Lasagna and Salad Recipe

I decided I wanted to make lasagna this past Sunday for Simon and in honor of Mother's Day for Kira and Kate. Simon loves lasagna, but I have never made it before. After consulting my mom, Kira, and allrecipes.com I came up with a good recipe.

Lasagna
Ingredients:

• 1 can marinara spaghetti sauce (you can do it completely from scratch, but I used Newman's Own marinara)
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsps dried basil
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I just used the dry kind)- 2 tbsp will be for the sauce and 2 tbsp are for the cheese mixture
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces of ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces (give or take) of cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
• Grated parmesan cheese (I didn't measure, but probably a cup or so)

Instructions:

1. Put a small amount of olive oil in a sauce pan. Heat the oil and then sauté the onions and garlic. Add in the can of marinara sauce. Stir in sugar, basil, fennel seeds, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley. 
2. Let the sauce simmer while you cook the noodles and prepare the cheese filling.
3. Bring a pot of water to boil (I like to add a little oil so the noodles don't stick together). Cook lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. 
4. While the noodles are cooking combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
6. To assemble: Pam spray the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, then add a thin layer of sauce. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise over sauce. Spread cheese mixture on top of the sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on the cheese mixture. Add another layer of sauce, then sprinkle parmesan cheese. Repeat layers ending with the noodles. On the top layer put a thin layer of sauce and sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan. 
7. Cover with foil.
8. Bake in oven for 25 minutes covered in foil. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Allrecipes adds meat to their sauce and does not use cottage cheese. For their recipe go here.

Salad 

Ingredients:

• 1 head of green leaf lettuce
• Olive oil
• Vinegar
• Sliced Almonds
• Dried Cranberries
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry lettuce. 
2. Cut lettuce with kitchen scissors.
3. Add olive oil and vinegar to taste.
4. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.
5. Add cranberries and sliced almonds.

I am lazy and don't make home made bread or rolls in this phase of my life, so I use Rhodes rolls. They are so easy and taste home made. You can get them at any grocery store.

Here are some pictures of the process and finished product:

Simon was my sous chef and helped me out. He did most of the dessert. Washed and cut the strawberries and made fresh creme. The pound cake we just bought from the store. All in all it was delicious.