Classic Mouthwatering Meat Lasagna

A rich Italian dish that brings together family and friends at every special occasion and holiday -- Lasagna! Growing up (and still to this day), we eat lasagna at every holiday, birthday and special occasion; it’s one of the most celebrated Italian dishes. You may wonder "what's so special about lasagna, why do people like it?" There are many reasons; it tastes good, its filling, is very nutritious, it can be made with fresh pasta, its inexpensive to make and it can be varied so it isn't boring as: with meat, without meat, with spinach as a vegetarian dish, with meatballs, with different cheeses, with onion, with mushrooms, with different herbs, etc. Making the best lasagna takes time, patience and a niche for good taste. Here is my recipe, you will LOVE it. I have two 'secrets' when it comes to cooking the best Lasagna, one I add red wine to the sauce (only the best Italian food is cooked with wine!), and second, you MUST allow the sauce to simmer on the stove top for 3 to 4 hours (this gives the sauce a rich and unforgettable taste).

Homemade Sauce Ingredients:

1 celery stock thinly chopped

1 medium onion thinly chopped

1 green pepper thinly chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped

1 tablespoon of oil

1 package of lean ground beef

2 cans of san marzano peeled plum tomatoes

1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste

½ cup of red wine (dry)

Seasonings: salt, black pepper, oregano, parsley, onion salt, dry red pepper (I like it spicy)

Heat the oil and add all the vegetables. Cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the lean ground beef and cook until there is no pink, about 10 minutes.

Blend the cans of tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomatoes to the pot and stir.

Add the tomato paste and the seasonings. Stir very well and taste. (Add more seasonings if necessary). Add the wine and allow the sauce to come to a boil, and then turn on low-medium.

Allow the sauce to simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stirring the sauce every 15-25 minutes.

The above picture was taken after the sauce had been simmering for 4 hours, you can tell the sauce will reduce just by looking at the sides of the pot. (This is when the sauce is very tasty!)

Lasagna Ingredients:

1 bag of grated Italian cheese

2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese

1 box of Lasagna noodles (cook the noodles until they are almost done)

Here are the steps to layering the lasagna.

Step 1. Add some sauce to the bottom of your dishes

Step 2. Add one layer of noodles

Step 3. Add sauce on top of the noddles

Step 4. Add one layer of noodles, sauce and sprinkle a good amount of the Italian cheese

Repeat steps 1 to 4 (but add the Italian cheese and the mozzarella cheese to the top)

You can cover and put in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to cook it (it can last up to three months in the freezer!).  Cook the lasagna @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes.