Skillet Lasagna

Skillet Lasagna 4 cups of broken lasagna noodles (about 9 noodles) 2 tablespoons of cooking oil 1/2 cup of chopped onion 1 pound ground beef, or 1/2 pound each beef and ground sausage 2 large cloves of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon of dried parsley 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon of Creole or Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste 1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste 2 (14-1/2 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained 1 cup of cottage or ricotta cheese 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided Bring a pot of water to a boil, then salt generously. Break up the lasagna noodles into smaller pieces and boil according to package directions, until tender. Set aside. While the noodles are cooking, using a large skillet that has a cover, heat the oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook until tender. Add the ground beef and sausage, cooking until browned and crumbled; drain off any excess fat and add the garlic. Add the parsley, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper and stir in well; cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir to mix and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in undrained diced tomatoes, stir to blend, reduce heat to a medium-low, cover and simmer while you finish the noodles. Drain the noodles. Add the cottage cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the drained noodles to the skillet; stir to blend. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella evenly all over the top or in dollops. Cover the skillet and continue to simmer on low until the lasagna is bubbly and the cheese has melted, taking care not to burn the bottom. For the Oven: Alternatively, you can also finish this dish in the oven. Just be sure that you are using a skillet that is oven safe and with a lid. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F while you prepare everything. After adding in the cheeses and noodles and topping with the remaining cheese, cover the skillet and place into the hot oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and and lasagna is bubbly. I like to serve my skillet lasagna with some garlic bread or hot pistolette rolls and a nice mixed garden salad. Notes: Lasagna noodles generally come in a 12 to 16 ounce box, you'll need about 1/2 a box or about 8 to 9 noodles. The easiest way to break them up, is to remove about 1/2 of the noodles from the box, place into a zipper bag, close it and bang it on the counter a few times. Then, just break up any larger pieces you see by hand before removing them from the bag. Add the broken lasagna noodles to the boiling water and cook until tender according to the package directions. Vegetable Skillet Lasagna: Omit meat and saute 1 cup chopped onion along with 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper until tender, then add in 1 cup chopped zucchini squash and 1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms. Drain off any excess water and proceed with recipe.