Mushrooms and bell peppers add extra appeal to a beefy tomato sauce, layered with noodles and a rich blend of mozzarella, cottage cheese, ricotta and bread crumbs. Sprinkle with more mozzarella and bake until beautifully bubbly.
INGREDIENTS (for 6 servings):
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
- 2 eggs
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces cottage cheese
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned
- 1 (16 ounce) package instant lasagna noodles
PREPARATION:
In a medium size skillet cook ground beef. After beef is brown, add chopped onion and green pepper, mushrooms, and stir until vegetables are tender. Stir in the can of tomato sauce.
In a large bowl mix the eggs, half of the shredded mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, milk, and bread crumbs.
To assemble, coat bottom of 9x13 inch casserole dish with a third of the sauce mixture. Layer uncooked noodles on top. Add another third of the sauce, and then half of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering with noodles, cheese, and sauce. Sprinkle remaining shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.