Lasagna with Homemade Meat and Garden Vegetable Marinara

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 celery stalks with leaves, diced
1/2 Tbsp each of thyme, oregano, basil and parsley
1/2 Cup red wine
2 (.28 oz) Cans crushed tomatoes
1 Bay leaf
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb Ground beef, lean (or any ground meat)
9 Whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/2-1 Cup ricotta
4 Cups Italian blend shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Warm olive oil in soup pot over medium heat
2. Add onions first and saute for about 5 minutes, then, add green pepper, carrots and celery

3. Cook veggies, stirring occasionally, until the onions are clear and other veggies are starting to get soft
4. Add garlic and spices, cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

5. Pour in wine, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes
6. Add the cans of tomatoes, do not drain, and bring to a light simmer
7. While bringing sauce to simmer, brown meat in a skillet and drain
8. Put meat in food processor to get a fine and even texture (optional)
9. Add meat, bay leaf, salt, pepper and sugar to sauce and bring to a low simmer (taste the sauce to see if you need to add more salt, pepper or sugar - adding just a small amount at a time between tasting)
10. Simmer for at least one hour

11. After sauce is ready, set it aside and cook pasta as instructed on the box
12. Pat pasta dry after cooking and straining water
13. Turn oven on 375
14. Spread a cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x11 glass baking dish evenly
15. Layer 3 noodles (overlapping if needed) over sauce
16. Add sauce to cover each noodle, spreading evenly (amount is up to you)
17. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the sauce, cover the sauce really well
18. Place dollops of ricotta over the shredded cheese (in a line with the way the noodles are placed)
19. Put another layer of 3 noodles over the ricotta and follow the same steps ( sauce, shredded cheese, ricotta)
20. Add the last layer of 3 noodles, sauce and shredded cheese (put sauce and cheese in any gaps between the dish edge and the pasta)
21. Tent foil over the top to cover without touching the lasagna
22. Cook on middle rack in over for 45 minutes, uncover and cook for 5 more minutes 23. Remove and let sit for 5-10 minutes

24. SERVE

We should've had a salad with this, but instead we had Pepperidge Farm Garlic 5-Cheese Texas Toast. YUMMY.

You can make this sauce for any pasta, also...spaghetti, ravioli, etc. It is time-consuming but easy and worth it!

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