Easy Creamy Lasagna

This recipe is really just an adaptation of two different lasagnas. The first was a classic lasagna as presented on the back of the Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles box. And the second was fed to me at a neighborhood dinner. Since the maker of the second lasagna doesn't use a recipe, per se, I combined her secret ingredient with a typical recipe and the result was delicious!

The ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

1 1/2 c. water

1 3/4 c. ricotta or small curd cottage cheese (I actually prefer cottage cheese)

2 c. shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (or 2 T. dried parsley)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream  (<--SECRET INGREDIENT)

9-12 pieces lasagna noodles, uncooked

The instructions:

Heat oven to 350^F.  In a 3-quart sauce pan over medium high heat, brown meat, and drain.  Add spaghetti sauce and water.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta,half the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper.  Pour about 1 c.  meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch pan.  Spread 6 heaping spoonfuls of sour cream on top of the meat sauce in pan. Arrange 3-4 UNCOOKED noodles over top of sauce.  Cover with more sour cream, and 1 cup sauce. Spread half of cheese filling over sauce.  Repeat layers of lasagna, sour cream, meat sauce, and cheese filling.  Top with layer of lasagna and remaining sauce 6 more spoonfulls of sour cream. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

((Seriously, folks- the sour cream makes all the difference! It is SO GOOD!))