Lasagna

1/2 lb. lasagna noodles (buy the OVEN READY kind)
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced*
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (12 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix
1 T. sugar
2 c. ricotta or cottage cheese
2 c. mozzarella cheese, grated

Brown the ground beef. Add minced garlic and pepper to beef and cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spaghetti sauce mix. Simmer about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. Layer one cup meat sauce mixture on bottom of pan. Layer uncooked, over-ready noodles over meat mixture, followed by cottage cheese and then grated mozzarella. Repeat layers a total of three times, ending with 1 c. meat sauce and 1/2 c. grated mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

*I usually buy the jars of already minced garlic and add about 3 tsp.

P.S. This is a staple FREEZER meal at our house. Just assemble in a disposable casserole dish and freeze before baking. When ready to eat, pull out and thaw and then bake as directed.