Happy Freaking Lost An Hour Of Sleep Sunday!!! (Nina's Marinara Sauce)

Good morning,   I love being woken up by 2 bratty dogs scratching on my door because they need water..   there are 2 other people who live here..  do they ever scratch on their doors??  why no,  no they do not..  grrr.. so I got up and gave them water,  and started on the marinara sauce for the Lasagna I am making tonight..  It is my cheat recipe..  I used to make gallons of marinara sauce and freeze it,  but I just don't have the time or energy to do it like I used to..  I first started off with fresh tomatoes and made it that way,  then I graduated to canned tomato sauce,  then tomato paste..  now.. well I just use a can of Hunt's Garlic and Herb Pasta Sauce,  a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and a 15 oz can of Hunt's fire roasted tomatoes with garlic..

Nina's Marinara Sauce

Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 can Hunt's Pasta Sauce
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 15oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes with garlic
Italian herbs
Red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan heat olive oil,  add the onion and peppers,  cook for about 7 minutes,  add the garlic and mushrooms and cook another 3 minutes,  add the Italian sausage and break up if in links..  cook over med-high heat until done and all the liquids from the vegetables has cooked out..  add the Pasta sauce, crushed tomatoes and the fire roasted tomatoes,  using the fire roasted tomato can,  fill halfway with water and use it to get all the sauce and tomatoes out of each can.. pour into pan.. add the herbs and the red pepper flakes,   reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for as long as you can..   I will let it cook a good 2 hours before I put the Lasagna together..

Lasagna

1 pkg Lasagna noodles,  not cooked
Marinara Sauce
1 large container cottage cheese(you can use ricotta,  I am just not a fan)
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 to 3 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg
Italian Herbs

In a large bowl mix the cottage cheese, 1/4th of the mozzarella cheese, 1 c of the parmesan, the egg and Italian herbs.. mix well and set aside
In a 9x13 inch pan put down 2 to 3 ladles of sauce,  lay 3 lasagna noodles on top,  long ways,  press them into the sauce..  put 1 large spoon of the cheese mixture on each noodle and spread out,  put 1 ladle of the sauce along each noodle and spread out.. sprinkle with a little parmesan and mozzarella cheese,  repeat layers, pressing noodles down into the sauce each time you layer them on..  I usually do 4 or 5 layers,  depends on how many noodles I have in the box..  you don't put the cheese mixture on the top layer of noodles,  so divide it up between the 4 to 5 layers underneath that you have..  cover with the remaining marinara sauce and the 8 oz of mozzarella cheese and 1 to 2 c of parm..  I never really measure the cheese,  I just throw it together..   you don't have to get the special no bake noodles,  the regular ones work well..   Bake in a 350 degree over for 45 minutes to an hour..  I start off with mine covered in foil and remove it the last 15 minutes of baking time..  I used my big lasagna pan.. (actually I think it is my sister's lasagna pan that somehow never got back into her hands) oooppsss  sorry June!!!

Garlic Knots

4 c warm water
8 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp yeast
4 tbsp butter, melted
4 tsp salt
7 to 10 cups flour ( I used 2 c. whole wheat flour and the rest all purpose)

Put 1 c water, the sugar and yeast in a large bowl or the bowl of your kitchenaid mixer.  Let sit until doubled in size.. 5 to 10 minutes.   add the melted butter, the 3 c. water, salt and 2 c. of flour.  mix together and then add flour 2 c. at a time and mix well after each addition,  keep adding the flour until a soft dough forms.   put flour on a clean surface and turn dough out onto the flour and knead for 2 to 5 minutes until no longer sticky.   form into 2 balls and then cover with a clean towel and let sit 15 minutes.  Divide the 2 balls in half and roll one out into a rectangle and cut into strips,  then tie in knots and place on a greased baking sheet..  keep doing until you finish with all the dough..  let rise for another hour to hour and a half,  depending on the day.. today mine rose again in 30 minutes..  bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.. depending on how brown you want yours..  then brush with the garlic butter mixture... I brush with the mixture 3 to 4 times.. I keep brushing until all the mixture is gone.. don't forget to sprinkle with the salt.. 

For the Knots after they bake:

1 stick butter, melted

1/4 c olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher or sea salt

Mix first three ingredients together in a bowl and let sit.. brush on the knots after they bake and sprinkle with the salt..