Sunday's Small Lasagna

Sunday's  Small Lasagna

Sunday is a good day to get some cooking done. 
Today I cut up and cooked a small pumpkin. So while I was pureeing it I decided to make a small lasagna. The first thing I did was boil some water for the noodles and added sea salt and a shot of red wine. The wine gives the noodles a rich flavor that is great for this meal. 
In the refrigerator I already had some shredded Italian cheese,  cream cheese, the tail end of a container of cottage cheese, and finally a small container of ricotta. Ok great I had all the cheese for the lasagna I would need.
Next I  took out the meat I had already cooked yesterday and the day before.I had about a half pound of ground beef I had cooked the other night when I made stroganoff, and my favorite breakfast treat of ground beef, onions, and scrambled eggs. I swear no one can stretch a pound of ground beef like I can since I still had this half pound for tonight's dinner.Just think about it I got three meals from this one pound! Pretty good right?
I had also cooked up a half pound of Italian sausage in anticipation of this meal. I had gotten a few pounds of the Italian sausage last week at Gabriels Market since it was on sale for a low price. I am so spoiled by this store. I can not get better meat anywhere than at this store.
While my lasagna noodles cooked ( I use half a box for a small lasagna). I first  pureed my pumpkin then when that was done I  I combined the cheese and did the same with that adding a tablespoon of Italian Seasoning, 1 tablespoon of fennel, and fresh garlic. 
The sauce was easy. I had bought a few jars of Francesco Rinaldi Sauce I found at the Dollar Tree. I love this sauce! 
Let me break down the Lasagna into a recipe to make it easier to understand:

Sunday's  Small Lasagna 

Ingredients:

Noodles:

1/2 box of Lasagna noddles  

1 shot of red wine

sea salt

Filling:

Sauce 

Small jar of your favorite sauce

Cheese:

Small container of Ricotta

2 ozs. of shredded  cheese (I am hooked on Kraft Philadelphia shredded cheese because all the blends have cream cheese in them, but use the kind you like best and it does not have to be Italian, Mexican works well too)

4 ozs of cream cheese

2 tablespoons of cottage cheese

1 tablespoon of Fennel 

1 tablespoon of Italian seasonings

2 cloves of garlic 

combine and puree in the blender.

When the noodles are ready using a small Lasagna pan and layer, meat and sauce then noodles, then cheese and repeat again 

When the layers are complete top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Put in oven and  Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes (350°F if using convection)

Let cool and set up for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Then serve.

Enjoy!