Meatballs. I love meatballs! I always make a large batch them when I do my Once a Month Cooking Days. I use this recipe, & it's excellent. I freeze them cooked, thaw them in the refrigerator, & use them in different dishes. One of our favorite ways of eating the meatballs is in what my family & I refer to as Meatball Lasagna. It comes together really fast, but tastes like you have been in the kitchen all day making it.
Start by simmering your cooked meatballs in 2 jars of spaghetti sauce. Sometimes I make my own sauce, but in a hurry, the jarred stuff works great. You can add in diced tomatoes or garlic if you wish - totally up to you.
While the meatballs are simmering - combine 1 pint of ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, & 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning.
Skim some of the sauce off of the simmering meatballs, & spread it in a 9x13 pan.
Layer 1/2 of your noodles (I used leftover penne noodles & the noodles from the boxed mac & cheese that I knew we'd never eat as it was) - then half of the ricotta mixture, followed by 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella & half of the meatballs.
Repeat - ending with meatballs on top - and finished off with the remaining mozzarella cheese, & a sprinking of Parmesan cheese & Italian Seasoning.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I like to cook mine on top of a baking sheet just in case there is any spillovers.
Serve, & enjoy. The leftovers are even better!!
Meatball Lasagna
Ingredients:
- 1/3 of the meatballs in the linked recipe (or of your own choosing)
- 2 large jars spaghetti sauce
- 6 cups cooked noodles (penne, elbow, mix of whatever you have - doesn't really matter)
- 2 eggs
- 1 pint ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Parmesan Cheese
Instructions:
Simmer the meatballs in the spaghetti sauce. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, & 2 tbsp of Italian seasoning. Skim some of the sauce off of the simmering meatballs, & spread it in a 9x13 pan - covering the bottom. Layer half of the noodles, ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese, & half of the meatballs. Repeat. Top with the last 1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese & Italian seasoning.
Place the pan of lasagna on a baking sheet to prevent oven spillovers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Place the pan of lasagna on a baking sheet to prevent oven spillovers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
