Lasagna

20130323:
While I previously helped make lasagna once before, I wanted to put one together on my own. This time, however, I used a different recipe as a guide and played around with the proportions; part of this was due to the glassware I had available.

Ingredients (Part 1):
3/4 lb ground beef | 1/2 cup onion | 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet)* | White cooking wine |

Tomato sauce (Italian Sausage & Peppers) | 1 can crushed tomatoes = 28 oz | 1 can tomato paste = 12 oz | Garlic | 2 tbsp sugar | 1 tsp dried ? | 1 tbs salt (I used Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Seasonings) | 1 tsp seasoning (I used Grilled Steak Seasoning)

*Remember after partially cooking, to slice the sausages at a diagonal. I'm not sure of the most aesthetically pleasing diagonal cut, but I feel as if consistency is important

Steps I Took:
Ground Beef: Cooked the ground beef until brown.*
Sausages: Flipped the sausages after one minute, then after two minutes, then after three minutes, and finally after four minutes. Added white wine. Added onion and garlic when cooking the sausages.
Cooking the Meat together with the Sauce: In a big pot I placed all the ingredients from Part 1.

*I forgot to add onion and garlic to the ground beef.

Ingredients (Part 2):
Lasagna noodles | 16 ounces ricotta cheese | 1 egg | 1/2 tsp salt | 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese | 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Steps I Took:
Cheese Mix: Mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, and 1/2 tsp salt.

I ended up using nearly all of the mozzarella cheese, but only a portion of the cheese mix.

I saved the remaining mix to make a second lasagna on 20130325.

Assembly: (from bottom to top)
Bottom: Meat sauce ||
Layer: Lasagna noodles | Ricotta cheese | Mozzarella cheese | Meat sauce | Parmesan cheese ||
Repeat: Lasagna Noodles | Ricotta Cheese | Mozzarella cheese | Meat sauce | Parmesan cheese ||
Top: Mozzarella cheese | Parmesan cheese ||

Result:
I recall enjoying the completed dish. However, it was also heavy. Perhaps I could have added more of the meat sauce and less mozzarella cheese. I could have also cooked to my taste by making the meat sauce meatier and using less tomato sauce.

Speaking of the tomato sauce, I was glad that I used Newman's Own Italian Sausage & Peppers, because it included small slices of sausages which were a welcomed addition to the beef and sausage I already had placed in the sauce.

Aesthetically, the lasagna didn't seem to keep itself in layers as well as I the Thanksgiving lasagna did.

[20130510]

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Relevant Links:
World's Best Lasagna (AllRecipes.com)