Everybody's Favorite Lasagna

So this is a recipe that has morphed a great deal from the original in Betty Crocker that my mother used to make all the time.  I started making this in college and at least once a month my roommates would demand that I make a huge batch of lasagna and then the 4 of us would have to consume the entire pan because our mini-fridge wouldn't hold the leftovers!  I get some flack for not using ricotta cheese in this recipe but the cheese mixture I use makes it gooey and moist.  Enjoy!

(Picture to come)

Serves:  6-8

Ingredients:
  - 2 tbsp olive oil
  - 1 pkg lasagna noodles
  - 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  - 1 1/2 14.5 oz cans tomato sauce
  - 1 diced white or yellow onion
  - 1 pkg button mushrooms sliced
  - 3-4 minced heads of garlic
  - 2+ tbsp italian seasoning
  - 1 lb mild or spicy italian sausage
  - 2 blocks of cream cheese
  - 1 lb package of shredded mozzarella (or fresh if you want to grade it yourself)
  - 1 large tub of 4% cottage cheese (can use 1  1/2 smaller tubs)

Take the cream cheese and cottage cheese out of the fridge and place in a warm area for the cream cheese to soften.  In a large saute pan add the olive oil and heat to a medium-high - add the sausage and onion and simmer until sausage is brown and onions translucent.  Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are just tender.  Add the tomatoes (sauce and diced), the italian seasoning and 2 tsp of salt and 1 1/2 tsp pepper.  Simmer for 5-6 minutes and taste for seasoning - may need more italian seasoning.  Don't worry about getting the sauce too seasoned because it gets mixed with the noodles and cheese mixture which helps balance it out.
  Meanwhile heat a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles as the box suggests - rinse the noodles in cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them off for easy handling.  Combine the softened cream cheese, cottage cheese and 3/4 of the bag of mozzarella - mix well.  Place a layer of noodles on the bottom of a large baking dish, ladle about half the sauce on top (enough to cover the noodles completely) and then spoon half of the cream cheese mixture on top of the sauce.  You may need to use your hands and a knife to evenly distribute the cheese.  Place another layer of noodles on top of the cheese and repeat the sauce and cheese steps again.  Place in an oven at 375 for about 30 to 45 minutes or until it is bubbly and starting to brown on top.  With 5 minutes left in baking sprinkle the last of the mozzarella on top and finish cooking.  Take lasagna out of oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes for easier serving and to let it set up.

This lasagna freezes very well - just do all the steps except for the baking and cover the dish well and place in the freezer.  It can go straight from the freezer to the oven just extend the cooking time about 15 minutes.

This is also an easy recipe to double or triple so when you make one make several and store in freezer for those days you don't feel like cooking!