Homemade, Meaty, Cheesy, Melty Lasagna

I used my left over True Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs sauce, mushrooms and burger to produce a second delicious Italian dish.  Homemade Meaty Lasagna, was actually solving the leftovers problem. I was on my way out to go hunting with my daughter(See Hunting Women), and last years bounty was using up valuable space in my freezer so I browned up the rest of the Elk, Venison and Moose burger that I had left and added it to the amazing sauce. I knew when I got back from 4 days in the cold and elements this would be a welcome premade, yet homemade, meal the whole family would love! Below is a the basic recipe I use not only if you do not have the premade sauce,  but also using ground beef. 

Meaty, Cheesy, Melty Lasagna

Sauce:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (or Venison or another game ground)
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 onion

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes (hand crush as pour in)
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

Cheese Layer:

1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese or ricotta 

1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan

2 tbsp freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley or 1 tbsp dried

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

9 uncooked lasagna noodles if cooking immediately, or boiled for half package directions if freezing

2 (8-ounce) packages shredded mozzarella.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saucepan, combine ground hamburger, sausage, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.

Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs.
Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.
Bake 45 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Freeze- seal tightly with Tin Foil.  I use the disposable Tin Pans over and over.  If frozen bake at 375 for  2 hours. 1 if thawed.

Ready for the Freezer in a Flash! 

Taking From the Source- Taking Only What We Need-Hunting Women

A Word on Hunting- I know it is fairly unusual, or at least unexpected in many parts to hunt, or see women and girls hunting. In my house I am proud to say that almost all of our seafood and meat is hunted or fished by us. It is sustainable, Organic, I know it's source. We process all of it ourselves, I know what goes into it, I know how it is made. I do not expect this is something most readers would be interested in, but if by chance you are, drop us a comment or a note! We love to hear about diverse, successful, women doing extraordinary things! And if you are a hunting man we celebrate you too, without you I would know nothing! "Thank You" most of all to Poppsy for taking the time to teach us everything you know about canning, preserving, smoking meats and seafood, hunting, fishing, exceptional cooking and generally enjoying life~

PROCESSING OUR VENISON
This weekend we made hundreds of pounds of burger, roasts and tenderloin from the deer that myself and brought in during late buck.  Because venison is such a lean meat I suggest adding beef fat, to ground burger, from your local organic butcher.  They usually love a source to give it away to!

Our burger processed into 1 lb portions for freezing