Like many food bloggers, I am a huge fan of Ree Drummond over at The Pioneer Woman.  She always makes me laugh, she takes beautiful photos (food, family, and life around the ranch) and I have yet to try one of her recipes that wasn't delicious.

So although I first reviewed this recipe with trepidation, I had faith in Ree's culinary wisdom and made the lasagna exactly as written.  Many foodie snobs would turn up their nose at this...a lasagna made with dried herbs and Kraft parmesan cheese and breakfast sausage?!?!?  Blasphemy!  And yet, The Pioneer Woman was right.  This is really the most delicious lasagna I have ever had.  Hands down.

"From the Pantry" Lasagna
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1 pound ground beef
1 pound hot breakfast sausage (I used Bob Evans)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounces) whole tomatoes (I used a quart jar of homemade canned tomatoes)
2 cans (8 ounces) tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used good ol' Kraft in the green jar)
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
1 package (10 ounces) lasagna noodles
more grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt and olive oil to the water.  Cook the lasagna noodles, following package instructions, until al dente.  Don't overcook.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef, sausage, and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drain off most of the fat, but leave some behind.  Fat is yummy.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons dried parsley and 2 tablespoons dried basil, and 1 teaspoon salt.  Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce heat.  Simmer 45 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, the other 2 tablespoons dried parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In 9" x 13" or similar pan, arrange 4 lasanga noodles at the bottom of the pan, overlapping if necessary.  Spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles and spread evenly.  Arrange half of the mozzarella slices over the cottage cheese mixture.  Spoon a little less than half of the meat sauce mixture on top and spread evenly.  Repeat one more layer:  noodles, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce mixture.  Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.  Let the lasagna sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Mmmmm...mushroom bites with sausage and cheese...(insert drooling Homer Simpson image here)...

Try these next time you have a party!

Stuffed Mushrooms
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

24 ounces white button mushrooms
1/3 pound sausage
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Clean mushrooms, then pop out the stems.  Finely chop the stems and set aside.

Arrange the mushroom caps on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt.

Brown and crumble the sausage in a skillet.  Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add shallot and garlic to skillet and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.

Pour in wine, stir and scrape up the yummy brown bits, and cook until liquid evaporates.

Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 2 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside to cool.

Combine cream cheese and egg yolk in bowl.  Stir in Parmesan cheese, cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems.  Put bowl in refrigerator for 30 minutes or so.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon the sausage mixture into each mushroom cap, mounding on top.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool ten minutes before serving.

This is another favorite of JD's.  Wonderful flavor.  Not glamourous, but sooooo good.

Red Beans with Sausage
recipe adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

1 pound pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
sliced ham hocks
1/2 pound Italian sausage (I use sweet, not hot)
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned or fresh)

Put beans in large pot and add water to cover.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the ham hock slices and reduce heat to simmer.  Cover loosely.  Add more water if necessary.

Meanwhile, put sausages in skillet over medium heat.  Turn occasionally until browned on all sides; remove from pan.  Sausages will not be done in the middle, but don't worry about that.  Cut sausages into chunks.

Add a little canola oil to the skillet and add onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened...about 10 minutes.  Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Return the sausage chunks to the pan and cook over medium heat until browned all over.

Add the onion/peppers, thyme, bay leaves, allspice and tomatoes to the pan.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10-15 minutes.

Remove the ham hocks from the pot of beans, remove bones and chop. 

Return chopped ham to the pot of beans along with the sausage/vegetable mixture.

Cook at a simmer until the beans are very tender.  Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Serve alone or over rice; sprinkle with chopped parsley.