Something New: Homemade Pasta Sauce & Super Simple Lasagna

Hello, food friends! This week has continued to be a good one, with continually positive job prospects and new food adventures. Chase and I tried Afgan food yesterday at a local shop, and it was an unintimidatingly tasty new experience.

Today's recipe hails from a different world region entirely, although I'm not sure about it's Italian authenticity. Still, by playing off this recipe, and mixing in some of our favorite flavors, Chase and I created a homemade pasta sauce that we're sure to make again.

Plus, the linked recipe makes one of the easiest lasagnas we've ever attempted. Yes, an easy lasagna!

I was skeptical of the idea of not cooking the noodles first, but consider me convinced. The foil and sauce essentially create a steamer bag. The good news: I don't lose 30 minutes pre-cooking lasagna noodles! The bad news: Simplifying lasagna might move me up a dress size. I hope my thighs will forgive my taste buds.

Happy cooking!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Homemade Pasta Sauce & Super Simple Lasagna

Homemade Pasta Sauce

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup shredded carrots (optional)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomato

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp cumin

Directions

1. In a large pot, brown the ground beef.

2. Add onion and carrots and cook until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and tomato paste and cook another 3-4 minutes.

3. Stir in fresh tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and spices. Bring to a boil.

4. Once the sauce reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 40 minutes.

5. Remove the bay leaf and serve over pasta or lasagna.

Super Simple Lasagna

1 ½ cup chopped fresh spinach

1 pound whole milk ricotta

1 pound (16 oz.) shredded mozzarella, divided

1 box lasagna noodles

approx. 5 cups of your favorite pasta sauce

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped spinach, ricotta, and half (8 oz.) of the mozzarella.

3. In a 9x13 pan, layer your lasagna: Sauce, uncooked noodles, cheese mix, sauce, noodles, cheese mix, etc.

4. Once you have about a half inch left in the top of your pan, add one last layer of sauce. Then sprinkle the other 8 oz. of mozzarella on top.

5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, using toothpicks to hold it away from the mozzarella if necessary.

6. Bake for 40 minutes in the oven. Remove the foil and cook for another 5 minutes.

7. Serve.

Everything chopped and ready for the pot.

Into the pot.

Ready to be dished out.

Spinach and cheese mixture.

It might be too warm for clothes layers, but it's never a bad time for lasagna layers!

Out of the oven, ready for plating.

Happy cooking!