Happy New Year! I know in my last post I said I was back and here to stay, but this time I mean it. The last couple of months were especially busy for me and didn’t give a lot of time to just bake! Anyway I’m back for real this time…hahaha. As you all know the new year equals a list of goals that people try to accomplish, I always use to write the famous ‘New Years Resolution’ I would write crazy goals here are just a few to make you laugh: not eat chocolate for a year (I failed miserably) another goal was to read a new book every week, while this one wasn’t hard it was just too time consuming (I’m a medium/slow reader)! This year I decided not to write a resolution instead I will just fix my problems as they come. Today’s recipe isn’t sweet but savory it may be even better than chocolate.

Lasagna

YIELD: 12 servings Prep Time: 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS: 

• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a large cooking pot cook beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Allow sauce mixture to simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, strirring occasionally. When the sauce is almost done cooking bring salt water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, drain and rinse noodles with cold water. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg and salt. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Time to assemble spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles length wise over meat sauce. Next spread one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese. Add remaining sauce over the mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Repeat same layering pattern, and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Lastly cover with foil: to prevent sticking spray foil with cooking spray to make sure foils does not touch the cheese. Finally bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for another 25 minutes. Allow the lasagna to cool for 15 minutes after baking and enjoy!

Adapted from Allrecipes: World’s Best Lasagna

What was the best part of 2014 for you?