GRANDMA'S NADA RICOTTA CHEESY LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare lasagna pasta as per directions, al dente. I add oil to my water when boiling to prevent noodles from sticking and tearing. drain well. **NOTE: After I drain my noodles, I run them through my fingers to remove excess water. Then, to keep noodles from sticking and tearing while waiting to assemble lasagna. Spray the rim of empty pot you cooked your pasta in with non-stick cooking spray and hang noodles over edge of pot until ready to assemble. Keeps noodles flat, prevents them from folding in on themselves, sticking, and tearing.
• 2. In a 3 quart dutch oven, add EVOO, medium heat. Add meat, peppers, onions, & Italian seasoning. Cook until meat is browned through. Drain excess fat from meat. (I use a fine strainer) & Return meat back to pan.
• 3. Add 8oz pasta sauce to meat & mix well. Cook over low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sauce is heated. Remove from heat and set aside.
• 4. To arrange Lasagna:
• 5. Using a lasagna pan, put a thin layer of sauce on bottom of pan, just enough to cover the bottom. Arrange noodles on top of sauce, over-lapping just a bit.
• 6. Next, using half of meat mixture, spread evenly over noodles. Sometimes I add sliced pepperoni to this step as well for an added fun flavor. Or your favorite vegetable slices!
• 7. Add sliced cheese, 1/4 pound of each. Alternate the layering to allow for a taste of each cheese with each bite of lasagna. I tear the cheese slices up and lay alternating the different flavors.
• 8. Follow up with a cup (8oz) of sauce. You can add more or less depending on your taste.
• 9. Repeat steps for another layer of each noodles, meat mixture, cheese, sauce.
• 10. To complete, top with one more layer of noodles and sauce. Make sure your top layer of noodles are covered well with sauce to prevent them from drying out.
• 11. Bake in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Add one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese to top and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven & allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
• 12. A nice crisp salad with Italian Dressing, Fresh Italian bread, and fresh corn shaved from the cob compliment this main dish. As always, you can make it vegetarian by omitting the meat mixture. I posted pictures of both, because I Always make a vegetarian version when I make this dish. I'll even add cut up zucchini and or eggplant (sauteed in butter with peppers and onions and Italian seasoning) in place of the meat for a tasty Vegetable lasagna. It's a wonderfully cheesy lasagna full of flavor! I hope you enjoy!