Lasagna Patrizia

OK, I must confess my love for lasagna! It's my favorite "comfort food". Here's an easy recipe that's fool proof.

1 box of lasagna noodles (whole wheat)
1-2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground Italian sausage (I use mild or sweet)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (24 ounce) jars favorite spaghetti sauce (I often use Bertolli tomato & basil)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 packaged frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 medium container small curd cottage cheese
1-2 packages sliced mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles as directed.
Brown the ground beef, Italian sausage, and onions in the olive oil. Next add the spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning and let simmer 20-30 minutes.

Layer in 13x9 baking dish (sprayed with Pam or such):
Thin layer of sauce on very bottom of dish
Noodles
1/2 of the ground beef mixture
1/2 of spinach (just drop over beef randomly)
1/2 of the cottage cheese – drop randomly
Noodles
Sliced mozzarella cheese
Remainder of ground beef mixture
Remainder of spinach
Remainder of cottage cheese
Noodles
End with mozzarella cheese on top

Bake in 350 degree oven until cheese bubbles and starts to turn brown. Let sit about 15 minutes before serving.

(If you have sauce left over, it's great to use in home made soup the next day!)