Mary Lou's Lasagna

Author: Mary Lou Nadeau

Ingredients

• $6$ Tbsp. butter or margarine
• $\frac{1}{2}$ cup chopped onions
• $1\frac{1}{2}$ tsp. garlic salad dressing mix
• $2$ ($2$ lb. $3$ oz.) cans Italian tomatoes
• $1$ lb. ground beef chuck
• $\frac{1}{2}$ cup dry bread crumbs
• $\frac{1}{4}$ cup milk
• $2$ slightly beaten eggs
• $1$ cup grated Romano and Parmesan cheese
• $\frac{1}{2}$ cup finely chopped parsley
• $2\frac{1}{2}$ Tbsp. salt
• $\frac{1}{4}$ tsp. pepper
• $2$ ($6$ oz.) cans tomato paste
• $3$ cup water
• $1$ Tbsp. sugar
• $1$ tsp. fennel seed
• $1\frac{1}{2}$ tsp. dried basil
• $1$ lb. lasagna noodles, cooked
• $1$ lb. Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• $1$ lb. Ricotta (Italian pot cheese}

Instructions

• Melt $4$ tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan.
• Add onions, salad dressing mix, and tomatoes.
• Simmer and stir until liquid has evaporated.
• Meanwhile, combine beef, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, $\frac{1}{4}$ cup of grated Romano cheese, $\frac{1}{4}$ cup of chopped parsley, $1\frac{1}{2}$ teaspoons of salt, and the pepper.
• Mix well.
• Brown in remaining butter in skillet.
• Add meat to tomatoes.
• Mix in tomato paste, water, sugar, remaining $\frac{1}{4}$ cup chopped parsley, fennel seed, basil, $\frac{1}{4}$ cup grated Romano cheese, and remaining $2$ tablespoons of salt.
• Simmer $45$ minutes to $1$ hour.
• Pour $1$ cup of sauce into $15$x$10$x$2$ inch baking pan.
• Cover with a layer of drained noodles, $\frac{1}{3}$ of Mozzarella cheese, $\frac{1}{3}$ of the Ricotta, and $2$ tablespoons of grated cheese.
• Cover with sauce.
• Repeat with $2$ or more layers of each, ending with sauce.
• Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese.
• Bake in moderate oven ($350°$) for $30$ minutes.
• Cut into squares. Serves $10$ to $12$.