Skillet Lasagna the One "Pan" Meal..it will have you "Hooked" :D

Skillet Lasagna

This is another one of those "go to" recipes that I rely upon quite heavily for ease of preparation on busy weekdays. I don't know of anyone personally who does not like pasta. I usually have some homemade pasta sauce ready and waiting in my freezer, but, don't always have the time to spend more than a half hour in the kitchen at most during the week. Skillet lasagna is a one pan meal that can be made quickly and easily. I have 3 jobs in case I haven't mentioned it already before..wink....wink.. Throw together a salad and you are set for a quick and hearty meal!!

The recipe is also open to changes....whatever you have on hand. This time around I started with sauteed onion and garlic and added some mushrooms. I always love the addition of the spinach and the ricotta cheese....although sometimes I substitute cottage cheese. To make this dish I use a pasta called Mafaldine. It looks like thin strips of lasagna noodles and adds a unique texture to the dish. It's ridges allow the sauce to cling to the pasta for a more central flavour in each bite. Depending on the thickness of my homemade sauce it is sometimes necessary to add water or a mixture of water and tomato juice in order for the pasta to cook properly.

Serves 6

If you are looking for a one pan meal head on over to Meeta's Monthly Mingle. This month the theme is One Pan Dinners.....so this is perfect :D for the event at What's for Lunch Honey?

**Skillet Lasagna**

Basic Starter Recipe:

8 oven-ready lasagne noodles (in this case Mafaldine)
1 pkg chopped spinach
1 lb lean ground beef
3 cups pasta sauce (your choice or homemade)
1 cup partly-skimmed ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 oz) pizza shreds ( a blend of mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan and Romano cheeses) or other shredded cheese blend of your choice

Place skillet over high heat. Add beef and cook breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon,
about 3 minutes until no longer pink. Add pasta sauce and ½ cup water and bring to a
simmer.

Add noodles and spinach to pan. Cover and simmer 5 minutes (10 minutes if using Mafaldine), stirring.

Dot with spoonfuls of ricotta cheese, then sprinkle with cheese shreds. Cover, reduce heat to
low and cook 3 minutes until cheese melts.

Remove from heat; serve from skillet.

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