Maggie's Lazaggie

When I was 18 years old, I got a job cooking for a fraternity at Arizona State University - best job ever - 63 guys loved ME!  While I was there, I picked up a few recipes.  Over time, as I read more, tested ideas, fed my family, and got busy, I adjusted those recipes to fit us.  Maggie's Lazaggie is a great example of the morph that many of my recipes have gone through!  The result is fast, easy, and delicious!

Maggie's Lazaggie

- serves a crowd, unless they are really hungry teenagers -

1 lb Hamburger
2 cans/jars Italian Sauce
1 brick Cream Cheese, let sit on counter for an hour to bring closer to room temperature
1 lb Mozzarella Cheese, grated
1 lb Ricotta Cheese - or - Cottage Cheese
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
1 egg
Milk, as needed (about 1/2 C)
1 C Spinach, chopped - or frozen & crumbled
1 box Lasagna Noodles, DO NOT COOK!
1 C water

You can make this in your 9x11 cake pan, but I prefer to make it in a large crock pot.

Brown hamburger; drain & cool.  This makes assembly an easy thing, eliminating the burned fingers & steamed glasses.

Mix cheeses, egg, and milk until smooth.

Break up the lasagna noodles as you add them.

Begin with about 1/2 C Italian sauce on the bottom of the pan or crock pot.  Spread it around to coat the bottom.  Break up 3 noodles, and sprinkle the pieces around the pan.  Add 1/3 of the hamburger, 1/3 of the cheese mixture, and some sauce (about 2 C).

Layer 2:  3 noodles, 1/3 of the hamburger, spinach, cheese, and sauce.

Layer 3: 3 noodles, 1/3 of the hamburger, cheese, and sauce.

Layer 4:  3 noodles, and about 1/2 C more sauce.

Gently pour about 1C water over the whole thing.

If you are making this in your crock pot, simply cover it and turn it on.  It can be ready to eat in just a couple hours if you use the high setting - or set it on low & let it simmer all day.

If you are making this in a cake pan, be sure your layers are thin enough not to be above the rim of the pan.  Cover with a layer of wax paper (to keep it from sticking) and aluminium foil.  Bake at 350* for about an hour.  I like to put my pan on a cookie sheet while in the oven to catch all the drippings - otherwise, you will have to clean the oven when you are finished!

Remove from heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving - if you can keep everyone away from it that long!  This allows the lasagna to firm up.  However, if you are serving a bunch of ravenous teenagers who don't care what it looks like, let them have it as soon as the noodles are soft!

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Serving idea:  Garlic Bread, Broccoli, Salad, and whatever else you can think of to balance out your meal.

Have everything else ready to serve when you tell the family it's ready - it doesn't last long!