Val's Homemade Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2 pound(s) ground beef
• olive oil
• 1 whole(s) green bell pepper, large diced
• 1 whole(s) onion, large chopped
• 3 clove(s) garlic chopped
• 2 can(s) 14.5 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 2 can(s) 6 oz. cans tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) sugar
• 1./2 teaspoon(s) dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• ground black pepper to taste
• 16 lasagna noodles cooked
• 8 ounce(s) parmesan cheese shredded
• 16 ounce(s) mozzarella cheese shredded
• 16 ounce(s) ricotta cheese
• hot water

Preparation

1. 1. Saute onion, pepper, & garlic in some olive oil until soft or almost soft if you want more of a little crunch to them. Add meat and brown. You may have to drain off some of the fat/oil. You don't want it too dry but not greasy either.
2. 2. Add all other ingredients and cook slow until thick. You can cover or not cover.


3. Hot Water (to thin sauce and let cook down- whatever amount works - I start with a cup and then increase as needed. The idea is to allow sauce to cook down at least 2 or more hours into a thick sauce)


4. 3. Layer Lasagna in a large rectangular pan sprayed with Pam. Start with sauce on bottom, then 4 noodles, a little of all 3 cheeses. Repeat ending with a generous layer of sauce.
5. This should yield a lot of sauce which most people prefer. You may want less noodles but this does make a lot.