Stretchy mozzarella and sprinkles of Parmesan sit atop my work of art: homemade lasagna.

When you’re time-crunched (and who isn’t around Christmas), homemade lasagna fits into any schedule. It’s delectable, decadent, and perfect for any occasion.

I prepared my lasagna one day ahead of when I needed it. Isn’t it nice to be able to enjoy your extended family’s conversation, instead of rushing about in the kitchen? I think so, too! And to make things even easier for myself, I served my lasagna on very pretty, red paper plates. That way, as we all rushed out the door after eating dinner to attend my daughter’s ballet performance, I had no dishes waiting for me when we returned home.

This delectable, decadent lasagna will wow your dinner guests. Period.

Cook’s Note: I prefer Ronzoni’s Oven Ready Lasagna over the other brands, but that’s just my preference. I used Ragu’s vegetable medley marinara (smooth, not chunky is best, especially if kids will be eating it). Use your favorite spaghetti sauce. I added a couple ingredients to the lasagna recipe on the back on the Ronzoni lasagna box.

Luscious Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground round
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (I used the already minced garlic in a jar)
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce (1 pound, 10 ounces)
• 14.5 ounces tomato sauce (use 8 ounces tomato sauce if you prefer it less saucy)
• 16 ounce package no-bake (oven-ready) lasagna noodles
• 15 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoon basil
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon Mural of Flavor
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brown meat, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Drain fat. Add minced garlic, stir. Add meat mixture to a bowl with spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce. Stir, and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 beaten eggs, and the next three spices. Stir well.

Spray baking pan with Pam or other non-stick cooking spray. I used a 9×13 (3 inches deep) Pyrex pan. Start by ladling ¾ cup of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Lay 3 oven-ready lasagna noodles on top. Put 1/3 of ricotta mixture, 1/3 of meat mixture, and sprinkle ¾ cup of mozzarella over the layer. Repeat two more times (lasagna noodles, meat mixture, mozzarella). Doing this, I use 9 total oven-ready Ronzoni lasagna noodles. The largest portion of mozzarella is sprinkled on the top. For added taste, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top of the last layer of mozzarella cheese. Be sure to cover all the edges of the lasagna noodles with sauce.

Bake, covered with foil, at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes (my lasagna took 60 minutes to bake). Uncover and continue baking the lasagna for about 5 minutes, so that the cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 12 servings.

If you want to make it a day ahead, prepare as above. Do not bake. Cover the lasagna with plastic wrap, then put foil over top. Refrigerate the lasagna. When you pull it out the next day, bake as above. What is your favorite way to make lasagna?