It may not be obvious from the title (ha), but this is the best lasagna recipe that you will ever make! I grew up eating it, and love it so much that I never order lasagna in restaurants because nothing else measures up.

And the best part is that you can make it ahead of time and freeze it. That way when you’re hosting, you don’t need to worry about any prep work the day of the party, and can just put this lasagna in the oven when guests arrive. Which means you’ll be free to pour drinks, chat, and have fun!

To make, you’ll need:

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage

1/2 pound mild Italian sausage

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon basil

1 pound can of diced Italian-style tomatoes

6 ounce can of Italian-style tomato paste

6 ounce can of regular tomato paste

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounces lasagna noodles

3 cups creamy cottage cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

2 beaten eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

First, brown the meat and drain the grease.

Then add the next five ingredients, stir, and simmer for 30 minutes.

While it’s simmering, cook and drain the noodles according to the package instructions and set aside.

Combine the remaining ingredients, except for the mozzarella cheese, into a large bowl and stir.

Place enough noodles in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch-pan to cover the bottom in a single layer. It usually takes about 3-4 noodles.

Now for the fun part: layering!

Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.

Then spread half of the mozzarella cheese over the cottage cheese mixture.

Now spread half of the sauce over the mozzarella.

Then repeat the layers in order of noodles, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella and sauce.

Then bake at 375°F for about 40 minutes (10-15 minutes longer if made ahead and refrigerated). If you freeze it prior to baking, make sure that it is thawed before it goes in the oven. Let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting, and then serve.

I made this lasagna recipe over the holidays, and invited my “friend family” over for an early Christmas celebration. The food was delicious, and it was fabulous having everyone together again. These girls have been my rock since high school, and now their husbands, sons and daughters have joined the mix!

It was the perfect lasagna recipe for a perfect holiday celebration.

~A