Lasagna...The girls favorite meal!

Today I am making Lee Ann and Tricia's favorite meal, lasagna and spinach salad.  This is an old recipe that was given to me about 30  years ago by a friend of Granny Jane.

Lasagna
1 number 2 can tomatoes.....that's the large can about 3-4 cups peeled tomatoes
1 lb ground sirloin
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
salt
pepper
1 16 oz. carton of cottage cheese small curd
1 egg
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. thin sliced mozzarella cheese
8 lasagna noodles cooked per package directions

Brown ground sirloin. Season with salt and pepper. Drain meat. Add garlic, oregano, thyme. Cook on medium for a minute and then add the canned peeled whole tomatoes. Cook on medium heat and break down tomatoes with spoon. After about 5 minutes reduce heat to medium low and cook for 30 min. or until almost all of the water has cooked out. Taste and add salt if needed.
Cook the lasagna noodles until tender. Drain and rinse with cool water. Let stand for 5 min. toss occasionally. You want them to be drained well. I usually add a teaspoon of olive oil to the cooking water and a little salt.
Mix the cottage cheese, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the lasagna noodles, 1/2 of the cottage cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella, and 1/2 of the meat sauce. Repeat layers ending with meat sauce on top.
Bake in oven for 30 to 35 min. until bubbles in center. Let stand for 5 min. after removing from the oven.

Spinach Salad

Fresh spinach
1/2 small chopped onion
2 boiled eggs grated
4 or 5 pieces of bacon cooked crisp
"Accent" seasoning

Wash and drain spinach for at least 1 hour. Toss occasionally.
Chop 1/2 of a yellow onion
Boil and grate eggs
Crumble bacon

Layer in salad bowl as listed above and season with "Accent".....Accent is a seasoned salt

Serve with Italian dressing and toasted Italian bread.

The way I drain lettuce and spinach is this. I rinse the leaves in a colander and then I toss and let drain for about 10 to 20 min. Take a couple of paper towels and wrap around the leaves and place back in colander. Sit the colander on a plate and sit in the refriegrator for about 30 to 40 min or until ready to use.