Yummy Sloppy Lasagna

I never liked lasagna when I was a little kid. Dude, I was a dumb kid! I love love love lasagna. I set out to make some this weekend and wow it turned out SO GOOD! I would suggest cooking the sauce down a bit more than I did for a thick sauce, but otherwise damn this is yummytastic.

I started out by draining a container of cottage cheese. I know it should be ricotta, but this is what I had. I let this drain overnight in the fridge.

Toss the drained cottage cheese into a bowl.

Add 1 egg.

Chop up some fresh parsley. This was about 2 tbs.

Add the parsley to the cottage cheese.

1 tsp sea salt.

Coarse ground pepper. I don't have a pepper grinder. I know, I'm committing some sort of sin. I use this awesome coarse ground pepper I found at Costco. It's not all powdery like other pepper. I recommend a coarse ground if you are going to go with pre ground pepper.

Break up the egg and start stirring.

Here it is all mixed together.

In your favorite pan brown some Italian sausage. I like turkey Italian sausage usually, but this is pork. If you use turkey, add 3 tbs of olive oil.

Drain the sausage, leaving the oil in the pan.

Chop a whole yellow onion.

Mince 3 to 4 garlic cloves. I like lots of garlic in mine!

Chop 2 tbs each fresh basil and oregano. I grow mine on my back porch, its awesome during the summer when we have fresh herbs. You can use dry if you like, just use less.

Roll your basil into a little log, then slice it up. It's the best way to chop it without bruising it to much.

Throw the onions into the hot skillet.

1 tsp sea salt. The salt will pull the moisture out of the onions.

1tsp coarse ground pepper.

Add the minced garlic, your house should be starting to smell awesome!

Now add 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes. I used roasted diced tomatoes, if you can find them I recommend them. YUM.

1 15 oz can tomato sauce.

Add your herbs to the sauce.

It's time to return the sausage to the pan... discover that you pan is far to small...

and transfer it to a larger pot!

Grate your cheese. I used 3 kinds, provolone, monterrey jack and mozzarella.

Mozzarella down, 3 more to go! However I will spare you pics of all 3.

I used 6 lasagna noodles. Boil them for about 6 minutes in salted water.

Put some sauce in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. This will help with sticking later.

Lay 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan.

Spread some cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.

A thin layer of sauce over that.

Add the cheese.

A layer of zucchini.

Layer of Spinach. I adore zucchini and spinach in my lasagna. Feel free to exchange it for veggies you like better or leave it out completely. If you leave it out, add another layer of noodles, cottage cheese, and sauce.

Another layer of noodles and cottage cheese.

Yet another layer of sauce. Save any left over sauce for spaghetti or something.

The final layer of cheese.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

It should be all bubbly and the cheese slightly browned. This is pure goodness.

Look at the cheese all melty...

Dig in! This was a pretty saucy version, I like it that way. Use as much or as little sauce as you like. Make it how you like it to be.

Ingredient list:

salted water for boiling noodles

6 lasagna noodles

1 container cottage cheese, drained (about 2 cups)

1 egg

1 tbs fresh parsley

2 tsp seat salt divided

1 tsp pepper divided

1 lb mild Italian sausage

1 15 oz can dice tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

2 tbs fresh basil

1 tbs fresh oregano

3 to 4 garlic cloves

1/2  a large onion

16 oz cheese (I like provolone, mozzarella, and monterrey jack)

1 zucchini sliced

spinach

The night before place cottage cheese in a strainer over a bowl. Let this drain overnight (covered).

In a new bowl drop in the drained cottage cheese. Add the egg, half the salt and pepper, and parsley. Stir until combined.

Boil water for cooking the noodles.

In a skillet brown the Italian sausage. Pull the sausage out of the pan, leaving 3 to 4 tbs of fat. Add onions and garlic, then the rest of the salt and pepper. Cook until translucent. Pour in the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add basil and oregano. Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Drain the noodles.

In the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan spoon a layer of sauce. This will prevent the noodles from sticking. Spread a layer of cottage cheese on top of the noodles, then a layer of sauce and a layer of cheese. Now lay the zucchini evenly over the cheese. Next put a layer of spinach. start again with the noodles, cottage cheese, sauce, and finally cheese. This will use about 8 lasagna noodles.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serves 6 to 8