Making freezer meals for postpartum was the best thing I did for myself in order to prepare for the birth of our daughter. At the beginning of my pregnancy, I was so nauseous and hated the smell of everything that I wanted nothing but to eat bland food. When making freezer meals, I really wanted to make sure they had lots of flavor for postpartum.
Of course, I used Tuscan Evening to really give the tomato sauce that herby flavor, but I also added Volcanic Sunset to the meat for some real spice!
INGREDIENTS
12 lasagna noodles (I used no boil but regular work too)
Tomato Sauce
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage
3-4 tablespoons Volcanic Sunset
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
36 oz pasta sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cheese Mixture
2 cups ricotta cheese
4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded and divided
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon Tuscan Evening
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large pot of salted water, boil lasagna noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.(if using no boil - skip this step)
2. In a large skillet or dutch oven, brown beef, sausage, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Add Volcanic Sunset. Drain any fat.
3. Stir in the pasta sauce, tomato paste, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thickened.
4. In a separate bowl, combine 1 ½ cups mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, ricotta, egg and Tuscan Evening.
5. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce in a 9×13 aluminum pan (if freezing) or casserole dish. Top it with 3 lasagna noodles. Layer with ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of meat sauce. Repeat twice more. Finish with 3 noodles topped with remaining sauce.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
7. Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Broil for 2-3 minutes if desired.
8. Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
**If freezing - cover with foil and place in freezer. When ready to bake, remove from freezer and take off foil. Bake 60-90 minutes and continue to step 7.
