Skill-less Skillet Lasagna

I hate making lasagna. 

I love eating it, looking at it, and taking pictures of it...but putting it all together is a real pain. There are a couple reasons it sucks SO MUCH, like the amount of dirty dishes waiting for you when the dish is complete. Or the preparation involved. The baked-on cheese that never wants to come off the baking pan. The way it's really hard to spread the cheese mixture without messing up the noodles and layers underneath. The huge amount of leftovers when there's only 3 people to feed in my house. 

Clearly, lasagna could stand to be improved a little. For my sake. 

When I found a recipe for Skillet Lasagna that promised to use only one pan, I was skeptical, but mostly elated. Then, I kept reading and found out this woman expected me to make the sauce from scratch, use pre-boiled noodles, AND use more than the original single pan she called for. Disappointment was the result.

But not for long! 

I decided to completely screw up a perfectly good recipe for skillet lasagna and make it 
MORE CONVENIENT
FASTER
EASIER TO CLEAN UP...and
STILL TOTALLY DELICIOUS. 

I'll let you benefit from my laziness, and reap the rewards of my recipe refusal. Whoa, that's a lot of R's. 


Deb's Skill-less Skillet Lasagna

• 1 15 oz. container of ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 26 oz. jar pasta sauce
• 1 pkg. Oven-ready (No-Boil) lasagna noodles

Alright, Suzy Homemaker. First, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet (12 inch works best). You shouldn't have to drain, but if there's excess fat, get it outta there. Stat. 

Next, while that meaty goodness is getting nice and brown, mix up your cheese mixture. Combine the ricotta, water, salt, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella IN A SEPARATE BOWL. I'm sorry, this brings our dirty-dish total to 2, but it's the best I could do. Anyway, mix that mess up. Set aside. 

When the sausage is browned, add 2 cups of your sauce to the pan. Mix it up. This is the bottom layer of your lasagna. 

Place 2 lasagna noodles in the center of the pan, side by side, and break noodles to fill in the spaces around the edges. 

Take your cheese mixture and drop spoonfuls of it in even intervals on top of the noodles. That makes it easier to spread out. Spread it until it completely covers the noodles. I had some cheese mixture leftover. 

Layer more noodles, just like you did the first layer, then add the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese on top. Cover your skillet, set the timer for 20 minutes, and get on with your freaking life. For 20 minutes, I mean.

The lasagna is done once the noodles are tender. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it set for about 5 minutes. This makes it easier to cut and serve. 

Stuff your face and thank me silently when you have only 2 dishes to clean up.