Lazy Day Lasagna

I got this recipe from my cute cousin at my bridal shower.  I've continued to use it over the years and the only thing I've changed is that I just make it in bigger quantities now!  Oh - and I sub out ground beef for Italian sausage.  Thank heavens for pigs, right?  Is that too far - am I going to get a call from animal rights groups?  If so, I didn't mean it.

I'm sure ya'll have lasagna recipes but I love this one because of the great flavor you get with few ingredients and a simple put-together.  If you do have one you love though, please share!  Seriously though - out of curiosity I just googled "lasagna recipe" and the first one that came up has 21 ingredients and involves preparation in the dutch oven, on the stove top, cooking noodles ahead of time and then ultimately baking it in the oven.  Honestly, I'm sure it's delightful for the taste buds, and if you have time and patience for that sort of thing then MORE POWER TO YA!!  Seriuosly!  But... I don't.  My kids all love this lasagna.  Yeah, you heard me right.  They all 3 like the same dish.  What?  If you knew what a Christmas miracle it is around here to make something that satisfies the hubbs and ALL THREE munchkins - you'd understand why I love this recipe so much!  I'm not sure exactly where my kids get their palates from.  They like to chomp the uncooked noodles whenever I cook pasta.  Weirdies!  Every once in a while they do appreciate a yummy dish though (like this one!!)!

So, without further ado, this is how we rock lasagna!

Lazy Day Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 pound browned ground Italian sausage
• 1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 24 ounces cottage cheese
• 12 ounces sour cream
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 32-48 ounces spaghetti sauce (I do 48 oz)
• Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Brown sausage in medium saucepan on the stove and crumble into tiny pieces
• Stir in spaghetti sauce and heat through then set aside
• Combine sour cream, cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese in medium bowl and mix well
• Spray bottom of 9x13 pan lightly with no-stick cooking spray
• Lightly coat bottom of pan with thin layer of sauce
  
• Lay out one layer of noodles
• Don't cram them in there or they won't cook all the way through.  It works best if you have little spaces between them
  
• Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles and spread evenly
• Spoon 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture on the sauce and spread out as best you can.  This is the hardest part!  
  
• Sprinkle on a layer of parmesan cheese
  
• Repeat:  noodles, sauce, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese two more times for a total of three layers.  I usually sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese on top.  I also like to change up the direction of the noodles... not sure why but in my mind it holds it together better.  It probably doesn't. :)
  
• Run a butter knife along the edges of the pay to make sure there's a little crack along the edge of your lasagna
  
• Pour 1 cup of water over the top and down the side of the pan
• Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour covered, then remove cover and cook for 20 more minutes

Note:  The 9x13 pan I like to use is a little deeper than some of my other ones so be aware of that as you're layering up!

 I don't have a finished picture because this is what we're eating tonight and I thought I'd share in case you need a last minute idea.  :)