We’ve had our share of lean years. (I describe the lean years in my new book God in the Window. One of my favorite chapters is titled Pink carpet and Flowered Wallpaper. The chapter is all about how we survived the lean years and the lessons God taught me along the way! Stay tuned for an upcoming release date.)

During the lean years we ate a lot of pasta. In fact, when Jay and I go out on a date, I rarely want to go to an Italian restaurant because it reminds me of stretching our meals to get the most out of them. This stretching usually involved pasta! One day I came across a lasagna recipe that was different. I loved the unique taste and it quickly became a staple in our family meal rotation. We never have leftovers when I make a pan of Sausage Lasagna!

Sausage Lasagna

16 oz lasagna noodles

1 lb. hot sausage (I use regular and most of the time I use the 1/2 fat)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon basil

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 (1-lb) can tomatoes

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

1 lb diced mozzarella cheese

3 cups cottage cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoon parsley flakes

2 beaten eggs

2 tsp. salt (I omit this salt. I don’t think you need it!)

1/4 tsp pepper

Brown the sausage slowly; spoon off excess grease. Add garlic, basil, 1-1/2 tsp salt, tomatoes, tomato paste, and cook slowly, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. To make cheese filling: combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, eggs, 2 tsp salt, and pepper. Boil the noodles until soft and tender and drain. (I do not use the no-boil noodles because there is not much liquid in the recipe.) In a casserole dish, layer in this order: noodles, cheese filling, mozzarella, then meat sauce. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.