Lasagna.
Much-loved, yet seldom-made.
Sorry, lasagna. You are not busy weeknight fare. You are time consuming, laborious, and create a sink full of dishes.
That is, until now.
Skillet Lasagna
1 lb lean ground beef or bison
1 small, chopped onion
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 can tomato purée
1 1/4 cups water
Italian seasonings, to taste (basil, oregano, rosemary)
salt & pepper, to taste
2 1/2 cups broken up whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
shredded mozzarella cheese
In a large skillet, brown the meat and drain. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft.
Add tomatoes, water, purée, Italian spices, and salt & pepper. Stir in uncooked pasta.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Meanwhile, combine the cottage cheese and Parmesan. Add the egg and mix.
Drop the cheese mixture by the spoonful over the pasta mixture. Cover and cook 5-10 minutes more.
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
Once the cheese has melted, serve to your hungry family.
Some notes:
I use bison almost exclusively. If you haven't tried it...do. Especially in a dish like this where there are other flavors in play. It's leaner than a chicken breast and isn't gamey at all. I never have to drain the meat when using bison. Seriously.
If you don't have fresh garlic, or if you don't feel like mincing a few cloves, garlic powder works just fine. I've done it. Often. Because for whatever reason, mincing garlic is something I *loathe*.
We like a sauce with a touch of sweetness. If you are like us, I'd suggest adding a bit of sugar with the sauce.
I eyeball the spices. Rarely do I measure such things.
The original recipe called for the broken lasagna noodles. Since I've hijacked this dish from beginning to end, I opted to use rotini, about half a box, maybe a bit less.
I pair this with a basic salad on the side.Dinner. Is. Served.
Now, I'm not going to participate in false advertising. This isn't as good as that lasagna that you slave over. I can't claim that.
But, you will spend about half an hour in the kitchen instead of half a day.
To that end, it tastes close enough.
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