Jeff's Skillet Lasagna

Ok so this one-skillet meal is actually over 30 years old. In the fall of 1979, I was a freshman in college and I went to a bookstore in a mall in Irvine, California that was close to the university where I was attending and I came across this little paperback cookbook that was called something like "The Campus Survival Cookbook" and it had all these really simple, easy recipes that a beginning cook could do with minimal prep. I found this one that I REALLY liked called, "Miracle Skillet Lasagna" that I have toyed with and modified over the years to become:

Jeff's Skillet Lasagna

1 lb Ground Beef

8 - 16 ounces of Low fat Small Curd Cottage Cheese

1 Package of Wide Egg Noodles or Dumpling Egg Noodles

1 Large can of Spaghetti Sauce

8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Garlic Powder or Garlic Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Parsley Flakes

Basil flakes

1 Large Skillet

In the large skillet brown the ground beef and then drain. Spoon a layer of cottage cheese over the meat and then sprinkle Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, some oregano, basil, pepper, and garlic powder over the cottage cheese.

Then spread noodles evenly over the cottage cheese layer and pour about half to two-thirds of the spaghetti sauce over the noodles along with about a cup of water. Make sure the sauce/ liquid mixture covers the noodles. Season the sauce with more oregano, basil, garlic powder or garlic salt, and pepper and put skillet back on burner and bring sauce to a boil. When sauce mixture is bubbling nicely, gently stir the lasagna mixture and turn down heat to simmer.

Let lasagna simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes, gently stirring mixture occasionally, and letting the lasagna cook down and thicken. When cooked, turn off burner and sprinkle the grated Mozzarella cheese over the skillet lasagna and let melt.

Can put entire skillet on a hot pad on the dinner table and serve from it. Add some garlic bread or toast and a tossed salad and viola! Quick Italian Skillet Lasagna.

Cook's Note: I don't have exact measurements for some of the ingredients because over the years I have changed and modified it and I go mainly by look and taste. Substitutions are definitely allowed so use Ricotta cheese instead of Cottage cheese and you can make your own tomato sauce instead of canned. This is a VERY adaptable dish so have fun with it.