Lasagna 101 With Special Guest Jillian of Living in DIZ

Donna’s Award Winning Lasagna Ingredients: - 12-16 Lasagna Noodles, prepared according to package directions - 2 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground beef, browned and drained - 48 oz. (Two 24 oz. jars or a large 45 oz. jar) of spaghetti sauce (I use only Prego Meat Sauce), divided (reserve about 1-2 cups of sauce for bottom and top of lasagna) - 4 cups shredded Italian blend cheese mix divided (reserve 1 cup for lasagna topping) - 1 1/2-2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese (reserving 1/2 to 1 cup for top of lasagna) - 32 oz. part skim Ricotta cheese - 3/4 to 1 cup Egg Beaters egg substitute -1-2 Tbs. Italian seasoning -2-3 tsp. granulated garlic - 2 tsp. dried parsley flakes Cooking Instructions: -Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions. I make sure to use well salted water to boil my noodles. Drain well under cold water to stop the cooking process. -While the noodles are cooking, prepare the beef mixture. In a large, deep skillet or pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Drain well. Return to pan and reduce heat to low. Add most of the spaghetti sauce, reserving 1-2 cups for the bottom and top of the lasagna. Stir well and simmer for about 10-12 minutes, heating through and making sure not to boil. -Meanwhile, prepare the lasagna pan by spraying a 9 x 13 x 2” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread a thin layer of the reserved spaghetti sauce to coat the bottom of the baking dish. -Prepare the cheese filling by mixing the Ricotta cheese, 3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, 1-1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, spices, and egg substitute until well blended. It should be light and fluffy. If it’s too dense, add more 1/4 cup of egg substitute until desired consistency. Set aside. -Assemble the lasagna. Place four of the cooked and cooled lasagna noodles on the bottom of the prepared and sauced baking dish. Spread 1/3 of beef mixture over the noodles to cover. Using a large spoon, place 1/2 of the cheese mixture by the spoonful, over the beef mixture being careful not to mix it into the beef mixture. Top with four more lasagna noodles and press down but not too firmly. Repeat the layering using 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and then topping with the remaining cheese mixture. Top with four more lasagna noodles and again press down but not too firmly. Spread the top of the lasagna with the remaining beef mixture. Sprinkle the reserved shredded Italian and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Spread a layer (not too thick) of the reserved spaghetti sauce all over the top of the lasagna making sure to cover any white of the noodles so they don’t dry out while cooking. Also, I make sure to get sauce all down the edges of the lasagna, also to prevent drying out in the oven. Cover tightly with nonstick foil, making sure the nonstick side is face down on the top layer of the lasagna. This is to prevent sticking. *Place in refrigerator overnight. -Bring lasagna up to room temperature about a half hour before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Loosen the nonstick foil before baking but Do Not Remove the foil! -Bake lasagna with the foil still on for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking the lasagna for an additional 30-40 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown in the top and us melted. Let the lasagna sit for 15-20 minutes to settle before serving. *Note that this dish can be baked right after preparing, but it may be runny if not allowed to set up in the refrigerator. That's why I make this dish a day ahead of time. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ⭐️ Check out Living in DIZ on YouTube: http://youtube.com/livingindiz ⭐️ Check out Living in DIZ on Instagram: https://instagram.com/living_in_diz?igshid=k08pacirjq7i and Twitter: https://twitter.com/DizLiving ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 🧁💕Join the Dinners_With_Donna Facebook Group for all the latest channel and stream news and updates as well as recipes: https://www.facebook.com/groups/308849450431475 ⭐Find the links to recipes from this show on the new website at http://dinnerswithdonna.com ⭐️🧁Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/dinners_with_donna?igshid=vewvu8w92y1x and Twitter:https://twitter.com/donnalynn7292 ⭐️🍪Never expected but always greatly appreciated, you can send a donation to support the channel here: www.paypal.me/donnajaworski 📬💌 We love to hear from you and receive mail! You can send it here: 6256 Old Brick Rd.; 120-283; Windermere, FL 34786 🧁🍰🍪Support the Dinners_With _Donna channel by becoming a member and receiving exclusive perks, giveaways, & recipes! To learn more, go to my channel page and click “Join”. Or click here: Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWoE6F_dHmU7szLVSdvEuQ/join 🛍👚👕🎉 We have Dinners_With_Donna merch! Check it all out here: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/dinnerswithdonna