Simple and Meaty Skillet Lasagna

Recipe adapted from: http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/2009/07/simple-and-meaty-skillet-lasagna.html


YUM!!! This was SO good! I have never really liked lasagna, truth be told I'm not really a fan of ground beef and I usually don't like sauce because it always has onions and little "things" in it. But with the sauce made from scratch I ate it all up, even the ground beef!



Simple and Meaty Skillet Lasagna


3 14.5 cans of whole tomatoes (I used 1 big can that was 1 lb 12oz, then added some water)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder ( sometimes I cook the onion with it in big rings then take them out but I didn't buy an onion)
Salt
3 Garlic cloves (cooked with then taken out, or if you want to keep it in minced)

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 TBS dried basil
1/2 TBS dried oregano
1 lb ground beef
12 curly edged lasagna noodles (broken into 1 inch pieces)
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (do not use fat free)


Pulse the tomatoes in a blender, you can leave chunks if you like but i made them smooth.

Heat the oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add salt, stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for about 30 seconds. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes until there is no pink. (pick out chunks of garlic if you want) Scatter the broken lasagna noodles over the cooked meat, then pour in the sauce and ground tomatoes. Stir in basil and oregano. Cover and increase the heat to medium high and cook stirring often, adjust the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer for about 20 minutes or until pasta is tender, if it is too dry add water. Take it off the heat and stir in half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the parmesan cheese. Dot with heaping tablespoons of the ricotta cheese then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover off the heat and let the cheese melt then SERVE!!