Chi-Chi's Classic Lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

BOIL NOODLES

1. Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of well salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain pasta. Lay the cooked noodles out in a single layer on foil or on a sheet pan that's lightly coated with cooking spray so that they don't stick.

COOK MEAT SAUCE

1. While the noodles cook, get started on the sauce. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the ground beef and sausage until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease; return the cooked meat to the skillet. Stir in the marinara sauce and the Alfredo sauce.

LAYER THE INGREDIENTS

1. Spoon about ¼ of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish to cover in a thin layer. Add a layer of noodles (about 3 noodles across).
2. Spread a layer of ricotta (about ¾ cup) over the noodles. I find that it’s easiest to drop small spoonfuls of the ricotta all over the top and then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to gently spread it in an even layer.
3. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella over top of the ricotta (I use about 1 cup of mozzarella per layer). Repeat the layers twice more (meat sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella). Finish with a final layer of sauce, sprinkle with another 1 cup of mozzarella, and top with Parmesan cheese.

BAKE THE LASAGNA

1. Cover a large baking sheet with foil (to catch any drips), and place the lasagna dish on top of the baking sheet. Bake the lasagna, uncovered, for about 45 minutes (or until the inside is hot and bubbly).
2. Allow the lasagna to stand and set up for about 15-30 minutes before slicing and serving.