SPINACH-TOFU-BEEF LASAGNE

My mom helped me with this recipe. Great Lasagne!

1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
6 cloves garlic, pressed
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
coarse ground black pepper

2 small packages frozen chopped spinach
1 Tbsp. butter
salt

1 lb. ground round
1/2 lb. extra firm tofu in water, which has been frozen and thawed
1/2 onion
1 large clove garlic, pressed
salt
coarse ground pepper

1 lb. "no boil" curly edge lasagne noodles
8 oz. shredded cheddar and mozzarella
parmesan cheese
about 12 slices american cheese
2 1/4 C 4% milkfat small curd cottage cheese
vegetable oil spray

Peel onion, leaving whole, and microwave covered for 5 minutes. Use kitchen scissors to coarsely chop onion in bowl. Add 1 cup crushed tomatoes to blender. Add onion and blend well. Add to pot with remaining crushed tomatoes and petite diced tomatoes. Cook over medium low heat. Add olive oil, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, pepper and sugar. When sauce is bubbly reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hr.
Remove spinach from packages and defrost on high in microwave, pouring off excess water. After spinach defrosted microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Stirring often. Add butter and salt. Mix well.

Firmly squeeze excess moisture from tofu and crumble. Add ground round, tofu, 1/2 chopped onion and garlic to skillet. Cook until ground beef is browned. Add salt and pepper.

Lasagne Layers:

(1) sauce to cover bottom of 12 x 8 x 3-inch lasagne pan (sprayed with Pam first)
(2) lasagne noodles
(3) Beef mixture combined with some of the sauce
(4) lasagne noodles
(5) spinach
(6) American cheese slices
(7) cottage cheese
(8) lasagne noodles
(9) tomato sauce
(10) sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese
(11) cheddar-mozzarella cheese
(12) more parmesan cheese

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Wait 30 minutes before serving.

Pork 'n' Bean Casserole

This makes a very large casserole, but you could bake the casserole in a smaller pan adding only about half as many potatoes (which I recommend for a meatier casserole). I cook this with as many no salt added ingredients as I can. Although this recipe can be made with canned ingredients containing salt.

1 lb. Angus ground chuck, browned and drained of fat
14 oz. extra-firm tofu, prefrozen, defrosted, squeezed dry & crumbled
1 slice cooked bacon, crumbled
3 lbs. russet potatoes in jackets, microwaved al dente & sliced in 3/4 - 1-inch rounds or chunks(less for a meatier casserole)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 15 oz. cans navy beans, bean broth reserved
16 oz. canned tomato sauce
1 onion, peeled and microwaved whole
1/2 green bell pepper, cut in strips and microwaved
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
1 Tbsp. spicey brown mustard
2 Tbsp. molasses
1 dash Tabasco
1 Tbsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. or so paprika
dried parsley, generously
dried mustard, sparingly
salt & pepper to taste
vegetable oil spray

Add to blender tomato sauce, onion (& cooking juice), bell pepper & bacon, blending after each ingredient added. Pour into a large pot sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Add reserved bean broth, 1 cup of water, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, molasses, brown mustard, dry mustard and parsley. Simmer slowly for 5-10 minutes. Add beef and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add tofu and simmer for 5 minutes. Salt to taste. Remove from heating element and cover with lid.

Spray a large rectangular pan with vegetable oil spray. Add olive oil to coat pan. Line pan with potato rounds. Sprinkle lightly with salt and dried parsley.

Add beans to beef mixture. Adjust seasonings. Pour bean mixture over potatoes and bake in 350 F oven for 30-40 minutes. Cover with foil after removing from oven (or before if top of casserole dries out or browns too quickly).