Extra Cheesy Meat Lasagna

Lasagna not only tastes delicious but it looks delicious. The cheesy top makes me want to eat it right then! But we all know it is better to let it sit for at least a few minutes. Those minutes can seem like torture. Not just from the sight of the lasagna but also from the smell. It is one of the most amazing smells in the cooking world. The cheese, sauce and meat come together to create a wonderful smell.

Sometimes you just want some comfort food. This is the ultimate comfort food. We took regular lasagna and added some extra cheese to make it a must have!

There is the normal cheeses, mozzarella, ricotta (or cottage cheese, we like it both ways) and parmesan. Then we also added some cheddar. Because cheddar makes everything better!

The first step in this meal is to get all the components cooked so you can assemble it. I start by cooking the meat and the sauce. I use 4% hamburger meat when I am cooking most things, the only exception is hamburgers, sometimes I will use a higher fat percentage. I put onions in a pan and let them cook for a few minutes then add minced garlic. I let those two cook for a couple more minutes then I add the hamburger. I season the hamburger with seasoning salt, I use Johnny's seasoning salt. I also put some black pepper on the meat. I cook it until it is done (no pink).

While the meat is cooking I get my sauce started, I usually used canned because I like the flavor of it best. I have not found my perfect homemade recipe yet, but I keep trying! To make it my own, I add onions, garlic and black pepper. Then I cook it in my crockpot for at least 5 hours. When the meat is done, I drain it and put it in the crockpot with the sauce.

When I am ready to start making the lasagna, I boil water for the noodles. While I wait for the water, I grate the cheese. I also turn off the crockpot so the sauce can cool before I assemble everything. When the water boils, I add the noodles and I cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. They will not be all the way done, which is perfect since you will cook them again.

I put some sauce/meat mixture in the bottom of my pan and then lay 3 noodles down. I mix ricotta cheese with some parmesan cheese, garlic powder and black pepper, then put that on top of the noodles and put a little grated cheese over the ricotta mixture. The I do another layer of 3 noodles, then meat sauce. I continue this until I am almost to the top of my pan. After the final layer of noodles, I cover the whole thing in sauce and then the rest of the mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheeses. Then it bakes!

The mixture of multiple cheeses give it a great smell and look. I cook it until the top is bubbly and brown. This looks like perfection to me!

Extra Cheesy Meat Lasagna

Ingredients

1.5 lbs lean ground beef/turkey/chicken
3 cups mozzarella cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups parmesan cheese, divided
12 lasagna noodles
32 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 TBSP seasoning salt
1/2 TBPS black pepper
64 oz spaghetti sauce, homemade or store bought
1/2 onion, chopped
1 TBSP grated garlic

Directions

Put onions in a pan, cook 2 minutes, add garlic, cook 2 more minutes. Add hamburger, cook until done
Put spaghetti sauce in crockpot, add onions, garlic and black pepper. Cook on low at least 6 hours
When sauce is done cooking, boil water in a large pot for the noodles. Grate the cheese, combine. Then add the noodles when the water is boiling. Cook 8 - 10 minutes, drain.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Put a cup of sauce on the bottom of pan, then layer 3 noodles. Next mix ricotta with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, garlic powder and black pepper. Layer that on noodles along with a handful of cheese. Then layer 3 more noodles. Then layer sauce/meat mixture. Repeat layers. After final noodle mixture, put more sauce on top and then put the rest of the cheese on it.
Put it in the over for 35 - 45 minutes, until cheese is brown and bubbly. Or you can put in the refrigerator to bake later
Let sit for at least 15 minutes before eating