Lasagna Even Garfield Would Approve...

Lasagna Roll Ups

Cooking Time: 90 minutes; Yields 4-6

Ingredients 

1 pound hamburger

1.5 pounds Italian sausage 

3-4 T olive oil

1 yellow onion; diced

3-4 garlic cloves; diced

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1.5 tsp dried basil

28 oz can tomato sauce

15 oz can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic

15 oz can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

1/2 cup water

9-12 lasagna noodles 

16 oz ricotta cheese

3/4 cup parmesan cheese; ground

1 egg

fresh parsley; chopped

mozzarella cheese; slices

salt (kosher) and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Add 1-2 T of olive oil to a deep/large sauté pan over medium heat

2. Brown your hamburger and Italian sausage.  Season the meat with about 1 tsp of salt while browning.  Once your meats have browned up, remove and strain any excess grease.

 ***TIP: For any kid growing up in my generation I think we all saw our mom's rinse meat while straining it, DON'T!  It removes all the flavor you just created while browning it

3. Once you have removed your meat from the sauté pan, wipe out the pan because we will use it again.  Place it over medium heat and add 3-4 T of olive oil.  When the oil is warm add your onion, garlic, dried Italian seasoning, and dried basil.  Cook those together for about 5-6 minutes or until the onions become translucent. 

4. After your onion mixture has cooked add your meat back to the pan, along with your tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and water.  Bring this to a boil and reduce to simmer for about 45 minutes. 

***TIP: After it cooks for 45 minutes taste it.  You might need to add salt or if it tastes too acidic add about 1 tsp of sugar. 

5. While your sauce is simmering for 45 minutes fill a large pasta pot with water and 1/4 cup of salt to season the water.  Bring it to a boil and cook your lasagna noodles; 6-7 minutes.  I also like to pull my noodles just shy of being fulling cooked (but still pliable) , because they will finish cooking in the oven.  

6. After your noodles have finished boiling you need to make the filling.  In a small bowl combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, and 1 T fresh parsley.

7. To make the roll ups you need to lay your noodles out flat and spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodle.  Then just roll them up

8. After all your noodles are rolled up and ready to go, place 3/4 of your meat sauce into the bottom of  a deep baking dish.  Then nestle your roll ups into the sauce, seam side down so they don't unroll while baking

9. Top the roll ups with a little extra sauce and a slice of mozzarella cheese.  I also like to sprinkle a pinch of Italian seasoning on top of the mozzarella slices too, but that is up to your digression.

10. Cover the pan with foil and place into a 350 degree oven.  Bake the roll ups for 20 minutes covered and then an additional 10 minutes  without the foil

11. Remove and top with fresh parsley

12. Enjoy!!!