Meat Lover's Lasagna

Warning: This is not healthy, but it sure is gooooood! The recipe is an alteration of Paula Deen's "Lots O' Meat Lasagna".

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59247791@N08/with/5499266988/

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 pound ground Italian sausage

1 onion, chopped

 3/4 cup chopped green pepper

 3/4 cup chopped mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground oregano, or 1 tsp fresh chopped oregano

1 teaspoon ground basil, or 1 tsp fresh chopped basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese

1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmigianno-Reggiano

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

9 oven-ready lasagna noodles

2 (8-ounce) packages shredded mozzarella

 Finely sliced pepperoni

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, onion, pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.

Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs.

Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.

Bake 45 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and pepperoni slices, then bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

~MLE