LASAGNE....Von's Best Ever Recipe

There are a lot of lasagne recipes around but I have fine tuned this one and my family absolutely loves it.Apologies too to my Mum but the kids definitely prefer my Lasagne recipe over hers(which is saying something because my Mum is a great cook).I usually double this recipe so there's plenty of leftovers for lunches and so I can cut the remainder up into individual portion sizes, wrap them up in Cling Wrap and put them in the freezer for times when I'm short on time or just too tired to cook.

                                                           VON'S BEST EVER LASAGNE




375g lasagne sheets


MEAT SAUCE:-


4 teasp. Olive Oil
2 Onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 rashers bacon
500g lean Minced Beef
1 Jar Pasta Sauce
1 sml tin Champignons
1 teasp. Dried Mixed Herbs
2 teasp. white sugar
1 teasp. Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 cup Tomato Paste


CHEESE SAUCE:-


60g Butter
1/2 cup Plain Flour
2 1/2 cups Milk
1 teasp.Ground Nutmeg
125g Cheddar Cheese, grated.
Pinch of Salt and Pepper.


1. Grease a 30 x 20cm lasagne dish. For the meat sauce, heat the oil in  a pan
   over a medium heat. Add  bacon,onions and garlic and cook for 5 mins. or 
   until soft. Add the beef and stir until browned.


2. Add the pasta sauce, mixed herbs, sugar,  salt and pepper, tomato paste
   and champignons. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; cover
   and cook for 10 mins. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.


3. For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add
   the flour, and stir constantly, with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute.


4. Add the milk and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.


5. Stir in the nutmeg,half the cheese, salt and pepper to taste.


6. Put a third of the meat sauce into the bottom of prepared dish.


7. Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets.


8. Spread a third of the cheese sauce over the lasagne and cover with 
    another layer of lasagne.

9. Continuing alternating meat sauce, lasagne and cheese sauce, finishing 
    with a layer of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

10. Bake for 40 mins. or until the top is golden and the sauce bubbling.
      Serve with a green salad and crusty bread. Serves 4-6.


COOKING HINTS FROM VON:-


*  I usually double this recipe as I have an extra large lasagne dish and also
    because I freeze half of it into smaller portions so I always have a ready-
    made meal handy for those times when I don't have time to cook or the
    inclination to (Yes, even the best of us have those moments, especially
    when school nights also include all the kids' sporting commitments). When 
    I double the recipe, instead of doubling the pasta sauce I use only 1 jar 
    and also add a tin of canned diced tomatoes (or I use whole fresh or tinned 
    ones and dice them up myself).

* If you haven't got champignons you can use fresh ones or even any sort of
  tinned ones, whether in sauce or not.


* I usually use the crushed garlic in a jar I keep in the fridge instead of fresh,
   but only because it's more convenient and less messy, although I love it
   fresh.


* If I haven't got any dried mixed herbs, or I have a little more time, I cut an
   assortment of mixed herbs from my herb garden which always adds an extra
   bit of flavour to this meal.


* I always use the dried lasagne sheets because they keep longer and are
   more affordable, but if you feel like splurging, go for the fresh.