Recipe: Italian Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 to 2 Boxes Regular or "Oven Ready" Lasagna noodles (depending on size pan using)

2 lbs. Lean Ground Beef

2 lbs. bulk Italian Sausage

1 Can (32 oz) Crushed Tomatoes

1 Can (32 oz) Tomato Puree

2-3 Fresh basil Leaves, chopped coarsely

2-3 cloves garlic

1 medium Vidalia Onion

1-2 oz Olive Oil

Salt/pepper to taste

Garlic powder & onion powder, to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, if desired

1-2 teaspoons Sugar

1 3 lb container Ricotta Cheese

1 lb Mozzarella Cheese (Cubed)

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Brown ground beef and sausage in frying pan; drain and set aside. In a large pot or sauce pan heat olive oil then add your chopped garlic and onions, brown slightly (Do Not Burn). Add your can of crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. Fill the cans with cold water and stir to get remaining contains; add that water into the pot and stir. Add basil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper flakes (if desired), and sugar; stir well. Bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on bottom of large lasagna pan. Place first layer of lasagna noodles down, sprinkle with ground beef and sausage, add several spoonfuls of ricotta cheese and a handful of the cubed mozzarella cheese, add 1/2-1 cup of sauce and sprinkle with grated parmesan Cheese. Then keep repeating this process until all ingredients are used. Top off last layer of lasagna with sauce, mozzarella and grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min to 1 hour. Let stand for at least 2 hours.