Easy Lasagna Recipe For the Cooking Challenged

I'll be the first person to tell you that I can't cook worth anything. I was lucky enough to marry a man whose diet already consisted of frozen pizza and fast food ahead of time. My lack of abilities didn't disappoint him. In an attempt to get my food in the culinary door though, I discovered a recipe for lasagna that literally anyone could do. It isn't fancy by any means, but it is tasty and easy to do. If you're looking for a beginner recipe or lasagna, this is a basic as it gets.

What You Need:

-1 Box of lasagna noodles

-1 brick of mozzarella cheese

-1 jar of tomato pasta sauce

-1 pound of ground beef or turkey

-1 glass cake pan (size based on need)

-1 frying pan (size based on need)

-1 large sauce pan

-1 cheese grater

-1 colander

-Aluminum foil

-A few spoons

-A few plates/bowls

-A few spatulas

Step 1 - Boil the Noodles

The noodles take the longest time to cook, so get those going fist. To determine how many noodles you need to cook, see how many it will take to line the bottom of your cake pan. Then multiple that amount by the amount of layers you want to have. I usually cook between nine and twelve noodles.

Fill your large sauce pan a little over half way with water. Set your noodles in one at a time so they don't stick together. Set the burner on high and let them start to boil. Leave them there and move onto the next step.

*Make sure to continue stirring the noodles throughout these next steps, even if I don't mention it.

Step 2 - Defrost the Meat

If your meat isn't already defrosted, take this time to stick it in the microwave and start defrosting. Otherwise, move to step 3.

Step 3 - Grate the Cheese

It takes some time to grate an entire brick of mozzarella, so do that next. It's easiest if you break it in half and then grate the two halves separately. Once everything has been grated, put the cheese on a plate or in a bowl for easy access later on.

Step 4 - Brown the Meat

Your meat should be defrosted now, so take it out and put it in your frying pan. Heat the burner to medium. You might want to drain it before you do this if there is a lot of fat and water at the bottom of the plate. Begin chopping the meat into fine piece and continue flipping and chopping it until there is no pink visible. Once the meat is brown, turn the burner off and set the meat to the side.

Step 5 - Drain the Noodles

If your noodles are fully cooked, put your colander in the sink and drain your noodles. Either leave them there, or put them in a bowl so you can make your lasagna.

Step 6 - Assemble the Lasagna

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a layer of tomato pasta sauce at the bottom of the pan. Then put a layer of pasta noodles down. Add another layer of pasta sauce and then cover that with the ground meat. Add a layer of cheese. Repeat this noodle, sauce, meat, and cheese layering until you have the desired height to your lasagna.

Step 7 - Bake the Lasagna

Put aluminum foil on top of the lasagna pan and put it in the oven. Bake it in there until the cheese is fully melted. This may take up to 30 minutes, depending o the oven and the size of the lasagna. If you want to brown the cheese on top, switch it to broil and cook it like that at the tail end of the time.

Step 8 - Serve

Take the lasagna out of the oven and let it cool for a bit. Then cut it up and serve it to your family. Pairs great with salad and bread if you're aiming to truly prepare a meal. Enjoy!