Monday, January 09, 2006
Skip the ricotta for these lasagna recipes
Traditional lasagna usually is made with ricotta cheese, but some people don’t care for the taste and texture of ricotta. When it comes to lasagna, a good substitute for ricotta is plain cottage cheese. This milder cheese has a smoother texture and is less sweet than ricotta.
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Easy Lasagna
1 16-ounce package cottage cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 pound lasagna noodles, uncooked
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 28-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups hot water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cottage cheese, egg, and parsley. Set aside. Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add spaghetti sauce and mushrooms and heat slowly.
Put about 1-1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Layer 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the meat sauce, 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Repeat until all of the ingredients are used, ending with parmesan cheese on top.
Add hot water. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until noodles are tender and a crust forms on top, about 45 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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Traditional Baked Lasagna
8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 32-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 16-ounce package cottage cheese
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté ground beef, onions, and garlic salt until meat is brown. Drain excess fat, add spaghetti sauce to beef mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch glass baking pan. Line bottom of pan with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of sauce mixture over noodles. Layer 1/3 of the cottage cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella over the cottage cheese. Repeat this layering process until all ingredients are used. Bake for one hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Cottage cheese may be stored in the refrigerator for up to seven days after the sell by date marked on the package. Once opened, store cottage cheese in the refrigerator for up to one week or until the sell by date marked on the package, whichever comes first.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com