1 lb. ground beef
3 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 oz.) can stewed tomatoes (I use Italian w/ basil, garlic & oregano)
2 (6 oz. ea.) cans tomato paste
1 (10 oz.) can tomato puree
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 bay leaves
1 (10 oz.) pkg. dry lasagna noodles
8 oz. Ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
2 (8 oz. ea.) pkgs. Mozzarella cheese slices
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Cook ground beef and Italian seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until onions are tender; drain. Stir in all tomatoes and next 5 ingredients; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Remove bay leaves before assembly).

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain, and set aside.

Combine Ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl.

Place a thin layer of sauce then half of noodles in a 13x9-inch greased baking dish. Spread half of Ricotta cheese mixture over noodles, and top with half of cheese slices. Spoon half of the meat sauce over cheese. Top with remaining noodles and then the remaining Ricotta cheese mixture, and meat sauce and cover with cheese slices.

Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 40 minutes. Then remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes at 400°F to brown the top a little. Sprinkle the top with fresh parsley for color. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Submitted by: Linny Williams