Meal Planning: Cook Once, Eat Twice

My dear friend and team-mate, Jennifer, knows her way around the kitchen. She frequently makes meals for others and has developed fantastic recipes that create a meal for her family along with one to share.

She made this recipe for my family after I had surgery a few years ago and it not only replaced the lasagna recipe I'd been using happily for 30 years, but is one of our all-time favorite dinners.

The cottage cheese is a bit unconventional, but she gave a taste test to her extended family. This is the version that won. Once you try it, I think you'll agree!

Make–Ahead Lasagna

(Double the recipe for two dinners, one to eat tonight and one to save for later or to bring a friend in need)

1lb. ground beef

28 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce

8 oz. tomato sauce

15 oz. cottage cheese

12 pieces oven- ready lasagna

1 egg, slightly beaten

¼ tsp. oregano

½ tsp. basil

4 cups shredded mozzarella

¼ cup grated parmesan (optional)

Cook meat until browned; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce & tomato sauce

In a separate bowl, stir together cottage cheese, egg, basil & oregano

In a 9 x 13 pan, spread ¾ cup meat sauce

Place 3 pieces uncooked pasta crosswise over sauce (pieces shouldn’t overlap or touch sides of pan. Spread 2/3 cup cheese mixture over pasta. Spread ¾ meat sauce over cheese, covering pasta completely

Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella

Repeat twice more. Top w/ remaining 3 pieces of pasta.

Spread remaining meat sauce, then mozzarella & parmesan.

Cover w/ foil. Bake 30 min @ 375. Remove foil & bake 10 – 15 min

Make ahead: Cover w/ plastic & foil. To cook from fridge; 375 degrees = 40 min,

uncovered. To cook from frozen: 375 degrees = 1 hr. 30 min covered w/ foil, then 10 – 15 minutes uncovered

Did you try this recipe? What did you think?