Improved Skillet Lasagna

I posted this Skillet Lasagna the first time last September. I told you then that it was really good but could use some improvement. I finally got around to making it again.

I used diced tomatoes and tomato sauce with basil, garlic and oregano seasoning (Hunt's brand). I added more red pepper flakes and some Italian seasoning. Now, it's really great!

SKILLET LASAGNA

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes (basil, garlic, oregano flavor)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
8 ounces curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths (about 10 whole noodles)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (basil, garlic, oregano flavor)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
8 ounces ricotta cheese

Pour the tomatoes with their juice into a quart measuring cup. Add enough water to the tomatoes to measure 4 cups.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain grease if necessary.

Sprinkle the noodle pieces evenly over the meat. Pour the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning over the pasta – don’t stir. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and the basil. Dot heaping tablespoons of the ricotta over the noodles. Cover the skillet and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings

Lasagna for dinner tonight!

This is not an advertisement!

Or maybe it is!

Does anybody out there make lasagna?

Stop buying the Stouffer's frozen junk and make your own!

First, you have to get the Ronzoni Oven Ready Lasagna noodles. (There are other brands, but not as good.) Second, just use the recipe on the box. Next, rather than try to read the box as you go, write down all the layers you will need like this:

1- meat sauce

2-pasta

3-ricotta

4-sauce

etc, etc.....

For this recipe, you will end up with 5 layers of meat sauce, 4 layers of mozzarella and 3 layers of ricotta. This is good to know so that you can divide the larger amounts evenly into the smaller portions and you won't run out of something by the time you get to the last few layers.

Normally, I divide the usual recipe in 3 large aluminum loaf pans. I freeze them, and then when I want lasagna, I thaw one overnight in the fridge. This way you will have smaller lasagnas that will serve 2 or 3 people.

By the way, the silly recipe says it makes 10 to 12 servings. Very funny! I don't know anyone that would want such a small portion. I say it makes 6 or 8 servings.