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You’ll need:

1 pound box lasagna noodles
1 16 oz container of whole milk ricotta cheese
2 large jars prepared sauce
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
2 16 oz. bags whole milk mozzarella cheese
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
large bag baby spinach
2 large eggs (beaten)
salt & pepper

When my hubby begs for lasagna, and I don’t have all day to invest in the sauce, I reach for a few large jars of Ragu chunky onion and roasted garlic sauce and pour it into a pound of cooked and drained ground chuck and hot Italian sausage. Heat it up and simmer while boiling the lasagna noodles (cut 2 minutes from cooking time on box so they don’t get mushy when they bake longer in the oven). I also steam a large bag of baby spinach until wilted then drain and squeeze out all the excess water. Chop it up and add it to ricotta cheese (I use whole milk ricotta just because of its richness). To the cheese mixture add 2 beaten eggs, salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Set aside.

When noodles are done, drain them and lay them out to dry on paper towels or clean dishtowel. I make a large dish of lasagna so I find that three layers of four noodles across works well (cook a few extra for any bare spots or broken ones). Now we’re ready to assemble. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In lasagna pan (or large glass 11x13 dish) ladle enough sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the pan. Line up four noodles side-by-side in the sauce. Spread over that about 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle over that about 1 cup mozzarella cheese then ladle sauce over that. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan. Continue in that order for the next layer. Noodles, rest of the ricotta, mozzarella, sauce, parmesan. For the top layer, lay down noodles, rest of sauce, rest of the mozzarella and parmesan. Make sure there is a little room on the sides of the pan for expansion. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese on top gets a nice golden brown (my favorite part!). Take out of oven and let rest 10 minutes then slice and serve. Yummy!