layer. **Simmer until sauce is thicker if you are using fresh or cooked lasagna noodles*** About 30 minutes.
7. Place room temperature pimento cheese spread in a bowl and add 1/2 cup heavy whip, evaporated milk, 1/2 & 1/2 or milk. Just use 1/2 cup of whatever you have on hand. This is to get the pimento cheese spread more spreadable.
8. Assemble dish... In bottom of baking dish put roughly 1/2 cup sauce and spread it around to cover bottom.
9. Next add a layer of noodles, breaking them to fit flat (I like to over lap mine)
10. Add a thin layer of sauce and spread over noodles.
11. Add spoonfuls of Pimento Cheese in globs on top of sauce. (If sauce is warm or hot the pimento cheese will spread some) I hope you all can see the pimento cheese under the other cheese I FORGOT TO TAKE A PHOTO OF IT! Jeezzzze just like me to forget the photo of the MAIN ingredient! ;)
12. Add 1/3 of both shredded cheese on top of that.
13. Spread ( best as you can) 1/2 the Cottage Cheese on top of the shredded cheese.
14. Now start the layers over again Noodles Sauce Pimento Shredded Cheese Cottage Cheese **Finish with noodles sauce and shredded cheese. **Noodles **Sauce **Cheese
15. Optional sprinkle of parsley on top.
16. Cover tightly with foil wrap and place in 375 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes Uncover and return to oven for 30 minutes longer Remove from oven to cooling rack and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or longer to "set up" I always try to let it "set up" for 1 hour but 30 minutes will work just a little loose when you cut and serve it.